Paving the Path to Self-Sufficiency : Optimizing Photovoltaic Installations on Facilities with Emphasis on Consumption Patterns and Economic Viability

Sammanfattning: This bachelor's thesis explores the potential of Skolfastigheter's facilities to achieve self-sufficiency through solar power while maintaining economic feasibility. The study specifically examines the economic feasibility of various solar power installation sizes, while also exploring key characteristics of school facilities that influence their level of self-sufficiency. To assess this, the report is structured into several steps. The initial step involves identifying properties with the potential to achieve Skolfastigheter's objective of being 15 % self-sufficient and subsequently ranking them. The following step involves evaluating the maximum potential self-sufficiency of a few selected properties through an optimization problem, with an upper limitation in investment cost and maximal capacity. Once optimal self-sufficiency is detected and evaluated a sensitivity analysis is conducted to test the model's robustness by considering different electricity prices and orientations. The results indicate that fluctuating electricity prices have a significant effect on the potential size of the solar panel system, while the orientation has a minor effect when optimizing for self-sufficiency. The key characteristic for achieving optimum self-sufficiency is an even consumption pattern throughout the year, and the facility size is mainly dependent on the current electricity pricing. Furthermore, it is highly probable that the current 15% self-sufficiency threshold for Skolfastigheter AB can be surpassed.