Photovoltaic lighting project

Project definition The Photovoltaic lighting project will implement the use of solar energy to provide electricity to lighting appliances. The main goal here is to set up a fully independent lighting system that will only use energy of the sun to operate. Thus it will help to reduce the overall electricity bill. It is not only about reducing the electricity bill at the end of the month but reducing the overall electricity production of the country. The main objectives of the project are: Install photovoltaic lighting equipments (Panels, battery, lights). Maintain PV system Increase Consumer acceptance of PV installations Help reduce electricity bill by 10% Help reduce energy load of CEB Generate carbon credits

Project Background: Reliance on electricity is growing at an alarming rate and when most sources of power generation come from emission intensive techniques such as burning coal there is there a growing need for change and thats why green energy projects are so important. Mauritius produces about 2.4 Billion Kwh per has to be imported and this has at considerable and highly fluctuating cost. Moreover the Central Electricity Board is facing the increasing trend of the energy demand which means that more energy production capacities must be implemented and this also will increase the overall country energy bill. The government is trying to reduce the dependency over the fossil fuels for production of electricity; the Maurice ile Durable project intends to reduce this dependency and promote ways to produce energy in a more environmental friendly manner. Therefore we can say that the photovoltaic lighting project is in line with the vision of the government. We intend to help Mauritians to make the first step towards green energies.

Energy production for Mauritius. Presently the government is putting emphasis on green energy and alternative to the traditional fossil fuels. Solar energy is one of the main green alternative available in Mauritius. It is a natural resources which unlimited and completely free Electricity production (Billion Kwh)

Carbon credit
WHAT IS A CARBON CREDIT? A Carbon Credit is created when the equivalent of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide is prevented from entering the atmosphere. Internationally known as Certified Emission Reductions, Emission Reduction Units, or Verified Emission Reductions, each carbon credit has a monetary value depending on the type and origin of the emission reduction produced. In 2007 the price of carbon credit was about rs500 per credit
In 2010, some 3,583 thousand tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), the major greenhouse gas, were emitted in the atmosphere while 293 thousand tonnes were removed by forest which act as sinks. Thus, the net emission worked out to 3,290 thousand tonnes compared to 3,075 thousand tonnes in 2009, i.e an increase of 7.0%. The energy industries remained the main source of CO2 emission in the atmosphere in 2010. They contributed around 60% of the emissions from fuel combustion, with 2,158 thousand tonnes in 2010 compared to 1,997 thousand tonnes in 2009 (+8.1%).

In 2010, the electricity production produced 2158 thousand tones of C02 for 2.32Gwh. Therefore 2158000000/2320000000=0.93, thus for 1Kwh produced 0.9 kg of CO2 was released

Technical Feasibility Equipment needed for photovoltaic system: The following are the various equipments needed to implement the PV lighting system. Every of the listed items specification will be selected according to the needs of the customers 1. PV panels: These panels are composed of cells which will be used to capture the energy from the sun and convert it to electrical energy. The size of the panel will depend on the amount of energy needed by the lighting system. The PV panels consist of modules. One or more modules will form the complete PV generating unit for a system is called a PV array. The main purpose of the panel will be to provide electricity to the loads or maintain the storage battery at a high state of charge.

Solar radiation and temperature are the two principal factors affecting PV device performance. Peak current and power output are directly proportional to the incident solar radiation, while the peak voltage remains relatively stable at irradiance levels above 200watts per square meter (one-fifth peak sun). Higher temperatures reduce the peak voltage and power output of silicon-based PV devices by 0.4 to 0.5 percent per degree Centigrade. There are four commercial technologies for PV modules: Single crystalline-the most expensive but is most efficient sunlight conversion technology available with an average of 15% to 18%. Polycrystalline/multi-crystalline-Cost less than the single crystalline but have slightly lower efficiency. (About 14% to 15%) String ribbon-Similar to polycrystalline but production costs and efficiency are even lower. (10%-12%). Amorphous/thin film- A recent technology, cheaper to produce but their efficiency is half the efficiency of a crystalline.

Crystalline or polycrystalline silicon cells are preferred because of their higher efficiency. In systems where the customer privilege a lower cost product then the polycrystalline will be used.

