How to Build Solar Power System

Solar is universal and will work virtually anywhere, however some locations are better than others. Irradiance is a measure of the sun's power available at the surface of the earth and it averages about 1000 watts per square meter. With typical crystalline solar cell efficiencies around 14-16%, that means we can expect to generate about 140-160W per square meter of solar cells placed in full sun. Insolation is a measure of the available energy from the sun and is expressed in terms of "full sun hours" (i.e. 4 full sun hours = 4 hours of sunlight at an irradiance level of 1000 watts per square meter). Obviously different parts of the world receive more sunlight from others, so they will have more "full sun hours" per day. The solar insolation zone map on the right will give you a general idea of the "full sun hours per day" for your location.

How much will a system cost for my 2000 square foot home?
A3: Unfortunately there is no per square foot "average" since the cost of a system actually depends on your daily energy usage and how many full sun hours you receive per day; And if you have other sources of electricity. To accurately size a system to meet your needs, we need to know how much energy you use per day. If your home is connected to the utility grid, simply look at your monthly electric bill. Using this information, your authorized Kyocera solar Dealers can design a system to meet you needs.

Can I use all of my normal 120/240 VAC appliances?
A4: Maybe. Many older homes were not designed or built with energy efficiency in mind. When you purchase and install a renewable energy system for your home, you become your own power company so every kWh of energy you use means more equipment (and hence more money) is required to meet your energy needs. Any appliances that operate at 240 VAC (such as electric water heaters, cook-stoves, furnaces and air conditioners) are impractical loads to run on solar. You should consider using alternatives such as LP or natural gas for water/space heating or cooking, evaporative cooling instead of compressor based AC units and passive solar design in your new home construction if possible. Refrigeration and lighting are typically the largest 120 VAC energy consumers in a home (after electric heating loads) and these two areas should be looked at very carefully in terms of getting the most energy efficient units available. Great strides have been made in the past 5 years towards improving the efficiency of electric refrigerators/freezers. Compact fluorescent lights use a quarter to a third of the power of an incandescent light for the same lumen output and they last ten times longer. These fluorescent lights are now readily available at your local hardware or discount store. The rule of thumb in the renewable energy industry is that for every dollar you spend replacing your inefficient appliances, you will save three dollars in the cost of a renewable energy system to run them. So you can see that energy conservation is crucial and can really pay off when considering a renewable energy system.

What components do I need for a grid-tie system?
A5: Grid-tie systems are inherently simpler than either grid-tie with battery back-up or stand-alone solar systems. In fact, other than safety disconnects, mounting structures and wiring a grid-tie system is just solar modules and a grid-tie inverter! Today's sophisticated grid-tie inverters incorporate most of the components needed to convert the direct current form the modules to alternating current, track the maximum power point of the modules to operate the system at peak efficiencies and terminate the grid connection if grid power is interrupted form the utility.

What components do I need?
A6: There are many components that make up a complete solar system, but the 4 main items are: solar modules, charge controller(s), batteries and inverter(s). The solar modules are physically mounted on a mount structure (see question 7) and the DC power they produce is wired through a charge controller before it goes on to the battery bank where it is stored. The two main functions of a charge controller are to prevent the battery from being overcharged and eliminate any reverse current flow from the batteries back to the solar modules at night. The battery bank stores the energy produced by the solar array during the day for use at anytime of day or night. Batteries come in many sizes and grades. The inverter takes the DC energy stored in the battery bank and inverts it to 120 VAC to run your AC appliances.

