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4.872 KW GRID-CONNECTED PV SYSTEM RESULTS AND TESTING AT

RAJAMANGALA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (RMUT), THAILAND

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Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi Chiang Mai University
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 4.872 KW GRID-CONNECTED PV SYSTEM RESULTS AND TESTING AT
RAJAMANGALA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (RMUT), THAILAND
Napat Watjanatepin
Rajamangala University of Technology
Suvarnabhumi THAILAND
Phone:+66-2969-1521, Fax:+66-2525-2682
e-mail: watjanatepin@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This paper is to present 84 panels of amorphous silicon
(a-Si) Solar cells that has 58 W 63 V per panel (Kaneka
Solar PV) and the total power is 4.872 kW. The solar panels
installed on building top of the Electrical Engineering
Building at Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT),
Nonthaburi, THAILAND is 71 m2. This project has two
important objectives.
1. Installation and testing results of 4.872kW Grid-Connected
PV System (GPV), to find out the efficiency of PV array ,
Inverter and Overall.
2. Measurement generating energy in 12 months and
calculate generating cost , save cost and average power
generation.
Three 2.2 kW single-phased Grid-connected inverter
generated supply to the distribution system. The control
and monitoring system use the Leonics Apollo View
Software.
The 4.872kW GPV can potentially produce 6,444 kWh
of electricity per year and it can save electric cost for
Bt15,010.40 (US$375.26) per year. The cost for generated
electric energy is Bt8 (US$0.2) per kWh , average power
generation is 0.25 kWh/m2/day. The overall efficiency of
this system is 32.60% , efficiency of PV arrays is 40.12%
and efficiency of Grid-Connected inverter is 81.39%.
Keywords : amorphous silicon , Grid-Connected inverter ,
Building top , GPV
1. INTRODUCTION
Between 1992 to 2001, 928MWp of solar PV had been
installed in twenty of IEA-PVPS [8] participating countries.
Almost 70% of these installations are connected to the
grid. Since 1992,the growth rates of solar PV applications
have risen from 20% to 40%. In 2001 alone , 257MWp
of PVs were installed where 79% of the systems were
installed in Japan and Germany. Thus, Japan recorded the
highest PV power per capita of about 3.6 Wp/capita.
Chaiyant Boonmee
Rajamangala University of Technology
Suvarnabhumi THAILAND
Phone:+66-2969-1521, Fax:+66-2525-2682
Recently, the majority of the PV installations are as grid-
connected PV system (GPV). This is due to various
Government and utility supported programmes that drive
the rapid rise of distributed GPV application in Japan,
Germany, USA and Netherlands.[7]
In 1983 the first GPV project of Thailand installed at
Phuket province by Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand (EGAT) , has generated electric power 11.34
kW. After that have many solar projects about stand alone
system , GPV and Hybrid system [1] in Thailand. In 2000
The National Energy Policy Office (NEPO) of Thailand
explored all of Solar (PV) project in Thailand , they found
out that the total power is 5.217 MWp. What was used for
telecommunication system is 36.5% , for battery charging
system is 32.5% , for GPV only 5.3% and another system
is 27.5% as show in Figure 1.
0.5% 5.3% 3.8%
2.4%
36.5%
19.0%
32.5%
Telecommunication System
Battery Charging System
Water Pumping System
Distance Learning System
Hybridge System
Grid-Connected / Stand-alone System
ect.
Figure 1: The proportion of PV for used in Thailand (2000)
Source:NEPO
However , Grid-Connected are interesting system because its
cost is lower than the stand-alone system. So , the Rooftop
Grid-Connected PV system (RGPV) project in United
States of America , Japan and Europe if to succeed can
grow up to be next the project example 1 million houses in
USA, 100,000 houses in Europe and 70,000 houses in
Japan.
 2

