Page 189 - Applied Photovoltaics

funded from the RRPGP and the Northern Territory Power and Water Corporation. It
aims to reduce diesel use and peak loads on diesel-fuelled electricity grids (Watt,
2004b). Installed systems include a 56 kW p amorphous silicon array at the remote
aboriginal community of Bulman, which is expected to save 25,000 litres of diesel
fuel annually, and a 225 kW p crystalline silicon array at the Kings Canyon tourist
facility, expected to reduce diesel use by 105,000 litres per year. Funds for
Queensland’s Working Properties Rebate Scheme are provided by the RRPGP and
the Queensland Government. Rebates are paid for renewable energy components of
remote area power systems. The Western Australian Sustainable Energy
Development Office provides grants for energy use efficiency or the use of renewable
energy.
Similar schemes to the above either have or are being introduced in many countries,
particularly in the developing world. Extensive rural electrification programs
involving PV systems have been established in countries such as Sri Lanka, India,
Indonesia, China, Greece, Spain and many African countries (Hayes, 2004;
Hirshman, 2004; Eckhart, 2004). In addition, many international aid programs,
whether for lighting, communications or medical facilities, have involved some use of
stand-alone PV-based power systems (Huacuz & Gunaratne, 2003).

EXE RCI S ES
9.1 (a) Compile a list of suppliers and manufacturers of solar panels in your
country. Include details on the range of panels sold, prices,
warranties, after sales service, volume of panels sold per year (and
anything else of interest).

(b) Which of the suppliers would claim to have the expertise and
experience necessary to design and install for you a photovoltaic-
based RAPS system for a given power output each day? What
guarantee would they give you that the system would meet
specifications?

9.2 (a) When would a photovoltaic system be used in preference to a diesel
generator?

(b) Explain the concept of a hybrid system and its potential advantages
compared to systems based on one source of power only.
9.3 (a) List characteristics of diesel generators relevant to their use in
photovoltaic-diesel-battery hybrid systems.
(b) How do these characteristics affect the design and use of such a
hybrid system?

(c) When might such a hybrid system be used in preference to a
photovoltaic-battery system?

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