Ecuador Solar PV

Ecuador is in a prime location in terms of solar resource, being almost perpendicular the radiation received, unchanged during the year and with a constant angle of incidence; characteristics that give enormous potential for photovoltaic use.

Ecuador’s solar market has developed mostly in isolated facilities for rural electrification until recently.

The first photovoltaic grid connected plant is located in the northern province of Imbabura, with 998 kW nominal power.

Resultado de imagen de fotovoltaica imbabura

To boost photovoltaic generation, in 2012 Conelec renovated 04/11 regulation and set a preferential rate of U$D 0.40 per kW / h of generation.

Under that legislation, in January 2013, the Conelec signed permits for domestic and foreign enterprises to build 355 MW of photovoltaic energy in 91 projects (15 greater than 1 MW and 76 less than 1MW).

The granting of these permits received numerous criticisms of sectors stated that rate was too high compared to hydroelectric generation cost or the same photovoltaic in other countries of the region.

The Conelec revoked building permits of several projects because concessionaires failed to meet construction schedules because funding lack. In some cases because works were started without studies or authorizations.

Representatives of some projects construction companies said that delays and permits revocation were due a number of construction bureaucratic obstacles, in addition to lack of funding.

Initially, the National Finance Corporation (CFN) announced that would finance such projects, promise did not materialize.

Companies that completed their projects said they had no problems with control entities and requested they be allowed to take over the unfinished projects.

The stark reality is that by the end of 2013 operated in Ecuador 4 MW photovoltaic.

During 2014 new PV installed capacity was 22 MW, bringing the installed capacity in 26 MW in early 2015.

The accumulated installed capacity stagnated below 30 MW since during 2015 virtually no photovoltaic MW was added in the country.

Given that in January 2013 agreements for over 300 MW photovoltaic projects were closed, it is clear that progress is much slower than initially expected.

Resultado de imagen de fotovoltaica ecuador

Ecuador does not have a framework to regulate and promote the photovoltaic distributed generation.

According to the 2015 National Energy Balance, electricity generation corresponds to 45.6% hydropower; 0.3% wind energy; 0.1% solar energy and 1.6% biomass energy.

Solar energy in Latam with Sopelia.

Solar Layout (Thermal)

Solar Layout is the App for collectors and solar modules on site positioning.

This is the most intuitive Solar App of the market.

To use it on field is not necessary to have an Internet connection because it works from place latitude, obtained by GPS.

Today we will check solar thermal energy part.

To begin press left command shown in initial screen with the house, the solar collector and the user taking a hot shower.

fig-1

If our Smartphone GPS is not enabled, the App will ask us to activate it to locate our position.

Intermittent earth planet image immediately appear with the legend “Localizing”.

When our device GPS have located our position, the following screen appears to confirm it.

fig-2

By confirming our location the Solar Equipment Use Menu displays.

There are 3 applications in the Menu:

1- Hot water: represented by a shower image
2- Heating: represented by a radiator image
3- Outdoor pool conditioning: represented by a pool ladder image.

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By selecting one of the 3 applications, Options Menu will display.

There are 3 variables in the Menu:

1- Inclination: represented by collector and angle image
2- Orientation: represented by collector and cardinal points image
3- Distance: represented by 3 collectors rows image.

fig-4

By pressing the Inclination option, we get recommended inclination value for location and solar application selected, accompanied by some Tips considering collector type used.

fig-5

Pressing Orientation option, we obtain description of procedure to fix collectors orientation and access to recommended compass App discharge, if we don´t have it.

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Pressing Separation option, the Kind of Surface Menu is displayed for us to select the appropriate option (Horizontal / Non horizontal).

If the surface on which the collectors will be placed is horizontal, we only must enter Collector Height in cm data.

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If the surface on which the collectors will be placed is non horizontal, in addition to Collector Height in cm data, we must enter Surface Inclination Angle data.

We will enter a positive value if it matches the collector inclination direction and a negative value if it is different.

fig-8

In this way we obtain the Separation (distance) between collector’s rows in meters.

fig-9

Pressing i button Tips related to shadows and singular locations (snow, desert and rain areas) are deployed.

Download Solar Layout and placed solar thermal collectors on site in the most intuitive way with Sopelia.

Solar Municipality Manual

In September 2014 we sent to General Pueyrredón Municipality government in Argentina a draft with proposals.

It was proposed energy efficiency and increased use, promotion and development of solar energy at municipal level.

We believe it can serve as reference for those municipalities that are not using their solar resource and want to start doing so.

The proposals include the following assumptions / premises:

I) Economic evaluation (initial investment, annual savings and investment recovery period) of energy efficiency measures to be applied and solar energy systems to incorporate.

II) Energy efficiency and solar energy promotion to improve environmental quality, develop a new economic sector and new jobs creation in the Municipality.

III) Academic, business and institutional sectors participation.

Resultado de imagen de eficiencia energética

1.1) Energy Efficiency Proposals

1.1.1.) Public buildings audit to identify areas in which implement energy efficiency measures.

1.1.2) Public buildings whose roofs can be used to install solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic modules relieving.

1.1.3) Facilities with intensive lighting use (more than 8 hours / day) relieving to evaluate luminaire replacement by LED, which can achieve savings ranging from 50% -80%. Evaluate motion detectors installation in transit areas and other lighting devices optimization measures.

1.1.4) Evaluate replacement of boilers and air conditioners equipment by biomass, solar thermal and heat pumps, which can achieve between 40% -60% savings.