2.1.2 Junction box

In 1987 Thailand had a PV project from EGAT and
NEPO to cooperate for RGPV, this project installed 2.5 The PV system has three subarrays , each subarray has water
kW-2.8 kW of PV system at 10 houses and the next project proof junction box. The junction box used for connecting
was brought to the 100 houses during 2002 -2003. [3] electric cable and install seven blocking diode rate is 3
A 1000 V to protect reverse current when there’s shade
This project got the budget from Thai government in 2003 ,
on the top of PV array , as show in Figure 4.
for installation and testing of the 4.872 kW GPV. It was
installed on building top of the Electrical Engineering
Building at Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT) ,
Nonthaburi , Thailand. We used amorphous silicon (a-Si)
Kaneka Solar PV product of Japan and used LEONICS
2.2 kW Grid-Connected Inverter model Apollo G-300 for
convert DC power to AC power , it’s product of Thailand.
2. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
2.1 System Configuration
The System block diagram of Grid-Connected PV System
Figure 4: Junction box and Blocking diode
as show in Figure 2. It consisted of 5 main parts are Solar
Array Junction box Grid-Connected Inverter Production 2.1.3 Grid-connected Inverter
meter and protection system Control and Monitoring
The Grid-connected Inverter used to convert DC power from
system
PV array to AC power on grid. This project have three
LEONICS Inverter model G-300 , its rate is 2.2 kW single
Solar Array phased input 165-300 VDC , output 220 V 50/60 Hz ,
Power factor >0.98 , low harmonic distortion<4% and MPPT
control. The system was designed to generate power that
would be injected directly to the MEA electric grid as show
Junction box in Figure 5.

RS-232 Grid – Connected

∼ ∼ ∼ Inverter

kWh/SP kWh/SP kWh/SP

Distribution
System
Monitoring
System
Figure 2: The system block diagram
2.1.1 Solar Array
The existing PV array is comprised of 84 Kaneka Solar
PV amorphous silicon (a-Si) modules product of Japan.
The system consists of three subarrays of 28 modules ,
each arranged in four columns and seven rows , as seen in
Figure 3. In each subarray , the modules are connected in
series strings of four groups of seven parallel-connected
modules , for nominal voltage of 252 Volts dc. The output
of each subarray is connected to a LEONICS 2.2 kW
Grid-connected Inverter.
Figure 5: Grid-Connected Inverter Single phase 220 V 50 Hz
2.1.4 Production meter and protection system
Three single phased kilowatt-hour meter are installed for
measuring electric energy from Grid-Connected Inverter,
we call it Production meter. The protection system consist
of circuit breakers set in DC and AC part , set of surge
protection devices from LEONICS model LS211C was
installed at output of inverter to bypass the high voltages
induced by lightening. Those equipments were installed
in the steel cabinet size 57 cm × 69 cm × 25 cm as show
in Figure 6.

Figure 3: The complete 84 PV-panels

Figure 6: Production meter and Protection System

2.1.5 Control and Monitoring System
The control of Inverter operating function depends on the
Inverter Specification. This means that the Inverter will
be turned on in the morning and will automatically
synchronize to the electric grid. After that it was operated
all day until the evening, it will just automatically shut
down. So , the measurement system has current sensors ,
voltage sensors and data recorder that were include in the
function of the Inverter , the data has been recorded after
the set up of parameter by software. The monitoring
system used LEONICS Apollo View software , it has
local and Remote monitoring with PC , and display value
of current , Voltage , Power and energy as shown in
Figure 7.
Figure 7: LEONICS Apollo View Software
2.2 Installation and System Operation
2.2.1 Installation
84 Solar panels were installed on the Galvanized Steel
Structure, this structure has a slope of 15 degrees facing
South. The area installed is 71 m2 , it uses stainless bolts
fitting between PV panels and steel structure , and install
Grounding System for thunderbolt safety , as show in
figure 8. We have six workers and one technician worked
in seven days on June , 2003.
Figure 8: Galvanized Steel Structure and grounding system
The electric wires were installed with rigid and EMT
conduit between junction box and production meter box ,
approximately the distances are 30 meters from the
control room.Three Grid-connected Inverter were
installed in the control room and three phase output of
Inverter were connected directly to distribution system,
as show in Figure 9.
Three Grid-connected Inverter were installed in the
control room and three phase output of Inverter were
connected directly to distribution system, as show in
Figure 9.
3
Figure 9: Installation Inverter and Production meter box
2.2.2 System Operating
The system operating in this project three phase output of
Grid-connected Inverter will be connected to the electric
grid , at sunrise , when the sunshine concentrate is enough
to make the PV arrays, it can generate DC voltage
approximately 160-165 V at 6.30 am to 7.00 am. The
Inverters are operated until 6.00 pm (approximate) , because
the sunshine low, it means that the PV voltage is less than
165 V, and then the Inverters are shut down. The Inverter
output has three single phase kWh-meter for measuring
the electric energy generated.
So, The GPV needed to have distribution system all the
time. If the distribution system has a problem like shut
down or unusual problem, the Grid-Connected Inverter
will stop operation for 1 second. This operation is made
50
for operator safety.
The electrical data were measured by measurement
function of Inverter and the examples are current and
voltage. Those data sent to the Microcontroller for calculation
and send all of data into the data logger. Its capacities are
1,048,576 records which means it can save data for 180
days. So , we can setup recording time and location of
data text file by software (LEONICS Apollo View). In
the same way when we want to load data from the
Inverter , we can use local monitoring by RS-232 cable or
remote monitoring function by modem , and save the data
into text file. The details of data file and can take any data
to make graph in the next step.
3. TESTING AND RESULTS
3.1 System testing
This project has two important objectives.
1. Installation and testing results of 4.872 kW Grid-Connected
PV System , to find out the efficiency of PV array , Inverter
and Overall.
2. Measurement generating energy in 12 months and calculate
generating cost , save cost and average power generation.
The tested period during August , 2003 to July , 2004.
The way to find out the efficiency of 4.872 kW GPV is
random electrical data from 5 days (to be specific) , October
20 th , 2003 , November 24 th , 2003 , December 19 th , 2003 ,
January 7 th , 2004 and February 24 th , 2004.
 4

