# Assessment of Energy Use and Photovoltaic Energy Potential in Saudi Arabian Governmental Schools
## 1 Introduction  
The global shift toward renewable energy (RE) has intensified, with solar energy emerging as one of the most viable options for sustainable energy production. In countries with abundant sunlight, such as Saudi Arabia, photovoltaic (PV) systems hold great potential to contribute significantly to energy demands. The Kingdom's Vision 2030 outlines ambitious goals for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and increasing the adoption of RE. A key area of interest is deploying solar PV systems in public institutions, including schools, which can serve as a model for sustainable energy consumption. Government schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are ideal candidates for PV integration due to their widespread presence and predictable energy usage patterns. Implementing PV systems in these institutions addresses the growing energy needs. It aligns with national goals of reducing carbon emissions, spreading awareness among students about the importance of benefiting from this resource, and enhancing energy security. However, while the environmental benefits of PV systems are evident, achieving\"zero-bill\" status--where schools generate enough electricity to offset their entire energy costs--requires a detailed techno-economic analysis. Building energy efficiency is especially important for the education sector in the Arabian Gulf region because of the region's high school-to-population ratio and harsh temperature, which require high energy consumption for ventilation and cooling. Even though various ways exist to improve indoor environmental quality, more energy is likely needed. Here comes the importance of using renewable sources, especially solar energy, for this purpose. In 2023, 32,175,224 people lived in the KSA, 6.71 million pupils were enrolled in schools, and there were 31,412 school buildings. There are 24,075 government and 7337 private schools [1,2]. Saudi Arabia is seeing a steady rise in population, and immigration has accelerated. Article 30 of the fundamental law of governance, which states that \"The State shall provide public education and shall be committed to combating illiteracy\", emphasizes the importance of education as a priority in the KSA [3]. In school buildings in Arar City, KSA, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [4] reported that the annual energy use intensity (EUI) ranged from 20.4 kWh/m\({}^{2}\) to 38.8 kWh/m\({}^{2}\) per year, and the yearly use for each person was between 122.5 and 233.0 kWh/capita. The Ministry of Education standardized school designs across the country, notwithstanding regional differences in climate. Unfortunately, most model school buildings are unsuitable for the distinct weather patterns in Saudi Arabia's many locations, according to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [5]. The prototype school building's designers failed to recognize the importance of including environmental design concepts in their plans in the KSA. According to [PERSON] [6], they only used conventional systems to improve the indoor environment and did not consider integrating RE systems. To attain zero-energy and zero-bill status, the main objective of this study is to perform a thorough techno-economic-environmental analysis of installing on-grid PV systems in Saudi Arabian government schools. The research considers several variables, including the potential for solar energy, system design, installation and maintenance costs, financial incentives, economic viability, and environmental impacts. By examining these variables, the research offers a road map for the effective implementation of PV systems in educational institutions, emphasizing the possible advantages, difficulties, and prospects for financial savings for the education sector and the whole economy. The paper discusses the following main contribution points:  
* The PV rooftop integrations to three school buildings in the Qassim area with actual measurements and readings. * PV degradation and the expected increase in annual demand are considered in the current analysis.