We are witnessing an unprecedented growth of renewable energies participation in global energy matrix.

But why does the average citizen not perceive the benefits and feel somehow alien to this process ?

The main reason is that this participation is built on an already obsolete energy matrix paradigm.

The 3 pillars of the future energy matrix are:

1) Energy efficiency

In this element the consumer is the variable of greater weight.

The transformation is related to a energy consumption habits profound change. It is very difficult to happen in those countries with a high subsidy component in their energy tariffs.

The other important aspect and on which the states can directly act is the stimulus for more efficient devices acquisition.

The energy efficiency generates a lower demand and therefore a decrease of generation investment.

2) Renewable energies

In energy-importing countries (mostly in Latam) renewables development is an instrument to improve payments balance.

In any world country, a means to boost and make the economy more competitive.

Investment in a solar system is very high in countries that do not manufacture equipment compared to those that do.

Let us illustrate this with a concrete example: in the largest producer of solar modules (China) W FOB value is around US$ 0.50. That solar module placed outside destination country customs, for example Argentina, costs US$ 1.20 (+ 140%). If we add the commercial margin of the companies that sell and the companies that install them, the final consumer ends up paying US$ 2.50 / W (+ 400%).

The companies awarded renewable energy public tenders in countries where no equipment is manufactured do not pay import taxes for equipment and are exempt from most taxes.

It is a utopia the idea of short and medium term local equipment manufacturing if the country does not have the capacity to convert silicon to solar-grade silicon or technology to manufacture evacuated vacuum tubes. Especially if we consider the aggressive decrease in solar equipment price of last 5 years.

3) Distributed generation

Distributed generation systems surpass those of centralized generation in national security (attacks, warlike conflicts, etc.) and supply continuity (natural catastrophes and seasonal peaks cuts) questions.

Distributed generation is also a wealth redistribution way, giving consumer the opportunity to generate the energy he consumes and the possibility of obtaining an income from the surplus.

New energy infrastructure investments should be directed towards interconnecting and renewables integrating systems and abandoning the paradigm of an already obsolete energy matrix (distribution from centralized generation plants).

Efforts to develop large wind and solar generation should be redirected to distributed generation systems development.

Large plants should be only a complement, located only in locations where renewable resource potential is very high and take advantage primarily of rooftop and ceilings surface instead of being placed in soils that could have other uses.

Fingers and toes are enough to count worldwide renewable sector EPC companies of a certain scale projects.

These companies are itinerant. They land in countries with great potential where the ban is lifted.

In Europe the main countries of the itinerary were Spain, France, Italy and now United Kingdom.

In Latin America they went to Chile, Brazil, Mexico and now Argentina.

The myth that this type of projects generates a large number of stable jobs is false. The work is intensive only at construction time. Then the operation and maintenance of these plants is relatively simple and is done remotely with very little personnel on field.

We are not against renewable generation plants development, what we manifest is that the energy matrix paradigm is the one that is already obsolete.

The renewable resource generates energy where it is available. If we take advantage of it there, we avoid all expenses and eliminate all energy losses inherent to the distribution of that energy.

Stable jobs generation and sustainable economic renewable sector development go hand in hand with distributed generation and prosumer (residential, industrial and services) figure development.

Solar is the ideal renewable energy for distributed generation because it has the highest integration into urban environment level.

Countries that take the following steps to achieve the future energy matrix, will make their economy more competitive:

• Stimulating efficient devices acquisition (special financing, tax exemptions) or taxing non efficient devices acquisition

• Eliminate import taxes on renewable equipment inputs that cannot be manufactured in the short and medium term and focus industrial effort on imported inputs supplemented with local raw material inputs

• Give priority to distributed generation and prosumers creation over large generation power plants development

• Invest in interconnection and renewables integration energy infrastructure and gradually abandon the obsolete energy matrix (large power systems – distribution).

It is a long process but, like every great journey, it begins by taking a step.

Municipalities (in solar thermal energy) and Provinces (in photovoltaic solar energy) have the power to promote solar distributed generation development.

There are examples on which they can work to adapt to each local reality and to introduce improvements to avoid mistakes.

In distributed solar thermal energy, an example can be the Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE). An improvement to introduce to this referent could be the obligation of a periodic maintenance to verify the system good operation and to corroborate solar fraction required is reached.

In distributed photovoltaic solar energy, an example may be the net-metering regime of some US states (eg California). In this case, the implementation of complementary financial tools (special financing, leasing), that have promoted its great development, could be imitated.

Conditions (political and economic stability) must be created for desired events to occur.

Reality cannot be modified by laws.

For example, if a Latin American province has regulations to promote distributed generation since 2013 and in 3 years have connected 10 systems, it means that we are doing something wrong.

As in all life aspects of any individual or society, goals must be set (ambitious but at same time achievable) in order to achieve success, deadlines must be set and periodic measurements must be made to introduce improvements and correct errors.

This is very difficult if long-term energy policies that surpass current government are not adopted.

For now, short term rules.

It is easier to sit down with a few to negotiate and cut tapes for the photo, than work seriously and in the long run for general interest.

Solar energy wherever you are with Sopelia.

Solar energy is the energy obtained by capturing light and heat emitted by the sun.

Radiation power varies by time of day, weather conditions and latitude.

It can be assumed that a good surface radiation value is about 1000 W / m².

This power is known as irradiance.

Radiation is usable in direct and diffuse way, or the sum of both components.

Direct radiation comes directly from the solar focus, without intermediate reflections or refractions.

The diffuse is issued by the daytime sky thanks to the multiple reflection and solar refraction phenomena of the atmosphere, clouds and other atmospheric and terrestrial elements.

Direct radiation can be reflected and concentrated for use, while it is not possible to concentrate the diffused radiation coming from all directions.

