Pre-Feasibility Study of A 1MW PV Plant For Cali, Colombia

Hagenberg Linz Steyr Wels
LARGE SCALE SOLAR POWER PLANT

Pre-Feasibility study
Summer semester 2015
PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A 1MW PV

PLANT FOR CALI, COLOMBIA
Author / Student number
Alam Kazi / 1410767006

Andres Moreno / 1410767021

Philipp Steinlechner / 1410767026

Supervision:
Dr. Robert Hller

Date of delivery:
14.10.2015
SES S 2015
Cali, Colombia
Executive Summary
This paper employs design and pre-feasibility study of a 1 MW Power plant for the city named Cali in
Colombia. Pre-feasibility study divided into several significant segments such as description of the
country including political and economic condition, energy market, site selection, solar resource
assessment, solar PV technology, PV plant performance, PV module degradation, Design with layout and
Project economics.
At the present time, the Colombian energy market is highly dependent on fossil fuel with a large share of
hydro power. In the months after May 2015, the Colombian government will establish a legal framework
to promote the use of non-conventional renewable energy sources as it continues its pursuit of a cleaner
national energy system. Foreign investments are highly encouraged for almost all areas of economy. In
October 2013, total production of electricity within the country was 5.3 Terawatt hours, mostly from
hydroelectric plants. Private companies own 60 percent of the installed capacity generating electricity in
Colombia. Almost half of the produced energy is distributed through interconnected grid. With growing
energy demand the Colombian government is planning to focus on more renewable energy due to the
global warming issue in the world. One of the most important reasons for Global Warming on earth is
greenhouse gas emission (GHG). Renewable energies like solar and wind power are the most probable
solutions for reducing the GHG emission rate. In addition, Colombia has a high potential on solar energy,
in the previous years the government has taken necessary steps to develop the solar energy market, which
is described later in this paper.
Furthermore, Cali one of the most popular cities in Colombia was chosen for the pre-feasibility study of 1
MW solar power plant. The city has more than 150 sunshine hours on an average each month according
to meteorological data. Cali has a flat land mostly in the center with a rough terrain in west side including
mountains and small hilly areas. South-east part of the city is protected for archaeological importance.
Three different locations were chosen for the study considering availability of grid connection, distance to
infrastructure facilities, flooding and soil liquefaction. The chosen site was then assessed for global
horizontal radiation. Later on, different solar PV technologies and inverter concepts were studied. After
that, PV plant performance was measured with the viable PV technologies and inverter using the software
PVsyst. Degradation is a key part for pre-feasibility study, which was also a focus of this paper.
Moreover, with the software the design and layout was drawn to find the optimum condition for solar
power plant. Then, the study focuses on Project economics. Levelized cost of electricity, operating
expenditure and capital expenditure were the main parts of project economics. Finally, the study was
concluded with the operation, maintenance and commission concept of the power plant. This extensive
study is a useful tool for assessing the feasibility of a 1 MW PV plant for the city of Cali.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... i
List of Figures.............................................................................................................................. v
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. vi
List of Abbreviations.................................................................................................................. vii
1.
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
2.
Brief Country Description ........................................................................................ 2

2.2 Political situation ................................................................................................................. 3
2.3 Macroeconomic overview ..................................................................................................... 3
2.4 Investment law situation ....................................................................................................... 3
2.4.1 Foreign Investment Regime ................................................................................. 4
2.5 Renewable energy law.......................................................................................................... 4
2.5.1 Law 1715 of 2014 .............................................................................................. 5
2.6 Framework conditions for solar energy ................................................................................... 7
2.7 Energy Market and Forecast.................................................................................................. 8
2.7.1 Electricity price ................................................................................................. 9
2.8 Institution overview ............................................................................................................. 9
2.8.1 Responsibilities ................................................................................................10
2.8.2 Generation .......................................................................................................10
2.8.3 Transmission ....................................................................................................10
2.8.4 Distribution and commercialization .....................................................................11
2.9 RES installations ................................................................................................................11
3.
Site Selection ...........................................................................................................11

3.1 Santiago de Cali .................................................................................................................11
3.1.1 Political Division ..............................................................................................12
3.1 Sites pre-selected ................................................................................................................13
3.1.1 Corregimiento Navarro ......................................................................................14
4.
Site Assessment .......................................................................................................15

4.1 Meteorological data ............................................................................................................16
4.2 Terrain usability .................................................................................................................16
4.3 Area accessibility ...............................................................................................................17
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4.4 Grid connection assessment .................................................................................................18

4.5 Accessibility of site.............................................................................................................19
4.6 Existence of endangered fauna and flora ................................................................................19
4.7 Archaeology ......................................................................................................................20
4.8 Distance to infrastructure facilities ........................................................................................20
4.8.1 Transmission lines ............................................................................................21
4.8.2 Gas lines ..........................................................................................................21
4.9 Air pollution data from WHO...............................................................................................22
4.10 Flooding ..........................................................................................................................22
4.11 Soil liquefaction ...............................................................................................................23
4.12 Sun angle calculations .......................................................................................................24
5.
Solar Resource Assessment ......................................................................................24

5.1 Global horizontal irradiation (GHI) .......................................................................................25
6.
Solar PV Technology Options ..................................................................................26

6.1 Description of pre-selected PV technologies ..........................................................................27
6.1.1 Polycrystalline silicon .......................................................................................27
6.1.2 Copper, Indium and Selenium (CIS) ....................................................................28
6.1.3 Cadmium telluride (CdTe) .................................................................................28
6.2 PV modules pre-selected .....................................................................................................28
6.2.1 SolarWorld SW 250 Poly ...................................................................................28
6.2.2 Solar Frontier SF170-S ......................................................................................28
6.2.3 First Solar FS-3100-PLUS .................................................................................29
6.3 Inverter concept..................................................................................................................29
6.3.1 Centralized GE Brilliance 1000 kW CE ...............................................................29
6.3.2 Decentralized Fronius IG Plus 120 V-3 ................................................................30
6.4 Mounting system ................................................................................................................30
6.4.1 Inter-row spacing calculator ...............................................................................31
7.
PV Plant Performance .............................................................................................31

7.1 PV plant performance with a Centralized inverter ...................................................................32
7.2 PV plant performance with a Decentralized inverter ................................................................32
7.3 Degradation of the module according to warranty ...................................................................33
7.3.1 Degradation of Si-poly ......................................................................................33
Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam
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7.3.2 Degradation of CIS ...........................................................................................34

7.4
Degradation of the module according to experience ......................................................34

7.4.1 Degradation of Si-poly ......................................................................................34
7.4.2 Degradation of CIS ...........................................................................................35
7.5 Hay and Perez comparison ...................................................................................................36

Conceptual Design and Layout ................................................................................37
8.
8.1 Layout...............................................................................................................................38
8.2 Grid connection ..................................................................................................................39
8.3 Buildings and infrastructure .................................................................................................40
Project Economics ...................................................................................................40
9.
9.1 Assumptions for this project.................................................................................................40