System # 2 , Inverter and System Operation Parameter

The measure electrical parameter thus , DC operating
(Average Test)
voltage , DC operating current , DC power , Inverter AC
output (kW) , Inverter AC voltage , Inverter AC current and Parameter
Test Number
Inverter AC output (kVA). After that PV array-DC power Oct20,03 Nov24,03 Dec19,03 Jan7,04 Feb24,04
efficient (Compare with Name plate kW) , Inverter-AC DC Operating Voltage (V) 222.08 225.77 222.81 229.00 228.71
power efficiency and Overall efficiency is calculated. So , DC Operating current (A) 2.95 3.89 3.11 2.83 1.84
DC Power (kW) 655.15 878.25 692.94 648.12 420.83
the energy data in 12 months was brought to calculate
electric cost per year , cost for generated energy per kWh Inverter AC Output (kW) 527.17 708.85 557.28 540.11 345.99
Inverter AC Voltage (V) 231.77 230.34 232.79 234.42 230.24
and average power generation.
Inverter AC Current (A) 2.31 3.13 2.45 2.32 1.55
3.2 Results Inverter AC Output (kvA) 535.39 720.96 570.34 543.85 356.87
Power Factor 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
The results are maximum output 671.37 kWh of electric PV array - DC Power efficiency (%) 40.34 54.08 42.67 39.91 25.91
energy on April , 2004 and 584.73 kWh on August , 2003. Inverter - AC Power efficiency (%) 80.47 80.71 80.42 83.33 82.22
So , the minimum output 465.08 kWh of energy on June , Overall efficiency (%) 32.46 43.65 34.32 33.26 21.30
2004 and 480.27 kWh on January , 2004 , annual PV energy
yield as show in Figure 11. System # 3 , Inverter and System Operation Parameter
(Average Test)
In one year , a 4.872 kW GPV can potentially produce Test Number
6,444 kWh of electric energy. The cost to invest for the Parameter
Oct20,03 Nov24,03 Dec19,03 Jan7,04 Feb24,04
production of electric energy is US$0.2 per kWh (Bt8 /kWh , DC Operating Voltage (V) 221.62 226.00 223.84 229.32 228.57
exchange rate US$1 per Bt40) , it can save electric cost DC Operating current (A) 2.87 3.77 3.02 2.75 1.79
for US$375.26 per year (Bt15,010.4 per year) and average DC Power (kW) 636.06 852.12 676.02 630.65 409.15
power generation is 0.25 kWh/m2 /day. Inverter AC Output (kW) 512.21 689.25 542.19 529.13 335.45
Inverter AC Voltage (V) 225.03 223.64 226.01 227.59 223.54
700 Inverter AC Current (A) 2.28 3.12 2.42 2.33 1.51
600 Inverter AC Output (kvA) 513.07 697.76 546.94 530.28 337.55
550.68 671.37
575.25 573.96 Power Factor 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Energy Yield kWh

