Potential data for feasibility assessment and deployment of a 6.7 MW floating solar PV plant in Hatirjheel Lake, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

ABSTRACT

Floating solar photovoltaic has emerged as a highly sustainable and environmentally friendly solution worldwide from the various clean energy generation technologies. However, the installation of floating solar differs from rooftop or ground-mounted solar due to the significant consideration of the availability of water bodies and suitable climatic conditions. Therefore, conducting a feasibility analysis of the suitable climate is essential for installing a floating solar plant on water bodies. These data are evaluated for the viability of installing a 6.7 MW floating solar power plant on Hatirjheel Lake in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The feasibility analysis incorporated various climatic data, such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, sunshine hours, solar radiation, and windspeed, obtained from Meteonorm 8.1 software and the archive of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Besides, this study gathered and analyzed the energy demands of the local grid substation operated by Dhaka Power Distribution Company, to determine the appropriate capacity and architecture of the power plant. The power plant design was conducted using the PVsyst 7.3 software, which determined the necessary equipment quantities, DC energy generation capacity, and the energy injected into the grid in MWh. The study also calculated the Levelized Cost of Energy per kilowatt-hour and the payback period for the system, which indicates the economic viability of installing the system. Furthermore, the acquired dataset possesses significant potential and can be utilized for the establishment of all sorts of solar power plants, including floating solar plants, in any location or body of water within the Dhaka Metropolitan area.