What type of solar module mounting structure should I use?
A7: There are four basic types of mount structures: roof/ground, top-of-pole, side-of-pole and tracking mounts, each having their own pros and cons. For example roof mount structures typically keep the wire run distances between the solar array and battery bank to a minimum, which is good. But they also require roof penetrations in multiple locations (a potential source of leakage) and they require an expensive ground fault protection (GFP- device to satisfy article 690-5 of the National Electrical Code- NEC). On the other hand, ground mounted solar arrays require fairly precise foundation setup, are more susceptible to theft/vandalism and excessive snow accumulation at the bottom of the array. Next are top-of-pole mounts which are relatively easy to install (you sink a 2-6 inch diameter SCH40 steel pole up to 4-6 feet in the ground with concrete). Make sure that the pole is plumb and mount the solar modules and rack on top of the pole. Top-of-pole mounts reduce the risk of theft/vandalism (as compared to a ground mount). They are also a better choice for cold climates because snow slides off easily. Side of pole mounts are easy to install, but are typically used for small numbers of solar modules (1-4) for remote lighting systems where there already is an existing pole to attach them to. Last but not least are the trackers, which increase the daily number of full sun hours and are used for solar water pumping applications. Trackers are extremely effective in the summer time when water is needed the most. In the northern U.S., typical home energy usage peaks in the winter when a tracker mount makes very little difference as compared to any type of fixed mount (roof, ground or top-of-pole). In this situation, having more modules on a less expensive fixed mount will serve you better in the winter than fewer modules on a tracker. However, if you are in the southern U.S. and your energy usage peaks in the summer, then a tracker may be beneficial to match the time of your highest energy consumption with a tracking solar array's maximum energy output.

How Solar Generate Electricity

How do solar cells generate electricity?

A1: Photovoltaics or PV for short can be thought of as a direct current (DC) generator powered by the sun. When light photons of sufficient energy strike a solar cell, they knock electrons free in the silicon crystal structure forcing them through an external circuit (battery or direct DC load), and then returning them to the other side of the solar cell to start the process all over again. The voltage output from a single crystalline solar cell is about 0.5V with an amperage output that is directly proportional to cell's surface area (approximately 7A for a 6 inch square multicrystalline solar cell). Typically 30-36 cells are wired in series (+ to -) in each solar module. This produces a solar module with a 12V nominal output (~17V at peak power) that can then be wired in series and/or parallel with other solar modules to form a complete solar array to charge a 12, 24 or 48 volt battery bank.

Solar Power System Components

Mounting Structures
There are many different ways to mount solar modules, each with its own pros and cons. Examples include ground mounts, side-of-pole mounts, top-of-pole mounts, and trackers. Standard mounting structures are manufactured from high-quality anodized aluminum, providing excellent strength, light weight and corrosion resistance.

Controllers
The main function of a controller or regulator is to fully charge a battery without permitting overcharge or reverse current flow at night. If a solar array is connected to lead-acid batteries with no overcharge protection, battery life will be compromised. Simple controllers contain a relay that opens the charging circuit, terminating the charge at a pre-set high voltage and, once a pre-set low voltage is reached, closes the circuit again, allowing charging to continue. More sophisticated controllers utilize pulse-width modulation (PWM) or maximum power-point tracking (MPPT) to assure the battery is being fully charged in the most efficient manner.

Batteries
Batteries are a key component in a grid-tie with backup or a stand alone renewable energy system -- one that all other components rely on. With simple monthly and quarterly maintenance procedures, your batteries should last a long time. We offer gel, AGM, nicad, and flooded lead-acid batteries.

Inverters
Today's inverters are very efficient and reliable.

Some PV systems are designed to run DC loads exclusively and so not need an inverter, however an inverter is necessary in any PV system in which you want to run AC applications and tools, or if you are intending to interface your PV system with the Utility.

Most grid-tie inverters are simple machines that are dedicated to converting the DC current from a solar array into AC current and feeding it into the utility grid.

Where you begin to see a huge variety of inverter types is when you start to shop for grid-tie with battery back-up or stand-alone inverters. At this point inverters tend to be made to address specific markets and tasks. A good place to start your research on inverters would be the Inverter section of our catalog.

Power Panels
Power Panels are a factory-assembled power conditioning center. These include but are not limited to, inverters, controllers and safety disconnect equipment. The advantages of buying a Power Panel are many and include the following:

• Easy electrical inspections: Power Panels are ETL listed as a package.
• No hours wasted on the job site assembling separate components and running to the electrical supply for that one part that you forgot.
• No flexible conduit, your jobs have that professional look.
• Factory tested and quality assured.

Kyocera Solar, Inc. is an ETL listed assembly center. If you can imagine it, we can build it for you.

Basic Electricity

The Basics of Electricity

Before purchasing a photovoltaic system, it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of electricity. Simple familiarity with basic electrical terms and concepts will enable you to better understand your renewable energy system and use it with confidence.

The building blocks of an electrical vocabulary are voltage, amperage, resistance, watts and watt-hours. Electricity can simply be thought of as the flow of electrons (amperage) through a copper wire under electrical pressure (voltage) and is analogous to the flow of water through a pipe. If we think of copper wire in an electrical circuit as the pipe, then voltage is equivalent to pressure (psi) and amperage is equivalent to flow rate (gpm).

