Energy Efficiency and Distributed Generation: A Case Study Applied in Public Institutions of Higher Education

Abstract

This study focused on developing a sustainability project carried out in 11 Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Goiás (IFG) campuses wherein energy efficiency and distributed generation actions were developed. Energy consumption was optimized by retrofitting the lighting system, installing a photovoltaic (PV) generation system, quantifying the building efficiency, energy monitoring, training, and qualification, and focusing on the efficient use of electric energy. We first present the Brazilian legislation that regulates the Research and Development Program in the electric energy sector. Then, we describe the case study that was applied to the educational institution. In the lighting system, 18,377 inefficient lamps were replaced by lamps with more efficient technology, with an energy saving of 867.9 MWh/year and a peak demand reduction of 309.6 kW. The proposed generation system aimed to install 3076 PV modules on the roofs of selected campus buildings, totaling 1 MWp of installed power with an average annual power generation of 1736.9 MWh/year. The total project investment was USD 1,348,768.50 and the overall cost–benefit ratio of the project was 0.68, which will result in annual savings of approximately USD 197,321.85. This corresponded to a 58% reduction in energy bills. The project proposed in this work was considered technically and economically viable within the scope of the Brazilian Energy Efficiency Program.