Fig 1.0 shows PV panels of different size and output capacity

Note: Systems processing up to about 2000 watt-hours should function at 12 volts. Systems processing 2000 - 7000 watt-hours will function better at 24 volt. Systems running more than 7000 watt-hours should probably be running at 48 volts.

Tilting angle in PV systems: Why so important? The panels collect solar radiation directly from the sun, from the sky and from sunlight reflected off t he ground or area surrounding the PV panel. The orientation and tilting of the panels are very important since it will enable a maximized exposure to sunlight and maximum energy production, thus optimizing the efficiency of the panels. The panel will collect solar radiation most efficiently when the suns rays are perpendicular to the panels surface.

First to find the optimal PV panel orientation and tilt angle is to review the site where the system will be installed. Trees, large buildings, or other structures or obstructions surrounding the site might cast shadows onto a tilted PV panel at various times of day or during winter mounts when the sun is at a low angle in the sky. In this case it would be best to orient the PV panels horizontally to face the sky directly maximizing the amount of solar radiation with the least obstruction, but in this case the horizontal panel will get dirty faster and if regular maintenance is not done, the efficiency of the panels will decrease rapidly.

However if the site surrounding the PV lighting system is relatively free of obstructions, we can orient the system's PV panel in a particular direction and up at a selected angle. In this case, the PV panel should always face toward the equator. In the southern hemisphere the PV panel should always face north and be tilted from horizontal at an angle approximately equal to the sites latitude. ( 20.1625 S for Mauritius).

2. Charge controller: Charge controllers will be used to maintain the battery to its highest level of charge and will consequently prevent it from overcharge. The controllers use battery voltage sensing to regulate the battery state of charge and disconnect the load if battery becomes over-discharged to a low voltage. The controllers have different capacities and must be chosen to match the system. Functions of charge controller: Prevent Battery overcharge and discharge Maintain highest possible state of charge Control the timing and operation of the lighting load (bulbs). Serve as a terminal connection point between the array, battery and lighting load. Some factors that will be considered when choosing controllers: Operating voltage of the system(12,24 or 48 or 120 volts DC) Maximum PV array and lighting load currents The battery characteristics (allowable depth of discharge)

Fig 1.2 A typical charge controller for PV systems One of the most important features of battery charge controllers are the voltage settings at which they control the PV array and load to protect the battery from over charge and discharge.

Table 1. Suggested regulation and load disconnect voltages 3. Battery : The battery is the central part of any stand-alone PV system and must be designed for the service requirements of the application. A battery converts energy stored in the chemical bonds of a material into electrical energy. The battery capacity will depend on the individual needs. The battery will be used to store excess of energy produced by the PVpanels, it will also be used to operate the lighting load at stable voltages and supply surge currents if needed. Ideally the battery should be able to store energy for 5 days in case of cloudy weather. The battery should be located in a weather resistant, non metallic enclosure in order to prevent corrosion (since this corrosion will cause a reduction of the battery lifetime). To optimize the lifetime of the battery; a proper charging (neither over charging nor over discharging) is required, a high state of charge should be maintained, the frequency of depth discharges should be limited. A regular monitoring of temperature is needed (have direct impact on battery lifetime) and regular maintenance should be done. With good maintenance practices a battery may last up to ten years. Factors that affect battery life cycle: Temperature Frequency and depth of discharges Average state of charge Required maintenance

Table 2. A comparison between different types of batteries One of the most important costs for a PV lighting system is the replacement of battery. It is therefore important to have an optimal use of the battery throughout its life cycle. Both flooded and sealed valve-regulated lead-acid batteries are commonly used in PV lighting systems, the latter having lower maintenance requirements. Nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride cells are sometimes used in small consumer products and in extremely low temperature and critical power applications such as navigational aids. Our system will be using flooded lead-acid battery because of its high power performance, the fact that it can operate satisfactorily in the Mauritian environment. It is also already available in Mauritius.

4. Inverter (depending on load ,either a DC or AC) The inverter will be use to change DC current into AC (if necessary). Here we will need an inverter that will convert the direct current ( 12, 24, 48, or 120 volts) obtained from the PV panel or battery into an AC current of 120240V with frequency 60HZ. For stand-alone systems, the inverter must be large enough to handle the total amount of Watts you will be using at one

time. The inverter size should be 25-30% bigger than total Watts of appliances.