9.1.1 Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) ...................................................................40
9.1.2 Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) ............................................................................41
9.1.3 Operating Expenditure (OPEX) ..........................................................................41
9.2 LCOE Results ....................................................................................................................41
9.3 LCOE Sensitivity Analysis ..................................................................................................41
10.
Final Selection.........................................................................................................42
11.
Operations Concept.................................................................................................43
11.1 Maintenance.....................................................................................................................43
11.1.1 Scheduled/Preventative maintenance .................................................................43
11.1.2 Unscheduled maintenance ................................................................................44
11.2
Commissioning.........................................................................................................45
References ..................................................................................................................................45
Appendix A ................................................................................................................................. 1
Appendix B ................................................................................................................................. 3
Appendix C ................................................................................................................................. 7
Appendix D ................................................................................................................................. 9
Appendix E.................................................................................................................................12
Appendix F .................................................................................................................................13
Appendix G ................................................................................................................................15
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List of Figures
Figure 1: Map of Colombia ............................................................................................................ 2
Figure 2: Potential resources in Colombia........................................................................................ 8
Figure 3: Map of Santiago de Cali .................................................................................................12
Figure 4: Political map of Santiago de Cali .....................................................................................13
Figure 5: Sites pre-selected ...........................................................................................................13
Figure 6: Corregimiento Navarro (district of Navarro) .....................................................................14
Figure 7: Selected Site for the 1MW PV plant ................................................................................15
Figure 8: Sun hours in Cali ...........................................................................................................16
Figure 9: Calis terrain profile (Natural landscapes, e.g. surrounding mountains) .................................17
Figure 10: Road Connectivity .......................................................................................................18
Figure 11: Energy grid layout of Cali ............................................................................................18
Figure 12: Connection of roads in Cali ..........................................................................................19
Figure 13: Ecologic structure in Navarro .......................................................................................19
Figure 14: Archaeology expectations in Navarro ............................................................................20
Figure 15: Location of Urban Facilities ..........................................................................................20
Figure 16: Electrical grid composition in Cali .................................................................................21
Figure 17: Natural gas grid ...........................................................................................................21
Figure 18: Flooding risk in Navarro (alta = high, media = medium and baja = low water depth) ............23
Figure 19: Soil liquefaction areas ..................................................................................................23
Figure 20: Earth orientation and sun angle calculation......................................................................24
Figure 21: Monthly global horizontal irradiation in Cali ...................................................................26
Figure 22: Available photovoltaic cell technologies .........................................................................27
Figure 23: Centralized and decentralized inverter configuration ........................................................30
Figure 24: Available mounting systems in the market ......................................................................31
Figure 25: Inter-row calculation ....................................................................................................31
Figure 26: Degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter ........................33
Figure 27: Degradation of PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter ..................................34
Figure 28: Degradation of PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter .............................35
Figure 29: Screenshot from PVsyst from south-west ........................................................................38
Figure 30: Screenshot from PVsyst of the string arrangement ...........................................................38
Figure 31: IRENA study of economic life for renewable energy technologies all over the world ...........40
Figure 32: Spider diagram for Poly-Si ............................................................................................42
Figure 33: Hierarchy table of Operation & maintenance team ...........................................................45
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List of Tables
Table 1: Different tariffs established for the year 2015 for residential, commercial and industrial users. .. 9
Table 2: Site Assessment ..............................................................................................................14
Table 3: Monthly values of the meteorological parameters ...............................................................16
Table 4: Air pollution level and Index ............................................................................................22
Table 5: Different categories of pollution in Cali. ............................................................................22
Table 6: Purity and Cleanliness in Cali, Colombia ...........................................................................22
Table 7: Sun angle calculation.......................................................................................................24
Table 8: Global Horizontal Irradiation value obtained with different sources ......................................25
Table 9: Performance of three PV technologies with a centralized inverter .........................................32
Table 10: Energy yield and probability forecast of three different solar technologies with centralized
inverter ......................................................................................................................................32
Table 11: Losses of three different solar technologies with centralized inverter ...................................32
Table 12: Performance of two different solar technologies with decentralized inverter with Energy
yield and probability forecast ........................................................................................................32
Table 13: Losses of two different solar technologies with centralized inverter .....................................33
Table 14: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty .........33
Table 15: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty. ........34
Table 16: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation ...................................35
Table 17: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation giving..........................35
Table 18: Levelized cost of electricity for three different solar cell technologies..................................41
Table 19: Final selection for 1MW power Plant...............................................................................43
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List of Abbreviations
Community Carbon Fund
Clean Development Mechanism
Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa
Comisin de Regulacin Energa y Gas (Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission )
Direccin de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales de Colombia (National Taxes and
DIAN
Customs Direction )
EMCALI Empresas Municipales de Cali (Utility of Cali)
EMGESA Energy generation company
Empresas Pblicas de Medelln (Public companies of the city of Medelln)
EPM
Fondo de Energas No Convencionales y Gestin Eficiente de la Energa (NonFENOGE
Conventional Energy and Efficient Energy Management Fund)
Fuentes no convencionales de energa (non-conventional energy sources)
FNCE
Fuentes no convencionales de energa renovables (non-conventional renewable energy
FNCER
sources)
Global horizontal irradiation
GHI
Instituto Colombiano de Antropologa e Historia (Colombian Institute of Anthropology
ICANH
and History)
Infraestructura de Datos Espaciales de Santiago de Cali (Spatial Data Infrastructure of
IDESC
Santiago de Cali)
The International Renewable Energy Agency
IRENA
ISAGEN Energy generation company
Impuesto al Valor Agregado (Value Added Tax incentive )
IVA
Organization for Economic Cooperation
OECD
Sistema interconectado nacional (National Interconnected System)
SIN
Unidad de Planeacion Minero Energetica (Unit for Mining and Energy Planning)
UPME
Weighted Average Cost of Capital
WACC
World Health Organization
WHO
Zonas no interconectadas (Non-Interconnected Zones )
ZNI
CCF
CDM
CIVETS
CREG
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1. Introduction
The development of a PV project can be broken down into the following phases: conceptual, prefeasibility study, feasibility study, development and design. In general, each succeeding phase entails an
increased level of expenditure but reduces the risk and uncertainty in the project. In practice, the
progression through these phases is not strictly linear. The amount of time and money committed in each
phase will vary, depending on the priorities and risk appetite of the developer.
A typical scope for a feasibility study would include the items below (again, these are covered in more
detail in the book):
Production of a detailed site plan.
Calculation of solar resource and environmental characteristics.
Assessment of shading (horizon and nearby buildings and objects).
Outline layout of areas suitable for PV development.
Assessment of technology options providing cost/benefit for the project location:
Module type.
Mounting system & Outline system design.
Application for outline planning permission.
Grid connection more detailed assessment of likelihood, cost and timing.
Predicted energy yields.
Financial modeling.
The development phase takes the project from the feasibility stage through to financial close and is likely
to consist of:
Preparation and submission of the permit applications for the proposed solar PV project.
Preparation and submission of a grid connection application.
Revision of the design and planning permissions.
Decision on contracting strategy (turnkey EPC contract or multi- contract).
Decision on the financing approach.
Preparation of solar PV module tender documentation.
Supplier selection and ranking.
Preparation of construction tender documentation.
Contractor selection and ranking & Contract negotiations.
Completion of a bankable energy yield.
Preparation of a financial model covering the full life cycle of the plant.
Completion of a project risk analysis.
Environmental impact assessment.
Production of a detailed project report.
Securing financing for the project.
The design phase will prepare the necessary detail and documentation to enable the tendering and
construction of the solar PV plant. [10]
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2. Brief Country Description

Colombia is a country situated in the northwest of South America, bordered to the northwest by Panama;
to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; and it shares maritime limits with
Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is a unitary, constitutional
republic comprising thirty-two departments. It is the only country on the continent with coastline on both
the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. In between is a nation of rich biodiversity, including the
Amazon rainforest and the Andes Mountains.
Colombia is a middle power with the third largest economy in Latin America, is part of the CIVETS
group of six leading emerging markets and is an accessing member to the OECD. Its principal industries
include oil, mining, chemicals, health related products, food processing, agricultural products, textile and
fabrics, garments, forest products, machinery, electronics, military products, metal products, home and
office material, construction equipment and materials, banking, financial services, software, IT services
and the automotive industry With more than 47 million citizens, Colombia has the second largest
population in South America, after Brazil, and the 27th largest in the world. Colombia is also home to the
second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, after Mexico.
Figure 1: Map of Colombia
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2.2 Political situation

Colombias political structure is divided into executive, judicial and legislative branches of government,
with the latter divided into a Senate and a House of Representatives. Senators are elected through national
ballot, while local constituents elect their representatives. The Colombian president is chosen directly by
the electorate and serves as both head of state and head of government, overseeing a multi-party
representative democracy.
Security: In 1999, President Andrs Pastrana began Plan Colombia, an aggressive effort to fight the
drug trade, along with minor attempts to address the underlying social issues that sustain it. The military
facet of the plan was backed by the United States, with money, arms and advisors. Plan Colombia,
however, failed to affect much change. The next president, lvaro Uribe, enacted an aggressive hard line
against guerrilla groups, which reduced crime and violence, and in turn produced notable economic
growth, but major social problemspoverty, illiteracy, class and political polarizationremained. Under
the present president, Juan Manuel Santos, Plan Colombia continues, with increased U.S. presence; an
agreement was signed to allow eight U.S. military bases in Colombia, on which construction has begun.
[1]
2.3 Macroeconomic overview

In the colonial period the economy was based almost entirely on gold mining, including the robbing of
the metal from Indian graves (guacas). The modern economy is much more broadly based, with the
exploitation of hydrocarbon fuels and several metals, agricultural production, and the manufacture of
goods for export and home consumption. Private enterprise dominates the economy, and direct
government participation is limited to such industries as the railways, petroleum, and
telecommunications. The government has attempted to foster economic stability and to encourage private
enterprise through indirect measures, such as a favorable system of taxation and the extension of credit to
new industries. Regional development organizations, such as the Cauca Valley Corporation, have been
established to promote more balanced industrial growth, with emphasis on hydroelectric power
development and flood control. Economic growth was quite substantial through the mid-20th century, but
in subsequent decades inflation and unemployment grew alarmingly as the growth rate declined.
Nevertheless, Colombia was one of the few Latin American countries not to suffer a debt crisis in the
1980s, and in many ways during that decade it had the healthiest economy in the region.[16]
2.4 Investment law situation

Figures from recent years ratify that Colombia is one of the most interesting destinations for international
investors. Colombia presents optimal conditions to encourage investment in different fields. Fact: the
country has been qualified as the second most attractive country to invest in of Latin America for the
upcoming three years. Likewise, it is considered the fifth country in the world and first in Latin
America- in terms of investor protection.
These figures show that Colombia has an economy in full development, with basic conditions for exports,
diverse sectors and productive regions, economic incentives and a legal basis established by different Free
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Trade Agreements negotiated and signed with other countries. These factors establish an attractive and
promising frame for investors.
The advantages in terms of investment in the country can be seen specifically in workforce availability,
offer in highly productive sectors, development of high-capacity ports, implementation of free trade
zones, tax exemptions for some sectors, and a healthy and competitive business environment. [2]
2.4.1 Foreign Investment Regime

The 1991 Constitution modified the institutional structure for monetary policy and exchange rate
management and granted independence to its central bank,el Banco de la Repblica, thereby releasing it
from pressure from the government and the private sector regarding the management of monetary and
foreign exchange matters. The Board of Directors of the Central Bank is the highest authority on
monetary and exchange matters.
Under the Constitution and current foreign investment regulations, foreign investment in Colombia shall
receive the same treatment as those made by Colombian nationals. The conditions for reimbursement of
foreign investment and remittance of profits in effect at the time the investment is registered may not be
changed so as to affect foreign investment adversely, except on a temporary basis when the international
reserves are lower than three months of imports.
Discriminatory treatment or special conditions may not be imposed on foreign investors as compared to
Colombian nationals, nor may the treatment be made more favorable. Any investment made by a
nonresident foreigner in Colombia will qualify as foreign investment, provided it meets the requirements
below. [3]
2.4.1.1 Permitted investments
Foreign investments are permitted in all areas of the economy with the exception of activities related to
defense and national security and, the processing and disposal of toxic, dangerous or radioactive waste
not generated in the country. [3]
2.5 Renewable energy law

In the months after May 2015, the Colombian government will establish a legal framework to promote the
use of non-conventional renewable energy sources as it continues its pursuit of a cleaner national energy
system. This process began with the enactment of Law 1715 but a more thorough classification will be
carried out in an effort coordinated among the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Energy and Gas
Regulatory Commission, and the Mining and Energy Planning Unit, among others. [4]
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2.5.1 Law 1715 of 2014

