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Pakistan is located on the world map where enough solar irradiance value strikes the ground that can be harnessed to vanish the existing blackout problems of the country. Government is focusing towards renewable integration, especially solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. This work is focused to assess the techno-economic viability of different PV technologies with aim of recommending the most optimum type for domestic sector in high solar irradiance region of the country. For this purpose, standalone PV systems are installed using monocrystalline (m-Si), polycrystalline (p-Si), and amorphous crystalline (a-Si) modules on the rooftop at 31.4 oN latitude position. The performance of PV modules is evaluated based on, average output power, normalized power output efficiency, module conversion efficiency, and performance ratio. Results elaborated that m-Si module is the optimum type for the application with 23.01% average normalized power output efficiency. Economics of the system has also been evaluated in terms of the price of power value produced by PV modules with respect to the consumption of that power value from grid source in base case. Integration of such type of domestic PV systems are a need of time to make the future sustainable.

It is established fact that with the increased demand of electricity and depletion of conventional energy sources reserves, lately researchers are recommending the use of standalone and grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems. Pakistan has ~2.324 million MW capacity of electricity generation through solar PV applications which is hardly exploited. This work is focused on analyzing the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of a standalone photovoltaic system installed in five different cities of Pakistan (Faisalabad, Sakkar, Bhakkar, Gawadar and Abbotabad). Simulations are carried out on "RETScreen" for 1 kW system capacity. The weather data used in simulation is reported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Technical analysis is performed in terms of capacity factor and electricity delivered to load. The economics of the designed system is investigated considering different economic paradigms including its whole-sum present value, rate of return, payback time, benefit-cost ratio and annual life cycle savings. Outcomes elaborate that Abbottabad is the most feasible location among selected locations with 4.1 years payback period, while Bhakkar and Gwadar are the least feasible with 4.6 years payback period.