Developing a solar PV system for cost-effective electricity reduction in an aluminium extrusion plant

Abstract

Abstract The demand for solar photovoltaic systems has been steadily increasing over the years, driven by the collective goal to reduce both CO2 emissions and electricity bills in order to foster a sustainable world. Industries with high energy consumption, particularly manufacturing, are actively pursuing the establishment of more sustainable plants to align with net-zero objectives. The primary aim of this project is to design a solar photovoltaic system tailored for an aluminium manufacturing plant, with the intent to curtail electricity consumption and minimize CO2 emissions by harnessing and utilizing energy generated from the photovoltaic system. The comprehensive analysis encompasses meteorological data, daily load demand configuration, photovoltaic array assessment, and simulation of grid-connected inverter sizing through the utilization of PVsyst software. According to the simulation results, the collective operational capacity of the solar photovoltaic system reaches 5240 kWp, effectively meeting 85% of the factory’s maximum demand. To fulfil the plant’s requirements, a total of 12780 panels are necessary. The analysis reveals that this solar system can generate a total of 7,609,690 kWh annually, constituting approximately 26.10% of the total electricity bill for the year 2022, amounting to 29,146,841.28 kWh. The estimated savings from implementing this solar solution amount to around RM 2,701,518 per year. Moreover, the solar system significantly reduces CO2 emissions by an annual total of 4,224.467 tons, contributing to a healthier surrounding environment. The anticipated return on investment, as per the PVsyst projections, is expected to occur within approximately 3.4 years.