Análise comparativa para a viabilidade técnica / financeira de uma usina de microgeração fotovoltaica de 75 kW com painéis fixos e uma com seguidor solar

Abstract

The electrical energy sector in Brazil has been facing many difficulties that have left the sector vulnerable, mainly due to its energy matrix being more than half derived from hydraulic energy and this source is suffering from climate changes that are causing a lack of rain and, consequently, lowering water levels in reservoirs and rivers. Furthermore, global warming, caused by the increase in emissions of gases such as CO2 into the atmosphere, is a central problem in today's society, which means that the generation of energy, from non-renewable resources, such as coal, natural gas and oil is not a viable alternative. In this sense, Brazil, with vast natural resources and potential for solar energy, is seeking to use this source, abundant in our country, to generate cleaner and more renewable electrical energy. Solar photovoltaic technology has received a lot of attention and investment to increase its efficiency and reduce costs. One way to improve performance is to use solar trackers that follow the movement of the sun to optimize the capture of solar rays. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the viability of a photovoltaic plant classified as microgeneration, with a capacity of 75 kW, which employs a solar tracking system. The aim is to collect generation data based on a real plant using the PVSYST software and then compare the financial investment required to build a 75 kW fixed structure solar plant with the investment in a plant of the same size. capacity, but equipped with a solar tracker. This will involve analyzing the costs of energy production and the period necessary to obtain a financial return on the investment and calculating the NPV. The purpose was to determine the moment at which the use of solar trackers becomes viable in microgeneration plants. The results obtained demonstrate that both plant proposals are economically viable, since the net present value (NPV) was positive, the fixed structure plant presented a discounted payback of 3 years and 7 months lower compared to the tracker plant that presented a payback discounted from 5 years and 1 month, and the fixed structure plant presented a higher NPV value of R$1,590,548.80 compared to the plant using a tracker, which was R$328,959.20.