The inverters will only be used when AC light loads will be used. The inverters will be chosen according to the system specifications.

5. Lamps (can use either AC or DC) The light source (loads) that will use the energy from the PV panels or battery. This equipment is important as it will affect the size and cost of the power source (i.e. PV panels) Light sources can be categorized into three groups namely incandescent, fluorescents and high intensity discharge. The high intensity discharge include for major categories-high pressure sodium, metal halide, mercury vapour and low-pressure sodium. Generally for a good luminance in a room, a 60W incandescent lamp producing 800 lumens can be used. (A lumen is a measure of the total "amount" of visible light emitted by a source) Here different types of lighting can be used: Incandescent lamp-the one which is less efficient and have a relative short lifetime. Compact fluorescent lamp-CFL is widely used in PV lighting. They are small, highly efficient and long lifetime. A 13W CFL can be compared to a 60W incandescent lamp. High-intensity discharge lamp- consists of three categories; Mercury vapor, metal halide and high pressure sodium lamps. Light emitting diode-Provides a good light source, do not require ballast (Can use DC current). Low pressure sodium lamp-it is the most efficient light source available, requires a ballast to operate. Operates in a specific orientation.

Fig. 1.1 A comparison between different types of lamp. Note: lm/W stands for lumen emitted per watt Fluorescent, LED bulbs and low pressure sodium lamps are the most suitable for PV lighting as they are very efficient and have sufficient luminance level. For our system we will be using mainly LED bulbs, for their high efficiency compared to incandescent bulbs and also for their very long lifetime. Even though it has a higher initial cost than other bulbs, this cost will be recovered back throughout the lifetime

Mounting options There are several ways to install a PV array on a building. For e.g a system producing about 500W will need about 5 square meter of unobstructed area to site the system. 1.Roof mount Usually PV panels are installed on roof of the building. The PV array may be mounted above and parallel to the roof surface with a standoff of several inches for cooling purposes. Sometimes, such as with flat roofs, a separate structure with a more optimal tilt angle is mounted on the roof. Proper roof mounting can be labour intensive. Particular attention must be paid to the roof structure and the weather sealing of roof penetrations. It is typical to have one support bracket for every 100 Watts of PV modules. For new construction, support brackets are usually mounted after the roof decking is applied and before the roofing materials is installed. The crew in charge of laying out the array mounting system normally installs the brackets. The roofing contractor can then flash around the brackets as they install the roof. A simple installation detail and a sample of the support

bracket is often all that is needed for a roofing contractor to estimate the flashing cost. Masonry roofs are often structurally designed near the limit of their weightbearing capacity. In this case, the roof structure must either be enhanced to handle the additional weight of the PV system or the masonry roof transitioned to composition shingles in the area where the PV array is to be mounted. By transitioning to a lighter roofing product, there is no need to reinforce the roof structure since the combined weight of composite shingles and PV array is usually less than the displaced masonry product.

2. Shade structure A shade structure may be a patio cover or deck shade trellis where the PV array becomes the shade. These shade systems can support small to large PV systems, the
construction cost with a PV system is a little different than for a standard patio cover, especially if the PV array is acts as part or the entire shade roof. If the PV array is mounted at a steeper angle than a typical shade structure, additional structural enhancements may be necessary to handle the additional wind loads. The weight of the PV array is 3-to-5 lbs./ft 2, which is well within structural limits of most shade support structures. The avoided cost of installing roof brackets and the associated labour could be counted toward the cost of a fully constructed patio cover. The overall cost of this option will likely be higher than roof mounting, but the value of the shade often offsets the additional costs.

3. Building integrated PV array

Another type of system displaces some of the conventional roofing product with building integrated PV modules. Commercially available products currently include roof slates (similar to masonry roofing) and standing seam metal roofing products. Special attention must be paid to ensure that these products are installed properly and carry the necessary fire ratings. Dimensional tolerances are critical and installation requirements must be followed precisely to avoid roof leaks. Here the final mounting option will be chosen by the customer according to the needs.

How the system components sizes will be calculated Assumptions: Electronics efficiency is 80% Battery charge/discharge efficiency-60% Use 7 LED lamps of 12W each working for 7hr

1.Panel sizing Step 1.Determine the power consumptions For this 1st step, we need to calculate the amount of power that is consumed or that will be consume.

