Monthly Archives: July 2016

Solar Thermal Energy

Passive Solar Energy

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One of the most important issues in energy conservation areas and solar energy use is undoubtedly homes and workplaces air conditioning application.

This sector accounts about 40% of the total energy consumed. The savings can be achieved by using solar energy for heating is of the order of 60% to 80% depending on house design.

The principles of bioclimatic architecture should be applied in all new urban plans.

When speaking of passive solar architecture, we talk about modeling, selection and use of passive solar technology, which is capable of maintaining a comfortable and pleasant temperature home environment through the sun. This type of architecture is only a small part of the energy efficient buildings design and is considered as part of sustainable design.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar pasiva

There are three types of solar gain:

1) Direct solar gain: refers to the use of windows, skylights and blinds to control the amount of solar radiation reaching the inside of a housing, in combination with mass floors.

2) Indirect solar gain: is achieved through the skin of the building, designed with certain thermal mass. An example of this gain is also the garden roof.

3) Isolated solar gain: is the process in which the main thing is the sun heat passive capture, and then transport it inside or outside the home.

There are considerations to take into account in this type of architecture implementation, to give his best result:

* Building orientation

* Construction features

* Environment use

Resultado de imagen de energía solar pasiva

In existing buildings we can always intervene to improve thermal insulation, sun blinds open in winter or adding a glass gallery on the north side of the house if we are located in the southern hemisphere.

To heat the house with the sun, a clear winter north facade without many neighbors who clog the midday sun is needed.

Main glazings must be on the north facade. For example, if we are located in the southern half of Argentina we need 1.4 to 2 m2 of north glass for every 10 m2 stay we want to heat.

Windows should be closed with curtains or blinds at night to heat captured not escape. It is good to improve thermal insulation as far as possible and have thermal mass (building material in walls, floors) which accumulate the heat of the day to the night. For summer it is necessary to place eaves, awnings, vines, etc. that shade windows in.

You can acces more Spanish language content like this in Manual Técnico – Comercial de Energía Solar Térmica by Sopelia.

Solar Photovoltaic Energy

PV Profitability

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The profitability of a photovoltaic system must be analyzed with certain nuances.

The weightiest factor when deciding whether it is feasible or not, is the potential energy savings during their years of life.

In the case of an isolated photovoltaic system, economic factor is not the main determining factor in deciding whether or not installation (electrification of rural areas, marine signaling, energy demand in remote locations, etc.).

Isolated (Off-grid) Systems

Installation can be evaluated for 2 reasons:

1. A range of total supply needed

2. Power grid not reach where energy demand originates

In the latter case you can opt for laying a new distribution line from the nearest point of the overall grid or choose an autonomous system.

When great powers are not needed and consumption is moderate, the option of autonomous generator is more interesting. Obviously, the higher or lower placement solar radiation level is another determinative factor.

In abundant wind areas, a wind turbine or a wind combined with photovoltaic system may be the most convenient option.

In cases where is needed a fairly large power requiring a large number of solar modules while consumption was not high enough to justify the laying of a grid line, the diesel generator can be the best option.

If both budgets (solar isolated and line grid laying) are of similar magnitude (or even laying a grid line is slightly higher), it can be more interesting access to the electricity grid, which will ensure any consumer at any time of year.

Grid connected (On-grid) Systems

It consists of a module field and inverter which can convert DC generated into AC identical to that of the electricity distribution network, to inject energy produced by the modules into the grid.

In return, you can received a contribution (feed-in tariff) established by law for a period which generally ranges between 15 and 25 years.

To realize the economic study should first determine electricity production depending on the sunshine hours of installation location and installed peak power.

Annual electricity production is then multiplied by the contribution is allocated to the project.

Finally a cash flow is prepared detailing revenues (sale of electricity and taxes recovery) and expenses (initial investment, annual maintenance and insurance costs, administrative and financial annual expenses) for the entire period.

From the data obtained the recovery period and IRR of the investment is determined.

The other way is the net-metering.

In this case, the owner of the photovoltaic system can take power from the grid when their system can not provide enough to meet demand, and inject energy to the grid when their system produces above necessary to meet demand.

The solar module prices fell reaching the threshold of U$D 0.50/W Exworks for conventional crystalline silicon modules.

Simultaneously, the price of electricity generated from fossil fuels is increasing annually.

In fact, it is estimated that several European countries will reach grid-parity (equal price between PV and conventional electricity) in 2020.

In developing countries, photovoltaic systems connected to the grid will remain still an expensive option because of the high subsidies electricity generation and distribution receive; limiting their development.

The turnkey price of a fixed installation connected to the grid (modules, support structures, inverters, protections, measurement systems, project costs, installation and administrative permissions) ranges from U$D 2 and 5/W depending on the facility size and location.

You can access content like this in Spanish in the Manual Técnico – Comercial de Energía Solar Fotovoltaica de Sopelia.

Ecuador

Solar Ecuador

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There is a saying “for sample we need only a button”.

If you visit the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Ecuador website you will see a section called “Flagship Projects”.