To continue with our electricity to water analogy, a battery stores energy much as a water tower stores water. Since a column of water 2.31 feet tall produces 1 psi at the base, the taller the water tower the higher the pressure you get at the base. As you can see from the picture to the right, the mushroom shape design of a water tower allows it to provide a large volume of water to end users at between 40-60 psi. Once drained below 40 psi which occurs near the neck of the tower, continued water usage will rapidly deplete the water supply at an ever decreasing pressure. Although a 12 volt battery is not physically shaped like a water tower, it has most of its stored electricity available between 12 volts to 12.7 volts. When drained below 12 volts, little amperage remains and the battery voltage will decrease rapidly.

In a simple system, a power source like a solar module provides the voltage which pushes the amperage through a conductor (wire) and on through a load that offers resistance to the current flow which in turn consumes power (watts). Power is measured in watts and is the product of voltage multiplied by amperage. Energy is power (watts) used over a given time frame (hours) and is measured in watt-hours or kilowatt-hours (1 kilowatt-hour equals 1000 watt-hours). For example, a 100 watt light left on for 10 hours each night will consume 1000 watt-hours or 1 kilowatt-hour of energy. A kilowatt-hour is the unit of energy measurement that the utility company bills you for each month. Electrical appliances are rated in terms of how many watts (or amps) they draw when turned on. To determine how much energy a particular appliance uses each day, you need to multiply the wattage by the number of hours used each day. See the load evaluation sheet on page 15 for more information on electrical load calculations.

When wiring solar modules or batteries together in an renewable energy system, remember that connecting two of them in series (+ to -) doubles their voltage output, but keeps their amperage (or amp-hour capacity) the same. Connecting two of them in parallel (+ to +, - to -) doubles their amperage output (or amp-hour capacity), but keeps their voltage output the same. For example, most solar modules have a 12V nominal output so you would need to wire four of them in series (+ to -) to charge a 48V battery bank. The amperage output from these four solar modules in series is the same as that of a single solar module. Similarly, you would need to wire four 6V 350 amp-hour (AH) L-16 size batteries in series (+ to -) to configure them for 24V operation and then connect two strings of four batteries in parallel (+ to +, - to -) to obtain a 700 amp-hour capacity battery. See Appendix F for more information on battery wiring.

The discussion above of voltage and amperage leads to the subject of wire size. The amount of current that you can send through any electrical circuit depends on three things; the size or gauge (AWG) of the wire being used, the voltage of the system and the one way wire run distance. All wire (Cu and Al) has a listed resistance per 1000 feet with a larger gauge wire having a lower resistance value than a smaller one. The longer the distance and lower the voltage, the larger gauge wire you will need to use to minimize the voltage drop.

As a "rule of thumb", if your solar array consists of 4 or more, 60 watt or larger solar modules and is 50 feet or more away from the battery bank you should consider setting your system up at 24 or 48V instead of 12V. See the voltage drop tables in Appendix B at the back of the catalog for more information on wire sizing for 12, 24 or 48 VDC.




Solar Array Sizing

Use the worksheet below to determine your solar requirements. We have included an example column and a column for your system.

1. Locate your site on the average yearly insolation map in the FAQ section and list the nearest figures.
2. Take the daily corrected total loads in watt hours from your load evaluation sheet.
3. Divide line 2 by line 1. This is the number of watts we need to generate per hour of full sun.
4. Find actual power produced by your selected module and enter. (rated amperage x battery voltage during charging).
   Example: Using KC120's, one module produces 7.1 amps. 13 volts is a common charging voltage for 12 volt systems. Actual power = amperage x charging voltage.
5. Divide line 3 by line 4. The result is the number of modules required for your system. When rounding this number, remember that sets of 2 modules are needed for a 24 volt system, sets of 4 for 48 etc.

	Example	Actual Figures
Step	yearly average	yearly average
1	5.0 sun hours per day
2	1000 watt-hours per day
3	200 watts
4	(7.1x13) =92.3
5	2.17

Solar Home Power System

Kyocera's MyGen™ Grid-Connected Systems are convenient and comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) power equipment packages designed specifically for residential applications. There are five packages to choose from, ranging from 1440W STC to 5040W STC, that use the latest Kyocera KD180 modules in a variety of PV array configurations. Each package is pre-engineered to optimize system performance and meet applicable NEC codes and requirements. All major PV system components, disconnects and grounding equipment are included providing everything you need to generate your own electricity.

