Technical, environmental and economic comparison of residential and utility-scale solar power generation systems
Forgó, Bertalan (2026)
Kandidaatintyö
2026
School of Energy Systems, Energiatekniikka
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026033124579
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026033124579
Tiivistelmä
The transition to low-carbon energy systems has intensified the debate over whether electricity demand should be met primarily through distributed residential photovoltaic (PV) systems or centralized utility-scale solar power plants. This question is crucial for energy system planning, as the two approaches differ in grid integration requirements, land use, lifecycle emissions, and economic performance. A direct comparison under consistent assumptions is necessary to assess their relative viability, particularly in regions seeking deep decarbonization.
This thesis presents a unified technical, environmental, and economic comparison of residential and utility-scale PV systems through a theoretical case study of the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. The analysis assumes that the region’s entire annual electricity demand is supplied exclusively by solar PV. The required installation area is calculated using regional electricity consumption, average solar irradiation, and system efficiency assumptions. Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated by comparing the current energy mix with a solar-only scenario, including manufacturing, infrastructure, and land-use impacts. Economic feasibility is assessed using installation and financing costs, storage requirements, land prices, and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
The results show that approximately 24.4 km² of PV installations would be required to meet Geneva’s annual demand. A fully residential deployment is spatially infeasible due to limited rooftop availability and would require substantial upgrades to low-voltage grid infrastructure. Utility-scale systems integrate more efficiently into existing medium- and high-voltage networks and benefit from economies of scale, resulting in lower installation costs and a lower LCOE. Although centralized solar farms require significant land area, their lifecycle emissions are small relative to the overall emission reductions achieved when fossil fuels are replaced. Overall, under full-solar assumptions, utility-scale PV systems are more viable at the system level, while residential PV can complement centralized generation within a diversified low-carbon energy system.
This thesis presents a unified technical, environmental, and economic comparison of residential and utility-scale PV systems through a theoretical case study of the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. The analysis assumes that the region’s entire annual electricity demand is supplied exclusively by solar PV. The required installation area is calculated using regional electricity consumption, average solar irradiation, and system efficiency assumptions. Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated by comparing the current energy mix with a solar-only scenario, including manufacturing, infrastructure, and land-use impacts. Economic feasibility is assessed using installation and financing costs, storage requirements, land prices, and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
The results show that approximately 24.4 km² of PV installations would be required to meet Geneva’s annual demand. A fully residential deployment is spatially infeasible due to limited rooftop availability and would require substantial upgrades to low-voltage grid infrastructure. Utility-scale systems integrate more efficiently into existing medium- and high-voltage networks and benefit from economies of scale, resulting in lower installation costs and a lower LCOE. Although centralized solar farms require significant land area, their lifecycle emissions are small relative to the overall emission reductions achieved when fossil fuels are replaced. Overall, under full-solar assumptions, utility-scale PV systems are more viable at the system level, while residential PV can complement centralized generation within a diversified low-carbon energy system.