Economic and energy analysis of photovoltaic installation located in Rzeszów

Abstract

Rising electricity prices, the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the development of renewable energy sources justify the necessity of assessing the energy and economic efficiency of residential photovoltaic installations under Polish climatic conditions. In particular, it is important to determine the actual benefits resulting from their operation based on real data. The aim of this study was to perform an energy and economic analysis of a residential photovoltaic installation with a capacity of 3 kWp located in Rzeszów, including an assessment of energy production, the degree of household energy demand coverage, the level of self-consumption, and the profitability of the investment. The analysis was based on operational data from 2022–2023 provided by the prosumer. Monthly values of energy produced, fed into the grid, drawn from the grid, and consumed by the household were analyzed, as well as electricity purchase costs for scenarios with and without a PV installation. The results demonstrated a clear seasonal pattern in system operation and an average household energy demand coverage of 78.41%. The photovoltaic installation enabled a reduction in electricity costs by 31–34% over the analyzed period, while the payback period of the investment was estimated at approximately 8 years, confirming both its energy and economic viability.