Tag Archives: energia solar en america latina

Nicaragua

Nicaragua Solar Thermal

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Undoubtedly, the emblematic project, in terms of thermal solar energy, is the system inaugurated on October 9, 2018 at the Doctor Alejandro Dávila Bolaños Military Hospital in Managua.

With an investment of US $ 4.3 million financed through a soft loan from Oesterreichische Kontrollbank and Raiffeisen Bank International and with the United Nations Agency for Industrial Development (UNIDO), and the National Production Center more Clean from Nicaragua support; This system provides 30% of the demand required for air conditioning and 100% of the demand for hot water (used in various hospital operational functions, such as: personal, patients and doctors hygiene, food cleaning and preparation in the kitchen, for laundry area, among others).

The solar system was installed in a 4,450 square meters area, is composed of 338 thermal solar panels and will have an environment positive impact eliminating more than 1,100 tons of dioxide carbon emission each year.

It is the second largest system in the world, the largest in hospitals and unique in Latin America.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar hospital militar nicaragua

Despite the increase in systems number, solar energy only represents 1% of Nicaragua’s energy matrix.

There is a feeling that decision making is more market focused and not as a development issue.

The key is to associate the solar technology development with economic activities, establish a relationship between water resources, renewable energy and food security and base on renewable energy the climate change adaptation.

Currently solar energy provides energy security in contrast, for example, to energy supply via hydroelectric dams that depends on rains that are varying more and more throughout the region due to climate change.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar térmica nicaragua

Energy sources diversification becomes indispensable and has led to a solar energy investments growth.

This has been possible due to public resources contribution to support this technology development, the political commitment and the role carried out by the private initiative.

In this sense, it is worth highlighting the work that the BID is doing in the region.

In spite of advances, the pending subject continues being the regional energetic integration.

An energy networks extension at regional level would help lower costs and a energy supply diversification would guarantee greater energy security.

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Solar Photovoltaic Energy

Architectural Solar Integration

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Photovoltaic solar energy is the one that best integrates into the urban environment. For this reason, architectural solutions that incorporate it have emerged. Some are listed below.

In homes with a tiled roof, these can easily be replaced by same type photovoltaic tiles, since it is not necessary to change canning or slats and roof structure remains the same.

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Aluminum facades integrating photovoltaic cells are an alternative for new buildings or renovation projects.

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Photovoltaic modules with transparency together with aluminum profiles can be easily integrated into vertical walls, ceilings and roofs. These transparent modules are available in a wide range of applications, shapes and opacity.

Photovoltaic cells are embedded in the laminated safety glass. By varying glass weft position and density, it is possible to adjust light transmission and shadow effect inside the building.

For opaque solar modules in walls it is necessary to incorporate insulating materials that are behind to provide the necessary thermal barrier. The opaque and transparent modules can be combined on the same facade, improving building energy, thermal and acoustic efficiency.

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In addition to producing clean electricity, ventilated photovoltaic facade system incorporates benefits in building thermal and acoustic insulation. The thermal envelope can cause savings of between 25-40% of the energy consumed in the building.

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A photovoltaic skylight, in addition to photovoltaic generation, provides bioclimatic properties of thermal comfort inside the building due to the insulating glass air chamber. It also facilitates natural lighting and prevents UV rays and infrared radiation from penetrating into the building (improving comfort and avoiding premature materials aging).

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A photovoltaic canopy constitutes a constructive solution that combines electrical energy generation with solar protection properties and against adverse weather conditions.

The orientation, the minimum slope, the dimensions or the wind and snow loads are important factors to take into account when designing the structure.

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A photovoltaic car park consists of a structure that, in addition to protecting the vehicle, guarantees the in-situ energy generation for its grid discharge, self-consumption or electric car batteries supply.

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The first photovoltaic ceramic floor has also been released. It consists of photovoltaic solar glass integrated in high ceramic pavements, these being fully passable. It can be integrated into any project and environment without this giving up the design or aesthetics of it.

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Buildings, by integrating photovoltaic modules, create a world of possibilities. The great variety, shapes, colors and structures of photovoltaic cells, glass and profiles allow a modern architectural approach and also an innovative design combining elegance and functionality.

