Solar Power Plant

SOLAR POWER PLANT
INTRODUCTION
Since the beginning of time, people have been
fascinated by the sun. Ancient civilizations personified
the sun, worshipping it as a God or Goddess.
Throughout history, farming and agriculture efforts have
relied upon the suns rays to grow crops and sustain
populations.
Only recently, however, have we developed the ability
to harness the suns awesome power. The resulting
technologies have promising implications for the future
of renewable energy and sustainability. Weve given a
brief on solar power, constructing a solar power plant,
types and parts of the power plant, how it works, its
consideration, and operations and maintenance
What is Solar Power
Solar power is a form of energy harnessed

from the power and heat energy of the
sun.
This energy is in the form of solar
radiation, which makes the production of
solar electricity possible.
It is renewable, and therefore a green
source of energy.
Constructing a Solar
Power Plant
Constructing a Solar Power Plant
Permitting and Licensing Requirements
Permitting and licensing procedures vary depending on plant location
and size. For small PV installations, permitting regimes are often
simplified and obtained at a local authority level. However large-scale
plants can have more extensive requirements that are determined at
a national or regional level. The key permits, licenses and agreements
typically required for renewable energy projects include:
1. Land lease agreement

2. Planning/land use consents
3. Building permits
4. Environmental Permits
5. Grid Connection Application
6. Operator/generation licenses
1. Land lease agreement
If the land is not privately owned, an agreement to procure
or lease the necessary land from the land owner is a key
requirement. The land lease agreement must be secured as a
first step to enable the project to be developed on the required
land. This does not apply to rooftop locations. A lease
agreement typically lasts for 25 years, often with a further
extension clause. The leases and option agreements should
include restrictions on developments to be installed on land
adjacent to the site that could have an effect on the
performance of the solar PV arrays. Furthermore, the areas of
land required for new access roads also need to be taken into
consideration
2. Planning and Land Use Consents
All relevant planning consents/land-use
authorizations must be in place prior to the
construction of a project. Consenting requirements
vary widely in different countries and regions and also
depend on the size of the plant. Advice on planning-
consent requirements in the project area can be
obtained from the local planning department, relevant
government department or from an experienced
consultant. A permit from the roads authority may
also be necessary, depending on the works required
3. Building Permits
Some countries may require a separate building
permit to be obtained, depending on the nature of the
project. Where this is required, it should be noted that
the consenting authority may differ from the authority
issuing the planning/land-use permits. Before a building
permit is obtained, it may be necessary to have other
required permits in place or to complete a change in
land-use categorization. As above, consultation at an
early stage with the relevant authority is recommended
to establish country- and locally-specific requirements.
4. Environmental Permit
All necessary environmental permits, licenses and requirements must
be obtained prior to commencing construction. Environmental permits
are country and project-specific. Consultation with the relevant
environmental agencies and departments should be undertaken to
determine the requirement for any environmental permits relevant to the
project. A specialist environmental consultant can also provide advice on
the specific requirements. Environmental permits and licenses that may
be required include:
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) permit.
Endangered/protected species license.
Agricultural protection permits.
Historic preservation permits.
Forestry permits.
5. Grid Connection Application
A grid connection permit is required for exporting power
to the network, which normally specifies the point of
connection and confirms the voltage-level that will be
applied to that connection. The grid connection application
should be submitted to the relevant transmission or
distribution utility company for the project. The permit must
be in place well in advance of the date that first export to
the grid is required in order to allow sufficient timescales for
associated works to be completed. Solar PV power plants
will need to meet the requirements of the grid company that
operates the network onto which they will export power.
6. Electricity Generation Licenses
The operator of an electricity generating facility is
required to hold a generating license, which permits
an operator to generate, distribute and supply
electricity. Developers should be aware of the country-
specific requirements and timeframes required for
obtaining a generating license. For example, in many
European and Asian countries, an electricity
generation license is obtained after construction of
the plant, while in some African countries the license
is required early in the project development process.

