Description
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGOUND OF THE PROJECT
Solar panels produce direct electricity with the help of electrons that are moving from negative to positive direction. Most of the appliances that we use at home work on alternative current. This AC is created by the constant back and forth of the electrons from negative to positive. In AC electricity the voltage can be adjusted according to the use of the appliance. As solar panels only produce Direct current the solar inverter is used to convert the DC to AC (Floyd, 2019).
A solar power system produces square waves or a sine wave which can be used for running lights, televisions, lights, motors etc. However, this solar power system also produce harmonic distortion. Expensive solar power system make use of lots of steps to produce a sine wave and thus are found in residential solar power system. Basically inverters should be a large one so that it supplies enough power to all the necessary appliances (Jacob, 2022).
Many people using solar power system these days which prove that its necessity has been increased in the current years. A solar power system is similar to a normal electric energy generator but uses the energy of the Sun, that is, Solar energy. A solar inverter helps in converting the direct current into alternate current with the help of solar power. Direct power is that power which runs in one direction inside the circuit and helps in supplying current when there is no electricity. Direct currents are used for small appliance like mobile e phones, MP3 players, IPod etc. where there is power stored in the form of battery. In case of alternative current it is the power that runs back and forth inside the circuit. The alternate power is generally used for house hold appliances. A solar power system helps devices that run on DC power to run in AC power so that the user makes use of the AC power. If you are thinking why to use solar power system instead of the normal electric one then it is because the solar one makes use of the solar energy which is available in abundant from the Sun and is clean and pollution free (Boylestad, 2017).
Solar power system is also called as photovoltaic solar power system. These devices can help you save lot of money. The small-scale grid one have just two components i.e. the panels and energy generator while the off grid systems are complicated and consists of batteries which allows users to use appliances during the night when there is no Sunlight available(Boylestad, 2017). The solar panel and the batteries that are placed on rooftops attract Sun rays and then convert the Sunlight into electricity. The batteries too grab the extra electricity so that it can then be used to run appliances at night.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Before now there is a believe that solar panel must be install by a professional or company personnel, and this sometimes exposes the user of solar energy to higher cost of installation because of the fear of not getting it right and inability to meet some electrical standards involved. It is for this reason that there is also often a lot of improvisation involved when installing a solar power system. The study was introduced to overcome these challenges by teaching and describing to students how solar panel installation is been carried out from scratch.
1.3 AIM OF THE PROJECT
The main aim of this project is to describe the procedures on how to install a 20kva solar system.
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The objectives of the study are:
- To study procedures involve in installing solar system
- To provide efficiency, steadiness in the use of power appliances, by ensuring continuous availability of power supply even in the absence of mains
- To reduce load on the National grid that turn to be reduce the overall energy consumption dependency on the main energy supply in the country
- To decrease customer utility bill on energy utilization because of its non-fuel consumption, low price and maintenance cost as compared to the convectional sources of power supplies within International and Local market.
- To understand safety measuresthat must be understoodbefore you consider installing solar panels or PV system components onto your home.
- Again, reduce carbon discharges and subsequently reduce global warming particularly in a period when poor climatic change has become a threat to human survival and life in general to all living creatures hence an ever increasing concern to control it.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Currently solar panels are used to provide hot water (solar thermal) and heating to homes and small ensembles. You tried to build solar power plants, using turbines, convert the stored heat into electricity, but these experiments have failed substantially to the low yield of these power relationships with high operating costs and the interruption of electricity supply (but see As for the panels that the concentration of last generation). The photovoltaic panels are used mainly to power devices away from electrical networks (space probes, the phone repeaters in the mountains, etc.) or with reduced energy requirements so that a connection to the grid would be uneconomical (light road signs, parking meters, etc.) and improper from an organizational perspective. Obviously, these devices must be equipped with batteries that can accumulate the electricity produced in excess during the day to power the equipment at night and during cloudy periods.
With current technology photovoltaic panels are also sensitive to infrared radiation (invisible) of solar radiation and therefore produce power even in case of cloudy weather and rain. The amount of energy delivered is variable and unpredictable, this discontinuity makes it difficult to meet demand at all times current, less than a production with a wide safety margin above the peak annual demand.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this work covers installing a 20kva solar energy system. This solar power source makes it possible to provide a clean reliable supply of alternative electricity free of sags or surges which could be found in the line voltage frequency.
The solar power system (SPS) system achieved this by direct current from solar panel and by rectifying the standard main supply, using the direct current to charge the batteries and to provide clean alternative power by passing the energy a filter system.
1.7 ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR POWER
| • | The energy and heat from the sun is free and unlimited. |
| • | Solar power is non-polluting. Solar power usage does not emit any greenhouse gases or harmful waste. |
| • | Solar power is perfect and saving for power generation in remote areas or where the cost of expansion utility grid is high. |
| • | Solar power is versatile. It can be used for low-power purpose as well as larger ones – from hand-held calculators, watches, and solar powered garden lights to water heaters, cars, buildings and satellites. |
| • | Solar power system requires very little maintenance and last for many years. |
1.8 APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGY
Applications of solar energy are(Floyd, 2014):
| • | Daylighting The oldest solar application is day-lighting. Day-lighting system collects and distributes sunlight to provide effective internal illumination inside buildings. Day-lighting design implies careful selection of window types, sizes and orientation may be considered as well. There are also other architectural features such as light shelves and even active sun tracking system which combine with fiber optics or mirrors to provide light to interior of large buildings. |
- Solar Thermal
Solar thermal technologies can be used for water heating in homes or commercial and space heating or space cooling for buildings. Solar water heating systems use different type of collectors to gather and store the solar energy for heating water used in residential, commercial and industrial applications. For space heating and cooling in warm temperature region, the thermal mass materials is needed to keep building cool by absorbing solar energy during a day and radiate stored heat to cooler atmosphere at night. However they can be used in cold temperature areas to maintain warmth as well.
- Solar Electric Power Generation
Solar energy can be directly converted to electricity by photovoltaic cells. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems provide electricity to home or business for lighting, TV, fan, computer, stereo, refrigerator, water pump or livestock feeders, without connection to utility grid. They are also used to power watches, calculators and sign lights.
1.9 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR PANELS
Advantages and disadvantages of solar panels are as discussed below(Floyd, 2014)
Advantages
Solar panels are clean – while generating electricity from sunlight, solar panels produce virtually no pollution, whereas burning fossil fuels releases large quantities of toxic gases into the atmosphere.
For the consumer, solar panels can free the individual from reliance on the power grid and the monopolistic energy supplier. Once you make the initial investment in hardware, you will have free electricity for years to come.
Fossil Fuels are limited – Although fossil fuel reserves are expected to run dry within the next century, solar power is clean, abundant, and will remain a renewable resource that can meet all of Earth’s energy needs for billions of years to come.
Disadvantages solar panels
Admittedly, while solar power is certainly much cleaner than the burning of fossil fuels, and moderately cleaner than the production of nuclear power, solar panels installation are very pricey and in many years demand for solar panels exceeds supply. When we ask ourselves – why are solar panels necessary, we must consider the costs of production as well as the costs of using much more harmful means of producing electricity. Solar Panels also require more square yardage per kilowatt for the power-generating facility than fossil fuel power plants or nuclear power.