The object of the present Law is to promote the development and use of non-conventional energy sources,
mainly renewable energy sources, in the national energy system, by integrating them into the electricity
market, guaranteeing their participation in the Non Interconnected zones and in other energy uses as
necessary means to achieve sustainable economic development, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
security of energy supply. To this end, the Law seeks to promote efficient energy management, which
comprises both energy efficiency and demand response.
2.5.1.1 Article 8. Promotion of small and large-scale self-generation and distributed generation
The National Government will promote small and large-scale self-generation and distributed generation
through the following mechanisms:
a) Surplus power incorporation. This Law authorizes small and large-scale self-generators to deliver
their surplus power into the distribution and/or transportation network. This will apply once
CREG adopts the corresponding regulations. This regulation will be issued according to the
principles established by the laws 142 and 143 of 1994 and energy policy guidelines defined by
the Ministry of Mines and Energy to this purpose. For in the case of small-scale self-generators
which utilize FNCER, surplus power will be recognized, through a bi-directional metering
scheme, as energy credits, according to norms defined by CREG to this purpose, which are to be
based on the criteria established in the laws 142 and 143 of 1994 regulating the tariff scheme,
specifically, the criterion of financial sufficiency;
b) Bi-directional metering systems and simplified mechanisms for connection and surplus power
incorporation by small-scale self-generators. Small-scale self-generators will be entitled to use
low-cost bi-directional meters to monitor their consumption and the amount of energy
incorporated into the grid, as well as simplified mechanisms for connection and the incorporation
of surplus power in order to facilitate the implementation of those mechanisms by households and
other users;
c) Sale of power by distributed generators. Energy produced by distributed generators will be
remunerated considering the benefits gained by the distribution system, such as avoided losses,
life-cycle of distribution equipment, support to reactive energy, etc., as established by the
regulation issued by CREG to this purpose, according to the principles established by the laws
142 and 143 of 1994 and energy policy guidelines defined by the Ministry of Mines and Energy;
d) Sale of energy credits. Self-generators who are granted energy credits (mentioned in section a of
this article) as retribution to the surplus power incorporated by them into the grid, will be entitled
to negotiate those credits and the rights therein with natural or legal third parties, according to the
regulation established by CREG to this purpose;
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e) Massive dissemination programs. UPME will develop massive dissemination programs aimed at
informing the general public on the requirements, procedures and benefits of implementing smallscale self-generation solutions;
f) Focalized dissemination programs. UPME will identify niches with a high probability for a
feasible implementation of small-scale self-generation solutions. Based on this research, UPME
will develop focalized dissemination and training programs on these technologies, and will
prepare and distribute technical and financial guides.
2.5.1.2 Article 11. Incentives for the generation of non-conventional energies.
With the purpose of stimulating research, development and investment in the production and use of
energy generated from FNCE and energy efficient management, those obliged to file income tax returns
who have invested in this type of projects, will be entitled to reduce annually from their rent, during the 5
years following to the fiscal year in which the investment was made, fifty percent (50%) of the value of
their investment.
The deductible amount for this concept in no case should exceed 50% of the contributors net income,
determined before subtracting the value of the investment.
To be eligible, the investment should receive the environmental benefit certificate, issued and properly
certified by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, according to the article 158-2 of
the Tax Statute.
2.5.1.3 Article 12. Instruments for the promotion of the FNCE.
Value Added Tax incentive (IVA, for its acronym in Spanish). To foster the use of energy generated from
FNCE, the equipment, elements, machinery and national and imported services destined for preinvestment and investment, for the production and use of energy from non-conventional sources, as well
as for measuring and evaluating potential resources, will be exempt from IVA. To this effect, the Ministry
of Environment and Sustainable Development will certify the equipment and services excluded from this
tax, based on a list issued by UPME.
2.5.1.4 Article 13. Instruments for the promotion of renewable energies.
Tariff incentive. Natural or legal persons that upon entry into force of this Law hold new investments in
new FNCE projects, will be exempt from paying import tariffs for machinery, equipment, materials and
inputs exclusively destined for pre-investment and investment projects with said resources. This tariff
incentive will be applicable only to machinery, equipment, materials and inputs not produced by national
industry and whose only means of acquisition is subject to their importation.
The exemption of import tariffs mentioned in the previous paragraph will be applied to FNCE projects
and must be requested to the National Taxes and Customs Direction (DIAN, for its acronym in Spanish)
at least 15 workdays before the import of the machinery, equipment, materials and inputs required and
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exclusively destined to develop renewable energy projects, according to the documentation of the project
endorsed in the certificate issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy or the entity entitled by it to this
purpose.
2.5.1.5 Article 19. Development of solar energy
1. Solar energy will be considered as FNCER. The nature and conditions of the resource shall be
studied and analyzed by CREG for its technical regulation.
2. The National Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Housing,
City and Territory and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, within their
jurisdictions, will foster the use of the solar resource in municipal or district urbanization projects,
government buildings, and in the industrial, residential and commercial sectors.
3. The National Government, directly through the Ministry of Mines and Energy or through the
entity it designates for this purpose, will regulate the conditions for the participation of solar
energy as a source for distributed generation, establishing technical and quality regulations to be
met by the facilities using solar energy, as well as the requirements for the connection, the
delivery of surplus power and safety standards for the installations.
4. The National Government will consider the viability of developing solar energy for selfgeneration in the socio-economic strata 1, 2 and 3, as an alternative to the current energy
consumption subsidy of these users.
5. The National Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development,
will define the environmental parameters to be met by solar energy projects, as well as the
mitigation of potential environmental impacts that may occur during their implementation.
6. The National Government will stimulate the use of photovoltaic generation as a form of selfgeneration and in schemes of distributed generation with FNCER.
7. The National Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy, will consider metering
schemes for all those private and government facilities, industries, commercial establishments
and households using solar energy generation. The metering scheme will contemplate the
possibility of bi-directional net metering, so that a self-generation scheme is available for these
facilities.
2.6 Framework conditions for solar energy

In the months after May 2015, the Colombian government will establish a legal framework to promote the
use of non-conventional renewable energy sources as it continues its pursuit of a cleaner national energy
system. This process began with the enactment of Law 1715 but a more thorough classification is been
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carried out in an effort coordinated among the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Energy and Gas
Regulatory Commission, and the Mining and Energy Planning Unit, among others.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy is responsible for regulating the integration of self-generators, the
Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) will establish the technical procedures for doing so.
Additionally, CREG will form regulatory mechanisms to provide incentives for demand response
programs. The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development established procedures and
criteria for issuing certifications to programs they deem environmentally beneficial, as well as promoting
scientific research, technological development, and innovation related to renewable energy and energy
saving and efficiency.
Although the enactment of Law 1715 was an important advancement for renewable energy in Colombia,
the forthcoming regulations will be equally as important. Colombias regulatory agencies have their work
cut out for them to ensure the nations exciting renewable energy goals are realized. [5]
2.7 Energy Market and Forecast

The right question for Colombia, then, should not be whether the country should participate in the
growing world demand for energy, but rather how it can play a role in this shifting environment. The
potential for Colombia to do so is definitely there, as the numbers in Figure 2 show. Even though it is
expected that local demand will roughly double during the next 20 years, Colombia has an enormous
potential to become an important global supplier of coal, oil, gas and electricity. Figure 2 shows an
estimate of potential resources in the country.
Figure 2: Potential resources in Colombia1
https://umshare.miami.edu/web/wda/hemisphericpolicy/Task_Force_Papers/Yanovich%20%20The%20New%20Colombia%20Task%20Force%20Paper.pdf
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As the estimates in Figure 2 show, Colombia has great potential for growth in both non-renewable and
renewable sources of energy. Non-renewables, such as oil, gas and coal, would supply increasing energy
demand in developing countries, while renewable fuels, particularly biodiesel and ethanol, are set to
supply, in very competitive terms, the shift in energy usage in OECD countries, in particular the United
States and Europe, as I outlined in section II above.
In October 2013, Colombia had 14.4 Gigawatts (GW) of installed electricity generation capacity, over
60% derived from hydropower according to the Unidad de Planeacin Minero Energtica (UPME), the
federal special administrative unit responsible for the sustainable development of the mining and energy
sectors of Colombia.
In October 2013, Colombia generated 5.3 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity. Of electricity generated,
hydroelectric plants provided 68%, gas accounted for 18%, and coal accounted for 8%, and oil accounted
for less than 1%, and the remaining percentage was from other sources. [11]
2.7.1 Electricity price

The Colombian electricity sector is a system of cross-subsidies from users living in areas considered as
being relatively wealthy, and from users consuming higher amounts of electricity, to those living in areas
considered as being poor and to those who use less electricity. In this order the social strata number 1
correspond to the lower income users and the number 6 to the higher income users.
For the city of Cali, the utility EMCALI is in charge of the distribution. The following table shows the
different tariffs established for the year 2015 for residential, commercial and industrial users. [16]
Commercial
Industrial
Residential
Social strata
kWh/Month
Tariff [ct]
17,07 ct/kWh/Month
17,07 ct/kWh/Month
1
173
5,6
2
>173
14,23
173
7,11
3
>173
14,23
173
12,09
>173
14,23
4
5 and 6
Any consume
14,23
17,07
Table 1: Different tariffs established for the year 2015 for residential, commercial and industrial users.
2.8 Institution overview

Non-Conventional Energy and Efficient Energy Management Fund (FENOGE) will be created and
regulated by the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The fund will finance programs and projects that focus on
developing small-scale generation while also improving energy efficiency through the advancement of
best management practices, end-user power equipment, competence of internal facilities, and architectural
remodeling. Furthermore, studies, energy audits, locational adjustments, and the final disposal of
substituted equipment can be financed by FENOGE if they pass cost-benefit evaluations. Electricity
supply in Colombia relies on the National Interconnected System (SIN) and several isolated local systems
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in the Non-Interconnected Zones (ZNI). SIN encompasses one third of the territory, giving coverage to 96
percent of the population. The ZNI, which covers the remaining two thirds of the national territory, only
serves 4 percent of the population.[1]
2.8.1 Responsibilities
Policy and regulation
Colombia has had a liberalized energy market since 1995. An unbundled generation, transmission,
distribution, and commercialization framework characterizes the sector. The Ministry of Mines and
Energy is the leading institution in Colombias energy sector. Within the Ministry, the Unit for Mining
and Energy Planning (UPME) is responsible for the study of future energy requirements and supply
situations, as well as for drawing up the National Energy Plan and Expansion Plan.[3] The Regulatory
Commission for Gas and Energy (CREG) is in charge of regulating the market for the efficient supply of
energy. It defines tariff structures for consumers and guarantees free network access, transmission
charges, and standards for the wholesale market, guaranteeing the quality and reliability of the service and
economic efficiency. Among others, CREG is responsible for providing regulations that ensure the rights
of consumers, the inclusion of environmental and socially sustainable principles, improved coverage, and
financial sustainability for participating entities.[3] The provision of public services (water, electricity,
and telecommunications) to final users is supervised by the independent Superintendence for Residential
Public Services, or SSPD.[3]
2.8.2 Generation
Colombia has 66 registered electricity producers.[3] Private companies own 60 percent of the installed
generation capacity and account for 43 percent (measured in number of consumers) to 49 percent
(measured in kWh sales) of energy supplied to the interconnected grid.[3] Just three companies - the
public companies Empresas Pblicas de Medelln (EPM) and ISAGEN, as well as the private EMGESA control altogether 52 percent of total generation capacity.[2]
2.8.3 Transmission
Transmission in the National Interconnected System is carried out by seven different public companies,
four of which work exclusively in transmission (ISA, EEB, TRANSELCA and DISTASA). The
remaining three (EEPPM, ESSA and EPSA) are integrated companies that carry out all the activities in
the electricity chain (i.e. generation, transmission and distribution).[2] The largest company is
Interconexin Elctrica S.A. (ISA), which belongs to the government.[3]
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2.8.4 Distribution and commercialization