Sopelia has developed Solar Layout, the Android App that allows to obtain the inclination, orientation and distance between rows of photovoltaic modules at the installation site.

This content was extracted from the Commercial Technical Manual of Photovoltaic Solar Energy and is part of Sopelia Solar e-learning.

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Nicaragua

Solar Nicaragua

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Nicaragua claims to be less dependent on thermal energy, which is produced based on petroleum derivatives, and therefore executes solar development projects on the Caribbean coast and in country rural areas.

One of the first initiatives back in 2009 was the Euro Solar program, which benefited 42 communities (7,000 families) in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN), generating electricity for health services, education and Internet and telephony communication in community centers.

Then Nicaragua depended 80% of energy generated from petroleum derivatives.

Due to its location, Nicaragua is a country with high potential for solar energy use and at same time has one of the lowest electrification rates in the region.

In 2015, with the objective of bringing electricity to North Atlantic Autonomous Region communities and interior municipalities, the Mulukukú Electric Substation was built, which included 200 kms of transmission lines construction between Siuna and Puerto Cabezas (RAAN), where 1,500 solar modules and several electrical substations were installed.

Nicaragua’s largest photovoltaic park, Astro Solar Plant, was installed, which with 3 MW in the Tipitapa municipality supplies electricity to the Zona Franca Astro industrial park.

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Energy generation from renewable sources development had important fiscal benefits thanks to Law 901:

Payment exemption of Import Tariffs (DAI) and Value Added Tax (VAT), on machinery, equipment, materials and supplies used for pre-investment and construction work, including the construction of subtransmission lines necessary to energy transport from generation plant to National Interconnected System (SIN).

Payment exemption of Income Tax (IR) for a period of 7 years from project entry into commercial operation.

Payment exemption of Municipal Taxes on real estate, sales and registration for a period of 10 years from project entry into commercial operation.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar nicaragua

Renewable energy in Nicaragua continues to advance smoothly. In 2006, renewable energy represented only 25% of national energy matrix, mainly hydroelectric and geothermal. Until December 2018, renewable energies accounted for 59% of national energy matrix, although in some moments of last year it reached up to 80% of total generation.

Regarding renewable generation contribution by sector, it is estimated that biomass with sugar cane residues contributed 216 MW; hydroelectric energy 150 MW; geothermal 154 MW; wind energy 186 MW; and solar 13 MW. Geothermal energy has been considered the energy of the future of Nicaragua because compared to wind and hydroelectric, it is more firm and constant in its level of generation and has great potential.

Despite these advances, Nicaragua continues to be the country with the most expensive Central American energy in industrial sector. Only those who consume less than 150 kWh per month pay for cheap energy, which mainly benefits the residential consumer.

The origin of these high prices is in the need and urgency of government income, which are obtained in national energy tariff and used to pay internal and external debts.

The main obstacles to distributed solar generation development in Nicaragua are the high initial investment represented by a system for most Nicaraguans and the lack of a law that promotes and regulates electricity sale from small photovoltaic systems connected to the grid.

It is necessary to amend Law 532 or adopt a new law that establishes a reasonable sales rate, incentives for producers, network operators and consumers, as well as simplifying bidding processes in the contracting of energy for small residential systems and the industrial and services sectors.

Number of renewable energy professionals increases every year. New generations are more aware of environment damage that has been done and of solar energy potential. This new Nicaraguan generation must work to reduce energy prices and take advantage of solar energy to provide Nicaragua with a more sustainable and just future.

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Solar Photovoltaic Energy

Solar Wiring

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Cables, both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC), if correctly sized, will minimize energy losses and protect the installation.

For a photovoltaic system, DC cables must meet some requirements:

* Have grounding line and protection against short circuit.
* Be resistant to UV rays and adverse weather conditions with a wide range of temperatures (approximately between -40ºC and 110ºC).
* Possess a wide voltage range (more than 2000 V).
* Be simple and easy to manipulate.
* Be non-flammable, of low toxic level in case of fire and without halogens.
* Have a very low conduction loss (up to 1%).

Photovoltaic installation cables must have certain characteristics that differentiate them from conventional cables, although many argue that differences are not very large.

Since voltage in a photovoltaic system is low DC voltage, 12 or 24 V, currents that will flow through the cables are much higher than those in systems with 110 or 220 V AC voltage.