Albedo radiation is reflected by the bodies located around the surface on which we want to assess the radiation.

The amount of energy due to sunlight direct radiation an exposed surface can intercept depends on the angle between the ray and the surface in question.

If the surface is perpendicular to the rays, this value is maximum, decreasing as the angle does.

The intensity on the surface varies in the same proportion as energy does.

This tilt effect is the reason why sunlight heat much more up at noon than in early morning or late afternoon.

It is also the reason why high-latitude regions (near the poles) received much less energy than the closest to Ecuador.

Solar coordinates used to determine Sun position referred to the horizontal plane are two:

• Solar Height (h) which is the angle between the sun’s rays on the horizontal surface. The zenith angle is the rays angle with the vertical, that is, the complement of the height.

Solar height (northern hemisphere perspective)

• Azimuth (A) which is the Sun angle rotation measured on the horizontal plane through the ray projection on said plane and taking as origin the North if we are in the southern hemisphere.

By convention, the azimuth is considered negative when the sun is to the east (morning) and positive when placed to the west (after noon).

Azimuth

The theoretical number of sunshine hours is time length between sunrise and sunset.

In these 2 times the height of the sun is zero.

The number of sunlight hours depends on the geographical point considered and the time of year.

During the summer, the sun makes a very wide and high trajectory on the sky and is long over the horizon. The opposite happens in winter.

Path of the sun in different seasons (southern hemisphere perspective)

At solar noon (instant when the azimuth is zero), the sun elevation is maximum and shadows length minimun.

The shadow on the floor of a vertical rod coincide with meridian (South-North) direction, which must be accurately determined, for example, to correctly orient solar collectors or modules.

The most important factor influencing the amount of incident solar energy on a location or particular area is cloudy days ratio that occur each year.

This content is extracted from “Introduction to Solar Energy” ebook sold exclusively at Amazon.

Solar energy wherever you are with Sopelia.

In September 2014 we sent to General Pueyrredón Municipality government in Argentina a draft with proposals.

It was proposed energy efficiency and increased use, promotion and development of solar energy at municipal level.

We believe it can serve as reference for those municipalities that are not using their solar resource and want to start doing so.

The proposals include the following assumptions / premises:

I) Economic evaluation (initial investment, annual savings and investment recovery period) of energy efficiency measures to be applied and solar energy systems to incorporate.

II) Energy efficiency and solar energy promotion to improve environmental quality, develop a new economic sector and new jobs creation in the Municipality.

III) Academic, business and institutional sectors participation.

1.1) Energy Efficiency Proposals

1.1.1.) Public buildings audit to identify areas in which implement energy efficiency measures.

1.1.2) Public buildings whose roofs can be used to install solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic modules relieving.

1.1.3) Facilities with intensive lighting use (more than 8 hours / day) relieving to evaluate luminaire replacement by LED, which can achieve savings ranging from 50% -80%. Evaluate motion detectors installation in transit areas and other lighting devices optimization measures.

1.1.4) Evaluate replacement of boilers and air conditioners equipment by biomass, solar thermal and heat pumps, which can achieve between 40% -60% savings.

1.1.5) Installing saving systems (aerators, valves, low consumption taps, etc.) and water reuse (rainwater recovery, rainwater infiltration, etc.) in public buildings and encourage its use in private sector.

2.1) Solar Thermal Energy Proposals

2.1.1) Use of solar thermal energy compact equipment to provide hot water to houses in social housing programs and new developments.

2.1.2) Use of solar thermal collectors (flat and vacuum tube) with heat transfer fluids, heat exchangers and independent accumulation tanks; to obtain hot water in public buildings and municipal pools conditioning.

2.1.3) Use of solar thermal systems for new construction public buildings and facilities conditioning.

3.1) Solar PV Energy Proposals

3.1.1) Use of solar photovoltaic systems for lighting and electrification of schools, medical centers, police stations and residential users in isolated localizations. 50W to 400W systems.

3.1.2) Implementation of photovoltaic solar energy in signs (sea, rail, road and air) and parking meters renovation or modernization.

3.1.3) Assess solar photovoltaic energy incorporation in OSSE and other municipality’s departments for:

– Water supply
– Water pumping / irrigation
– Cathodic protection
– Remote satellite systems, fire detection, telemetry and other systems that must provide services in remote or inaccessible places.

20W-50W (emergency kits), 100W-400W (repeaters) and more than 20 Kw (block valves).

3.1.4) Street lighting. Solar lamp with led proof in place to designate (industrial park, municipal office, etc.)

3.1.5) Photovoltaic grid connection project presentation for programs like GENREN (Ministry of Energy).

4) Long Term Policies

Municipality proposals within Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative framework.

4.1) Training

4.1.1) Renewable energies training activities development aimed at agents involved, whether installers, designers, professionals or companies; as it is one of the decisive factors linked to the continuous technology development.

4.2) Urban and Public Facilities

4.2.1) Implement the evaluation of solar technology architectural integration potential in facades and solar passive architecture principles application in new construction public buildings.

4.2.2) Provide treatment to solar ordinance proposal jointly presented by Puerto Hueche S.R.L. and the Clean Energy Research Group, UNMDP Law Faculty.

4.2.3) Public Lighting. Implementing solar and solar / wind street lighting utilization evaluation in all new developments making in each case the comparison with grid-connected conventional lighting system complete work needed.

4.3) Industry

4.3.1) Assess solar thermal energy equipment manufacturing feasibility in Municipality territory, considering that in Industrial Park related equipment manufacturers (heating and cooling) already exist.

4.3.2) Assess PV kits and PV lighting devices mounting feasibility. Synergy with UNMDP (Engineering Materials).

4.3.3) Promote the use of solar thermal energy in industrial sectors with practical applications:

* Brewing and malt
* