Development of a Mobile Application for Grid - Tied Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Design for Residential Buildings

Abstract

As digital technology is continually evolving and an increasing number of people from diverse backgrounds are spending more time on their mobile phones, building a mobile app for solar PV system design is beneficial for homeowners who wish to invest in solar energy as an alternative source of power for their appliances. The study aimed to develop a smartphone app for integrating solar photovoltaic systems in existing and new residential buildings. The software provides design on the rated capacity of the photovoltaic array, the size of the tie-inverter, the overall cost of the photovoltaic system, yearly savings, and return on investment. The software was created using solar radiance data, net-metering, and local government permitting requirements. The researcher collected 12 months of solar radiance data from five Dagupan City households before developing the app's design guidelines. The developed smartphone app was tested on residences with existing solar PV systems and compared to the real parameters of current solar PV systems. The results showed that the mobile app is a dependable tool for supporting residential clients in identifying suitable solar system sizes for their homes.