The Economics of Using Solar Energy: School Buildings in Saudi Arabia as a Case Study

Faris A. Alfaraidy; Hassan A. Sulieman

doi:10.14500/aro.10461

Faris A. Alfaraidy Department of Civil Engineering, Northern Border University, P.O. Box 1321, Arar 91431, Northern Border http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6618-1535
Hassan A. Sulieman Department of Civil Engineering, Northern Border University, P.O. Box 1321, Arar 91431, Northern Border http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6996-6784

Keywords: Arar, photovoltaic energy, Renewable energy, School building design

Abstract

As a result of increasing population and building of new schools in Saudi Arabia, the demand for electricity is growing rapidly. In this context, the utilization of renewable energy resources such as solar energy appears to goal since it is abundant and holds huge ecological and economic promise. This study aims to provide a new entrance in school buildings’ design and construction by studying the current situation of energy consumption, the possibility of using solar cells, and the economics of its exploitation in school buildings. Interviews were conducted in school buildings at different levels in Arar city as a case study to collect data on energy consumption. Furthermore, a base case school building was selected for studying detailed energy consumption, and then, photovoltaic (PV) energy was proposed to use the on-grid system in accordance with governmental regulations. The study concluded that the use of PV energy in school buildings is economically feasible in addition to that more incentive from the government is needed for wide penetration use in Kingdom Saudi Arabia.

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Author Biographies

Faris A. Alfaraidy, Department of Civil Engineering, Northern Border University, P.O. Box 1321, Arar 91431, Northern Border

Dr. Faris is an Architect, working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Northern Border University, and received his Ph.D. degree in Architecture Engineering from College of Science at the University of Florida in 1998. He joined immediately the University of Dammam as a staff member in Department of Architecture, College of Engineering. His researches are focused on building technology and management. He participated in many international conferences and published many papers in high ranking International Journals.

Hassan A. Sulieman, Department of Civil Engineering, Northern Border University, P.O. Box 1321, Arar 91431, Northern Border

Dr. Hassan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Northern Border University, and received his Ph.D. degree in Environmental Engineering in 2013 from UNESCO Chair in Water Resources, Omdurman Islamic University-Sudan, and also he got Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering in 2015 from Sudan University of Science and Technology–Sudan. He was appointed in 2013 as an assistant professor in UNESCO Chair in Water Resources – Omdurman Islamic University-Sudan. He supervised several M.Sc. students in Environmental Engineering and Construction Management involved in many of Dissertation and thesis Examining Committees in several universities of Sudan. He participated in many international conferences and published papers in high ranking International Journals.

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