Power amount in Watts produced by the battery or photovoltaic panel is given by the following formula: P = V. I

V = voltage in Volts
I = current in Amperes

This means that to supply a power at 12 V current will be almost 20 times higher than in a 220 V system. It implies that much thicker cables must be attached to prevent overheating or even a fire.

Following table indicates recommended cable section according to power and for different voltage levels.

For very low voltages and low power demands, very thick cables must be used. For example, to reach a power of approximately 1 Kw at 12 V we would need a 25 mm2 section cable. The same as to supply 20 Kw at 220 V.

This increases system price drastically because thicker cables are more expensive.

That is why it is very important that the lengths of DC wiring are as short as possible.

When designing large systems, a cost / performance analysis must be performed to choose most suitable operating voltage. It would be advisable to gather small groups of modules and if possible to make operating voltage higher than 12 or 24 V.

To verify cable section values recommended in tables, maximum voltage drops compared to voltage at which you are working should be below the 3% / 5% limit.

To calculate the relationship between conductor section and its length we can apply following formula:

S = 2 r. l. i / ΔV

Being:

r Conductive material resistivity (0.018 in case of copper conductors)
l Cable section length
i Current intensity
ΔV Voltmeter reading difference

Let’s see an example:

Battery terminals output voltage is 13.1 V. The main line between it and a device, which consumes 60 W, measures 12 m of 6 mm2 cable.

We must find the voltage value at device input to verify that we are within maximum recommended values of voltage drop.

The intensity i = P / V = 60 / 13.1 = 4.6 A

S = 6 = 2. 0.018. 12 4.6 / ΔV

ΔV = 0.33 V

Therefore, voltage at device input will be: 13.1 – 0.33 = 12.8 V

Voltage drop is 2.34% (maximum recommended value: 3%).

It is normal to use tables to select recommended section and use the formula to calculate the voltage drop and perform the verification.

In case that voltage recommended maximum values drop are exceeded, we will select section immediately above and we will carry out verification again.

Cables for photovoltaic applications have a designation, according to regulations, which is composed of a set of letters and numbers, each with a meaning.

Cables designation refers to a series of characteristics (construction materials, nominal voltages, etc.) that facilitate the selection of the most suitable to the need or application.

This is an extract of contents included in Technical-Commercial Photovoltaic Solar Energy Manual and Sopelia e-learning training.

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Solar Thermal Energy

Heat Transfer Fluid

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Heat transfer fluid passes through absorber and transfers energy to thermal utilization system (accumulator or exchanger).

Most used types are:

* Natural water: can be used in open circuit, when sanitary water passes directly through collectors, or in closed circuit (independent consumption circuit).

In first case, circuit can only be constituted by materials allowed for drinking water supply. In some countries this system is not allowed.

It will be necessary to consider water characteristics, especially its hardness (calcium and magnesium amount), which when heated produces a hard crust or tartar.

This crust accelerates corrosion, restricts flow and reduces heat transfer. The values start to be problematic from 60 mg / l. Very soft waters can also cause problems due to their corrosivity.

* Water with antifreeze: to avoid drawbacks of freezing and boiling of heat transfer fluid, use of antifreezes called “glycols” is the most widespread.

Mixed with water in certain proportions prevent freezing to a limit of temperatures below 0 ° C depending on their concentration.

On the other hand the boiling point rises making heat transfer is protected against too high temperatures.

Choice of concentration will depend on historical temperatures of the area where installation is located and on characteristics provided by manufacturer.

Most commonly used glycols are ethylene glycol and propylene glicol.

Resultado de imagen de tabla anticongelante solar

Fundamental characteristics of antifreeze:

• They are toxic: their mixing with drinking water must be prevented by making secondary circuit pressure greater than that of primary, for prevention exchanger possible breakage.

• They are very viscous: factor to take into account when choosing electric pump that is usually more powerful.

• Dilates more than water when heated: as a safety standard, when we use antifreeze in proportions of up to 30%, when sizing the expansion vessel, we will apply a coefficient of 1.1 and 1.2 if proportion is greater.

• It is unstable at more than 120ºC: it loses its properties so it stops avoiding freezing. There are some that withstand higher temperatures, but they are expensive.