500 528.78 480.27 548.51 515.60 584.73 516.25527.10

400 465.08 PV array - DC Power efficiency (%) 39.17 52.47 41.63 38.83 25.19
Inverter - AC Power efficiency (%) 80.53 80.89 80.20 83.90 81.99
300 Overall efficiency (%) 31.54 42.44 33.39 32.58 20.66
200
100 Figure 12. Inverter and System Operating Parameter under test.
0
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
4. CONCLUSION
Figure 11: Annual PV Energy Yield (Aug - Dec , 2003
Jan - Jul , 2004) The problem about energy supply and environmental
pollution have always been great concerns to the world.
The result of Inverter and System operating parameter Subsequently , the United Nation Frame work
and calculating efficiency for each PV system [4] and Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto
then average value calculated is PV array (DC power) Protocol were signed and ratified by many countries, as a
efficiency is 40.12% , Inverter (AC power) efficiency is sign of commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses (GHG)
81.39% and the overall efficiency of this system is 32.60%. emission. Electricity generation is are of the main
System # 1 , Inverter and System Operation Parameter contributors to GHG emissions. [7] Therefore , Solar
(Average Test) energy provides one of the solutions to combat the
greenhouse effect. Solar PV technology is used to generate
Parameter
Test Number electricity and provides an effective solution to reduce
Oct20,03 Nov24,03 Dec19,03 Jan7,04 Feb24,04 GHG.
DC Operating Voltage (V) 221.37 230.85 223.80 228.66 228.47
DC Operating current (A) 2.92 3.84 3.07 2.80 1.82 This project to be in agreement with the Thai government
DC Power (kW) 646.40 886.51 687.11 640.26 415.83 policy , and got budget on 2003. The 4.872 kW GPV was
Inverter AC Output (kW) 520.40 700.46 551.21 537.19 340.90 installed in June , 2003 on the building top of RMUT
Inverter AC Voltage (V) 228.69 227.28 229.69 231.30 227.18 Nonthaburi , Thailand. In one year , it can potentially
Inverter AC Current (A) 2.28 3.09 2.42 2.29 1.53 produce 6,444 kWh of electricity (1,322 kWh/year
Inverter AC Output (kvA) 521.41 702.30 555.85 529.68 347.59 average per 1 kWp GPV). This output is higher than the
Power Factor 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 average electricity output from systems installed in
PV array - DC Power efficiency (%) 39.80 54.59 42.31 39.42 25.61 Europe (800 kWh/year average) , in Japan (1,000 kWh
Inverter - AC Power efficiency (%) 80.51 79.10 80.22 82.34 81.98 average) or Malaysia (1,200 kWh/year average). [7]
Overall efficiency (%) 32.04 43.13 33.94 32.46 20.99
In one year , can saving in electricity US$375.26
(Bt15,010.4) , electricity production cost is US$0.2 per
 5

kWh (Bt8 per kWh) and average power generation is 0.25

kWh/m2/day. The PV array (DC power) efficiency is
40.12% , the Inverter (AC power) efficiency is 81.39%
and the overall efficiency is 32.60%

5. REFERENCES
(1) Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) ,
1993 , Solar and Wind Hybridge Generating System at
Phuket , Research and Development Institute , Bangkok.
(2) Chai Chewagate , 2000 , Solar PV Generating Electricity.
The National Energy Policy Office (NEPO) , Jernual No 49
(July-September 2000).
(3) Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) ,
1997 , Roof Top PV System Demonstration Project , Research
and Development Institute , Bangkok.
(4) Florida Power Corporation (FPC), 1998 , Diagnostic Test
Report on Florida Power Corporation’s 15-kWp Amorphous
Silicon Photovoltaic System .
(5) Florida solar Energy Center , 2003 , Grid-Connected
photovoltaic System Design Review and Approval.
(6) Florida solar Energy Center , 1999 , Evaluation of
Grid-connected Photovoltaic System at the Nature
Conservancy-Disney Wilderness Preserve.
(7) Ahmad Hadri Haris , 2003 , Building Integrated
Photovoltaic (BIPV) Applications in Malaysia : Current
Status & Achievements , TNB Research Sdn Bhd.
(8) Ahmad Hadri Haris , 2003 , Added Values of Grid-
Connected Solar Photovoltaic System , TNB Research
Sdn Bhd.
(9) IEA-PVPS , 2002 , Trends in Photovoltaic Applications
in Selected IEA Countries between 1992 and 2001 , Task
& Report IEA-PVPS T1-11 : 2002.

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