Solar Panel By Kyocera from Japan

Kyocera is a pioneering company in the solar energy industry which first began developing solar cells in 1975. Over 30 years of experience have allowed the company to master all stages of production at the highest level – from processing raw materials, making wafers and solar cells to module installation. The result of Kyocera’s years of experience and fully integrated production process is superior quality and long product life. Kyocera has also started construction of a new production facility for solar cells in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, which will contribute to achieving plans to increase the cell production output from the current 300 Megawatts per year to 650 Megawatts per year by 2012.

Battery For Solar Power System

There are three types of batteries that are most popularly used in solar electric systems. Each type has its pluses and minuses, so we will also include the systems the individual types are best suited for.

Flooded Lead Acid Flooded lead acid batteries have the longest track record in solar electric use and are still used in the majority of standalone solar systems.They have the longest life and the least cost per amp-hour of any of the choices.However the other side of the coin is, in order to enjoy these advantages, they require regular maintenance in the form of watering, equalizing charges and keeping the top and terminals clean. Some examples of flooded lead-acid batteries used in solar electric systems are 6 volt golf-cart batteries, 6 volt L-16's and 2 volt industrial cells for large systems.

Absorbed Glass Mat Sealed Lead Acid (AGM) AGM batteries are seeing more and more use in solar electric systems as their price comes down and as more systems are getting installed that need to be maintenance free.This makes them ideally suited for use in grid-tied solar systems with battery back-up. Because they are completely sealed they can't be spilled, do not need periodic watering, and emit no corrosive fumes, the electrolyte will not stratify and no equalization charging is required.AGM's are also well suited to systems that get infrequent use as they typically have less than a 2% self discharge rate during transport and storage. They can also be transported easily and safely by air. Last, but not least, they can be mounted on their side or end and are extremely vibration resistant.AGM's come in most popular battery sizes and are even available in large 2 volt cells for the ultimate in low maintenance large system storage. When first introduced, because of their high cost,AGM's were mostly used in commercial installations where maintenance was impossible or more expensive than the price of the batteries.Now that the cost is coming down they are seeing use in all types of solar systems as some of today's owners think the advantages outweigh the price difference and maintenance requirements of flooded lead acid batteries.

Gelled Electrolyte Sealed Lead Acid Gelled lead acid batteries actually predated the AGM type but are losing market share to the AGM's.They have many of the same advantages over flooded lead acid batteries including ease of transportation, as the AGM type, except the gelled electrolyte in these batteries is highly viscous and recombination of the gases generated while charging, occurs at a much slower rate.This means that they typically have to be charged slower than either flooded lead acid or AGM batteries. In a solar electric system you have a fixed amount of sun hours every day and need to store every solar watt you can before the sun goes down. If charged at too high a rate, gas pockets form on the plates and force the gelled electrolyte away from the plates, decreasing the capacity until the gas finds its way to the top of the battery and is recombined with the electrolyte. For use in a grid-tie with back up system or any system where discharge rates are less than severe, gel batteries could be a good choice.

Should I set my system's battery bank up at 12, 24 or 48 VDC?
The PV industry really began with the 12V recreational vehicle market. These systems were typically small (1-2 solar modules) and had all 12 VDC loads. As the solar industry matured and entered the home market, systems became much larger (16+ solar modules) and no longer used DC loads exclusively. Most home systems today are 24 or 48 VDC since the higher system voltage gives you a lot more flexibility as to how far away you can place your solar modules from the battery bank as compared to a 12V system. For a given power output, a higher system voltage reduces your amperage flow (but not your power) which allows you to use a smaller and less expensive gauge wire for your solar to battery and battery to inverter wire runs. Of course, if you already have a lot of 12VDC loads, that may be your deciding factor as to what voltage you set your system up at. Most grid-tied systems operate at 48 volts or higher.