Costing
The table below indicates CERC

determined benchmark cost for Financial
Year 2014-15.
There are two general categories of solar-
energy collection systems:
Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant
Concentrated Thermal Solar Power

Plant
Is a large-scale photovoltaic system (PV system) designed

for the supply of merchant power into the electricity grid.
They are differentiated from most
building-mounted and other
decentralized solar power
applications because they supply
power at the utility level, rather than
to a local user or users.
They are sometimes also referred
to as solar farms or solar ranches,
especially when sited in agricultural
areas. The generic expression
utility-scale solar is sometimes
The 25.7 MW Lauingen Energy
used to describe this type of project.
Park in Bavarian Swabia,
Germany
Its main components consists of:

1. Solar Cell Modules (DC Generators)
2. Inverter and Transformer
3. Switchyard or Substation
4. Lithium Ion Batteries
Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant Diagram

The operation of Photovoltaic Power Plant

1. In the solar cell module, the surface layer is very thin and
transparent so that light can reach the junction region of the
silicon sandwich. In that region the photons are absorbed,
releasing charges from their atomic bonds. These charges
migrate to the terminals, raising the potential.

2. Then it goes to the inverter, it is responsible for converting
the DC current from the modules to alternating current.

3. The electricity then flows into the transformer and boost it
to 13.8kV to reduce power loss when electricity is transmitted
to far distances.

4. From the transformer, electricity flows through a
switchyard or substation and regulates power so that the
electricity can be fed into the public grid.
Storage
Large-scale accumulators are needed to buffer peak power for short
periods of time. Since storage is still very expensive, there are currently
only pilot projects which mainly use low-cost lead-acid batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries have higher capacity with longer lifetimes, but due
to their higher cost, as with the use of redox-flow cells, these are
discussions for future applications, as they have just recently been
approaching series production. In addition, it is not yet clear how much
storage capacity is required. If only power peaks are capped and need
be buffered for only a few minutes, then a capacity of one megawatt
hour may be sufficient for a 50 MW solar farm, for example, in order to
cap 10 MWs and feed it into the batteries for six minutes. The capacity
must be significantly larger, if the solar power produced throughout the
day must also be available in significant amounts at night. This option is
currently far from being economically feasible.
How Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant Works

The first photovoltaic power plant in the world is in Lugo,

San Bernardino, County, California USA. Commissioned in
Dec 1982 with a nominal power (MW) of 1 MW.
The largest photovoltaic power plant in the world is the
Longyangxia PV/Hydro electric project, Gonghe, Qinghai
China. Commissioned in 2014 with a nominal power (MW) of
850 MW.
Longyangxia PV/Hydro
The first photovoltaic power plant in the Philippines is the

CEPALCO Cagayan de Oro Photovoltaic Power Plant.
Commissioned on 2004 with a nominal power (MW) of 1.1
MW
The largest photovoltaic power plant in the Philippines is
the Cadiz Solar Power Plant in Cadiz, Negros Occidental.
Commissioned on March 3 2016 with nominal power (MW)
of 132.5 MW
CEPALCO Power Plant Cadiz Solar Power Plant

Thermal Solar Power Plant
In contrast to photovoltaic systems, solar thermal power plants can guarantee
capacity. During periods of bad weather or during the night, a parallel, fossil
fuel burner can produce steam; this parallel burner can also be fired by
climate-compatible fuels such as biomass, or hydrogen produced by
renewable. With thermal storage, the solar thermal power plant can also
generate electricity even if there is no solar energy available. A proven form of
storage system operates with two tanks. The storage medium for high-
temperature heat storage is molten salt. The excess heat of the solar collector
field heats up the molten salt, which is pumped from the cold to the hot tank.
If the solar collector field cannot produce enough heat to drive the turbine, the
molten salt is pumped back from the hot to the cold tank and heats up the
heat transfer fluid.
Crescent Dune Solar December 2014

Its main components consists of:

1. Heliostat and Control System
2. Solar Receiver (Boiler)
3. Turbine (Electricity Generator) powered by steam
4. Grid
5. Tank Storage of Salts

The operation of solar thermal power plants

1. Mirrors capture solar radiation at a point so as to generate
very high temperatures (4001,000 C).

2. The obtained heat transforms the water in a steam boiler.

3. Pressurized steam rotates a turbine which drives an
alternator.

4. The generator produces an alternating electrical current
Storage
A proven form of storage system operates with two
tanks. The storage medium for high-temperature
heat storage is molten salt. The excess heat of the
solar collector field heats up the molten salt, which
is pumped from the cold to the hot tank. If the solar
collector field cannot produce enough heat to drive
the turbine, the molten salt is pumped back from
the hot to the cold tank and heats up the heat
transfer fluid.
How Thermal Solar Power Plant Works

