ELECTRICITY-GENERATION COST BETWEEN PROPOSED PHOTOVOLTAIC STATION ANDCONVENTIONAL UNITS IN KUWAIT

A full analysis is shown in this paper for the cost of kWh generated f rom a photovoltaic station located in Kuwait. By using 21 years of wea ther data for Kuwait, the yearly generated energy was found by proposi ng the PV station capacity with known panel tilt angle. The cost of kW h generated from the PV station was compared with the kWh generated fr om conventional units in the country. A sensitivity analysis was done to some factors: capital cost per installed PV peak watt, discount rat e, and operating peak hours, which affect the cost of kWh production f rom both PV and conventional units. If the PV station is proposed to b e installed in Kuwait, the capital cost per PV installed peak watt mus t be less than today's prices. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.