Design, Analysis, and Economic Study of Solar Rooftop PV Systems in Metro Rail Stations in Bangladesh

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, is addressing urban intervention challenges with a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system to cater to its growing population's transportation needs. The metro rail project requires 160 MWh of electricity daily. As energy demand rises in emerging countries, ensuring energy security is crucial. This study focuses on a rooftop solar PV grid-connected power system on metro rail station rooftops to address the energy demand. It delves into the design aspects and evaluates the techno-economic and environmental performances. The performance test of the rooftop solar PV system was simulated using PVsyst 7. From this project CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> emissions savings over the 25-year project lifetime, with a total of 7585.929 tons saved per station. Per year 303.437 tCO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> and per kW 12.653 tCO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> saved from one metro station. The solar power project in question involves a total installation cost of 4,25,00,000 BDT (equivalent to 3,80,000 USD). With a commitment to sustainability, the project aims to generate a significant amount of clean energy, producing a total of 10.7 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually. This metrics collectively affirm the viability of the system as an effective solution for addressing energy needs, concurrently diminishing reliance on fossil fuels, and fostering the adoption of sustainable energy practices.