In this paper, using Lebanon's capital, Beirut, as a case study, a methodology is proposed to assess the potential for solar photovoltaics (PV) in urban areas incorporating both economic and non-economic f.
Does Beirut have a potential for distributed solar PV?
The results show that Beirut city has a potential for distributed rooftop solar PV to be between 195 and 295 MWp. However, adoption rates are low at 0.49% and 1.23% for residential and commercial buildings, respectively, reflecting the limitation of financial incentives alone to promote the deployment of distributed renewable energy systems.
The potential for distributed rooftop solar energy in Beirut is estimated at the building level. The effects of economic and non-economic factors on solar PV adoption are analyzed using a probabilistic choice model. The impacts of various incentive policies and societal factors on promoting PV are investigated with policy implications.
Do PV panels make a good investment?
In contrast, if the useable rooftop area for PV panels increases from 50% to 75% (by using better technology or better space design), the percentage of buildings receiving positive returns on investment slightly decreases to 69%.