SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES FOR AGRI-BUSINESSES Gerry Flores Photovoltaic - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES FOR AGRI-BUSINESSES Gerry Flores Photovoltaic Engineer, Energy Innovation Manager NSW FARMERS ASSOCIATION 15/11/2014 This activity received funding from the Department of Industry as part of the Energy Efficiency Information
Photovoltaic Engineer, Energy Innovation Manager NSW FARMERS ASSOCIATION
This activity received funding from the Department of Industry as part of the Energy Efficiency Information Grants Program. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Jan-00 Jul-00 Jan-01 Jul-01 Jan-02 Jul-02 Jan-03 Jul-03 Jan-04 Jul-04 Jan-05 Jul-05 Jan-06 Jul-06 Jan-07 Jul-07 Jan-08 Jul-08 Jan-09 Jul-09 Jan-10 Jul-10 Jan-11 Jul-11 Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Average residential electricity costs ($c/kWh)
Weighted Average for All Capital Cities Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth Hobart Darwin Canberra Sydney 8 per. Mov. Avg. ( Weighted Average for All Capital Cities)
Average solar penetration in Australia is 22% In rural and regional areas the average is 29%
32% 31% 28% 27% 23% 18% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Other Rural Regional – High Regional – Low Major Urban – Non-Capital City Major urban – Capital City
Average solar penetration
Sources: RECAA www.recagents.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/GET-Postcode-report-for-RAA-April-2014.pdf
Capital cities and urban 68% Other 0% Rural and regional 32%
Number of dwellings across Australia (%)
Capital cities and urban Other Rural and regional Capital cities and urban 58% Other 0% Rural and regional 42%
Number of PV systems installed across Australia (%)
Capital cities and urban Other Rural and regional
Renewable energy
Energy efficiency Energy conservation and time of use management Energy analysis
Integrated PV systems
Grid-connected PV systems Stand-alone PV systems
Water pumping -> stock and domestic & irrigation Solar-hot-water
Energy from photons (in sunlight) is absorbed by a
Electrons are then ‘collected’ and due to the composition
To generate a useful level of electricity, multiple cells are
Crystalline silicon
Mono-crystalline -> more efficient, more expensive Multi-crystalline -> almost as efficient, less expensive
Mainstream thin film technologies
Amorphous silicon -> less efficient CdTe -> Utility scale only
Emerging
CIGS Organic solar cells Perovskite cells
The levels of solar irradiance changes throughout the day and year
Mornings and afternoons have lower levels
Summer has higher levels than winter
kW-> unit of power
kWh -> unit of energy
Solar radiation power is measured in kW/m²
Solar radiation energy is measured in (kWh/m²).
1 kWh/m² is also known as 1 Peak Sunshine Hour (PSH)
Most common type of system 3 GW+ installed across Australia 56.4% average yearly growth over the last 10 years
Black coal 44.8% Brown coal 19.1% Gas 20.5% Oil 1.8% Other fossil fuels 0.8% Bioenergy 1.3% Wind 2.9% Hydro 7.3% Solar PV 1.5% Renewables 13.1%
Key energy saving opportunity for:
Intensive animal farms Intensive producers, horticulturists Businesses with equipment running
Solar resource
Use Clean Energy Regulator’s (CER) ‘Postcode zones for solar panels’ for
general planning http://ret.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/205/RET-sgu- postcode-zones_0312.doc.aspx
Zone Estimated yearly kWh generated /kWp installed Average generation per day (kWh) 1 1,622 4.44 2 1,536 4.21 3 1,382 3.78 4 1,185 3.24
Placement and orientation of PV panels
Orientation – Optimal for a system in the southern hemisphere is facing north, however:
Further eastward orientation can increase generated power in the morning Further westward orientation can increase generated power in the evening
Tilt-A tilt equal to the location’s latitude will result in the greatest annual power output.
A lower tilt (flatter) will increase power generated during summer An increased tilt (steeper) will increase power generated during winter
Placement and orientation of PV panels
Mounting - Cheapest mounting option is on a fixed tilt & orientation on a roof
Ground mounting is sometimes required and will increase costs. Single or double axis tracking can improve generated power by 10-25% but the cost
premium and maintenance requirements typically outweigh this additional benefit.
Sizing
Appropriately sized systems have a simple payback rate of 3-6
years
Internal rate of return of 20% or more Pricing trends can be accessed online:
solarchoice.net.au/blog/?s=pv+price+index
Calculators also available to help estimate payback
http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/solar-power-system-payback- calculator
Consists of a solar system that is not connected to the
Use energy storage technologies (batteries, water tank) Permits availability of power on cloudy days, nightime Must compare financial feasibility with cost of alternatives: connection point to the grid a diesel/petrol generator Typical financially prudent system will use solar + small
Key energy management opportunity for:
Isolated homesteads Sheering sheds Watering points with no grid connection
Solar systems can provide pumping power throughout
When designed properly, they can give a steady and
Solar pump replaces petrol driven pump in Southern NSW (photo courtesy of Solar Online Australia, GSES)
A typical solar powered stock or domestic pumping system
a solar array system controllers (for the array and the pump), an electric motor, and a water pump that moves the water from a source to its delivery point,
typically a storage tank.
