Assessment of generation capacity and economic viability of photovoltaic systems on urban buildings in southern Spain: A socioeconomic, technological, and regulatory analysis

In the current move towards a decarbonising energy generation, cities and residential users can play a significant role. Solar photovoltaic has emerged as one of the main clean energy sources in this transition. Therefore, this work investigates the large electricity generation capacity for collective photovoltaic self-consumption in blocks of flats in a densely populated city in southern Spain. Three neighbourhoods were studied according to their income levels (low, medium, and high), by modelling their different energy demand profiles. The demand cover factor and the energy exchanged with the electricity grid were calculated. Subsequently, seven regulatory frameworks for self-consumption and surplus photovoltaic injection were compiled and analysed for each income level, focusing on the economic profitability of these renewable installations for different power ratings (270 and 570 W) and different domestic electricity tariffs. Although some regulations provide more economic benefits, with the constant growth in the nominal power of photovoltaic modules and rising electricity prices, the profitability of self-consumption photovoltaic installations is practically guaranteed regardless of the regulatory framework. Therefore, subsidies should target low-income buildings, where self-consumption installations could be the solution to energy poverty problems. [Display omitted] •The photovoltaic electricity production capacity in blocks of flats was studied.•Poverty energy solutions were proposed for low-income households.•The electricity demand was simulated for one year in 1-min intervals.•Self-consumption rates in different income-level dwellings were determined.•The economic profitability was studied in different regulatory contexts.