Design and Performance Simulation of Integrated Photovoltaic Systems for University Infrastructure: PTUK Main Campus as a Case Study
Supervisor Name
Mahmoud Ismail
Supervisor Email
m.ismail@ptuk.edu.ps
University
Palestine Technical University
Research field
Electrical Engineering
Bio
Dr. Mahmoud Salah Ismail is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Palestine Technical University–Kadoorie (PTUK), Tulkarm, Palestine. He holds a Ph.D. in Renewable Energy from the University of Malaya, along with an M.Sc. in Clean Energy and Energy Conservation Engineering and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering. With over three decades of academic and professional experience, Dr. Ismail has held several leadership positions at PTUK, including Assistant to Vice President for Academic Affairs, Head of the Electrical Engineering Department, Dean of Admission and Registration, and Head of the Department of Natural Sciences at the Faculty of Graduate Studies. He taught number of courses in the field of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technologies for both Bachelor and Mater degree programs. Dr. Ismail’s research interests focus on photovoltaic systems, hybrid renewable energy systems, energy storage, smart grids, Performance of PV systems, Smart Metering Systems, PV hosting capacity of distribution networks, Grid Harmonics, and techno-economic and environmental analysis of renewable energy technologies. He has published extensively in high-impact Q1 and Q2 journals such as Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Energy Conversion and Management, and Renewable Energy, and has actively supervised numerous master’s theses in the fields of PV systems, smart grids, and energy storage. In addition to his academic role, Dr. Ismail has coordinated and participated in several international projects funded by the EU, Erasmus+, and GIZ, particularly in the areas of TVET (TVETCQ), flipped classroom education (3EEE), solar energy systems, and capacity building for renewable energy laboratories. His contributions span curriculum development, professional training, and applied research aimed at supporting sustainable energy solutions and strengthening renewable energy education in Palestine.
Description
In the Palestinian context, the urgent need to invest in photovoltaic energy has become increasingly evident due to the occupation’s control over electricity supply and the resulting energy insecurity. This situation has driven individuals and institutions to seek alternative and independent energy solutions that enhance energy resilience and sustainability. Traditionally, solar panels are installed at specific tilt angles to maximize energy production. However, the limited availability of suitable installation space—particularly in urban areas—poses a significant challenge. Consequently, the concept of vertical installation of photovoltaic panels has emerged as an innovative solution to overcome space constraints. This approach forms the core idea of the present project, which aims to explore the feasibility and performance of vertically mounted PV systems as an alternative energy solution. The main objective of this project is to design, simulate, and evaluate the technical performance of integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems for university infrastructure using PVSyst software, with Palestine Technical University–Kadoorie (PTUK) Main Campus as a real-world case study, in order to assess their feasibility, performance, and contribution to sustainable campus energy management. The roofs of the main campus buildings are already utilized to install about 500 kWp of PV systems that contribute to providing about half of the main campus energy needs. As all of the roofs are already utilized, the plan is to install PV systems on the walls of the buildings (PV integration with buildings) as this is feasible and on the car parks. The technical economic designs including the amount of the PV power that can be integrated with the various buildings and the expected energy yield that helps in providing the university buildings with their energy needs will be utilized by the PTUK administration in planning to install these integrated PV systems.
