PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS IN NAMIBIA

Sustainable Use Of Photovoltaic Stand Alone System For Institutional Systems. A Study Of Institutional Framework and Rural Electrification in Namibia



Table of Content

Chapter-1: Background3

1.1 Energy and Electricity5

1.2 Vision 20308

1.3 Solar System Electrification in Namibia9

1.4 Research Questions10

Chapter-2: Problem Definition13

Chapter-3: Research Objective, Scope, Motivation & Methodology16

2.1 Objective of the Study16

2.2 Motivation of the Study16

2.3 Scope of the Study17

2.4 Research Methodology18

Chapter-4: Concept Definition20

4.1 Institutions20

4.2 Stakeholders21

4.3 Institutional Framework21

Chapter-5: Research Findings24

Chapter-6: Research Findings Analysis29

6.1 Crystalline Photovoltaic Cells34

6.2 Possible Causes of Failures37

6.3 Planning, Awareness, Training37

6.4 Implementation40

6.5 Availability of Photovoltaics45

Chapter-7: Conclusion53

7.1 Contemporary Use: Photovoltaics54

7.2 Implementation and Barriers56

6.3 Recommendation59

References61

Chapter-1: Background

There are many types of solar cell. Polycrystaline (more than one crystal), monocrystaline and thin film. Monocrystaline is presently the most efficient at converting light energy into electricity. Sometimes as high as 20% but more usually 15%. A monocrystaline cell is made from a thin slice cut from a single crystal of silicon. A grid of metal is then embedded over the wafer ending in the contacts and other layers added. Thin film cells are plated onto a plate of glass. They are much cheaper to produce, but only around 5% efficient and heavy. Vehicle designers will normally want to capture as much energy as possible for a given area and weight.

A single cell is not of much practical use, producing less than a volt. Several cells have to be connected in a series of cells to produce a useable voltage. The voltage increases proportionally. 10 cells connected in series will produce about 7.5 volts. 20 cells 15 volts and so on. A number of cells (a battery) linked and mounted together is known as a solar panel.

In Namibia, by its very nature PV can be used wherever electricity is needed and sunlight is available. For many years PV systems have been the preferred power sources for buildings or other facilities in remote areas not served by the utility grid. As the cost of PV systems continues to decline, there is growing consensus that distributed PV systems on buildings that are grid-connected may be the first application to reach widespread commercialization. Typical off-grid applications for PV today include communications (microwave repeaters, emergency call boxes), cathodic protection (pipelines, bridges), lighting (billboards, highway signs, security lighting, parking lots), monitoring equipment (meteorological information, water quality, pipeline systems), warning signals (navigational beacons, railroad signs, power plant stacks), and remote loads (village power, parks and campgrounds, water pumping and irrigation, vacation cabins). On-grid applications include support for utility transmission and distribution (T&D) systems, where the benefits derive from avoiding or deferring T&D system investments, and from improving the quality of electrical service (Solar Age Namibia, 2005, pp. 78-81).

Celski (2002, pp. 56-67) mention that more than 200,000 homes in the Namibia currently use some type of PV technology, and more than 10,000 Namibia homes are powered entirely by PV. A large number of homes in Japan, where consumer electricity rates are three times higher than in the U Namibia, have roof-integrated PV systems. Half a million PV systems have been installed in developing ...