The first ever Thermal Solar Power Plant in the

world is the PS10 Solar Power Plant in Seville,
Spain. Commissioned on March 30, 2007 with
nominal power (MW) of 11 MW
The largest Thermal Solar Power Plant in the

world is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating
System in San Bernardino, California USA.
Commissioned on 2014 with nominal power (MW)
of 392 MW
Consideration on Solar Power Plant
Solar power holds tremendous potential. It is the most
abundant form of renewable energy. It is known and
commonlycited that if solar panels were to cover an area
smaller than the size of Wales than the generated electricity
would be enough to power whole of Europe. And this fact has
been the inspiration of Desertec project that seeks to electrify
both Europe and Africa by tapping the plentiful solar energy
in the Sahara Desert.
Large scale solar power plants are of different types and can
be based on completely different technologies. Solar parks
are normally power stations that involve large arrays of photo
voltaic (PV) modules. The other types are solar thermal
power plants in which the solar heat by way of
thermodynamic power cycle is used to generate electricity.
Solar Resource/ Arid Zones
1. Solar thermal power plants work only in
Arid regions. They can be installed in
areas where annual precipitation is low
and the direct component of solar
radiation is much higher than annual
diffuse radiation.
2. Contrary to the popular belief, they should not be installed
right on the equator belt. The region near the equator falls in
the ITCZ (Inter-tropical convergence zone) . It is a region
where warm air rises and precipitation occurs. When looking at
world map, one can notice the presence of rain forests in the
ITCZ or in the vicinity of the equator. Thus Solar thermal plants
must be situated not just on the equator but either above or
below the ITCZ i.e. in the STHP (Subtropic high pressure
region).
3. On the other hand, Solar PV farms do not require direct solar
radiation to work. They can generate electricity even in the presence of
a thick cloud cover, as long as there is light. The power generated in
cloudy conditions may be a fraction of the peak power but nonetheless
can be significant depending upon the size of the plant. Owing to this
characteristic, Solar PV farms have been installed in many northerly
(Sub Polar) regions. It should also be noted that because the internal
resistance in circuits doubles with every 10 C rise in temperature, solar
PV dont appreciate heat. Their efficiency degrades with higher
temperatures. Installation of Solar PV in a very hot desert therefore
would need an active cooling system to maintain performance.
Whereas in northern regions, low air temperature is enough to whisk
away the build-up of heat and no cooling jackets are required.
Proximity to Power Lines
Proximity to Power Lines

1. Solar power plant must be in close proximity to a high power
transmission line. This allows the power generated to be fed to the
grid with minimal losses. Ideally it should be situated in the vicinity of
a population center so that electricity is locally consumed and the
transmission losses are minimized. A good example of this is Andasol
power plant (150 MW parabolic trough) near Gaudix, Spain and PS10
and PS20 (power towers) located near Valencia, Spain. Another
example worth mentioning is Solar PV plant powering up Nellis Air
force base in Nevada, USA. This power plant in the Mojave
desertproduces electricity cheaper than what is available from the
grid.Solar power has also been used for off-grid applications.
Terrain
Terrain
1. In the northern hemisphere, sitethat may have shading obstacles towards the south, should be
avoided. Trees and hills can produce shadows that can limit the solar gain particularly when the
sun is low (such as in winters).
2. For a solar thermal power plant a tracking system is compulsory. For a solar PV plant, tracking
is not a requirement but improves the overall gain by as high as 30%. If tracking system is
installed on the PV arrays than flat terrain should be preferred.
3. If tracking system is not installed than a hilly / sloped terrain can prove beneficial provided that
the incline slope runs from the south to the north direction. This allows the sun to be in the view
of every collector most time during the day and prevents shade of one collector on the other. It
has been suggested that many abandoned open-pit mines can be used as Solar PV farms.
Water
Water
1. Solar PV farms do not use power but because solar thermal
power plants run on a Rankine cycle, they can use either
water or heating fluid as a energy transfer medium. Part of
that water may be lost as steam in an open loop system.
Furthermore a cooling source is required to condense the
water coming out of the turbine. If cooling towers are
employed than again some water is lost in evaporation. The
places where most solar energy is present also turn out to be
the driest. Thus access to a water source should be considered
for Solar Thermal power plants.
Site Accessibility
Site Accessibility
1. Just as the presence of transmission lines reduces
the transmission costs drastically likewise Site
accessibility through roads is an important factor.
Having an infrastructure in place close to the site
increases the feasibility of solar project. Cities that are
built in arid regions and rely on underground aquifers
such as Las Vegas and Kufra (Libya) are best locations
for Solar powerprojects. Similarly Al Masdar project
in Abu Dhabi has been a huge success.
Sandstorm and Dusts
Sandstorm and Dusts

