AWS Solar Feasibility Study
Jaspers Brush NSW
AWS System Design Methodology
AWS are proud to offer some of the highest level engineering and system design available. We utilize HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources), a high level micro grid design software that utilizes the sites’ GPS location, NASA satellite data for wind speeds, solar resource and temperature data, yearly energy demand, equipment costs, fuel costs and equipment performance specifications in order to identify the absolute best value for money system design possible.
Putting in a request with your electricity retailer for a year’s worth of meter data will help provide a much more detailed analysis of the site’s power usage. We can simply use this data in the design process by importing the actual demand data directly into HOMER. This meter data is quite valuable as it gives us electricity usage figures per 30min or 15min blocks over 24 hours where we can generate daily load profiles show in this report.Optimizing a system over a designated project life time will also dictate what sized system is best suited for that selected duration. A system with payback period shown to be 5 years will generally be smaller than a system with a 10 year payback period, however over a project lifetime of 20 years, the larger system has a higher return on investment.
1. Electric Load
The graph below details the electric load of this site, produced via current bill info and scaled rotary data. Average daily electricity consumption for 12months is 173 kWh/day. Current electricity rates from Red Energy bill. 15% pay on time discount is applied to the rate to give a peak rate of $0.2525/kWh and feed in rate of $0.06/kWh.
1.1 Increased Energy use
Upon discussion with the client, it is expected that a potential 30% increase in electric load use especially within the production/cooling section of the site will incur. This brings an indicative energy consumption to 224.9kWh/day. This energy consumption increase will also explored within this report.
2. Monthly electricity usage
The graph below shows the grid production prior to renewable energy.
3. Design brief
Two methods of approaching an optimized system are presented here, with each method showing optimized system sizing with current energy use and projected energy use increase.
Method 2: Optimized over 15 year project life
This system aims to achieve best possible system within 15 years of operation.
4. Optimized system 1
The optimised system (using method 1) taking into account energy consumption data over 12 months, current electricity rates and cost of components for a positive 7 year finance term and available roof space is as follows:
Optimized Solar sizing: 19.98kW
Indicative panel arrangement (74x 270W panels)
4.1 System 1 - PV Output analysis
The output of the 19.98kW PV array is shown below, with total production, mean output over the year.
4.2 System 1 - Proposed electricity usage
This graph now shows the implementation of 19.98kW of Solar panels contributing to the grid production supply. Greater solar production and hence grid offsetting occurs during summer months and less in winter months as can be seen.
4.3 System 1 - Electricity bill comparison and savings
Below tables shows the comparison between electricity charges and savings in year 1, showing monthly savings and total yearly savings (green column). A total saving of $4,877.72 is projected to occur in the first year.
4.4 System 1 - Rental payment plan (Finance option)
A payment plan from Energy Lease has been included to show comparison between new billing + payments and original business as usual bill over 7 finance year term.
Comparison of electricity charges and finance payments showing potential net cash positive position with 5% electricity price inflation.
5. Optimized system 1b
The optimised system (method 1) taking into account projected increase in energy consumption (30%), current electricity rates and cost of components for a positive 7 year finance term and available roof space is as follows:
Indicative panel arrangement (93x 270W panels).
5.1 System 1b - PV Output analysis
The output of the 25.11kW PV array is shown below, with total production, mean output over the year.
5.2 System 1b - Proposed electricity usage
This graph now shows the implementation of 25.11kW of Solar panels contributing to the grid production supply. Greater solar production and hence grid offsetting occurs during summer months and less in winter months as can be seen.
5.3 System 1b - Electricity bill comparison and savings
Below tables shows the comparison between electricity charges and savings in year 1, showing monthly savings and total yearly savings (green column). A total saving of $6,139.86 is projected to occur in the first year.
5.4 System 1b - Rental payment plan (Finance option)
A payment plan from Energy Lease has been included to show comparison between new billing + payments and original business as usual bill over 7 finance year term.
Comparison of electricity charges and finance payments showing potential net cash positive position with 5% electricity price inflation.
6. Optimized system 2
The optimised system (using method 2) taking into account energy consumption data over 12 months, current electricity rates and cost of components for best possible system over 15 years is as follows.
Indicative panel arrangement (189x 270W panels)
6.1 System 2 - PV Output analysis
The output of the 51.03kW PV array is shown below, with total production, mean output over the year.
6.2 System 2 - Proposed electricity usage
Figure below now shows the implementation of 51.03kW of Solar panels contributing to the grid production supply. Greater solar production and hence grid offsetting occurs during summer months and less in winter months as can be seen.
6.3 System 2 - Electricity bill comparison and savings
Below tables shows the comparison between electricity charges and savings in year 1, showing monthly savings and total yearly savings (green column). A total saving of $8,523.67 is projected to occur in the first year.
6.4 System 2 – Economics
Below shows the economics of the system if purchased outright. Considering 5% minimum electricity price inflation, the system has a simple payback period of approximately 6.85 years.
7. Optimized system 2b
The optimised system (using method 2) taking into account increased energy consumption data over 12 months, current electricity rates and cost of components for best possible system over 15 years is as follows.
As roof space was becoming limiting, higher capacity panels (300W as opposed to 270W panels) are utilized here.
7.1 System 2b - PV Output analysis
The output of the 56.7kW PV array is shown below, with total production, mean output over the year.
7.2 System 2b - Proposed electricity usage
Figure below now shows the implementation of 56.7kW of Solar panels contributing to the grid production supply. Greater solar production and hence grid offsetting occurs during summer months and less in winter months as can be seen.
7.3 System 2b - Electricity bill comparison and savings
Below tables shows the comparison between electricity charges and savings in year 1, showing monthly savings and total yearly savings (green column). A total saving of $9,891.52 is projected to occur in the first year.
7.4 System 2b – Economics
Below shows the economics of the system if purchased outright. Considering 5% minimum electricity price inflation, the system has a simple payback period of approximately 6.9 years.
This feasibility study is based on requirements, information and wind/solar resources relating to a particular Dairy Farm in rural NSW.
If you would like Australian Wind and Solar to design a System to suit your needs, get in touch with us.
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This feasibility study is based on requirements, information and wind/solar resources relating to a particular Dairy Farm in rural NSW.
If you would like Australian Wind and Solar to design a System to suit your needs, get in touch with us.
