PVsyst-HOMER Pro Cross-Evaluation of a Battery-Backed Residential Rooftop PV System Under Net Energy Metering

Abstract

This study presents the design and simulation of a grid-connected rooftop solar PV system with battery backup for a residential house in Pabna, Bangladesh, aiming to reduce electricity cost and dependence on conventional grid power. Using PVsyst and HOMER Pro, the system was evaluated from technical, economic, and environmental perspectives. The results show that the system has 9093 kWh/year of available solar energy and delivers 7907 kWh/year of actual inverter output, with 1186 kWh/year lost due to system inefficiencies. After meeting household demand, the system exports 4997 kWh/year of surplus electricity to the grid (NEM), generating $\boldsymbol{\$} \mathbf{1 6 4. 9 0} /$ year in revenue. The residence consumes 2753 kWh/year from solar and 2393 kWh/year from the grid, while the battery provides about 4.9 hours of backup under average load. The system achieves an average performance ratio of 82.8%, LCOE of $0.039/kWh (PVsyst without revenue) and COE of $0.013/kWh (HOMER Pro with revenue), with an NPC of $1701.71 and $98.94 \mathbf{tCO}_{\mathbf{2}}$ avoided over 25 years.