1. The location of solar power plants in arid regions
also require maintenance. In case of a sand storm or
Ghiblii, the accumulation of dust on the PV panels,
Heliostats or the Fresnel lenses can stop electricity
production completely. Therefore regions that are
semi-arid would be in many cases more desirable
forplant sites. At many plants people are employed to
routinely clean the reflectors and collectors. Robots
and automated systems for these tasks have also been
used but increase the running costs.
CONCLUSION
Solar power plant, in particular thermal power plants
are located in Arid zones which are uninhabited. Although
they require a huge area but are located in regions where
ecological impact is next to none. While wind farms are
visible from a long distance, can have noise issues and
result in bird strikes, Solar power plants are free from
these problems. Nonetheless care should be exercised in
selecting the plant site. As noted abundance of Solar
insolation is not the only factor to be accounted insolar
power plant planning. Presence of transport and electricity
infrastructure is vital and so is the presence of a water
source in case of thermal power plants.
ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
POWER PLANT
Solar power helps to slow/stop global warming. Global

warming threatens the survival of human society, as well as
the survival of countless species. Luckily, decades (or even
centuries) of research have led to efficient solar panel
systems that create electricity without producing global
warming pollution.Solar power is now very clearlyone of
the most important solutions to the global warming crisis.
ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
POWER PLANT
Solar power provides energy reliability. The rising and

setting of the sun is extremely consistent. All across the
world, weknow exactly when it will rise and set every day
of the year. While clouds may be a bit less predictable, we
do also have fairly good seasonal and daily projections for
the amount of sunlight that will be received in different
locations. All in all, this makes solar power an extremely
reliable source of energy.
ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
POWER PLANT
Solar power provides energy security. On top of the

above reliability benefit, no one can go and buy the sun or
turn sunlight into a monopoly.
ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
POWER PLANT
Solar power creates jobs. As a source of energy, solar

power is a job-creating powerhouse. Money invested in
solar power creates two to three times more jobs than
money invested in coal or natural gas.
DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
POWER PLANT
Solar power disadvantages is that the sun doesnt shine 24

hours a day, solar PV panels stop producing electricity. If we need
electricity at that time, we have to get it from some other source.
In other words, we couldnt be 100% powered by solar panels. At
the very least, we need batteries to store electricity produced by
solar panels for use sometime later.
DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR
POWER PLANT
The power generated is also reduced during times of

