Objetivo To demonstrate the advantages of a PV system in a remote nature reserve, the Domaine de la Palissade, in the far south of France, near the mouth of the Rhone, was equipped with a 12 kWp PV system. This system supplies ac power throughout the year to a main building which houses a rest centre for study groups, an exhibition centre, offices and the directors quarters. An annex, which is connected to the same system, contains a caretakers quarters, technical rooms and a garage. A 1350 Ah battery provides 5 days autonomy during periods with no sun. The estimated annual energy production of the system is 12000 kWh.The PV system, which is silent and pollution free replaces two 10 and 12 kVA diesel generators.The installation is working continuously since June 1987. It supplies 220 V ac power by two inverters, switched on according to demand. Operation is satisfactory, despite of some problems with the regulators that caused premature ageing of the batteries after deep-discharge. The batteries have been replaced in 1992. The average annual electricity production is 11 MWh; energy cost is calculated to be 3.2 Ecu/kWh (2.2 Ecu/kWh for a replication).The Domaine de la Palissade nature reserve is one of the few natural areas remaining in the Camargue marshes. It is situated 8 km from the grid. The pv system is cheaper than the two grid connection projects which were studied : the environment constraints obliged to bury 8 km of cable, or to cross the Rhone river with more than 1 km of submarine cable.Nr. of subsystems : 1Power of subsystems : 12 kWpBackup : DIESEL, 10 and 12 kVA, self-starting.Number of modules : 300Module description : PHOTOWATT, type BPX 47 402, polycristalline, double glass 40 Wp, 1042 x 462 x 46 mm.Connection : 30 parallel groups of 10 series conn. modules.Support : On racks. 45 deg. tilt.Max power tracker : NoneCharge controler : LRCE, max. current 25 A.Battery : OLDHAM, type SYT 9Batt.(V) : 120Capacity (Ah) : 1350 (at 100 hours discharge)Inverter : Two, in order to avoid operation of the high power inverter in case of small load. (better overall efficiency). LRCE, type Scath 1000F7, sinusoidal output.Inv. in V : 120 VInv. out V : 220 V, 50 HzInv. power kW : 10 and 2.4Load description : All 220 V; total installed load : 26 kW. About 70 lamps (60 W), all kinds of electric household and office equipment, 3 water pumps.Monitoring : The original telemonitoring via ARGOS satellite was replaced by a simpler pc data logger with telephone modem, type NAPAC, Acquitel 24. Programa(s) ENG-ENALT 2C - Programme (EEC) of demonstration projects relating to the exploitation of alternative energy sources and to energy saving and the substitution of hydrocarbons, 1983-1985 Tema(s) 6.1 - PHOTOVOLTAIC Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación DEM - Demonstration contracts Coordinador SYNDICAT MIXTE POUR LA GEST. DU DOM. DE LA PALISSAD Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 13129 SALIN DE GIRAUD Francia Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos