Evaluate The Installation Of Solar Photovoltaic Panels On The Roofs Of UNNC Buildings To Supplement The University’s Power Supply

The Assessment of Installing Solar Photovoltaic Panels on UNNC’s Rooftops to Complement Energy Supply in the University
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Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc16077821 \h 32.0 Evaluation of Cost, Society Awareness and Acceptance, and Health and Safety of Solar Photovoltaic Panel Installation on UNNC’s Rooftops PAGEREF _Toc16077822 \h 42.1 Cost PAGEREF _Toc16077823 \h 42.2 Society Awareness and Acceptance PAGEREF _Toc16077824 \h 52.3 Health and Safety PAGEREF _Toc16077825 \h 63.0 Conclusion and Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc16077826 \h 7References PAGEREF _Toc16077827 \h 9
The Assessment of Installing Solar Photovoltaic Panels on UNNC’s Rooftops to Complement Energy Supply in the University
1.0 Introduction
Contrary to fossil fuels, solar power is safe, renewable, efficient, and pollution-free alternative clean source of energy that could supplement UNNC power supply through solar photovoltaic (PV) panel installation on rooftops. With the increasing world population, which is projected to be between 7.5 and 10.5 billion people by the year 2050, there is an increased demand for energy (Fong & Tippett, 2013). Overdependence on fossil fuel, the dominant form of energy source, has resulted in an increased greenhouse gas emission, which has further exacerbated the challenge of global warming and climate change. To address the challenge of the rising demand for energy, solar power has demonstrated to be not only scalable, but also technologically advanced alternative to fossil fuels. In the recent past, PV as one of the technologies for generating solar energy has witnessed a swift development and will continue to be instrumental in the creation of eco-friendly energy for future generations (Hasapis et al., 2017). According to Hasapis et al. (2017), many universities around the world are constantly seeking sustainable mechanisms of power generation. For instance, Butte College has invested in 25000 solar panels, and as reported by Environment America (2017), the campus generated more power than it could consume in 2017. Contrary to the rate of acceptance and adoption of this technology in college campuses, Ball, Reicher, Sun and Pollock (2017) note that solar energy only accounts for 1% of the world’s energy generation. This observation implies that the adoption of this technology requires a comprehensive cost analysis to serve as a guide for the implementation of solar power solution in homes and commercial settings. For the purpose of this report, it is critical to consider an evaluation of cost, social awareness, and acceptance, and health and safety aspects prior setting up solar photovoltaic panels on UNNC rooftops to complement its supply of power.
2.0 Evaluation of Cost, Society Awareness and Acceptance, and Health and Safety of Solar Photovoltaic Panel Installation on UNNC’s Rooftops
2.1 Cost
Prior to the setting up the PV panels, it is crucial to consider the cost-effectiveness and economic sustainability of the project. PV is already a recognized and advanced technology that is fast inching towards its grid parity (IRENA, 2012). Many universities, especially in the United States, have had solar panels set up in open places such as parking lots and rooftops, which serve as perfect locations for solar energy projects. Cost-savings is one of the many opportunities that solar energy offers campuses. The cost of installing solar panels has declined over two-thirds over the previous years, and solar power is comparably inexpensive than power generated from fossil fuels (Environment America, 2017). Environment America (2017) notes that a country can produce more than 100 times of electricity from installing PV than it can consume in a year. Production of solar energy is expected to increase further with the decline of air pollution. Zhang, Qin, and Chen (2004) explain this observation from the perspective of increased global irradiation, which will harness the harvesting of solar energy. In addition, over the last decade, there has been a drop in the cost of setting up the panels on rooftops, making PV technology a cost-effective power generating solution (Zhang, Qin, & Chen, 2004). The drop in solar PV installation is also due to a decline in the prices of PV modules. Due to the drop in installation fee, Butte College in the United States has managed to install a total of 25000 solar panels, making it the first-ever college campus to produce more energy than it consumes according to the 2017 report by Environment America (Environment America, 2017). Price fluctuations common in fossil fuel has little to no effect on solar power, primarily due to solar energy being a renewable source of energy that does not decline (IRENA, 2012). There have been contrary reports that solar power costs 4-5 times than fossil fuels, although such claims have not been supported with empirical evidence and data (Hasapis et al., 2017). In addition, Balfour, Shaw, and Nash (2011) observation that poor solar PV installations may ruin rooftops assumes the expertise of trained personnel to carry out the installation. Fishburn (2016) warns that there is a need to take necessary precautions when installing solar panels on roofs to avoiding issues such as compromising thermal performance, voiding warranties, and ruining waterproofing.
2.2 Society Awareness and Acceptance
Another central aspect to consider before solar PV panel installation is the evaluation of acceptance of the technology in society. It is important to consider the location of UNNC before implementing the project of setting up the panels on rooftops. In Malaysia, for instance, there is low social acceptance that is due to the extremely exorbitant cost of panels and a general lack of public awareness about the benefits of solar energy (Solangi, Badarudin, Kazi, L...