Currently, there are 28 pure commercializing companies; 22 distribution and commercialization ones; 8
ones that integrate generation, distribution and commercialization; and 3 fully integrated ones.[2] The
three largest players in commercialization are Unin Fenosa (with Electrocosta and Electrocaribe),
Endesa (in Bogot) and Empresas Pblicas de Medelln (EPM).[1]
2.9 RES installations

Jeprachi, meaning northeast winds (winds from the northeast in the direction of Cabo de la Vela) in
Wayuunaiki, the native language Wayuu, is the first park for wind power generation built in the country.
It is located in the northeastern region Colombian Atlantic Coast, between the towns of Cabo de la Vela
and Puerto Bolvar, near Portete Bay, in the municipality of Uribia. It has an installed capacity of 19.5
MW rated power, with 15 wind turbines of 1.3 MW each, subject to the trade winds blow almost all year
in this part of the peninsula, at an average of 9.8 meters per second. The machines are arranged in two
rows of eight seven machines respectively, in an area of approximately one kilometer long parallel to the
beach and 1.2 km wide north of the Kasiwolin ranchera and west of the Arutkajui ranchera address. The
park came into full commercial operation on April 19, 2004, and is part of a larger program for the use of
wind energy in the Alta Guajira. Jeprachi are registered as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the
Framework Convention United Nations Climate Change. It was one of the first CDM projects signed in
the country and one of the first in the world, which constitutes an important milestone in the history of the
carbon market. Similarly methodologies for estimating emissions and especially the consultation of the
project with the Wayuu community, were considered as exemplary by the World Bank as required for the
development of similar projects in other parts of the world references. Following this experience, the
World Bank created the Community Carbon Fund (Community Carbon Fund -CCF), in order to support
CDM projects in disadvantaged communities. Their social management is based on respect for ethnic and
cultural integrity of the Wayuu community, establishing relationships of trust and the pursuit of equity
and mutual benefit. [12]
3. Site Selection
3.1 Santiago de Cali
Usually known by its short name "Cali", is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most
populous city in western Colombia, with an estimated 2,319,655 residents. The city spans 560.3 km2 with
120.9 km2 of urban area, making Cali the second largest city by area in the country, behind Bogot. As
the only major Colombian city with access to the Pacific coast, Cali is the main urban and economic
center in western Colombia, and is one of the fastest growing economies in the country thanks to its
proximity to the Buenaventura Port, Colombia's principal seaport on the Pacific Ocean.
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Cali features a tropical savanna climate, presenting high temperature reports all year long. Western
Mountain Range screens most of the humidity and airflow from the Pacific coast towards the interior of
the city but definitely, ocean air flow reaches Cali. The average annual precipitation ranges from 900 mm
in the drier areas to 1,800 mm in the most humid areas, with a 1,000 mm average over most of Calis
metropolitan area. Cali's average temperature is 25 C with an average low temperature of 18.5 C and a
high of 31 C. The dry season goes from December to February and from July to August; and the rainy
season from March to May, and September to November. The following figure shows the location of the
city in Colombia
Figure 3: Map of Santiago de Cali2
3.1.1 Political Division

The urban area of the city is divided into 22 communes, these in turn are divided into neighborhoods and
developments. Throughout the city there are 249 districts and 91 approved developments. According to
public administration there are 509,987 houses and apartments. The rural area is divided into 15 districts,
these in turn are divided into villages. The following image shows the political division of Santiago de
Cali.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Colombia_-_Valle_del_Cauca_-_Santiago_de_Cali.svg
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Figure 4: Political map of Santiago de Cali3
3.1 Sites pre-selected

For the following study, 3 locations are pre-selected for further assessment. These locations are San Luis,
Pance and Navarro, these locations could be seen in the figure 5. Therefore in order to select the most
suitable location, this must fulfill different requirements as seen in the table 2.
Figure 5: Sites pre-selected4
3
4
www.cali.gov.co/publicaciones/descargar.php?id=32324
www.cali.gov.co/publicaciones/descargar.php?id=32326
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For a better selection a ranking from 1 to 3 has been defined. Being 1 = Low, 2 = Medium and 3 = High.
The location with lower score will be the final site selected for this study.
Terrain Usability
Area Accessibility
Distance to substation
Existence of endangered flora and fauna
Archaeology expectations
Distance to infrastructure
Flooding
Total
San Luis
2
3
1
1
2
2
3
14
Pance
3
3
1
1
3
2
1
14
Navarro
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
12
Table 2: Site Assessment
So it was necessary to assess the project location according to the data obtained. Considering all the facts
of environment regulation, the project location was chosen. According to the requirements established in
the site selection, the most suitable place for the development of a PV plant of 1 MW in the city of Cali is
in the location of Navarro.
3.1.1 Corregimiento Navarro

At the southeast of the city of Santiago de Cali is located Corregimiento Navarro. This district,
bordered to the north by the Communes 14, 15 and 21 of the city, and south by the district's Hormiguero.
Corregimiento Navarro has an area of 1,911 hectares. This location was selected given its closeness to
the city infrastructure and flatness of its terrains. Figure 6 gives a general overview of the site selected
and its location close to Cali.
Figure 6: Corregimiento Navarro (district of Navarro)5
Figure 7 shows the final site selected for the PV plant

5
https://www.google.at/maps/@3.4117911,-76.4893111,5177m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=es
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Figure 7: Selected Site for the 1MW PV plant 6
4. Site Assessment
Selecting a suitable site is a crucial part of developing a viable solar PV project. In selecting a site, the
aim is to maximize output and minimize cost. The main constraints that need to be assessed include:
Solar resource Global Horizontal Irradiation, annual and inter-annual variation, impact of
shading.
Local climate flooding, high winds, snow and extreme temperatures.
Available area area required for different module technologies, access requirements, pitch
angle and minimizing inter-row shading.
Land use this will impact land cost and environmental sensitivity. The impact of other land
users on the site should also be considered.
Topography flat or slightly south facing slopes are preferable for projects in the northern
hemisphere.
Geotechnical including consideration of groundwater, resistivity, load bearing properties, soil
pH levels and seismic risk.
Geopolitical sensitive military zones should be avoided.
Accessibility proximity to existing roads, extent of new roads required.
Grid connection cost, timescales, capacity, proximity and availability.
Module soiling including local weather, environmental, human and wildlife factors.
Water availability a reliable supply is required for module cleaning.
Financial incentives tariffs and other incentives vary between countries and regions within
countries.[10]
https://www.google.at/maps/dir///@3.4098776,-76.4818559,1565m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=es
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4.1 Meteorological data

A high average annual GHI is the most basic consideration for developing a solar PV project. The higher
the resource, the greater the energy yield per kWp installed. When assessing the GHI at a site, care must
be taken to minimize any shading that will reduce the irradiation actually received by the modules.
Figure 8: Sun hours in Cali
Shading could be due to mountains or buildings on the far horizon, or mutual shading between rows of
modules, or shading near the location due to trees, buildings or overhead cabling. Avoiding shading is
critical as even small areas of shade may significantly impair the output of a module or string of modules.
The loss in output could be more than predicted by simply assessing the proportion of the modules that
are shaded. When assessing shading, it must be remembered that the path the sun takes through the sky
changes with the seasons. An obstacle that provides significant shading at mid-day in December may not
provide any shading at all at mid-day in June. The shading should be assessed using the full sun-path
diagram for the location.
The following table shows the monthly values of the main meteorological parameters [7]
Table 3: Monthly values of the meteorological parameters
4.2 Terrain usability
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A site assessment of the location where the PV installation is proposed in Cali was performed. According
to the terrain data, the shading conditions were evaluated. The ideal installation of a PV system is where
there are no shadows at all. When considering shadows on the site the following was evaluated:
Figure 9: Calis terrain profile (Natural landscapes, e.g. surrounding mountains)
4.3 Area accessibility

Valle Del Cauca has a privileged geostrategic location which gives it a competitive advantage over other
regions of the country, given its proximity to the most important seaport on the Pacific of Colombia, the
Port of Buenaventura. Through it, more than 50% of cargo import and export of the country is moving.
This geostrategic position, combined with the 13 free trade agreements that Colombia currently has in
place, make the department of Valle del Cauca in the most important platform for importing and
exporting in the country.
On the other hand, the Port of Buenaventura, is the closest seaport to major cities (Cali - Bogota Medellin). The seaport is located 124 km west of Santiago de Cali.
Figure 9 shows that the region has a physical infrastructure that provides connectivity and adequate
mobility of goods and services in the region. This network consists of 8,230 km, including 690 km of
double lanes in both directions.
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Figure 10: Road Connectivity 7
4.4 Grid connection assessment

The main transmission line of the grid of Cali is a U-shaped 220 kV line seen in the previous map in red
with its three high voltage substations connecting the lower transmission grid of 115 kV. In between the
10 low voltage substations in brown a connection with 115 kV lines in pale brown is installed. The
transmission to the substations of the distribution grid is provided by 35.4 kV lines in dark orange.
Figure 11: Energy grid layout of Cali 8
http://www.investpacific.org/es/images/sectores/c6_8.jpg
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4.5 Accessibility of site

The functional classification of urban roads is given by the characteristics of the traffic, the roads, land
use, accessibility, continuity and visibility. Cali's road network consists of a subsystem of regional routes
and a subsystem of urban roads. In the following image it is appreciated the easy access to the location
proposed due to its closeness to the city
Figure 12: Connection of roads in Cali 9
4.6 Existence of endangered fauna and flora

From the geographical data obtained from IDESC an organization from Cali. It points out that, it is
necessary to do an environmental impact assessment. The project location has a very diverse
environment, which includes Eco Park, Swamp, a landfill nearby and also an ecological belt. The species
living in the location has no impact from PV project as the design of PV plant was optimized taking the
species into account.
Figure 13: Ecologic structure in Navarro 10
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_28_subsistema_de_energia_electrica.pdf
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_30_jerarquizacion_vial.pdf
10
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_12_estructura_ecologica_principal.pdf
9
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4.7 Archaeology
The following map shows the protected archaeological areas in the city of Cali pointing out the sites and
areas with backgrounds, as well as areas with archaeological potential of the city. The Colombian
Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) agreed in 2014 to point out the sites with archaeological
backgrounds as well as archaeological areas with low, medium and high potential which is shown in the
following map. The site selected is located in a medium potential for archaeological areas. Further studies
must be done to ensure the non-interference of protected sites.
Figure 14: Archaeology expectations in Navarro 11
4.8 Distance to infrastructure facilities