For e.g if we have one 12W LEDs lamp for a total of seven rooms. The calculation is done as follows Total number of watt used for lighting= number of bulbs X power of each bulb. = 7 X 12W= 84W Step 2. Calculate the total Watt-hours per day each appliance used. Here we assume the lamps will be on for eight hours per day. Energy consumed daily= total no. of watt used for lighting xdaily operating hours

=84Wx7hr= 588 Watt-hours/day

Step 3. Calculate the electric energy that the PV panels need to produce each day Energy( produced)= energy consumed daily/(electronic efficiency X battery efficiency)

= (588 W-hr/day)/(0.8 X0.6) =1225W-hr/day Step 4. Calulate the number of panel(s) to install Since we need a total of 1225W per day. We can one panel or a combination of panels. For this case we will consider a 200W panel (i.e panel produces 200W/hr) operating at 12V Therefore to produce 1225W, only one panel can produce the daily current requirements. 1225/200=6.125 hr. Therefore the panel will need 6.125 hrs to produce sufficient electricity for this system .

2.Battery sizing: Period of autonomy=5 days Average daily load usage= 588W-hr/day Battery voltage=12V Battery efficiency(decimal)=0.8 Alowable maximum depth of discharge(decimal)=0.8 Required battery capacity=(average daily load X Period of autonomy)/ (max depth of dischargeXbattery efficiency) =( 588x5)/(0.8x0.8)=4593.75 amp-hour The battery real size(Amp-hour)=required battery capacity/ battery voltage =4593.75/12 =382.8Ah Therefore for this example a battery of about 380Ah operating at 12V will be needed.

Fig 1.3 a simple diagram of photovoltaic lighting system. (DC-AC discharge controller is not vital, only applies when load uses AC.

Operational feasibility All technical components are available in Mauritius. For this project there are five main components namely: Battery, panels, charge controller, light source, inverters In order to set up the company, a building will be needed to carry out administrative task and to store all the equipments and materials needed for the installation of the proposed system. I have considered the option of renting a commercial space for the proposal of our services (i.e. displaying of equipments, information concerning the system) and renting another building to store materials that will be used for the implementation of the system. For this project, a manager, a secretary, an accountant and a clerk will be needed to perform administrative tasks. Technicians and registered engineers specialized in electronic/electrical field will be needed to design and implement the system according to the customers need. It is expected to have local man power to implement the system as the professional requirements can be found locally. One of the main concerns of this project is the weather conditions, since the system is based on solar energy. It is important to ensure that suitable amount of sunlight is obtained daily before setting up the system for a customer. According to the Mauritius Meteorological Services, The Island receives 6.5 to above 8 hours of bright sunshine daily. In summer months around 6.0 hours of bright sunshine are received over the high grounds, whereas the coastal regions are exposed to 7.5 to over 8.0 hours of bright sunshine. In winter months, the Central Plateau receives around 5.0 hours of bright sunshine whereas the coast receives above 7.5 hours of bright sunshine. with a potential average annual solar radiation value of some 6 kWh/m2/day. Therefore the coastal region would be ideal for the implementation of the project.

This project is foreseen to be well accepted by the members of the public and the authorities of the countries as it will have a no negative impact on the environment. No major legal issues shall arise from this project as it is in line with the objectives of the long term energy strategy 2009-2025 of the Ministry of Renewable Energy & Public Utilities. This strategy encourages the use of green energy like photovoltaic system to produce energy to reduce the dependence of

the country on fossils fuels. Hence it is even expected to have tax exemption on equipments as a mean to Promote the establishment of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), specialised in energy efficiency. As stated in the long term strategy of the Ministry of Renewable Energy & Public Utilities.

Economic feasibility Comparative cost analysis between Incandescent and LED lamps Here a comparison will be made between a house using the photovoltaic system to provide energy to 5 LED bulbs in 5 rooms and a house using 5 Incandescent bulbs in 5 rooms. (Over a Period of 25years of 8hr daily use approx. 73000hrs) Considering the following factors: LED (12W) lifetime is 30000hr and cost Rs 400 each Incandescent (60W) lifetimes is 1000hr and cost Rs 25 each Electricity tariff for domestic use is Rs4/KWh LED is powered by PV 3 Batteries used for the whole cycle, costing Rs 7000 each One 100W panel cost Rs 10000 Charge controller and other electronics for a total of Rs 10000 over 25 years Assuming CEB tariff increase by 10% every 5 years Carbon credit- Rs500 per carbon credit (one ton of CO2). 1Kwh produced by CEB produce 0.9kg of CO2 PV system have a maintenance cost of Rs1000 per year (Battery maintenance, check overall system). Normal grid system does not have a maintenance cost.