• The boiling temperature is higher than that of water alone, but not too much.

• Specific heat is lower than that of water alone, so it must be taken into account in the flow calculation, conditioning pipe and pump dimensioning.

To calculate antifreeze amount that must be added to an installation, you must first consult the table of historical temperatures which is the minimum temperature recorded in that city or location.

Once it is known, goes to glycols graph supplied by manufacturer and value is transferred to indicate what percentage is.

* Organics fluids: there are two types, synthetic and petroleum derivatives.
Precautions mentioned in case of antifreeze regarding toxicity, viscosity and dilation are applicable to organic fluids. Additional risk of fire should be mentioned, but also that they are chemically stable at elevated temperatures.

* Silicone oils: they are stable and of good quality products. They have the advantages that they are not toxic and that they are not flammable, but current high prices mean they are not widely used.

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Solar Energy

Solar Energy Wherever You Are

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Many times the purpose of incorporating solar energy to our professional skills, scope of business or personal life has hovered in our head.

We have almost always run into the same barrier: time.

We are working or studying and we find it very difficult to have even a few hours a week.

It is rare to find training offerings that are not too short (few hours workshops) or too long (one or more years) and which in turn have an affordable price.

If we add the difficulty of having to move, because most are taught in presence way, finally we ended up postponing again and again this purpose.

In 2014 Sopelia gave, in collaboration with the Technology National University of Mar del Plata (Argentina), the Technical – Commercial Solar Energy Course in tele-learning (distance + presence) methodology.

In 2016 Sopelia updated and divided that training action in 2 specific courses:

* Technical – Commercial Solar Thermal Energy

* Technical – Commercial Photovoltaic Solar Energy

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Sopelia rode them on a Moodle 3.1 platform and the result is 2 courses in e-learning methodology.

This means you can receive Solar Energy training with the best market value wherever you are.

You only need a computer, smartphone or mobile device and Internet.

Being the 1st edition there is a 50% off list price.

These two courses provide technical and commercial training in solar energy domestic applications with the aim of spreading the technology and develop human resources for incorporation into work and business world.

You will identify the most relevant aspects of solar energy within the current energy landscape.

You will define, describe and analyze the most important features of solar energy.

You will know the composition, understand the operation, design and maintenance of facilities to implement thermal and photovoltaic solar energy projects.

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It is a training aimed at students and technical careers graduates, technical schools graduates, engineers, architects, professionals and installers of related sectors (air conditioning, electricity, rural), people with experience in renewable energies, environmental professionals and individuals interested in incorporating solar energy into their lives.

The 2016 edition starts on September 19th and ends on November 25th.

You can register until 16 September inclusive in www.energiasrenovables.lat

If you are under 30 years old and live in Latin America, with the course completed, you can apply to be Sopelia Country Manager in your country of residence.

And if you are under 25 and live in Latin America, you can get a 50% scholarship and finished the course, apply to become Sopelia Trainee.

If you speak Spanish you have no excuses, Solar Energy wherever you are with Sopelia.

Argentina

Solar Argentina

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In 1992, Argentina divided the public electricity sector in generation, distribution and transmission, and sold it to private investors.

When the 2001-2002 economic crisis shook the country and its currency was devalued, the government, fearing the political cost an electricity price increase would cause, froze natural gas prices and end users tariffs in 2002.

The solution worked in the short-term, but stopped the exploration of new energy sources and investment in infrastructure improvements by foreign investors.

The national natural gas extraction declined, leaving power generation facilities unused and increasing energy imports.

With the economic recovery, demand for energy soared by an average of 5% a year since 2003.

Enarsa was created in 2004 with the primary mission of exploring and extracting hydrocarbons, oil and natural gas; plus transportation and distribution of these resources. However, power failures remain a problem.

Argentina has invested heavily in a renewable resource: water. This resource accounts for about 35% of electricity, so a greater diversification is necessary to avoid the problems a severe drought would cause.

Oddly enough, judging by the development it has taken so far, Argentina is one of the countries with the highest potential for renewable energies.

Argentina could supply all of its electricity consumption with renewable energy, and could even become a net exporter.