The following image shows the location of different facilities that are located close to the site selected.
These facilities are differentiated according the use. Among which it can be found religion facilities such
as churches, health facilities such as hospitals and local clinics.
Figure 15: Location of Urban Facilities12
11
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_23_sitios_arqueologicos_y_expectativa_arqueologica.pdf
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As well as education facilities such as kindergarten, schools and universities and recreational facilities
such as sports centers and courts. Social well-being facilities such as shelters, centers for disability
services and daycare centers. All these facilities belong to the public and private sector.
4.8.1 Transmission lines

The location selected took into account the closeness to the electrical substation of Aguablanca, which is
a 115 kV substation. The distance between the transmission line and the PV plant proposed is around 400
m. The following image shows the distribution and location of the closest transmission lines to the site
selected and its respective voltage.
Figure 16: Electrical grid composition in Cali13
4.8.2 Gas lines

The use of natural gas is extended to the residential and industrial sector. In Cali, the operator of this
service is Gases de Occidente, which since its creation has been expanding its network infrastructure to
offer this service throughout the city. The following figure shows the gas grid installed in the
surroundings of the site selected. According to the source consulted during the development of this study
there are not gas pipes in the location chosen.
Figure 17: Natural gas grid14
12
13
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_33_sistema_de_equipamientos.pdf
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_28_subsistema_de_energia_electrica.pdf
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4.9 Air pollution data from WHO

The solar resource can be reduced significantly in some locations due to air pollution from industry and
agriculture. Realistic allowance should be made for undermining factors such as air pollution.
The PM gives the diameter of the particles in the air
PM10
23 m
PM2.5
13 m
PM10 Pollution Level:
Low to Moderate
Index
Pollution Index:
Pollution Exp Scale:
30.92
51.67
Table 4: Air pollution level and Index
Pollution in Cali, Colombia

Air Pollution
20.83
Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
25.00
Dissatisfaction with Garbage Disposal
31.25
Dirty and Untidy
43.75
Noise and Light Pollution
43.75
Water Pollution
31.25
Dissatisfaction to Spend Time in the City
20.00
Dissatisfaction with Green and Parks in the City
31.25
Low
Low
Low
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Low
Low
Table 5: Different categories of pollution in Cali.
Purity and Cleanliness in Cali, Colombia

Air quality
79.17
Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
75.00
Garbage Disposal Satisfaction
68.75
Clean and Tidy
56.25
Quiet and No Problem with Night Lights
56.25
Water Quality
68.75
Comfortable to Spend Time in the City
80.00
Quality of Green and Parks
68.75
High
High
High
Moderate
Moderate
High
Very High
High
Table 6: Purity and Cleanliness in Cali, Colombia
If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as
very high.
4.10 Flooding
Considering the possibilities of flooding, the area is on a low level of danger. The following map shows
the threatened areas in the near surrounding.
14
https://planeacion.cali.gov.co/pot_adoptado/20141201_DTS_RAPOT.pdf
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Figure 18: Flooding risk in Navarro15 (alta = high, media = medium and baja = low water depth)
4.11 Soil liquefaction

The site selected is located in an area susceptible to Soil liquefaction. The following map shows the
threatened areas in the near surrounding highlighted in purple. Liquefaction is a phenomenon whereby,
during periods of oscillatory ground motion caused by an event such as an earthquake, the pore-water
pressure in a loose, saturated granular soil and some fine-grained soils increases to the point where the
effective stress in the soil is zero and the soil loses a portion of its shear strength (initial liquefaction).
Structures founded on or above potentially liquefiable soils may experience bearing capacity failures,
vertical settlement (both total and differential) and lateral displacement (due to lateral spreading of the
ground).[17]
Figure 19: Soil liquefaction areas16
15
16
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_06_amenaza_por_inundacion_del_rio_cauca_tr_500.pdf
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_09_zona_susceptibles_a_licuacion_y_corrimiento_lateral_por_sismos.pdf
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4.12 Sun angle calculations

The elevation angle (used interchangeably with altitude angle) is the angular height of the sun in the sky
measured from the horizontal. Confusingly, both altitude and elevation are also used to describe the
height in meters above sea level. The elevation is 0 at sunrise and 90 when the sun is directly overhead
(which occurs for example at the equator on the spring and fall equinoxes). The elevation angle varies
throughout the day. It also depends on the latitude of a particular location and the day of the year. An
important parameter in the design of photovoltaic systems is the maximum elevation angle, that is, the
maximum height of the sun in the sky at a particular time of year. This maximum elevation angle occurs
at solar noon and depends on the latitude and declination angle as shown in figure below.
Figure 20: Earth orientation and sun angle calculation
Day
Time
June 21st
6:00 AM
June 21st
9:00 AM
June 21st
12:00 PM
June 21st
3:00 PM
December 21st
12:00 PM
Sun declination
Time equivalent
23.44
-1.61
min
23.44
-1.61
min
23.44
-1.61
min
23.44
-1.61
min
-23.41
2.01
Local mean time

Local real time
Sun height
12.03
12.01
-90.11
h
h
12.03
12.01
-45.11
h
h
12.03
12.01
69.97
h
h
12.03
12.01
44.85
h
h
12.03
12.07
63.16
mi
n
h
h
Azimuth
1.26
42.07
0.00
42.29
40.20
Table 7: Sun angle calculation
5. Solar Resource Assessment
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Reliable solar resource data are essential for the development of a solar PV project. While these data at a
site can be defined in different ways, the Global Horizontal Irradiation (the total solar energy received on
a unit area of horizontal surface) is generally of most interest to developers. In particular, a high long term
average annual GHI is desired. There are two main sources of solar resource data: satellite derived data
and land-based measurement. Since both sources have particular merits, the choice will depend on the
specific site. Land based site measurement can be used to calibrate resource data from other sources
(satellites or meteorological stations) in order to improve accuracy and certainty. As solar resource is
inherently intermittent, an understanding of inter-annual variability is important. At least 10 years of data
are usually required to give the variation to a reasonable degree of confidence. [10] In Colombia, solar
resource data are available from various sources. These include the Colombian Meteorological
Department, NASAs Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy data set, METEONORMs global
climatological database, and satellite derived geospatial solar data products from the United States
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These sources are of varying quality and resolution. Appropriate
expertise is needed to interpret the data.
5.1 Global horizontal irradiation (GHI)

GHI is the total solar energy received on a unit area of horizontal surface. It includes energy from the sun
that is received in a direct beam and from all directions of the sky when radiation is scattered off the
atmosphere (diffuse irradiation). The yearly sum of the GHI is of particular relevance for PV power
plants, which are able to make use of both the diffuse and beam components of solar irradiance. The
following table shows the global horizontal irradiation according to 3 data sources, which are
MeteoNorm, NASA and GIS. Nevertheless, for the GIS data only the yearly average was found.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total
MeteoNorm
kWh/m
153.7
140
154.8
145
139.7
136
148.5
153.4
153.8
145.8
132.3
145.2
1748.2
NASA
kWh/m
139.5
129.1
149.7
138.3
142
132.6
159.3
159.3
140.7
140.4
131.7
137
1699.7
GIS
kWh/m
2013
Average
kWh/m
146.6
134.5
152.3
141.7
140.8
134.3
153.9
156.4
147.3
143.1
132
141.1
1820.3
Table 8: Global Horizontal Irradiation value obtained with different sources
This value is of particular interest to photovoltaic installations and includes both Direct Normal Irradiance
(DNI) and Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DIF). DNI is solar radiation that comes in a straight line from
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the direction of the sun at its current position in the sky. DIF is solar radiation that does not arrive on a
direct path from the sun, but has been scattered by molecules and particles in the atmosphere and comes
equally from all directions. The following graphic shows the horizontal global irradiation according to 2
data sources, which are MeteoNorm and NASA. MeteoNorm, NASA and GIS data can be found in the
Appendix F.
Figure 21: Monthly global horizontal irradiation in Cali
6. Solar PV Technology Options

This section of the report discusses about PV applications, module technologies, mounting systems,
inverters. It provides an overview of current commercially available technologies used in utility scale
solar PV projects. The purpose is to provide a framework of understanding for further development before
a specific technology is selected. There are four primary applications for PV power systems:
Off-grid domestic
Off-grid non-domestic
Grid-connected distributed PV
Grid-connected centralized PV
The focus of this report is on grid-connected PV power plants. However much of the guidebook is also
relevant to other applications.
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6.1 Description of pre-selected PV technologies

The unusual electrical properties required for PV cells limit the raw materials from which they may be
manufactured. Silicon is the most common material while cells using cadmium telluride and copper
indium (gallium) di-selenide are also available. Each material has unique characteristics that impact the
cell performance, manufacturing method and cost. PV cells may be based on either silicon wafers
(manufactured by cutting wafers from a solid ingot block of silicon) or thin film technologies (in which
a thin layer of a semiconductor material is deposited on low-cost substrates). PV cells can further be
characterized according to the long range structure of the semiconductor material, monocrystalline,
multi-crystalline (also known as polycrystalline) or less ordered amorphous material.
Crystalline Silicon (c-Si) Modules are made from cells of either mono-crystalline or multicrystalline silicon. Mono-crystalline silicon cells are generally the most efficient, but are also
more costly than multi-crystalline.
Thin Film Modules are made with a thin film deposition of a semiconductor onto a substrate.
This class includes semiconductors made from:
Amorphous silicon (a-Si).