Estimated Costs over 25 years Incandescent diode No of lamp used Replacement cost of bulb (Rs) Overall power consumption(MWh) Utility cost (Rs) Electronic costs 365 9125 21.9 15 6000 4.38 Light Emitting

105120 500

0 10000

battery Panel Maintenance cost (Rs) Cash from Carbon credit Total(cost/Rs)

0 0 0 0 114745

21000 10000 25000 (7884) 64116

From this table we can see that the customer will benefit from the system on the overall lifetime (25 years)

Project charter The main goals of the photovoltaic lighting system: Set up a standalone photovoltaic lighting system Produce energy needed for all lighting purposes of building Complete green lighting system with autonomy of 5 days Maintain satisfactory performance of the system Help to promote photovoltaic energy Reduce dependency upon fossil fuels Generate carbon credit (by preventing release of carbon dioxide due to use of fossil fuels by power plants)

Planning For planning, the photovoltaic system will be implemented in an integrated resort schemes with about 10 villas Project scope statement Inspect site where the system will be implemented (solar availability) Determine lighting needs of the site.(no. of rooms to be illuminated, etc) and determine constraints.(shading, tilt angle) Review different lighting system that can satisfy the needs of the site (modules size, battery, wiring, mounting, electronics, circuit schematics, etc) Ensure the roof area or other installation site is capable of handling the desired system size. (array placement)

Prepare full list of tools and equipment needed and also installation checklist. Determine staff needed and time frame Ensure system will comply to local regulation Propose initial budget, illustrate savings on utility bills and environmental benefits Select the best design option making sure the system meets the requirements of the customer. Locate the array to minimize shading from foliage, vent pipes and adjacent structures. Contact stakeholders (CEB, Ministry of public utilities) for authorisation. Install equipments according to specifications and design documents. Check for proper PV system operation and checkout procedures on installation checklist

Work break down structure

PV lighting

Site

Equipmen ts

Staffs

Stakehold er

Design

-Solar radiation -Mounting -Lighting needs -Tilt angle

-Modules -Battery -Lighting -Mounting electronicsmat erial -Technicians -Engineers -CEB -Customer -Government of Mauritius

-Battery capacity -Inverters -Charge controllers -panels

WBS Dictionary Site Solar radiation Lighting needs Description Determine the solar radiation of the site Determine lighting loads according to the needs of the customer(s)

Mounting Tilt angle

Check whether site can handle the different mounting options available Determine tilt angle and best option for the panels

Design Battery size/capacity Inverters(if needed) Panels Charge controllers

Description Determine battery capacity Determine the inverters Determine size of panels Determine size of charge controller and specification

Equipments Mounting Modules/Panels Electronics Battery

Description Install mounting Install panels Install electronic components like charge controller Install the battery

Staff Engineers Technicians

Description Responsible for design and monitoring of installation Concern with all the installation and implementation of systems design

Stakeholders Central electricity board Government of Mauritius Customer

Descriptions Entity which will be giving authorisation Provide grants and incentives to customers wishing to adopt the system Person or group who wants to use the system

Schedule The following schedule will be used throughout the project.

Project organization

Organization of different staffs. Risk management Three major risk that the project may suffer from:

1. Equipments are no longer available in Mauritius 2. Limited number of Engineers specialised in photovoltaics 3. Malfunctioning of important equipments like battery,panels

REFERENCES Meteo Services informations, <http://metservice.intnet.mu/?cat=43> Long term energy stategy, <http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/mpu/file/finalLTES.pdf>

CALIFORNI ENERGY COMMISSION, A GUIDE TO PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEM DESIGN AND INSTALLATION, Environment statistics, <http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/cso/ei920/toc.htm> Carbon dioxide emissions, <http://www.iea.org/co2highlights/CO2highlights.pdf>

Carbon credit methodologies, <http://www.carbonplanet.com/methodologies>