Solar Energy

as a
Source of Electric Energy
The AdDU Experience

Engr. Michelle M. Soledad
Electrical Engineering Department
Ateneo de Davao University

1.0 Solar Energy Basics

2.0 Solar Energy Utilization

3.0 The AdDU Experience


1.0 Solar Energy Basics
Source: U.S. Department of Energy http://www.energy.gov/articles/top-6-things-you-didnt-know-about-solar-energy
The amount of Solar Energy that the sun
sends our way is around 173,000 terawatts
(trillions of watts) more than 10,000 times
the worlds total energy use
1.1 Solar Energy as a Renewable Energy Resource
What is Solar Energy?
Energy that comes from the sun

May be used as a source of heat and
light

May be used to generate electricity
Image Credit : Rutgers University, Bhavik Shah
1.2 Solar Energy in History
1877 : Air blowing over sun-heated iron was
used to heat homes

1910 : Awarding of the first patent for a solar
collector

1930s: First widespread use of solar power for
heating

1954: Bell Laboratories builds the silicon solar
cell, the precursor of all solar-powered
devices

1960s: Space industry uses solar energy to
provide power aboard space crafts

Image Credits: Arizona Public Service Company. Source on Bell Laboratories and Solar Energy Utilization by the Space Industry: US Department of Energy
1.3 Generating Electricity Using Solar Energy
Photovoltaic
direct conversion of sunlight to
electricity
Photovoltaic Solar Power Plants
contain:
Solar arrays
Inverters
Transformers
Thermal
use of heat to generate electricity
Thermal Solar Power Plants contain:
Collector fields
Turbine
Generators
Cooling Towers
Transformers

Source/Image Credit: Arizona Public Service Company
Glendale Airport, Glendale, Arizona
10 MW Solar II Experimental Power Plant, CA
1.3.1 Photovoltaic Solar Systems
1. Sun illuminates the solar cells in the
photovoltaic (PV) array
2. Solar energy is converted to electric
energy in the PV array
3. Electric energy generated goes into
an inverter, a device which converts
direct current (DC) to alternating
current (AC)
4. Alternating current goes into power
lines for distribution to end users
Source/Image Credit: Arizona Public Service Company;www.solaredge.com; www.exponent.com
1.3.2 Thermal Solar Systems
Source/Image Credit: Arizona Public Service Company
1. Parabolic mirrors focus the sun at 30 to
60 times its normal intensity on a
receiver pipe, located along the focal
line of the trough

2. Synthetic oil captures heat; hot oil is
pumped through heat exchanger to
produce steam

3. Conventional steam turbine/generator
produces electricity

4. Steam is condensed through a cooling
tower, and is pumped back through the
heat exchanger connected to solar
energy collection field
Source: University of California San Diego/Santa Cruz
1.4 Advantages
Clean

Sustainable inexhaustible

Noise-free

Low maintenance costs

Competitive use among other
energy sources at selected uses
(ex. off-grid)


Source/Image Credit: Arizona Public Service Company
Image Credit: Arizona Public Service Company
Info Source: National Geographic Society http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-power-profile/
1.5 Drawbacks
? Does not work at night without a storage
device

? Dependent on weather during the day
(cloudy weather will make it unreliable)


? Expensive

? Requires a huge footprint (for large-scale
electricity generation)
Source: Espina (2008)
1.5.1 Solar PV System Off-Grid (Php/kW)
Capital Cost @ 8-hr a Day (Php/kWe)
435,313.85
Operation & Maintenance (Php/kWe) 12,043.09
Solar Electric Footprint (m
2
/kWe) 25.00
Area required for a 100MW Plant (Has.) 250.00
Source/Image Credit: http://www.solarplaza.com/top10-pv-markets/
2.0 Solar Energy Utilization
Source/Image Credit: http://www.solarplaza.com/top10-pv-markets/
2.0 Solar Energy Utilization
Image Credit: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html. Source: Green is Gold, Greenpeace (2013)
2.1 Solar Energy Utilization Potential - Philippines
Located near the equator

Long, hot summers

Average solar radiation of 161.7
watts per sq. m.

Potential to generate 4.5 to 5.5 kWh
per sq. m., per day
Image Credit: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html. Source: Green is Gold, Greenpeace (2013)
2.2 Solar Initiatives in the Philippines
Solar Rooftop Project, sponsored by
Asian Development Bank

1 MW grid-connected centralized
solar photovoltaic plant, Cagayan de
Oro City (CEPALCO, with plans to
install a 20-MW plant)

1 MW solar farm, Aurora Special
Economic Zone Authority, Aurora
province (pre-development)
3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
engages vigorously in environmental protection,
the preservation of bio-diversity, and
the promotion of renewable energy.

- Excerpt from the AdDU Mission Statement


3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Participation in the Sustainable Campus initiative of Greenpeace,
along with the University of Southeastern Philippines

Institutional support for conduct of baseline energy audit (2012)
and profiling of factors that affect energy consumption (2013) in
the Jacinto campus

Institutional support for studies on renewable energy
systems (solar PV, solar thermal, micro-hydro)

Investment in solar PV system (also became a medium
for community engagement, through disaster response
activities in the aftermath of Typhoon Pablo)


Pilot Solar PV System Rooftop, Finster Hall, AdDU
Sun Tracker
Electrical Entrance to Finster Hall
12 Sets of Solar-PV Panels (@ 4 panels per set) 20-kW Grid-Tie Inverter
3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Benefits Value Remarks
Financial 64.512 kWhr per day @ 13.44 kW installed capacity, about 80%
derating factor, 6.0 hours of Insolation
exposure (@ 1kw/m
2
) per day
(54.512 kWhr/day)(30days/mo)=
1.94 MWhr/month
Energy harvested per month
(1.94 MWhr/Month)(P
9.68/kWhr) = P19.40T/Month
Recovery in 6.5-7.5 years for a P1.68M
investment, @ P10/kWhr (Approved Feed-
In-Tariff is P9.68/kWhr)
P 232.80T/yr or P 5.82M in 25
years

P3.00-3.50 per kWh for 25 years
(and can be extended)
@ P1.68M cash outlay including repair &
maintenance (note: energy cost may rise
from P8-12/kWh to P25-30/kWh in 25
years)
3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Ongoing / In the pipeline
AdDU Community Tower
Roxas Ave/Zamora St

Proposed Installed
Capacity: 166 kWp
3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Ongoing / In the pipeline
AdDU Community Tower
Roxas Ave/Zamora St

Proposed Installed
Capacity: 166 kWp
Solar-PV Panel Dimension (385 W, 35 kgs)

3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Ongoing / In the pipeline
AdDU Martinez Sports Complex, McArthur Highway, Matina

Proposed Installed Capacity: 108 kWp
3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Ongoing / In the pipeline
AdDU Martinez Sports
Complex
McArthur Highway, Matina

Proposed Installed
Capacity: 108 kWp
Solar-PV Panel Dimension (300 W, 27.1 kgs)

3.0 RE and Solar Energy The AdDU Experience
Ongoing / In the pipeline
Exploratory Research on
Electricity Generation
using Solar Thermal
Technology
www.addu.edu.ph
enggarchi@addu.edu.ph
(082) 221-2411 local 8313