Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral.

Facultad de Ingeniería en Electricidad y Computación

ELEG1018

ESPOL – FIEC

Renewable Energy

Name:
Arturo Lupera Alvario

Professor:
MSC. Jimmy Córdova

Application of Solar Energy in

home without access to the electrical grid

Year:
2019 – 2s
Abstract

In this assay, a photovoltaic system for a house disconnected from the

network will be designed using the ARCONEL 03/18 standard because it is
the regulation in Ecuador to the design of PVSystem, showing the
dimensioning of its equipment, the location of the place, and all the load and
any assumption used in the house.

Introduction

In our region, Latin America, there are many areas which don’t have access to
the national electricity grid, therefore, they are deprived of this basic service.

Applying a photovoltaic system in these sectors, we can provide them with

enough electricity for the lighting of your homes and certain electronic devices.
Obviously, this would be an expensive project when done, but when needing paper only,
we could implement a photovoltaic system for a house with its own battery bank to
include any nighttime consumption.

At present there is a great concern on the part of the scientific community and
people very similar to the environment about the generation of pollution resulting from
non-renewable energies that we use every day, from very simple things to more
complex issues, everything requires great wear for environmental balance. In many
countries the energy crisis and high levels of pollution push us to seek alternative
sources of energy in general that do not depend on fossil fuels. Technological progress
and multiple studies present us with several viable alternatives, but this depends a lot
on the sector and the availability of the equipment without mentioning the willingness
of people to improve their quality of life and show interest in reducing the
environmental impact we generate. In Ecuador there is very little functioning of these
voltaic systems due to lack of knowledge, poor facilities, design errors or models that
are simply obsolete. Having knowledge of this problem, a study has been carried out
and a photovoltaic system applied in a house has been successfully approved, verifying
that with careful study and a commitment to the environment we can keep this
installation at the level of a home in proper operation average.
Introduction to Renewable Energy

Renewable energy can be considered as alternative energy because it is capable

of supplant the energy of fossil fuels. The main source of renewable energy is the sun
because it provides radiant energy such as visible light, ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
Solar energy can be harnessed and used as a source of energy by taking electromagnetic
radiation from the sun that reaches the earth in the form of luminosity and heat.

Figure 1. Types of Renewable Energy

As we can see in the following graph, the uses can vary from the most daily
requirements to the most complex. For example, the operation of the photovoltaic
panel applied in a solar pump for irrigation. (Rodríguez, 2000)

Figure 2. Solar Pump for Irrigation

Photovoltaic Energy

To be able to electricity from solar radiation we need a material that absorbs

sunlight and transforms it into electrical energy thanks to the photovoltaic effect.
Considering this we could mention the advantages of using a photovoltaic system :
➢ Available and free energy.
➢ Almost total pollution reduction.
➢ Unusual maintenance and long-term equipment.
➢ Pretty good performance at any height above sea level.

Taking this into account we could mention some of the disadvantages of using this
equipment.
➢ High initial cost.
➢ It is not easy to install, so it requires specialized people.
➢ There is a certain level of toxic elements in the cells.
➢ High cost of energy produced.

Another factor to consider is the conditions regarding solar radiation in the sector
where you want to start a solar energy project. In Ecuador we can obtain reliable data
from ´´Atlas solar del Ecuador´´ of Conelec, prepared by the corporation for energy
research, in which the available solar potential and the possibility of electricity
generation are detailed. These data are available specifically for the realization of this
type of projects at the local level. (POTOSINOS, 2019)
Below is an image with the average global insolation values.

Figure 3. Global Insolation in Ecuador

 Taking these parameters into account, we can define whether the use of solar
panels at the local level is feasible, after reviewing the factors and solving the problem
about costs and finding a trained provider in this area, we can proceed with the
acquisition of everything necessary to make an installation ensuring that it will have a
long life. (Lamigueiro, 2013)

We will also propose the list of materials according to their availability levels and
their duration, in order to use this list as a guide in the future. And, for this analysis the
PVsyst program will be used to facilitate the sizing of the house's photovoltaic system.

Design

The design was made in the city of Bogotá, Colombia, as it is the closest location
within the program. It has a latitude of 4.70, a longitude of -74.13 and an altitude of
2543 meters above sea level. We won’t consider the shadows of the sector, placing a
high margin of power so that the demand for the house is far exceeded.
The load for this house is the tipycal, Specifying the load consumed in the house. we
have 3094 Watts per day (or 3.094 KW) of the load while the Arconel 03/18 regulation
allows us to have up to 100KW nominal in residential facilities. (ARCONEL, 2018)

The rest of specific assumptions will be detailed below in the following images.

Figure 4. Design Location

Figure 5. Load Design and Hourly Distribution of House

Figure 6. Finished Design

Results
Conclusions

➢ According to all that is assumed, it is necessary to use solar panels of the LG 275
S1C-B3 type with a configuration of 3 modules in series and 2 strings in parallel,
together with a bank of batteries of the Volta 6SB100 brand with a configuration
of 2 batteries in series and 6 strings in parallel; The whole set with a nominal
power of 1.64KW at a nominal voltage of 24V. (Lupera, 2020, Enero)

➢ Residential battery systems (RBS) will not become cost-efficient in the

foreseeable future. However, customers indicate a substantial willingness to pay
for RBS beyond its expected cost advantages, which is mostly justified with soft
factors such as the desire to increase “self-sufficiency”. (Graebig, 2014, June)

➢ Off-grid applications, e.g. rural areas without any permanent electricity supply.
PV and RBS might be the first and only option for electrification, not only
powering villages but also infrastructure. (Graebig, 2014, June)

Bibliography

ARCONEL. (2018). https://www.regulacionelectrica.gob.ec/wp-

content/uploads/downloads/2019/01/Codificacion-Regulacion-No.-ARCONEL-
003-18.pdf.

Graebig, M. E. (2014, June). Assessment of residential battery systems (RBS):

profitability, perceived value proposition, and potential business models. In 37th
IAEE international conference (Vol. 25, pp. 1-15).

Lamigueiro, O. P. (2013). Energía solar fotovoltaica. Creative Commons ebook.

Lupera, A. D. (2020, Enero). PV System for home. Guayaquil: ESPOL.

Murcia, H. R. (2008). Desarrollo de la energía solar en Colombia y sus perspectivas.

Revista de ingeniería, (28), 83-89.

POTOSINOS, U. (2019). Energía solar fotovoltaica. Revupotosinos Universitarios

Potosinos, 25.

Rodríguez, I. (2000). Energía renovable.