Cadmium telluride (CdTe).
Copper indium selenide (CIS).
Copper indium (gallium) di-selenide (CIGS).
Figure 22: Available photovoltaic cell technologies
6.1.1 Polycrystalline silicon

The first solar panels based on polycrystalline silicon, which also is known as polysilicon (p-Si) and
multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si), were introduced to the market in 1981. Unlike monocrystalline-based
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solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels do not require the Czochralski process. Raw silicon is melted
and poured into a square mold, which is cooled and cut into perfectly square wafers.
The process used to make polycrystalline silicon is simpler and cost less. The amount of waste silicon is
less compared to monocrystalline. The efficiency of polycrystalline-based solar panels is typically 1316%. [9]
6.1.2 Copper, Indium and Selenium (CIS)

CIGS is a semiconductor consisting of a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium. CIGS
absorbs light more efficiently than crystalline silicon, but modules based on this semiconductor require
somewhat thicker films than a-Si PV modules. Indium is a relatively expensive semiconductor material,
but the quantities required are extremely small compared to wafer based technologies. Commercial
production of CIGS modules is in the early stages of development. However, it has the potential to offer
the highest conversion efficiency of all the thin film PV module technologies. Compared to the other thinfilm technologies, CIS solar cells have showed the most potential in terms of efficiency. These solar cells
contain less amounts of the toxic material cadmium that is found in CdTe solar cells. The efficiency rates
for CIS solar panels typically operate in the range 10-12 %. [9]
6.1.3 Cadmium telluride (CdTe)

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a compound of cadmium and tellurium. The cell consists of a semiconductor
film stack deposited on transparent conducting oxide-coated glass. A continuous manufacturing process
using large area substrates can be used. Modules based on CdTe produce a high energy output across a
wide range of climatic conditions with good low light response and temperature response coefficients.
Cadmium telluride is the only thin-film solar panel technology that has surpassed the cost-efficiency of
crystalline silicon solar panels in a significant portion of the market (multi-kilowatt systems). The
efficiency of solar panels based on cadmium telluride usually operates in the range 9-11%. [9]
6.2 PV modules pre-selected

6.2.1 SolarWorld SW 250 Poly
The interconnection of the modules and the connection with the centralized inverter is planned in 250
parallel strings with each 17 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50C an output
of Umpp = 462 V and an Impp = 2019 A is expected. In Appendix A more information about this panel is
seen in the datasheet.
6.2.2 Solar Frontier SF170-S

6.2.2.1 Centralized inverter
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parallel strings with each 6 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50C an output of
Umpp = 490 V and an Impp = 1889 A is expected. In Appendix B more information about the panel is seen
in the datasheet.
6.2.2.2 Decentralized inverter
parallel strings with each 4 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50C an output of
Umpp = 327 V and an Impp = 2450 A is expected.
6.2.3 First Solar FS-3100-PLUS

6.2.3.1 Centralized inverter
parallel strings with each 11 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50C an output
of Umpp = 477 V and an Impp = 2134 A is expected. In Appendix C more information about the panel is
seen in the datasheet.
6.2.2.2 Decentralized inverter
parallel strings with each 8 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50 C an output
of Umpp = 347 V and an Impp = 2307 A is expected.
6.3 Inverter concept

6.3.1 Centralized GE Brilliance 1000 kW CE
GE Energys 1 MW Brilliance Solar Inverter, a grid tie solar inverter, is the latest evolution of renewables
power electronics designed with the heritage of GEs proven wind turbine control design. Building on
GEs expertise as a leader in the wind industry and decades of experience in controls for a wide range of
utility applications, GE will soon be offering the latest power conversion technology for your large-scale
solar applications.
Designed specifically for multi-megawatt solar projects, GE's Brilliance Solar Inverter is UL508C
certified and optimized for direct connection to the grid via a Medium Voltage Transformer. With a
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standard voltage output of 480 VAC, GEs solar inverter requires no additional intermediate transformer,
resulting in higher conversion efficiency. [14]
Figure 23: Centralized and decentralized inverter configuration17
6.3.2 Decentralized Fronius IG Plus 120 V-3

The cleverly-devised combination of several power modules means Fronius inverters always achieve
maximum yield, even when in the partial-load range. This is all down to the unique Fronius Master
Inverter X-Change system (MIX), a development of the classic master/slave principle. How it works: all
power modules are equal. The master OS allocated alternately, taking into account the operating hours
worked. The result is that loads are applied evenly to individual power modules and the operating time
decreases.
6.4 Mounting system

The mounting of panels at 15 tilted angle is not possible with the most of common mounting systems
because they operate in a range of 20 to 40 degrees. The soil is forcing the use of concrete foundation and
no steel pole ramming is possible. The mounting system company Schletter Ltd. from Germany provides
systems in a range from 15 to 30 degrees and prefabricated footing and fits for this project. The model
PvMax3 is a simple and therefore inexpensive framework to ensure a safe operation of the solar energy
generators. The datasheet will be found in Appendix D.
17
https://sites.google.com/site/reeetech/mbipv/pick-and-design-a-pv-system
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Figure 24: Available mounting systems in the market
Cali, Colombia
18
6.4.1 Inter-row spacing calculator

The minimum distance between 2 rows of mounting systems must be calculated according the following
figure
Figure 25: Inter-row calculation
For the design proposed, with a tilted angle = 15, shading angle of 62 and a module array b= 2 m. The
minimum distance is dmin = 2.21 m.
The distance between back to front rows for the design proposed is 2.5 m which gives enough distance for
maintenance and mobility in the PV plant.
7. PV Plant Performance
The performance of a PV power plant is expected to fall during its lifetime, especially in the second and
third decade of its life as modules continue to degrade and plant components age. In addition to the
quality of the initial installation, a high degree of responsibility for the performance of a PV plant lies
with the O&M contractor. This section discusses how the operational performance of a PV plant may be
quantified.
18
http://schletter.eu
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7.1 PV plant performance with a Centralized inverter

The following table compares the performance of three PV technologies with a centralized inverter.
Centralized inverter
Poly
7126
1063
4250
Area [m]
kW_peak [kW]
N of modules [1]
CIS
CdTe
7221
1000
5880
7920
1100
11000
Table 9: Performance of three PV technologies with a centralized inverter
Energy yield
Poly
CIS
CdTe
Specific production [kWh/kWp/y]
1359
1506
1406
Energy yield [MWh/y]
1398
1506
1547
Performance ratio [%]
76.1
87.2
81.4
Energy yield probability forecast [MWh/y]
Poly
1398
1366
1336
P50
P75
P90
CIS
1506
1466
1434
CdTe
1547
1519
1485
Table 10: Energy yield and probability forecast of three different solar technologies with centralized inverter
Global incident in coll. plane

IAM factor on global
PV loss due to irradiance level
PV loss due to temperature
Module quality loss
Module array mismatch loss
Ohmic wiring loss
Inverter loss during operation
Losses [%]
Poly
1.1
3.4
1.3
12.0
1.5
1.0
1.1
3.2
CIS
1.1
3.4
8.2
0.7
1.0
3.0
CdTe
1.2
3.3
0.5
8.0
2.5
0.8
1.0
3.1
Table 11: Losses of three different solar technologies with centralized inverter
7.2 PV plant performance with a Decentralized inverter

The following table compares the performance of two PV technologies with a decentralized inverter.
Decentralized inverter
CIS
CdTe
Area [m]
6244
6227
kW_peak [kW]
864
865
N of modules [1]
5084
8648
CIS
1480
CdTe
1395
Generated Energy [MWh/y]
1279
1207
Performance ratio [%]
85.6
80.7
Energy yield
Specific production [kWh/kWp/y]
Energy yield probability forecast [MWh/y]

CIS
CdTe
P50
1279
1207
P75
1244
1175
P90
1217
1149
Table 12: Performance of two different solar technologies with decentralized inverter with Energy yield and probability forecast
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Losses [%]
CIS
Global incident in coll. plane

IAM factor on global
PV loss due to irradiance level
PV loss due to temperature
Module quality loss
Module array mismatch loss
Ohmic wiring loss
Inverter loss during operation
1.1
3.4
8.2
0.7
0.8
1.0
4.7
CdTe
1.1
3.4
0.5
8.1
2.5
0.8
1.0
4.6
Table 13: Losses of two different solar technologies with centralized inverter
7.3 Degradation of the module according to warranty

7.3.1 Degradation of Si-poly
The following table indicates the energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation
given by warranty. The average of energy injected into the grid during 25 years is 1258.2 MWh.
Year
MWh
1
1398
Year
MWh
10
1293
Year
MWh
19
1188
2
1386.35
3
1374.7
11
1281.5
20
1176.65
12
1269.9
21
1165
4
1363.05
13
1258.2
22
1153.35
5
1351.4
14
1246.6
23
1141.7
6
1339.75
15
1234.9
24
1130.05
7
1328.1
16
1223.3
8
1316.45
9
1304.8
17
1211.6
18
1200
25
1118.4
Table 14: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized
inverter.
Figure 26: Degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter
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7.3.2 Degradation of CIS

given by warranty. The average of energy injected into the grid during 25 years is 1,355.4 MWh.
Year
MWh
1
1398
2
1386.35
3
1374.7
4
1363.05
5
1351.4
6
1339.75
7
1328.1
8
1316.45
9
1304.8
Year
MWh
10
1293
11
1281.5
12
1269.9
13
1258.2
14
1246.6
15
1234.9
16
1223.3
17
1211.6
18
1200
Year
MWh
19
1188
20
1176.65
22
1153.35
23
1141.7
24
1130.05
25
1118.4
21
1165
Table 15: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty.
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter.
Figure 27: Degradation of PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter
7.4 Degradation of the module according to experience

7.4.1 Degradation of Si-poly
giving by experience, which is a reduction of 0.5% each year. The average of energy injected into the grid
during 25 years is 1,317.2 MWh.
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Year
MWh
1
1398
2
1391.0
3
1384.1
4
1377.1
5
1370.2
6
1363.4
7
1356.6
8
1349.8
9
1343.0
Year
MWh
10
1336.3
11
1329.7
12
1323.0
13
1316.4
14
1309.8
15
1303.3
16
1296.7
17
1290.3
18
1283.8
Year
MWh
19
1277.4
20
1271.0
21
1264.6
22
1258.3
23
1252.0
24
1245.8
25
1239.5
Table 16: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized
inverter.
Figure 28: Degradation of PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter
7.4.2 Degradation of CIS

giving by experience, which is a reduction of 0.5% each year. The average of energy injected into the grid
during 25 years is 1,419 MWh.
Year
MWh
1
1506
2
1498.5
3
1491.0
4
1483.5
5
1476.1
6
1468.7
7
1461.4
8
1454.1
9
1446.8
Year
MWh
10
1439.6
11
1432.4
12
1425.2
13
1418.1
14
1411.0
15
1403.9
16
1396.9
17
1389.9
18
1383.0
Year
MWh
19
1376.1
20
1369.2
21
1362.3
22
1355.5
23
1348.8
24
1342.0
25
1335.3
Table 17: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation giving
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter.
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Figure 29: Degradation of the PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter
7.5 Hay and Perez comparison

