Cost and Energy Analysis of PV Battery Grid Backup System for a Residential Load in Urban India

Distributed generation utilizes the locally available resources and power the load through low voltage networks forming a microgrid. Microgrid in Indian context can be classified into - off-grid where the microgrid works isolated with no main grid connection, grid backup where the microgrid is islanded and act as a backup to main grid and an on-grid system which works in tandem with the main grid. This paper discusses in detail the technical performance, energy and cost analysis of a grid back up photovoltaic system for five different battery technologies. Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) is done for the proposed microgrid system. It is further compared with other conventional grid backup systems such as diesel generator sets and Inverter battery backup systems to understand the effectiveness of renewable microgrid.