SOLAR ENERGY AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: APPLICATION OF ROOFTOP PV SYSTEMS IN KÜTAHYA PROVINCE

In recent years, electricity generation from renewable sources has gained popularity. In particular, electricity generation based on solar energy is expected to be the most suitable solution to meet the energy needs of urban environments in the near future. While providing renewable-based energy to urban areas poses a major challenge, rooftop Photovoltaic (PV) systems that harness solar energy could pave the way to a more sustainable environment for cities. From an environmental perspective, every MWh of electricity generated from renewable sources reduces the introduction of large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, thereby promoting a healthy environment and reducing global warming. Small-scale building-connected solar energy systems contribute significantly to the rapid growth of electricity generation potential from solar energy globally. This study aims to investigate the future of PV systems placed on roofs in the central housing sector of Kütahya, focusing especially on building roof areas. In this context, average solar radiation maps are provided to estimate the electricity generation potential of rooftop PV systems and evaluate the production potential. In addition, Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to evaluate the total roof area and solar potential of residential buildings in Kütahya province through spatial analysis. Finally, performance simulations were conducted, allowing solar potential prediction from annual solar irradiance, considering local building construction and PV design requirements. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that a total of 1979.7 MWh of electricity could be produced annually from a total roof area of 35121 m2 from a group of faculty buildings in the university campus located in the Kirazpınar neighborhood of Kütahya center, and a recommendation was made to form a basis for future studies on the energy efficiency of different PV solar cells.