Transposition is separately calculated for each irradiance component:
The beam component involves a purely geometrical transformation (cosine effect), which
doesn't involve any physical assumption.
The two models differ by the diffuse component treatment:
When working with PVsyst the default preference is the Perez model. It is a more sophisticated model
requiring good (well measured) horizontal data, coming from MeteoNorm or GIS. It introduces the
"horizon band" as a third diffuse component. It divides the sky into sectors, and parameterizes the
transformations of the circumsolar and the horizon band according to correlations established on the basis
of data of several dozen of measurement sites, distributed all over the world.
By changing to Hay's model the diffuse irradiance is divided into an isotropic contribution, and a
"circumsolar" part, which is proportional to the beam component. Through transposition, the isotropic
part is reduced according to the solid angle "seen" by the collector plane (e.g.: the fraction). The
circumsolar part is transposed geometrically as the beam component. The specificity of the Hay model is
the determination of the circumsolar fraction, which is chosen as the Clearness index Ktb of the beam
component.. It is a classic and robust model, which gives good results even when the knowledge of the
diffuse irradiation is not perfect. [18]
In Appendix G two energy yields are found as a result of a simulation with PVsyst. The first is done with
Perez and the second with Hays model. There is a calculated difference of 6 MWh/year.
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8. Conceptual Design and Layout

The design of a PV plant involves a series of compromises aimed at achieving the lowest possible
levelized cost of electricity. Choosing the correct technology (especially modules and inverters) is of
central importance. Selecting a module requires assessment of a complex range of variables. At the very
least, this assessment would include cost, power output, benefits / drawbacks of technology type, quality,
spectral response, performance in low light, nominal power tolerance levels, degradation rate and
warranty terms. The factors to consider when selecting inverters include compatibility with module
technology, compliance with grid code and other applicable regulations, inverter-based layout, reliability,
system availability, serviceability, modularity, telemetry requirements, inverter locations, quality and
cost. In designing the site layout, the following aspects are important:
Choosing row spacing to reduce inter-row shading and associated shading losses.
Choosing the layout to minimize cable runs and associated electrical losses.
Allowing sufficient distance between rows to allow access for maintenance purposes.
Choosing a tilt angle that optimizes the annual energy yield according to the latitude of the site
and the annual distribution of solar resource.
Orientating the modules to face a direction that yields the maximum annual revenue from power
production. In the northern hemisphere, this will usually be true south.
The electrical design of a PV project can be split into the DC and AC systems. The DC system comprises
the following:
Array(s) of PV modules.
Inverters.
DC cabling (module, string and main cable).
DC connectors (plugs and sockets).
Junction boxes/combiners.
Disconnects/switches.
Protection devices.
Earthing.
The AC system includes:

AC cabling.
Switchgear.
Transformers.
Substation.
Earthing and surge protection.
Every aspect of both the DC and AC electrical systems should be scrutinized and optimized. The potential
economic gains from such an analysis are much larger than the cost of carrying it out. In order to achieve
a high performance PV plant, the incorporation of automatic data acquisition and monitoring technology
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is essential. This allows the yield of the plant to be monitored and compared with calculations made from
solar irradiation data to raise warnings on a daily basis if there is a shortfall. Faults can then be detected
and rectified before they have an appreciable effect on production. [10]
8.1 Layout
The PV plant layout shown in the following 3D simulation draws out of PVsyst. Virtual simulation of 1
MW power plant layout drawing is included with shading factor and loss. Number of PV panels in series
are 18 and number of strings are 235. Total number of panels for the plant is 4,290.
Figure 29: Screenshot from PVsyst from south-west
Figure 30: Screenshot from PVsyst of the string arrangement
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8.2 Grid connection

The grid connection interface is where the electricity is exported into the grid network. The substation
will also have the required grid interface switchgear such as circuit breakers and disconnects for
protection and isolation of the PV power plant as well as generation and supply metering equipment. The
substation and metering point are often external to the PV power plant boundary and are typically located
on the network operators property.
A grid connection of sufficient capacity is required to enable the export of power. The viability of grid
connection will depend on three main factors: capacity, availability and proximity. These factors should
be considered thoroughly at an early stage of a project; otherwise, the costs could become prohibitive if
the site is later found to be in an unfavorable area for grid connection.
Capacity The capacity for the grid to accept exported power from a solar plant will depend on
the existing network infrastructure and current use of the system. The rating of overhead lines,
cables and transformers will be an important factor in assessing the connection capacity available.
Switchgear fault levels and protection settings may also be affected by the connection of a
generation plant. In cases where a network does not have the existing capacity to allow
connection, there are two options available:
1) To reduce peak power export to the allowable limits of the network or 2) to upgrade the
network to allow the desired export capacity. Network upgrade requirements will be advised by
the network operator. But some aspects of that upgrade can be carried out by contractors other
than the network operator. Initial investigation into network connection point capacity can often
be carried out by reviewing published data. However, discussion with the network operator will
be required to fully establish the scope of work associated with any capacity upgrades.
Proximity A major influence on the cost of connecting to the grid will be the distance from the
site to the grid connection point. Sites should be at locations where the cost of grid connection
does not adversely affect project economics. Besides, a higher connection voltage will entail
increased cost of electrical equipment such as switchgear and transformers, as well as a higher
conductor specification. A higher voltage is also likely to increase the time taken to provide the
connection resulting in longer development period.
Availability The grid availability describes the percentage of time that the network is able to
export power from the solar PV plant. The annual energy yield from a plant may be significantly
reduced if the grid has significant downtime. This may have adverse effects on the economics of
the project. Availability statistics should be requested from the network operator to establish the
expected downtime of the network. In developed areas, the availability of the grid is usually very
high. The mandatory grid connection is due to the fact of the existing substation at the border of
the plant area an easy and low cost operation act. There are no
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8.3 Buildings and infrastructure

Due to mountains or buildings on the far horizon, mutual shading between rows of modules and near
shading due to trees, buildings or overhead cabling. A utility scale PV power plant requires infrastructure
appropriate to the specifics of the design chosen. Locations should be selected in places where buildings
will not cast unnecessary shading on the PV module. The current site selected is not affected by trees or
buildings.
9. Project Economics
9.1 Assumptions for this project
9.1.1 Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE)
LCOE may be reported as either a real or nominal LCOE. For the following calculations it will be
considered a real LCOE. Taxes are not taking into account. The key input in calculating the levelized cost
of electricity is the discount rate applied to cash flows in different years. For the cost of capital a fixed
value can be used. For this calculation it is assumed a WACC according to an IRENA study [15].
Figure 31: IRENA study of economic life for renewable energy technologies all over the world
These assumptions are average values, but the reality is that the cost of debt and the required return on
equity as well as the ratio of debt-to-equity varies between individual projects and countries depending on
a wide range of factors.
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9.1.2 Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)

This includes the total cost of developing and constructing a plant, excluding any grid connection charges.
When compiling CAPEX figures we break costs into three broad components: development, balance of
plant and equipment.
For Poly-crystalline (2014, utility-scale) it is used 1100 /kWp.
For CdTe (2014, utility scale) it is used 1300 /kWp.
For CIGS (2014, utility scale) it is used 1300 /kWp
9.1.3 Operating Expenditure (OPEX)

This is the total annual operating expenditure from the first year of a projects operation, given in per unit
of installed capacity terms. OPEX are typically either estimated as a percentage of the CAPEX (i.e. 1-2 %
of CAPEX) or as cost per installed power: 20-25 /kWpa. In this project it is assumed 22 /kWp.
9.2 LCOE Results

According the previously described assumptions for the calculation of LCOE, the following are the
results for the three technologies selected. The time for the calculation is 25 years.
LCOE (Poly)
0.099 /kWh
LCOE (CdTe)
0.107 /kWh
LCOE (CIS)
0.104 /kWh
Table 18: Levelized cost of electricity for three different solar cell technologies
9.3 LCOE Sensitivity Analysis

The following addresses which factors have the most significant influence on costs for the Poly
PV plant which has the lowest price of the three technologies selected. This can be determined
from the model, by creating a spider diagram. For this diagram, a base case is chosen and the
LCOE calculated of that situation. Next, the variables CAPEX, OPEX and Yield are each
individually modified to determine the effect of that mutation on the diagram. These results are
then calculated in Excel and graphically represented, giving a clear visual indication of which
variables have the most significant effect on the LCOE.
The base case LCOE was 9.94 ct/kWh which belongs to the polycrystalline technology. The
resulting spider diagram is the following figure
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Figure 32: Spider diagram for Poly-Si
As it can be seen in the figure 33, the highest LCOE is presented when the CAPEX and OPEX remain
stable and the energy yield is reduced by 15%. This could be given for technical or environmental
reasons. At the same time the lowest LCOE is presented when the CAPEX and OPEX remain stable and
the energy yield is increased by 15%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the two factors that affect the
most to the final LCOE for polycrystalline technology are the energy yield and the CAPEX.
10. Final Selection

As it can now be seen from the LCOE results in table 19, the lower value belongs to the polycrystalline
technology. Therefore, according to the following study the most suitable technology for a PV plant of 1
MW for the location of Cali, Colombia is Poly in spite of that this technology experience the higher
percentage of losses due to temperature compared to CIS and CdTe.
At the same time, the most suitable arrangement for the PV plant is with a centralized inverter given that
the energy yield is higher in this configuration than the decentralized as seen in table 10 and 12. Even
though the energy yield from Poly was lower compared with CIS and CdTe as seen in the table 10, the
LCOE plays an important role in order to select between the three technologies proposed.
The following table summarizes according to this study which is the final configuration that best suits the
location of Cali, Colombia for the further develop of a PV plant of 1 MW.
PV Technology
Inverter
N of modules
Energy yield [MWh/y]
LCOE [ct/kWh]
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Poly
Centralized
4290
Cali, Colombia
1398 9.94
Table 19: Final selection for 1MW power Plant
11. Operations Concept

11.1 Maintenance
Compared to most other power generating technologies, PV plants have low maintenance and servicing
requirements. However, proper maintenance of a PV plant is essential to optimise energy yield and
maximise the life of the system.
Suitably thorough scheduled maintenance should minimise the requirement for unscheduled maintenance
although, inevitably, some failures still occur. A robust and well-planned approach to both scheduled and
unscheduled maintenance is important. [10]
11.1.1 Scheduled/Preventative maintenance

