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Performance Evaluation of a 140 kW Rooftop Grid-Connected Solar PV System in West Virginia

Author

Listed:
  • Rumana Subnom

    (Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Department (MMAE), West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA)

  • John James Recktenwald

    (Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Department (MMAE), West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA)

  • Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan

    (Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA)

  • Songgang Qiu

    (Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Department (MMAE), West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA)

  • Derek Johnson

    (Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Department (MMAE), West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA)

  • Hailin Li

    (Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Department (MMAE), West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA)

Abstract

This paper presents a performance evaluation of a 140 kW solar array installed on the rooftop of the Mountain Line Transit Authority (MLTA) building in Morgantown, West Virginia (WV), USA, covering the period from 2013 to 2024. The grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system consists of 572 polycrystalline PV modules, each rated at 245 watts. The study examines key performance parameters, including annual electricity production, average daily and annual capacity utilization hours (CUH), current array efficiency, and performance degradation. Monthly ambient temperature and global tilted irradiance (GTI) data were obtained from the NASA POWER website. During the assessment, observations were made regarding the tilt angles of the panels and corrosion of metal parts. From 2013 to 2024, the total electricity production was 1588 MWh, with an average annual output of 132 MWh. Over this 12-year period, the CO 2 emissions reduction attributed to the solar array is estimated at 1,413,497 kg, or approximately 117,791 kg/year, compared to emissions from coal-fired power plants in WV. The average daily CUH was found to be 2.93 h, while the current PV array efficiency in April 2024 was 10.70%, with a maximum efficiency of 14.30% observed at 2:00 PM. Additionally, an analysis of annual average performance degradation indicated a 2.28% decline from 2013 to 2016, followed by a much lower degradation of 0.17% from 2017 to 2023, as electricity production data were unavailable for most summer months of 2024.

Suggested Citation

  • Rumana Subnom & John James Recktenwald & Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan & Songgang Qiu & Derek Johnson & Hailin Li, 2025. "Performance Evaluation of a 140 kW Rooftop Grid-Connected Solar PV System in West Virginia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8784-:d:1761897
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