Tiempo De Retorno Energético De Un Sistema Fotovoltaico De Generación Distribuida En Argentina

Abstract

This paper analyzes the energy recovery time of a photovoltaic system for distributed generation within the framework of the international commitments assumed to mitigate the environmental impact associated with the electrical mix. The system is located at the Constituyentes Atomic Center and is part of a public investment project of the National Atomic Energy Commission. Based on the analysis of each of the contributions of the system components, the energy payback time is evaluated and some alternatives are proposed to improve it. A payback time of one year was obtained for panels with PERC cells, half cut, and an efficiency of 20.3%. This figure improves to 0.92 years if the degradation reported by the manufacturer is considered instead of the average used for the cell technology of the panels. The greatest contribution within the system balance is provided by the inverter. The use of materials with lower energy content in building integration that also contribute to improving the envelope would further reduce the figure. The payback time could be significantly reduced if part of the panel production were carried out in Argentina, taking advantage of the efficiency of the electrical matrix and reducing transportation costs.