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Content archived on 2022-12-27

PV AND MICRO-HYDRO POWER SUPPLY FOR ISOLATED FARM (PRATO RONDANINO)

Objective

To meet the power requirements of an agricultural tourist centre: ac power for lighting, TV and a refrigerator in each of 3 houses at a remote site 50 km from Genoa and away from the electrity grid. The project also demonstrates the use of battery storage (42 KWh) and a single phase inverter. The existing diesel generator has been retained as a back-up, with manual control only.
The PV system is practically "out of use" since October 1988, because of problems with the battery. The battery was damaged by deep discharge (due to a fault of the rectifier used with the diesel generator).
The site has been connected to the grid in 1990.
The modules, which are in good conditions, shall be used for other purposes.
The agricultural/touring centre of "Prato Rondanino" consists of three country houses. One of them is developed as a tourist lodge and is closed in winter, whilst the others are used by residents all year round.
The system has been designed to meet a variable energy load of 5.5 kWh/day from November to February; 12.5 kWh/day in June, July and August; and 10 kWh/day during the rest of the year. Peak loads occur at weekends. The PV array consists of 60 Ansaldo AP 35 HD modules wired in 6 strings of 10 to give a nominal operating voltage of 120 V. The galvanized steel support can be titled from 10 deg. to 60 deg. from horizontal.
The existing 10 kVA diesel generator is used as a backup to either directly meet the required load, particularly a 3 phase washing machine, or to charge the batteries through a rectifier. The diesel generator is operated manually. The batteries made by Fiamm (42 kWh) permit daily and weekly peak demand variations to be met, and accommodate 5 consecutive dayswithout sun. The charge controller prevents overcharging and excessive discharge. Two RAMET (Salani & Pizzola) pulse width modulated inverters, (120 V dc to 220 V ac, single phase, 3.5 kVA each) are used, the second as standby in case of failure of the first one.
The costs for this project exceed those for a grid connection, making it impossible to justify the installation on the basis of current prices. However, substantial reductions in cost are predicted for future installations.
Some monitoring was made in accordance with the JRC Ispra Monitoring Guidelines in 1988.

Call for proposal

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Coordinator

Cesen SpA
EU contribution
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Address
Via G. d'Annunzio 113
16121 Genova
Italy

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Total cost
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