Design of an optimal microgrid based on the solar photovoltaic resource at the Salesian Polytechnic University - South Campus, using HOMER PRO software

Abstract

In the context of dependence on the consumption of fossil fuels, which cause global warming, the world requires clean and sustainable energy. In recent years, great advances have been made in the field of renewable and sustainable energy. Therefore, sustainable energy development is essential to meet the growing demand for energy, while preserving environmental quality and the natural resources needed now and in the future. Likewise, to achieve this sustainability it is necessary to carry out an energy transition focused on the use of renewable energies. Energy sustainable buildings have a crucial role to play in minimizing the environmental impact, since, by making use of solar photovoltaic technology, for example, they are able to generate much or all of the energy that the building requires. This paper aims to design an optimal microgrid that makes use of the solar resource in the Homer pro software, to provide energy sustainability to one of the blocks of the Salesian Polytechnic University - South Campus.  For this purpose, the solar irradiance data of the sector is used, as well as the energy demand data of the specific block. The results obtained make it clear that the option of incorporate solar panels and a battery bank into the microgrid turns out to be the least expensive and at the same time provides a higher degree of sustainability to the building.