Investigating Clean Energy Generation from Unoccupied Roof-top Space in University Premises

Distributed energy sources are becoming popular for producing clean energy, depleting fossil fuels, and meeting growing electricity demand. Solar PV is one of the most commonly used renewable energy sources due to its availability and cost-effective operation. Recently, the roof-top PV system installation on academic premises has been significantly emerging. The unoccupied roof space can be effectively used to generate electricity to substantially meet the university's load demand. This paper investigates the feasibility of a roof-top PV system placed on the EME (Electrical and Mechanical Engineering) academic Building in Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET). A small test system was developed considering the effective roof-top area and actual load demand. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed system successfully meets the required load demand of the building. An excess energy supply during peak sun hours can also be shared with the nearby premises.