The scheduling and frequency of preventative maintenance is dictated by a number of factors. These
include the technology selected, environmental conditions of the site, warranty terms and seasonal
variances. The scheduled maintenance is generally carried out at intervals planned in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations, and as required by the equipment warranties. Scheduled maintenance
should be conducted during non-peak production periods and, where possible, at night.
Although scheduled maintenance will both maximise production and prolong the life of the plant, it does
represent a cost to the project. Therefore, the aim should be to seek the optimum balance between cost of
scheduled maintenance and increased yield through the life of the system. Specific scheduled
maintenance tasks are covered in the following sections. [10]
11.1.1.1 Module Cleaning
The frequency of module cleaning will depend on local site conditions and the time of year. It is generally
recommended to clean the modules at least twice annually. If the system efficiency is found to be below
the expected efficiency, then module cleaning should be scheduled as necessary. [10]
11.1.1.2 Module Connection Integrity
Checking module connection integrity is important for systems that do not have string level monitoring.
In such cases, faults within each string of modules may be difficult to detect. Therefore, the connections
between modules within each string should be checked periodically (this may include measuring the
string current). [10]
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11.1.1.3 Hot Spots

Potential faults across the PV plant can often be detected through thermography. This technique helps
identify weak and loose connections in junction boxes and inverter connections. It can also detect hot
spots within inverter components and along strings of modules that are not performing as expected.
Thermography should be conducted by a trained specialist using a thermo graphic camera. [10]
11.1.1.4 Inverter Servicing
Generally, inverter faults are the most common cause of system downtime in PV power plants. Therefore,
the scheduled maintenance of inverters should be treated as a centrally important part of the maintenance
strategy. The preventive maintenance for an inverter should, as a minimum annually. [10]
11.1.1.5 Structural Integrity
The module mounting assembly, cable conduits and any other structures built for the PV plant should be
checked periodically for mechanical integrity and signs of corrosion given that is a coast location. This
will include an inspection of support structure foundations for evidence of erosion from water run-off.
[10]
11.1.1.6 Vegetation Control
Vegetation control and ground keeping are important scheduled tasks for solar PV power plants since
there is a strong likelihood for vegetation (for example, long grass, trees or shrubs) to shade the modules.
The ground keeping can also reduce the risk of soiling (from leaves, pollen or dust) on the modules. [10]
11.1.2 Unscheduled maintenance

Unscheduled maintenance is carried out in response to failures. As such, the key parameter when
considering unscheduled maintenance is diagnosis, speed of response and repair time. Although the
shortest possible response is preferable for increasing energy yield, this should be balanced against the
likely increased contractual costs of shorter response times. [10]
11.1.2.1 Spares
In order to facilitate a rapid response, a suitably stocked spares inventory is essential. Adequate supplies
of the components should be held. It is important that spares stock levels are maintained. Consultation
with manufacturers to detail the spare parts inventory, based upon estimated component lifetimes and
failure rates, is recommended. [10]
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Figure 33: Hierarchy table of Operation & maintenance team
11.2 Commissioning
Commissioning should prove three main criteria:
The power plant is structurally and electrically safe.
The power plant is sufficiently robust (structurally and electrically) to operate for the specified
project lifetime.
The power plant operates as designed and performs as expected.
Commissioning tests are normally split into three groups:
Visual acceptance tests. These tests take place before any systems are energized and consist of a
detailed visual inspection of all significant aspects of the plant.
Pre-connection acceptance tests. These include an open circuit voltage test and short circuit
current test. These tests must take place before grid connection.
Post-connection acceptance test. Once the plant is connected to the grid, a DC current test
should be carried out. Thereafter, the performance ratio of the plant is measured and compared
with the value stated in the contract. An availability test, usually over a period of 5 days, should
also be carried out.
References
45 | P a g e
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[1] V!VA Travel Guides. (2011) Colombia's Political System [Online] Available from:
http://www.vivatravelguides.com/south-america/colombia/colombia-overview/colombias-politicalsystem/ [Accessed: 5th April 2015].
[2] Marca Colombia. (2013) Investment [Online] Available from:
http://www.colombia.co/en/investment/investment.html [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[3] Raisbeck, Lara, Rodrguez & Rueda. (2005) Doing Business in Colombia [Online] Available from:
http://www.bakermckenzie.com/files/Uploads/Documents/LATAX%202010/09_General%20Publications
/db_04_colombia.pdf [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[4] Ryan Rosero. (2014) How Colombia Is Defining Renewable Energy [Online] Available from:
http://www.westeva.com/blog/defining-renewable-energy [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[5] Ryan Rosero. (2014) Law 1715The Path to a Cleaner Energy Future in Colombia [Online]
Available from:
http://www.westeva.com/blog/colombia-law1715 [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[6] ColombiaInfo. (2014) Cali - Temperature & Climate [Online] Available from:
http://www.colombiainfo.org/en-us/cities/cali/caliclimate.aspx [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[7] INSTITUTO DE HIDROLOGIA METEOROLOGIA Y ESTUDIOS AMBIENTALES. (2000) Tabla
de valores mensuales de los principales parmetros meteorolgicos [Online] Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali#Climate [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[8] Numbeo. (2015) Pollution in Cali, Colombia [Online] Available from:
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/city_result.jsp?country=Colombia&city=Cali [Accessed: 9th April
2015].
[9] Mathias Aarre Maehlum. (2015) Which Solar Panel Type is Best? Mono- vs. Polycrystalline vs. Thin
Film [Online] Available from:
http://energyinformative.org/best-solar-panel-monocrystalline-polycrystalline-thin-film/ [Accessed: 16th
June 2015].
[10] International Finance Corporation (IFC). (2012) Utility Scale Solar Power Plants [Online] Available
from:
http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/04b38b804a178f13b377ffdd29332b51/SOLAR%2BGUIDE%2BB
OOK.pdf?MOD=AJPERES [Accessed: 16th June 2015].
[11] David Yanovich. (2013) Colombia and its Energy Potential [Online] Available from:
https://umshare.miami.edu/web/wda/hemisphericpolicy/Task_Force_Papers/Yanovich%20%20The%20New%20Colombia%20Task%20Force%20Paper.pdf [Accessed: 16th June 2015].
46 | P a g e
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[12] EPM. (2015) Parque Elico Jeprachi [Online] Available from:

http://www.epm.com.co/site/Home/Institucional/Nuestrasplantas/Energia/ParqueEolico.aspx [Accessed:
9th April 2015].
[13] GE Energy. (2010) GE 1 MW Brilliance* Solar Inverter [Online] Available from: http://site.geenergy.com/prod_serv/products/solar/en/downloads/GEA18380_1MW_PV_Inverter_r4.pdf [Accessed:
16th June 2015].
[14] International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2014) RENEWABLE POWER GENERATION
COSTS IN 2014 [Online] Available from:
http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA_RE_Power_Costs_2014_report.pdf
[Accessed: 16th September 2015].
[15] Emcali. (2015) Tarifas de energia [Online] Available from:
http://www.emcali.com.co/documents/10848/916987/01.+Enero+2015.pdf?version=1.0 [Accessed: 16th
September 2015].
[16] Harvey F. Kline (2015) Colombia [Online] Available from:
http://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia/The-people [Accessed: 16th September 2015].
[17] Prof Dr K C Thaker, K K Thaker (2011) Proposed Structure of 400kv Solar Park at Charanaka
rhttp://www.guvnl.com/Tender/File/GETCO/Corporate%20Office/30092011/Part_2/Soil_testing_report_
of_400KV_Charanka_300911.pdf [Accessed: 16th September 2015].
[18] Pvsyst (2015) Transposition model [Online] Available from:
http://files.pvsyst.com/help/meteo_transposition.htm [Accessed: 19th September 2015].
47 | P a g e
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Appendix A
1|Page
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2|Page
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Appendix B
3|Page
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4|Page
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5|Page
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6|Page
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Appendix C
7|Page
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8|Page
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Appendix D
9|Page
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Appendix E
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Appendix F
MeteoNorm
NASA
GIS
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Appendix G
Report of Perez model simulation

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Report of Hays model simulation

16 | P a g e

Pre-Feasibility Study of A 1MW PV Plant For Cali, Colombia

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Pre-Feasibility Study of A 1MW PV Plant For Cali, Colombia

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Hagenberg Linz Steyr Wels

LARGE SCALE SOLAR POWER PLANT

PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A 1MW PV

Author / Student number

Alam Kazi / 1410767006

Andres Moreno / 1410767021

Philipp Steinlechner / 1410767026

Dr. Robert Hller

Brief Country Description ........................................................................................ 2

Site Selection ...........................................................................................................11

Site Assessment .......................................................................................................15

4.4 Grid connection assessment .................................................................................................18

Solar Resource Assessment ......................................................................................24

Solar PV Technology Options ..................................................................................26

PV Plant Performance .............................................................................................31

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

7.3.2 Degradation of CIS ...........................................................................................34

Degradation of the module according to experience ......................................................34

7.5 Hay and Perez comparison ...................................................................................................36

9.1 Assumptions for this project.................................................................................................40

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2. Brief Country Description

Figure 1: Map of Colombia

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2.2 Political situation

2.3 Macroeconomic overview

2.4 Investment law situation

2.4.1 Foreign Investment Regime

2.5 Renewable energy law

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2.5.1 Law 1715 of 2014

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2.6 Framework conditions for solar energy

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2.7 Energy Market and Forecast

Figure 2: Potential resources in Colombia1

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2.7.1 Electricity price

2.8 Institution overview

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

2.8.4 Distribution and commercialization

2.9 RES installations

Figure 3: Map of Santiago de Cali2

3.1.1 Political Division

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

Figure 4: Political map of Santiago de Cali3

3.1 Sites pre-selected

Figure 5: Sites pre-selected4

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

Table 2: Site Assessment

3.1.1 Corregimiento Navarro

Figure 6: Corregimiento Navarro (district of Navarro)5

Figure 7 shows the final site selected for the PV plant

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

Figure 7: Selected Site for the 1MW PV plant 6

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

4.1 Meteorological data

Figure 8: Sun hours in Cali

Table 3: Monthly values of the meteorological parameters

4.2 Terrain usability

Moreno, Steinlechner, Alam

Figure 9: Calis terrain profile (Natural landscapes, e.g. surrounding mountains)