Should I wire my home for AC or DC loads?
It depends on the size of the system and what type of loads you want to run. DC appliances are usually more efficient than AC since you don't have to worry about the loss through the inverter, but DC loads are typically more expensive and harder to find than their AC counterparts. Small cabin and RV systems are typically wired DC while most home systems are wired for AC loads exclusively. With improvements in inverter efficiency and reliability in the last 5 years, AC is the way to go for a home system. Another advantage AC has over DC is that the voltage drop for a 120VAC circuit is much less than a 12VDC circuit carrying the same power, which allows you to use smaller gauge wire.

Can I use PV to heat water or for space heating?
No. Photovoltaics converts the sun's energy into DC electricity at a relatively low efficiency level (14-16%), so trying to operate a high power electric heating element from PV would be very inefficient and expensive. Solar thermal (or passive solar) is the direct heating of air or water from the heat of the sun and is much more efficient for heating applications than photovoltaics.

INVERTER and CONTROLER

INVERTERS

The inverter is a basic component of PV systems and it converts DC power from the batteries or in the case of grid-tie, directly from the PV
array into high voltage AC power as needed.Inverters of the past were inefficient and unreliable while today’s generation of inverters are very efficient (85 to 96%) and reliable.

Today,the majority, if not all of the loads in a typical remote home operate at 120 VAC from the inverter.Most stand-alone inverters
produce only 120 VAC,not 120/240 VAC as in the typical utility-connected home.The reason being,once electrical heating appliances are
replaced with gas appliances, there is little need for 240 VAC power.Exceptions include good-sized submersible pumps and shop tools
which can either be powered by a generator, step-up transformer, or possibly justify the cost of adding a second inverter.
Most utility line-tie inverters produce 208,240 or 480VAC.
Two types of stand-alone inverters predominate the market – modified sine and sine wave inverters.Modified sine wave units are less
expensive per watt of power and do a good job of operating all but the most delicate appliances.Sine wave units produce power which is
almost identical to the utility grid, will operate any appliance within their power range,and cost more per watt of output.
Utility-tie systems / sine wave inverters for utility interactive photovoltaic applications,provide direct conversion of solar electric energy to
utility power with or without a battery storage system.These systems are designed to meet or exceed utility power company
requirements and can be paralleled for any power level requirement.They are listed to UL 1741 for photovoltaic power systems.

Charge Controllers and Regulators

The main function of a controller or regulator is to fully charge a battery without permitting overcharge while preventing reverse current flow at night. If a non-self-regulating solar array is connected to lead acid batteries with no overcharge protection, battery life will be compromised. Simple controllers contain a transistor that shunts the PV charging circuit, terminating the charge at a pre-set high voltage and, once a pre-set reconnect is reached, opens the shunt, allowing charging to resume. More sophisticated controllers utilize pulse width modulation (PWM) or maximum power point tracking (MPPT) to assure the battery is being fully charged. The first 70% to 80% of battery capacity is easily replaced, but the last 20% to 30% requires more attention and therefore more complexity.

How controllers work and available options:
The circuitry in a controller reads the voltage of the batteries to determine the state of charge. Designs and circuits vary, but most controllers read voltage to control the amount of current flowing into the battery as the battery nears full charge. Features of a controller to consider include

• Reverse current leakage protection - by disconnecting the array or using a blocking diode to prevent current loss into the solar modules at night.
• Low-voltage load disconnect (LVD) - to reduce damage to batteries by avoiding deep discharge.
• System monitoring - analog or digital meters, indicator lights and/or warning alarms.
• Overcurrent protection - with fuses and/or circuit breakers.
• Mounting options - flush mounting, wall mounting, indoor or outdoor enclosures.
• System control - control of other components in the system; standby generator or auxiliary charging system, diverting array power once batteries are charged, transfer to secondary batteries.
• Load control - automatic control of secondary loads, or control of lights, water pumps or other loads with timers or switches.
• Temperature compensation - utilized whenever batteries are placed in a non-climate controlled space. The charging voltage is adjusted to the temperature.
• Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) - an efficient charging method that maintains a battery at its maximum state of charge and minimizes sulfation build-up by pulsing the battery voltage at a high frequency.
• Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) - a new charging method designed to extract the most power possible out of a solar module by altering its operating voltage to maximize the power output.

Sizing a Controller:
Some systems require most of these functions, others require only one or a certain combination. Your KSI dealer can help you select a unit to meet your specific needs.

