Analysis of 1-year energy data of a 5 kW and a 122 kW rooftop photovoltaic installation in Dhaka

Abstract Since 2010, rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems have been extensively used in Bangladesh. This PV system contributes 2–3% to the country's energy demand. In recent years (2020–2024), at least ten large-scale 20–100 MW PV power plants are coming into operation. However, the growth rate of the new PV system is limited by a few factors, such as sustainable energy output over a long time, financial return on investment, and reliability of the energy. To maintain a steady growth of the electrical energy produced from the PV system, research on the performance of the older installations is required. This study analyzes the various data (generated dc power from sunlight, transmitted ac power to the grid) of a 5 kW (March 2021–February 2022) and a 122.4 kW (January 2022–December 2022) rooftop grid-connected solar installation for 12 months. The polycrystalline silicon PV systems are 8 and 4 years old, respectively. The yearly average performance ratio of the 5 and 122.4 kW systems is 17% and 79%, respectively. The results of the study will encourage the investors and community to achieve a 10% share in the national energy demand in the context of Bangladesh.