IMPLEMENTATION OF DURABLE SOLAR POWER SYSTEM FOR

RURAL AREAS

EXTENDED ABSTRACT
There are still millions of people in this world who does not know what an artificial light is! Due
to sparse population, they don’t have economic interconnection to a large central power
generator. Traditionally mini grids in this type of areas and on islands have been powered by
diesel generators or small hydro electric systems. Using of alternative energy can replace diesel
in these grids, In every developing &un developed countries rural people are suffering from
insufficient power supplies.(farmers for agriculture need at least 7 -8 hours daily, children for
studying need power supply at night time, etc…)since last few decades world is moving towards
solar grids, several countries like U.S.A.,GERMANY,SPAIN,CHINA AND INDIA are encouraging
solar grids by giving subsidies. So by using solar energy we can power up the dark world and
solve the problems of rural people.

In this extended abstract we explained about how to develop a” DURABLE SOLAR POWER
SYSTEM FOR RURAL AREAS”. Generally lead-acid type backup batteries are used in this type of
power systems.Backup batteries along with charge controller for long life. Normally charge
controller by using voltage monitoring will be used. But in this project we used charge
controller by using approximate charge monitoring. By this project we took a step to use dc
appliances which reduces inefficient, energy wasting AC conversion.

In this extended abstract we also explained how to implement a village scale micro
grid using this project.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CHARGE CONTROLLERS PRESENTLY USING IN INDIA

SOURCE BATTERY LVD LOAD

LVR

CONTROLLER

Charge controller is a device which controls the charging of battery. This will increase the life
time of backup battery. It will disconnect the load whenever there is a deep discharge of the
battery by low voltage disconnect LVD. It will disconnects the source whenever there is over
charge of battery LVR. Generally it uses voltage monitoring technology. i.e.it uses voltage of the
battery as a parameter for controlling charge which is not efficient controlling method. So we
used a charge monitoring technology for controller in which approximate charge of the
battery is used as a parameter for controlling .
CHARGE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY

SOURCE LCR
BATTERY LCD LOAD

CONTROLLER

We approximated the finite charge added on the battery in a finite time by assuming net current
is constant in this finite time. It will disconnect the load whenever there is a deep discharge of
the battery by low charge disconnect LCD. It will disconnects the source whenever there is over
charge of battery by low charge reconnect LCR.

I IN BATTERY I OUT

NET CURRENT ( I) = I IN -- I OUT

This time is time taken by controller for measuring the current and calculating the
instantaneous value of the charge of the battery. It is calculated by adding finite charge to the
initial charge of the battery.

Q = Qintial + dq dq = i*dt

ANALYSIS OF POWER AVAILABILITY IN INDIA

To analyze the grid power availability, practical data of three districts of southern Indian state,
Karnataka is taken. In these areas daily EB(copper grid power) availability ranges from zero to 24
hours. For analysis purpose it is divided into five ranges; 0 to 4 hrs, 5 to 8 hrs, 9 to 12 hrs, 13 to
16 hrs and over 16 hours. Table I lists these sites. Over 20% of sites have EB power for less than
4 hrs and another 25% get power for 5 to 8 hrs. Thus around half of the sites get power for less
than 8 hrs. Surprisingly, the number of sites getting power for over three fourth of a day are just
15%.

• TABLE I. DAILY GRID POWER (EB) AVAILABILITY

EB hrs 0-4    5-8      9-12   13-16 17-24

No  of   

Sites 197    241     232    137    151 

% of sites   20.56 25.16 24.22 14.30  15.76

If 202 sites located in cities (district and mandal head quarters) are taken out, the situation would
look worse for rural areas. Below Table II lists the rural sites scenario.

TABLE II. DAILY GRID POWER (EB) AVAILABILITY IN RURAL SITES

EB hrs  0-4       5-8    9-12   13-16 17-24

No

Sites 197     234    214    73        38 

% of sites 26.06 30.95 28.31 9.75     5.07

SO ALMOST 57% OF THE INDIAN SITES ARE GETTING POWER LESS THAN 8 HOURS
PER A DAY.SO IF THE SCENARIO IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY INDIA IS LIKE THIS THEN
WE CAN EXPECT THE SCENARIO IN UN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

SOLAR POWER AVAILABILITY IN INDIA

WORLD SOLAR POWER

The available solar energy resources are 3.8 YJ/yr (120,000 TW). Less than 0.02% of available
resources are sufficient to entirely replace fossil fuels and nuclear power as an energy source.
Assuming that our rate of usage in 2005 remains constant, we will run out of conventional oil in
2045, and coal in 2159. In practice, neither will actually run out as natural constraints will force
production to decline as the remaining reserves dwindle. The rate at which demand increases
and reserves dwindle has been increasing dramatically because the rate of consumption is not
constant. For example, if demand for oil doubled, reserves would not last as long. In addition, the
cost of fossil fuels continues to rise as solar power becomes more economically viable.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLAR POWER SYSTEM

So for practically demonstrating the durable solar power system we took a design challenge
that require 500W ac power and also works for D.C. loads. The block diagram of that is shown
below.