Charge controllers are rated and sized by the array current and system voltage. Most common are 12, 24, and 48-volt controllers. Amperage ratings run from 1 amp to 60 amps, voltages from 6-60 volts.

For example, if one module in your 12-volt system produces 7.45 amps and two modules are utilized, your system will produce 14.9 amps of current at 12 volts. Because of light reflection and the edge of cloud effect, sporadically increased current levels are not uncommon. For this reason we increase the controller amperage by a minimum of 25% bringing our minimum controller amperage to 18.6. Looking through the products we find a 20-amp controller, as close a match as possible. There is no problem going with a 30-amp or larger controller, other than the additional cost. If you think the system may increase in size, additional amperage capacity at this time should be considered.

BIPV

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) represent the combination of proven renewable power generating technology and the building exterior using traditional building practices. It means that solar panels are planned and built along with the building structure. This combination brings benefits such as:

• Financial appeal - costs are combined for a building material and power generation
• Distributed power generation - greater independence and less reliance on centralized fossil fuel power sources
• Economies of scale - leverages large inventory of constructed surface area for renewable power production
• Improved real estate values - capitalize on short and long term property investment
• Easy integration to standard construction practice - can be retrofitted to existing construction or installed new
• No independent support structures - minimize system cost
• Hassle-free operation - low to no maintenance with no moving parts
• Improved aesthetics - avoids the look of being an afterthought or add-on

Solar panels can be integrated into many types of exterior materials, including roofs, walls, shadings, or windows. BIPV not only creates environmentally friendly solar power, but also enhances co-existence with nature and visual harmony with the environment. Interest in BIPV, where the PV panels actually become an integral part of the building, has been growing worldwide in the energy and construction industry.

Radiasi Sinar Matahari

Energi matahari sampai ke bumi melalui proses radiasi mengalami berbagai proses shingga kurang lebih 51% terserap oleh bumi.  Selebihnya kembali ke atmosfir.  Berikut dapat dilihat ilustrasi pada gambar ini. 

PJU Tenaga Matahari

PJU (=Penerangan Jalan Umum) di negara kita adalah salah satu sumber pemakai energi listrik yang sangat besar. Biasanya PJU kita memakai jenis lampu mercury atau sodium atau SON dengan memakai daya dari PLN. Dalam rangka konservasi energi nasional, serta memberikan pengajaran dan pendidikan terhadap anak-anak kita sudah saatnya kita menggunakan tenaga surya (matahari) untuk PJU.
Untuk membuat pembangkit listrik tenaga surya sangatlah sederhana dan mudah dilaksanakan yaitu:

• Pemilihan Jenis lampu yang cocok dengan arus DC dari tenaga matahari (berdaya kecil tetapi memiliki emisi dan lux cahaya yang memadai untuk PJU. Contoh LED (= Light Emitting Diode)dan ElF (=Electrode-less Induction Fluorescent Lamp ). LED dan ELIF dengan daya 24 -40 Watt memiliki emisi cahaya yang setara dengan 125 Watt lampu mercury.
• Kebanyakan PJU merkuri 250 W biasanya ditagih 500Watt karena sistem block rate 500Wx24jam mati hidup tetap bayar. Untuk itu sudah saatnya beralih ke lampu hemat energi 80 Watt atau tenaga surya 40Watt.
  
• Kapasitas Modul Photovoltaic (panel surya): Apabila digunakan 100WP panel surya biasanya akan menghasilkan rata-rata arus listrik 12V sebesar 22-27 ampere sehari.
• Menghitung kebutuhan energi selama pengoperasian tenaga surya di malam hari: semisal 40 watt LED atau ELlF 40 watt 12 VDC harus menyala 12 jam . Berarti supply arus energi listrik yang dibutuhkan berarti 40 ampere.
  