1.1.5) Installing saving systems (aerators, valves, low consumption taps, etc.) and water reuse (rainwater recovery, rainwater infiltration, etc.) in public buildings and encourage its use in private sector.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar térmica

2.1) Solar Thermal Energy Proposals

2.1.1) Use of solar thermal energy compact equipment to provide hot water to houses in social housing programs and new developments.

2.1.2) Use of solar thermal collectors (flat and vacuum tube) with heat transfer fluids, heat exchangers and independent accumulation tanks; to obtain hot water in public buildings and municipal pools conditioning.

2.1.3) Use of solar thermal systems for new construction public buildings and facilities conditioning.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar fotovoltaica

3.1) Solar PV Energy Proposals

3.1.1) Use of solar photovoltaic systems for lighting and electrification of schools, medical centers, police stations and residential users in isolated localizations. 50W to 400W systems.

3.1.2) Implementation of photovoltaic solar energy in signs (sea, rail, road and air) and parking meters renovation or modernization.

3.1.3) Assess solar photovoltaic energy incorporation in OSSE and other municipality’s departments for:

– Water supply
– Water pumping / irrigation
– Cathodic protection
– Remote satellite systems, fire detection, telemetry and other systems that must provide services in remote or inaccessible places.

20W-50W (emergency kits), 100W-400W (repeaters) and more than 20 Kw (block valves).

3.1.4) Street lighting. Solar lamp with led proof in place to designate (industrial park, municipal office, etc.)

3.1.5) Photovoltaic grid connection project presentation for programs like GENREN (Ministry of Energy).

Resultado de imagen de sostenibilidad largo plazo

4) Long Term Policies

Municipality proposals within Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative framework.

4.1) Training

4.1.1) Renewable energies training activities development aimed at agents involved, whether installers, designers, professionals or companies; as it is one of the decisive factors linked to the continuous technology development.

4.2) Urban and Public Facilities

4.2.1) Implement the evaluation of solar technology architectural integration potential in facades and solar passive architecture principles application in new construction public buildings.

4.2.2) Provide treatment to solar ordinance proposal jointly presented by Puerto Hueche S.R.L. and the Clean Energy Research Group, UNMDP Law Faculty.

4.2.3) Public Lighting. Implementing solar and solar / wind street lighting utilization evaluation in all new developments making in each case the comparison with grid-connected conventional lighting system complete work needed.

4.3) Industry

4.3.1) Assess solar thermal energy equipment manufacturing feasibility in Municipality territory, considering that in Industrial Park related equipment manufacturers (heating and cooling) already exist.

4.3.2) Assess PV kits and PV lighting devices mounting feasibility. Synergy with UNMDP (Engineering Materials).

4.3.3) Promote the use of solar thermal energy in industrial sectors with practical applications:

* Brewing and malt
* Textile industry
* Liquid baths automotive paint cleaning and degreasing
* Food industry
– Hot water production for bottles cleaning and disinfecting
– Meat products, canned vegetables and canned fish washing, cooking, blanching and cleaning
– Canned sterilization
– Animal slaughter facilities cleaning.

And in service sector. Some examples:

– Hotels
– Urban waste collection and treatment
– Supermarkets and hypermarkets
– Laundry, carpets cleaning, upholstery, dry cleaners, etc.
– Car repair garages
– Glass containers recovery and reuse.

Solar energy development policies implementation with Sopelia.

Solar Mobile Tool

Sergio came to potential client Mary´s home and asked to see the roof where the solar installations would be located.

Once up, Sergio began to manipulate his mobile phone.

“Do not bother,” Said Mary … “there is no coverage.”

This did not stop Sergio because his tool works based on the location of the mobile device through GPS positioning (internet connection is not required).

From location latitude all calculations are performed.

Sergio selected Solar Thermal Energy from Installation Type Menu first.

Then he confirmed the location on the Map and selected Heating from Installation Use Menu.

Resultado de imagen de inclinación panel solar

The inclination angle of the thermal collectors depends on the use of solar equipment.

Sergio query his mobile, getting the result and informs Mary that 50◦ is the optimal solar thermal collector’s inclination.

Mary, a little surprised, asked what would be the optimum orientation.

“The optimum orientation of the solar collectors is towards the Ecuador” tells Sergio.

Resultado de imagen de orientación panel solar

For guidance, Sergio used Compass App recommended by his tool that has cautiously already downloaded in his mobile.

The last missing data: separation between thermal collector’s rows.

Because surface was horizontal, only data needed was solar collector height in cm.

Sergio query his mobile, get the result and tells Mary that 4.42 m is the minimum spacing between rows.

Totally surprised, Mary tells Sergio where the solar photovoltaic installation would be located.

Sergio selected Solar Photovoltaic Energy option in the Installation Type Menu now.

Then he confirmed the location on the Map and selected On-Grid Connection from Installation Use Menu.

Sergio query his mobile, get the result and tells Mary that 34▫ is the optimum inclination for photovoltaic installation.

As in this case the module rows would be placed on a non horizontal surface, Sergio consulted Mary inclination of that roof sector, which is 20◦.

Sergio entered deck inclination angle from horizontal with a positive value because cover inclination direction coincides with modules inclination.

Finally Sergio told Mary numerous Tips available at i App button to consider for collection surface setting.

Sergio made a very good impression on Mary and demonstrated professionalism.

This App exists, was developed by Sopelia R+D+I and its name is Solar Layout.

Mary´s satisfaction was complete when Sergio told her how could download Solar Layout on his mobile and, in a very intuitive way, get herself recommended values at any geographic location.