cloud cover (although energy is still produced on a cloudy
day). We couldnt be 100% powered by solar panels.
Maintenance
As in any power plant, a solar power plant in
operation requires maintenance. Also, as the solar
power plant becomes older, operation and
maintenance (O&M) becomes more and more
important for improving or keeping the performance of
the plant. Another aspect to be taken into account is
that usually the solar power plants are in remote
locations with unreliable communication
infrastructure . Most of the remote monitoring systems
need an Internet connection, and in the absence of a
reliable connection, there could be problems of lack of
data logging for long periods of time.
Maintenance
1. QUALIFIED PERSON
2. GENERAL SITE ANNUAL INSPECTION
3. DETAILED VISIUAL INSPECTION
4. MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC INTVERTER
INSPECTION
5. MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC TRACKER
INSPECTION
6. MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC DATA
ACQUISITION SYSTEM INSPECTION
Maintenance
1. QUALIFIED PERSON
The staffs are competent as
One who has expertise and
knowledge related to the
construction and operation of
the electrical equipment and
installations and has
acknowledged security
instructions to distinguish and
keep away from the hazards
involved. Many testing and
maintenance activities
necessitate two people to be
completed
safely and efficiently.
Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is the planned
maintenance of plant infrastructure and
equipment with the goal of improving
equipment life by preventing excess
depreciation and impairment. This maintenance
includes, but is not limited to, adjustments,
cleaning, lubrication, repairs, replacements, and
the extension of equipment life. At least once a
year, O&M personnel should conduct a general
inspection of the solar power installation site.
Maintenance
During this inspection, technicians should:
Ensure roof penetrations are watertight,
Ensure roof drainage is adequate,
Roof drains are not clogged and confirm that there are no signs of water
pooling in the vicinity of the array
Check for vegetation growth or other new shade
Check for ground erosion near the footings of a ground mount system,
Confirm proper system signage is in place,
Confirm appropriate expansion joints are used where needed in long conduit
runs,
Confirm electrical enclosures are only accessible to authorized personnel who
are secured with padlocks or combination locks and have restricted access
signage,
Check for corrosion on the outside of enclosures and the racking system,
Check for cleanliness throughout the sitethere should be no debris in the
inverter pad area or elsewhere, check for loose hanging wires in the array,
Check for signs of animal infestation under the array.
Maintenance
3. DETAILED VISUAL INSPECTION
The installation should be inspected regularly for issues that impact the
physical integrity or performance of the PV system. A visual inspection
should include the following actions:
Inspect the inverter/electrical pad to make sure it does not show
excessive cracking or signs of wear.
The inverter should be bolted to the pad at all mounting points per the
manufacturer installation requirements.
Depending on the size, location, and accessibility of the system to
unqualified personnel, the inverters, combiner boxes, and disconnect
switches should require tools or have locks to prevent unauthorized
access to the equipment.
Check modules for excessive soiling from dirt buildup or animal
droppings.
Ensure that the module wiring is secure and not resting on the roof,
hanging loose and exposed to potential damage, bent to an
unapproved radius, or stretched across sharp or abrasive surfaces.
Maintenance
4. MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC INTVERTER INSPECTION
Each inverter manufacturer will have specific requirements for inspection, testing, services, and
documentation to meet its warranty obligations. Typical requirements for inverter inspections include:
Record and validate all voltages and production values from the human machine interface (HMI)
display,
record last logged system error,
clean filters,
clean the inside of the cabinet,
test fans for proper operation,
check fuses,
check torque on terminations,
check gasket seal,
confirm warning labels are in place,
look for discoloration from excessive heat buildup,
check integrity of lightning arrestors,
check continuity of system ground and equipment grounding,
Check mechanical connection of the inverter to the wall or ground,
check internal disconnect operation,
verify that current software is installed,
contact installer and/or manufacturer about any issues found,
document findings for all work performed
Maintenance
5. MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC TRACKER INSPECTION
Typical maintenance or startup requirements for tracker
systems include:
lubricate tracker by inserting grease with grease gun into
appropriate grease caps per manufacturer maintenance
recommendation,
check voltages inside the controller box,
use a digital level to check the calibration and positioning
of the inclinometers,
check array for signs of parts hitting or rubbing other parts,
remove vegetation that is near the drive shaft or moving
components,
check wind-stow operation
Maintenance
6. MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM
INSPECTION
Typical maintenance or startup requirements for DASs include:
taking voltage readings of power supplies,
validating current transducer readings by comparing to
calibrated equipment,
validating sensor reading by comparing to calibrated
equipment.
To confirm proper functionality of the DAS, the values measured
by the DAS must be verified against values from devices with
traceable calibration records.
Comparing the irradiance, temperature, and power
measurements recorded by the DAS to values obtained from
calibrated instruments will help identify sensor calibration
issues that could result in the DAS data being incorrect.
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance of Solar Power Plant

Presentation by:
Jude Aquino
Ma. Lourdes Awa
Howell Jimenez
Trisha Tarrega
Jefferson Villate

Solar Power Plant

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SOLAR POWER PLANT

Solar power is a form of energy harnessed

1. Land lease agreement

Constructing a Solar Power Plant

The table below indicates CERC

Concentrated Thermal Solar Power

Is a large-scale photovoltaic system (PV system) designed

Its main components consists of:

Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant Diagram

The operation of Photovoltaic Power Plant

The operation of Photovoltaic Power Plant

The operation of Photovoltaic Power Plant

The operation of Photovoltaic Power Plant

How Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant Works

The first photovoltaic power plant in the world is in Lugo,

The first photovoltaic power plant in the Philippines is the

CEPALCO Power Plant Cadiz Solar Power Plant

Crescent Dune Solar December 2014

Its main components consists of:

Thermal Solar Power Plant

The operation of solar thermal power plants

The operation of solar thermal power plants

The operation of solar thermal power plants

The operation of solar thermal power plants

How Thermal Solar Power Plant Works

The first ever Thermal Solar Power Plant in the

The largest Thermal Solar Power Plant in the

Proximity to Power Lines

Sandstorm and Dusts

Solar power helps to slow/stop global warming. Global

Solar power provides energy reliability. The rising and

Solar power provides energy security. On top of the

Solar power creates jobs. As a source of energy, solar

Solar power disadvantages is that the sun doesnt shine 24

The power generated is also reduced during times of

Maintenance of Solar Power Plant

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