PV ELECTRIFICATION OF LIGHT BUOYS AT DIFFERENT LATITUDES

Ziel

To master the use of pv generators for swimming light buoys with varying orientation and inclination. To spread this technique on an international basis. To avoid the costly and dangerous handling of propane gas on the seas.
The electrification of the buoys by pv generators is a complete technical and economical success. The maintenance is drastically reduced compared to the situation with gas powered buoys.
Weak points are the batteries. As a result of the analysis made on 9 instrumented buoys the capacity of the batteries has been doubled to 20 days of autonomy.
The inspections continue, with a frequency of at least two per year. It was found that the tight batteries have a livetime of more than five years. Statistics for the frequence of failures are available. The cost per unit of energy is calculated to be 19.8 Ecu/kWh for the demonstration project and 12.5 Ecu/kWh for replications. The total cost (operation, maintenance, investment) of the electrified buoys is about 30% of the cost of gas powered buoys.
210 electrified light buoys in the North Sea, along the Channel on the Atlantic Coast, on the Mediterranean Coast around Guadeloupe and Martinique Islands and on the Guyana Coast replace existing ones, powered mainly by propane gas.
Practically all 1000 buoys, operated worldwide by France, have been electrified since 1981, 210 of which were covered by the present EU subsidy.
Nr. of subsystems : 210
Power of subsystems : 80, 120 and 160 Wp
Total power : 30 kW
Backup : none
Number of modules : 750
Module description : PHOTOWATT, 12 V, double glazed, 40 W. BPX 47401, 47450 and 47500 + some 10 W, BPX 47 101 and 20 W, BPX 47 201
Connection : 12 V output, 2, 3, 4 or 5 modules (40 W) in parallel
Support : all around the buoy, with such an inclination as to optimize electricity generation in winter
Max power tracker : none
Charge controller : series type; 10 A; 1 high, 2 low levels, + clock
Battery : CFEC/STECO, lead acid, gastight type with recombination
Batt. (V) : 12
Capacity (Ah) : 60 (to 240 depending on location of buoy)
Inverter : none
Load description : 10 W, 12 V lamps, long life, halogen in projectors with Fresnel lens. Programation of on/off times by command unit in absolutly tight box.
Monitoring : on ten buoys with special design:
seven 10 W modules, 1 horizontal, 2 at 30 deg., 2 at 60 deg., 2 at 90 deg., measurement with watthour meters of the electricity production of each module and of the battery output.A Automatic data transmission of daily data by the ARGOS satellite system. No separate pv module and power supply for the ARGOS transmitter.
Reception of data at CNES, Toulouse and transfer twice a week to AIX en Pce through telephone net.

Programm/Programme

ENG-ENDEMO C - Programme (EEC) of demonstration projects and industrial pilot projects (EEC) in the energy field, 1985-1989

Thema/Themen

7.1 - PHOTOVOLTAIC

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

Data not available

Finanzierungsplan

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Koordinator

SERV. PHARES ET BALISES ET NAVIGATION MARITIME

EU-Beitrag

Keine Daten

Adresse

RUE DE LA FEDERATION 34
75015 Paris
Frankreich

Gesamtkosten