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Task 3 Status Report Use of PV power systems in stand-alone and island applications |
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When the first programme (1993-1999) was approved, the stand-alone photovoltaic sector was largely comprised of solar home systems for rural electrification, remote 'off-grid' homes in industrialized countries and PV consumer goods. PV hybrid systems and niche off grid applications such as PV powered bus shelters were also being introduced in certain countries.
As part of this programme, a number of documents were published as information about installed stand-alone PV systems worldwide. These included a lessons learned book featuring case studies from each country, as well as a survey of PV programmes in developing countries.
Some of the most pertinent problems of this phase were seen to be due to the many failures attributed to inappropriate system design and/or to a lack of a socially functional arrangement for system operation and management. Technical documents produced during this programme included studies on the charge controller and the lead acid battery.
Towards the end of the first Task 3 programme, the attention of the international PV community was increasingly focused on the quality issues of the stand-alone PV project. In addition, it was recognised that the storage of energy in a stand-alone PV system was a key component, and one which frequently led to systems' failure.
Task 3's second programme (1999-2004) was initiated against this background with the following overall objective:
In this field, according to the objectives of the PV Power Systems programme, Task 3 aimed:
The main target audience of Task 3 activities were technical groups such as project developers, system designers, industrial manufacturers, installers, utilities, Quality organisations, training providers, end users.
The 1999-2004 work programme included the following subtasks and activities:
Collaborative activities had to develop knowledge based on project
implementations, technological improvements from the equipment
manufacturers, R&D programmes results, and feed-back coming from
the field.
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To provide both end-users and programme managers with guidance on quality assurance of systems, projects and programmes, participants have been working on methodological and practical aspects concerning quality assurance.
To contribute to a better assessment of performance of systems recommendations were developed concerning monitoring of such systems.
As the storage function in stand-alone systems is a main factor of global life cycle cost, participants aimed to develop technical recommendations to optimise storage investments and to increase the reliability of batteries. In this field, effort has been more particularly made in developing advanced energy management recommendations.
Participants have also provided technical issues concerning load management and cost efficient appliance management strategies. In this topic, some recommendations for technical design for better efficiency and reliability of systems were achieved.
The network created by collaboration in the work programme
benefits from a wide spread and far reaching extension due to the
Task 3 dissemination activities. National activities rose from a
broader base through the efforts of gathering news from well-known
political, economical or neutral sources. National dissemination of Task 3 output also strengthens the national network.
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It aims at enhancing the “know-how” about off-grid multi-sources power generation systems including PV and associated distribution. The systems to be studied are PV generators using photovoltaic technology combined with other electricity generating technologies and distribution equipment, providing services either to single or multiple users.
The expected results of the collaborative work are technical
recommendations that optimise the use of PV in a multi-sources
electrification system.
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These guidelines and recommended practices are relative to project management, systems and component design, use of applications and promises from emerging or maturing technologies.
After the present programme, some relationship within the group remains and further common activities could be organized to develop projects.
At a time where information is so easy to collect and disseminate
via electronic media, direct contact and live exchange between
people remain important, necessary, appreciated and productive.
In addition to this fruitful sharing of expertise, this way of working creates sustainable and efficient links, based on friendship and collaborative activities from year to year.
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