Optimization of PV Self-Consumption Systems without Storage Based on Net Present Cost Using LabVIEW

Abstract:

Proper sizing of a photovoltaic (PV) system is essential to reduce lifecycle costs. This research presents a LabVIEW-based tool developed to optimize the DC nominal capacity of a self-consumption PV system without storage, connected to the electrical grid. The tool minimizes the system’s net present cost (NPC) using two main inputs: an annual hourly load profile and solar irradiance data. It plots NPC as a function of DC capacity and selects the capacity corresponding to the curve’s minimum value. To demonstrate its functionality, the tool was applied using data from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Three scenarios were evaluated: (1) surplus PV energy injected into the grid was discarded; (2) a net billing scheme was implemented; and (3) a net metering scheme was considered. The latter two aimed to improve economic performance by compensating excess generation. Results show that reducing the NPC leads to an increase in the optimal DC capacity. Therefore, the tool effectively optimizes system sizing based on financial criteria. Additionally, self-consumption and self-sufficiency indexes were calculated for each scenario. The self-consumption index decreases as PV capacity increases, since more energy is generated than used. In contrast, the self-sufficiency index increases with PV capacity, up to a point where additional generation no longer matches consumption without energy storage. The proposed tool provides an accessible and effective approach for the techno-economic design of residential PV systems in regions lacking clear regulatory frameworks for managing surplus energy.

• Periodical: Engineering Innovations (Volume 17)
• Pages: 89-96
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-6gRxcp
• Online since: February 2026
• Authors: José Francisco Deras Pérez*, Alicia María Reyes-Duke, Héctor Fernando Villatoro
• Keywords: Dc Capacity Optimization, Net Metering, Residential Photovoltaic Systems, Self-Consumption, Self-Sufficiency

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