Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 1

Electricity from the Sun

A Brief Introduction to Photovoltaic Energy Systems

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 2

Generating Electricity from the Sun

• Advantages▪ Portable

▪ Environmentally Friendly

▪ Silent

▪ Free and Abundant Energy Source

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 3

Example Applications

• Water Pumping (both livestock and residential)• Dugout Aeration• Sign Lighting (warning flashers, billboards)• Urban Gardens (fountains, waterfalls, accent lights)• RVs and Houseboats• Cabins and Cottages• Remote Homes• Campgrounds

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 4

How Do Solar Electricity Systems Work?

• Use a Water Pipe Analogy▪ Volts = Pressure

▪ Amps = flow

▪ Battery = Pump

• How Much Electricity▪ Watt = Volt * Amp =

flow at pressure

▪ Watt·hour = energy for a time

▪ Amp·hour = current for a time

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 5

How a Photovoltaic Cell Works

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 6

How Much Energy from my Photovoltaic System?

• SaskPower sells kW·h = 1000 Watts * 1 hour• This means:

▪ A 1000 W hair dryer for 1 hour▪ A 100 W light bulb for 10 hours▪ A 10 W night light for 100 hours

• A mid-sized solar panel delivers 50 W in bright sunlight▪ 6 hours of sun produces 300 W·h▪ Can also be looked at as 25 A·h at 12 V

• A mid-sized battery stores 250 A·h▪ Solar panel can fill this battery with 60 hours of sunshine▪ 100 W light bulb can empty it in 30 hours▪ It takes 120 hours for a 25 W compact fluorescent to drain this battery

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 7

Insolation Map

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 8

Components of a Photovoltaic System

• PV modules• Batteries• Charge

controller• Inverter• Protection

A-h10.0

DC/AC Inverter

Solar ArrayDisconnect

ACLoad Centre

ToACLoads

DCLoad Centre

ToDCLoads

Trace Power Panel System

ChargeController

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 9

RV Systems

• Why install an RV kit?

• What size of system do I need?

• Why include an inverter?

• Marine systems are similar

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 10

RV/Marine Systems – Battery Maintenance

A Battery Maintenance System• Consists of a small panel,

wire, blocking diode, and mounting hardware

• Prevents charge loss in an idle battery

• Prolongs battery life significantly

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 11

RV/Marine Systems – Weekend and Part Time Use

• Weekend use systems provide power for:▪ Lights, radio, fan

▪ TV/VCR

▪ Battery maintenance

• System Components:▪ Solar panel

▪ Charge controller with meter

▪ Mounting hardware and cables

▪ Optional inverter to provide AC power

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 12

RV/Marine Systems – Full Time Systems

• Full time systems provide power for:▪ Kitchen appliances (small microwave,

coffee maker)▪ TV/VCR, radio, hair dryer, laptop

computer▪ Pumps, furnace fan, battery maintenance▪ Lights

• System Components:▪ 1 or more large solar panels▪ Charge controller with meter▪ Mounting hardware and cables▪ Inverter to provide AC power▪ Charger to replenish batteries when

ashore

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 13

Urban Garden Accents

• Solar Direct Fountains• Golf Course Fountains• Standalone Accent Lights• Area Lighting

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 14

Cabin and Remote Home Systems

• Under what circumstances does it make economic sense to use PV?

• What a complete home system looks like

• What size system do I need?

• Grid intertie?

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 15

Cabin and Remote Homes – Small System

For summer weekend use

• System consists of:▪ 2 solar panels

▪ 2 batteries (6V marine or golf cart batteries)

▪ Charge controller

Solar ArrayDisconnect

ChargeController

A-h10.0

DCLoad Centre

ToDCLoads

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 16

Cabin and Remote Homes – Small System

• System powers:▪ A few compact

fluorescent lights

▪ Small pump

▪ Coffee maker

▪ Portable CD player• These devices operate from DC

power. Those designed for use in RVs and boats would work in this system.

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 17

Cabin and Remote Homes – Larger System

For year round use as a full time residence

• System consists of:▪ 12 solar panels

▪ Wind generator

▪ 4 batteries (6V heavy duty deep discharge)

▪ Integrated Power Panel

▪ Backup generator

DC/AC Inverter

Solar ArrayDisconnect

ACLoad Centre

ToACLoads

Trace Power Panel System

ChargeController

DCLoad Centre

ToDCLoads

Generator

Solar ArrayDisconnect

ChargeController

A-h10.0

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 18

Cabin and Remote Homes – Larger System

• System powers:▪ Compact fluorescent

lights

▪ Pumps for pressure and septic systems

▪ Small kitchen appliances (microwave, toaster, coffee maker, etc.)

▪ TV/VCR

▪ Computer

▪ Front load washing machine

▪ Efficient refrigerator

▪ Circulating pump for in-floor heating system

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 19

Cabin and Remote Homes – Other Considerations

• Build efficiently▪ Reduce heat and electrical loads first▪ Then add renewable energy supplies▪ Top up with conventional systems, if necessary

• Use wood for heat• Use solar thermal for heat• Choose efficient appliances, especially

refrigeration• Consider wind generation

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 20

Narrows Project

• The Narrows Campground in PA National Park is located 20km from the nearest power line

• Perfect location for clean, quiet Solar Energy• Essential services such as light, water and power

are taken for granted• Sixty-four 64 Watt Uni-Solar Shatterproof Panels

provide 4 kW of power to the Narrows Campground

• Uni-Solar shatterproof panels were chosen to reduce the possibility of damage from vandalism

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 21

Narrows Project

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 22

Narrows Project• Pumps deliver well water to a purification

system, storage tank, and pressure system for the park water supply

• Dusk to dawn lighting is provided at each washroom building, skylights reduce daytime lighting requirements

• Motion controlled state of the art T8 fluorescent lighting with 3M specular reflectors provide efficient lighting for the washrooms and filleting shack at night

• The original Coke machine was replaced with one that uses one fifth as much energy

Saskatoon Wildlife Sports and Leisure Show, March 6-9, 2003 Slide 23

Where Do I Get Help Designing My Solar Energy System?

Kelln Solar is a Saskatchewan based manufacturer/distributor of solar water pumps, fencers, RV systems, cottage and residential systems, and photovoltaic panels. We are Canada’s largest distributor of the UNI-SOLAR photovoltaic product line. We have a design guide available, and are currently customizing it for Canadian applications.

Find us on the web at www.kellnsolar.comSee our booth downstairs.Natural Resources Canada has some good publications on solar

energy systems. They are located at www.nrcan.gc.ca.