Lets make a bet. Of a total of 9 renewable projects, how many you think are of solar energy?

Given that we are talking about a country with one of the highest levels of solar radiation probably our response would be 1 or more.

The correct answer is zero.

Of the 9 total projects, 8 are hydroelectric and 1 is wind.

We can conclude that there is a strong rainfall dependence and a lack of renewable energy matrix diversification in Ecuador.

Being located in the middle of the planet, the potential use of solar energy in the country is huge and its extensive use would help achieve energy independence in the long run.

Leaving aside the dominance of hydropower, Ecuador has made progress in wind generation in various regions.

In Loja, the Villonaco Windfarm, located 2,720 m above sea level, has 11 turbines that generate 16.5 MW.

Renewable energies have been consolidated in Galapagos, with advanced projects in wind, photovoltaics and biofuels energy.

In 2007, three wind turbines were installed on San Cristobal island, to give it 2.4 MW. This wind park can cover 30% of island electricity demand.

Since 2005 operates a photovoltaic park in Floreana, which covers 30% of the electrical energy required.
There is a wind park in Baltra with 2.1 MW capacity.

In solar energy, low activity remained thanks to agreements with German government.

Since 2004, the German Energy Agency launched the Solar Roofs Program to promote renewable energy pilot projects in regions of high solar radiation.

The Government developed photovoltaic projects in 8 Gulf of Guayaquil municipalities. The Eurosolar Program gives electricity to 91 isolated communities with support from the European Union.

For solar energy development a law that favored investors was created, but it didn´t work because there´s no financial guarantee for such investments.

The current renewable energies regulation in Ecuador is still quite poor.

It is difficult to develop big projects in the country, so that distributed generation using photovoltaic systems connected to the electricity grid should be promoted.

But it happens that there is no regulation for these systems which discharge energy to the national grid, no values to remunerate people who bring energy are set and, on the contrary, the excess energy being poured it is also charged.

Wind resource is scarce in the tropical region where the country is located as there are no significant winds and in the evening these winds are practically nonexistent.

Ecuador should take advantage of geothermal energy taking into account the geological conditions of the country, but develop this energy involves making very expensive studies.

Ecuador’s location is optimal for solar energy harnessing.

There is another saying “God gives bread to those who have no teeth.”

Solar business and projects in Latam with Sopelia

Solar Energy

The Solar Energy Generates Employment

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IRENA 2016 annual report figures on employment and renewable energy reveal that the worldwide number of people employed in the renewable energy industry increased by 5% in 2015, reaching 8.1 million.

There was a slight decline compared to previous years, but the number of jobs in this sector continues to increase in the long-term projections.

The most important contractors in this sector are mainly related to solar energy, which accounted for 2.8 million jobs in the same year (increase of 11% compared to 2014).

Countries with the highest employment figures in renewable energy sector were China, Brazil and the United States.

In Brazil, current estimates indicate that for each photovoltaic MW installed, there are directly or indirectly 20 to 30 jobs create.

In this country it is expected that solar photovoltaic energy will be the industry with the fastest expansion due to facilities and plants planned, which are expected to reach 3.3 GW of solar energy generating by 2018.

They could create 60,000 to 90,000 jobs by comparison with what happened in Germany: 100,000 solar jobs were counted when this sector reached 7 GW in 2012.

Solar energy has great potential to generate long term employment in Brazil and Latam.

The reduction in solar related costs has helped the installation of small and large scale solar photovoltaic plants increase.

The solar photovoltaic energy plants increased by 20% in 2015 with China, Japan and the United States in the lead.

China is the largest employer with 1.7 million jobs in 2015.

As the photovoltaic solar industry is becoming increasingly decentralized, different parts of the value chain (such as assembly, distribution or after-sales service) are easy to relocate, thus creating more jobs.

The labor market and the planned expansion of solar photovoltaic energy will be one of the main topics to be discussed at the Job & Career Forum at Intersolar South America.

This event not only provides a platform for job seekers and other solar professionals to obtain more and better information on current labor trends, but also solar companies and human resources specialists will be present to promote their own job deals. This platform is being organized with the support of Sopelia.

Referring to the following code 16104DD609D43B you will get a 10% discount on your ticket to Intersolar South America by accessing the following link.

With events in 4 continents (Munich, San Francisco, Mumbai, São Paulo, and from 2016 in Dubai), Intersolar is the largest trade fair in the world for the solar industry.

Intersolar South America will take place at the Expo Center Norte in São Paulo, Brazil.

The fair and the congress will focus on the areas of photovoltaics, PV production technologies, energy storage systems and solar thermal energy technologies.

Politicians and leaders with ideas lacking, you can say higher but not clearer: solar energy creates jobs! And it is a huge boost for any country economy.

Students, professionals and entrepreneurs: solar energy is a sector with great potential where we can develop professional or corporately and at the same time contribute to improving our environment.

Plantilla e-learning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to train you (and in some cases access to job opportunities) from wherever you are, you just have to wait until next September (enrollment period begins in August) to access the best e-learning training of market with Sopelia.

And do not forget to visit Intersolar South America before.