An analysis of the impact of el niño and la niña on solar energy production in Samut Prakan Province, Thailand
Keywords:
Solar Production, El Niño, La Niña, Levellised Cost of Electricity, Payback PeriodAbstract
This research investigates the impact of El Niño and La Niña climate phenomena on solar energy generation and system performance. A solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Samut Prakan province was selected as a case study to analyse this hypothesis. By comparing average energy production during El Niño and La Niña events, it was found that the mean power output during El Niño was 16% higher than the mean power output during La Niña. Although the solar profiles at Samut Prakan indicated similar energy production levels during both phenomena in the summer, greater variability was observed during winter and rainy seasons. Regarding financial investment, a Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of 5 Baht/kWh was calculated, resulting in a Payback Period (PBP) of 11 years for a 25-year project lifespan. This suggests a favourable economic return on investment.
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