• Kapasitas Battery (aH): Battere deep cycle bisa melepas arus sebesar 50% jadi kalau pake battere 80 ah bisa dialirkan sebesar 40 ampere. Untuk antisifasi gunakan saja battere 100ah akan lebih baik.
• Jadi untuk membuat PJU 40W/12VDC diperlukan Panel surya ukuran 2x100 WP, dan battere minimal 1x100ah ddep cycle. Selanjutnya untuk pemasangan dan operasional jika diperlukan bisa menggunakan unit control untuk menjalankan secara otomatis pengisian Battery serta dapat juga dilengkapi denga sensor fotocell untuk menyalakan dan mematikan lampunya.
• Semua komponen diatas sekarang bisa dibeli baik secara eceran di pasaran Indonesia

Selamat mencoba

Energi Matahari Indonesia

Misi:  

Mengurangi ketergantungan pada bahan bakar fosil  

Mengurangi polusi Emisi gas buang  CO2 yang disebabkan pembangkit Listrik konvensional

Mengurangi beban Listrik PLN 

Pertama  ditemukan oleh Edmund Becquerel, 19 tahun percobaan fisika di Perancis 1839. Albert Einstein peraih Hadiah Nobel pada tahun 1923 menjelaskan efek fotovoltaik namun tidak kesampaian sehingga Bell Labs pada 1954  solar PV akhirnya terwujud.  Dan mulai saat itulah harapan teknologi PV mulai dimanfaatkan untuk tujuan komersial.   

Tidak seperti PLTA  yang pada dasarnya adalah sebuah perangkat plumbing,  tenaga suryamenggunakan  photovoltaic (PV) yaitu bahan semi conductors dan sinar matahari untuk membuat listrik. Semakin banyak solar modul sistem PV atau array, semakin banyak listrik akan dihasilkan. DC listrik dapat "dirubah" ke alternating current (AC), sehingga dapat digunakan untuk rumah atau bisnis, yang bisa off-set atau bahkan menghapuskan tagihan listrik. 

Menurut Dirjend Listrik dan  Pemanfaatan Energi (LPE) Departemen  ESDM : energi surya merupakan salah satu energi yang sedang giat dikembangkan saat ini oleh Pemerintah Indonesia.

Kondisi Umum Energi Matahari di Indonesia:

Sebagai negara tropis, Indonesia mempunyai potensi energi surya yang cukup besar. Berdasarkan data penyinaran matahari yang dihimpun dari 18 lokasi di Indonesia, radiasi surya di Indonesia dapat diklasifikasikan berturut-turut sebagai berikut: untuk kawasan barat dan timur Indonesia dengan distribusi penyinaran di Kawasan Barat Indonesia (KBI) sekitar 4,5 kWh/m 2 /hari dengan variasi bulanan sekitar 10%; dan di Kawasan Timur Indonesia (KTI) sekitar 5,1 kWh/m 2 /hari dengan variasi bulanan sekitar 9%. Dengan demikian, potesi angin rata-rata Indonesia sekitar 4,8 kWh/m 2 /hari dengan variasi bulanan sekitar 9%.

Untuk memanfaatkan potensi energi surya tersebut, ada 2 (dua) macam teknologi yang sudah diterapkan, yaitu teknologi energi surya termal dan energi surya fotovoltaik. Energi surya termal pada umumnya digunakan untuk memasak (kompor surya), mengeringkan hasil pertanian (perkebunan, perikanan, kehutanan, tanaman pangan) dan memanaskan air. Energi surya fotovoltaik digunakan untuk memenuhi kebutuhan listrik, pompa air, televisi, telekomunikasi, dan lemari pendingin di Puskesmas dengan kapasitas total ± 6 MW.

Prinsip Kerja:

Silicon adalah bahan utama di sebagian besar teknologi PV. Setelah cahaya tertangkap silicon, listrik yang dihasilkan dialirkan melalui kabel yang akan dikumpulkan pada penyimpan energi atau Baterei. Arus listrik yang dihasilkan oleh Photovoltaic adalah DC, untuk mengubahnya diperlukan sebuah inverter. Inverter yang mengubah Direct Current (DC) menjadi arus bolak-balik sehingga dapat dipergunakan untuk perabot rumah tangga seperti TV, radio, komputer, pompa, Lemari Es, dll.      

Penangkap Energi Matahari: Solar Modul 

Berdasarkan penelitian energi yang dapat tertangkap pada setiap m2 solar modul di Indonesia sangat tinggi yaitu mencapai 1000 Watt/m2.  Tinkat konvesi energi solar modul sampai saat ini yang terbaik mencapai 15%.  Jadi apabila Solar Modul 1 m2 berarti dapat menghasilkan listrik sebesar 150 Watt.  Apabila atap rumah kita satu sisi sebesar 15 m2, maka  dapat menghasilkan listrik sebasar 2250 Watt.  Jumlah yang  sangat memadai untuk kebutuhan rumah tangga.