Resumen

This study analyzes the economic and financial viability (feasibility) of investing in distributed generation through photovoltaic solar energy (PV) in the commercial (SME and MSE) and residential sectors of the Alto Valle region of Argentina. The objective is to address the low adoption of renewable energy sources, which is attributed to the lack of appropriate evaluation tools and communication strategies that demonstrate their feasibility. A mixed-design methodology was applied, combining economic-financial analysis with surveys on community perception.

The primary obstacle identified was the high initial cost of the equipment. Furthermore, 78.8% of respondents were unaware of financing models such as solar leasing or specific credits. The dominant concern was exchange rate variability (66.7%), surpassing the local interest rate, because system components are priced in US dollars. Despite these barriers, financial indicators, such as Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR), confirmed the project's viability. Even before the training, 63.6% already considered it viable. The study concludes that it is crucial to strengthen the diffusion of financial and regulatory knowledge (such as Law N° 27.424). Training activities improved the perception of viability and increased the intention to adopt photovoltaic technology.