In 2006 the regulatory framework was established with the enactment of Law 26.190/06, giving renewables a national interest. It was set as a target for 2016, that Argentina should reach 8% of electricity generation from renewable sources.

Current figures indicate that in 2016 it will barely exceed 2%, achieving, therefore, only a little more tan 25% of the objective.

In 2009, the national government launched with Enarsa (the public energy company) the GENREN program, which offered to buy 1.000 MW of renewable energy by 15-year fixed contracts.

In June 2010, after an exhaustive analysis, the winners were announced and a total of 895 MW were approved.

Most of the bids were for wind energy.

Even though the central and northern parts of the country enjoy many sunshine days throughout the year that would allow many applications to take advantage of solar energy, only 20 MW photovoltaic solar energy projects were granted in the province of San Juan.

Economic instability in recent decades contrasts with the expected energy crisis in which Argentina is sinking ever more rapidly.

With rates that do not reflect the true cost of resources nor the need for investment and a subsidies policy that will soon come to an inevitable end, renewable energies gain a value that they never had before.

Uncertainty about the availability and value of energy in the future is a question that only the state can solve with energy planning and implementing public policies, promoting energy efficiency and clean energy.

Solar Energy

Who makes business with solar energy ?

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The attempt to answer this question leads us to understand the development level achieved by this technology and exposes the dark side of the energy matrix in, except isolated cases, most countries.

We must take 2 points of view:

1) Distributed Solar Generation (Intelligent Network)

Distributed Solar generation is business for the consumer and for the country’s economy.

On the consumers’ side, it allows them to generate their own energy and to buy energy from distributors only if their demand exceeds their energy generation capacity.

For the country’s economy, because it increases their energy sovereignty and promotes job creation (professionals, installers, equipment suppliers and related sectors).

2) Centralized Solar Generation (Conventional Network)

Centralized Solar generation is business for energy generating and distributing companies and for political parties.

For generation and distribution companies, because they continue controlling the energy business.

For political parties, because they get funding and returns from generating companies and energy distributors and because it is much easier to “cut deals” with just a few than doing serious long-term work, creating a regulatory framework that truly encourages distributed generation and that benefits both citizens and the country’s economy.

Solar energy’s competitive advantage is that it can be generated in the place where it is consumed, making distribution unnecessary and eliminating all energy losses that its transport causes.

Efforts should focus on distributed systems installation and solar energy integration in urban environments, developing residential, secondary and tertiary markets.

The ups and downs suffered in European countries (the most representative case is the photovoltaic sector in Spain) that have given prominence to large-scale projects, indicate that that is not the right way and that it only benefits a few.

The future of a solid and consistent solar energy sector clearly entails:

1) A limited number of specific centralized generation projects on soil that has no other purpose and in areas with very high levels of solar radiation (e.g. semi-desert areas).

2) Encouraging installations on individuals’ and companies’ roofs.

3) Distributed generation’s development due to energetic efficiency and continuity in supply (catastrophes, terrorist attacks, warfare).

Political parties and energy generating and distribution companies have been throwing spanners in the works and the latest trick they have pulled out of their hat is charging very high “access fees” to those who have a solar generator connected to network.

This has caused surreal situations in which fines on those who generate their own power are applied or that make it more profitable to continue with the centralized generation and distribution’s “status quo” rather than investing in solar energy.

The real paradox is that most of the infrastructures exploited currently by energy generation and distribution companies were originally State assets.

Private or private with state participation companies that currently operate these infrastructures they received have well amortized them already.

They have done little to modernize them and are reluctant to invest in modern transmission networks and interconnected bidirectional measurement equipment.

What should be clear is that the future of the energy sector is the energetic efficiency, the distributed generation and the renewable energies incorporation.

These should be the 3 objectives to pursue.

While new players, technologies, situations and settings will appear; regulations or policy should encourage progress towards these 3 objectives or they will not be doing their job.

Regulation should be implemented “ex ante” and must be updated “ex post” according to the energy sector’s development, distributed generation growth and renewable energies incorporation degree.

For countries that want to seriously work for their citizens and their economy there are vast examples of regulatory frameworks that can be taken as a starting point and adapt to each country’s reality.

For example, the Spanish CTE (Technical Building Code) in case of solar thermal energy and several US states’ legislation in case of solar photovoltaic energy.