There are multiple benefits of solar pumping systems
Cutting bills for mains electricity and diesel Operate independently and reliably in isolated locations If fully replacing mains electricity, removes need for
If replacing diesel, removes noise, fumes and fuelling runs Easily scalable – add more panels to increase output Flexible - can be integrated with mains electricity supply Fewer breakdowns and less maintenance. Protection from rising energy costs
Design process is involved
Key step is to determine daily and seasonal water requirements and fluctuations
throughout the year
Size of pump and array can then be determined
Full details are covered in our ‘Solar PV pumping guide’ (launching soon)
And to be presented in future webinar
Software provided by ‘Mono’ can be used to help design systems:
www.solarcass.com
Viable for stable year-round irrigation requirements: Horticulture (orchards) Drip irrigation More challenging on a cost basis for crops which
1 2 3 4 5 Jan Feb M… A… may June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Blueberry (L/day per plant)
Blueberry (L/day per plant)
The water requirements of a cotton crop with an irrigation scheme that runs for approximately six months of the year (Source: WATERpak, Cotton Research and Development Corporation).
Cost breakdown of solar pump design for large
Widely deployed on Australian farms Can provide all or a large portion of the energy needed
Works in conjunction with an electric or natural gas
It is a key energy saving measure for: Residences or worker accommodation Dairy farms (high temperature water is
used to wash equipment after milking)
May be less expensive
Operates most efficiently in the middle of the day
More sensitive to frost causing damage to the collectors.
Can be more expensive.
Can heat water to a higher temperature as they have a greater surface area exposed to the sun at any one time (approximately 40 per cent more efficient).
Can be used in sub-zero and overcast conditions (can extract heat out of the air on a humid day).
Risk of overheating. As the water reaches its maximum temperature in the tank the pressure and temperature valve automatically activate and release some hot water to allow for cold water to come back in, reducing the temperature build-up. To minimise the risk, the number of tubes must match the quantity of water to be heated.
Lighter—some lightweight designs can be mounted on walls and even poles.
Uses smaller roof area.
Less corrosive than flat plate systems.
Are durable and broken tubes can be easily and cheaply replaced.
Flat plate systems Evacuated tubes
Identify space for mounting solar collectors Consult with qualified professionals If possible, tilt for winter Pricing on solar hot water systems can vary
Short answer:
Each case requires an individual assessment of the site and its requirements to determine the most appropriate system.
Efficiency
Solar hot water systems -> 40-60% efficient (APRICUS AUSTRALIA, 2014).
Solar PV systems -> at most 20% efficient
Likely answer:
For most farms undergoing a full upgrade of their water heating system a solar-hot water system is the better option. Upgrading a whole system also minimises installation costs and can ensure that all components are warranted to work together over a longer period.
Still, there may be niche cases where more PV may be cheaper.
E.g. if solar PV is being installed anyway, and a storage tank with an electric heater is already available, adding more PV is possibly cheaper
Savings from this option can be further maximised by installing devices that automatically turn on an electric water heater when there is excess solar generation available.
Panel warranty (80% nominal power after 20 years) Inverter warranty (5- 10 years) Installation warranty (5 to 10 year) Clean Energy Council (CEC) Accredited Tier 1 products if possible Products with presence in Australia Experienced and reputable installer Find and compare quotes from multiple
www.solarquotes.com.au www.solarchoice.net.au
STCs via the Renewable Energy Target ESCs (Energy Saving Credits) Financing options
Interest free financing Solar leasing (PPA)
Finance options for energy efficiency and renewable
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/business/financing-
Pricing -> still prohibitive for most scenarios
Price points from supplier surveys in the range of $750-
Amortised capital costs point to an average cost above
Cheaper than peak power so viable in certain scenarios
Various types of batteries and no clear winner yet
Lithium Fe Phosphate, Lithium Ion Flow batteries -> Vanadium redox, Zinc Bromide Lead acid still dominates
NSW Solar bonus scheme to end on December 31 2016
Generated power from systems currently on this scheme
Renewable energy Industry expects price drop in battery
NSW Farmers -> various resources to help farmers save energy:
35 Factsheets on Energy Planning, Energy Purchasing, Efficient Farm Vehicles, Energy & Irrigation, Renewable Energy, Energy in Farm Facilities www.tinyurl.com/NSWFarmersEnergyFactsheets
Energy Innovation Planning Tool www.tinyurl.com/NSWFarmersEnergyTool
AgInnovators Web Portal (aginnovators.org.au)
Clean Energy Council (cleanenergycouncil.org.au/)
Australian Solar Council (solar.org.au/)
RenewEconomy (reneweconomy.com.au) Soon to launch:
Solar PV pumping guide
Guide to on-farm energy generation
02 9478 1013 gerryf@nswfarmers.org.au
Solar PV pumping Guide
Solar PV pumping webinar
Guide to Energy Generation on Farm Waste-to-energy webinar
Delivered by waste-to-energy expert Fernando Johnstone Register here: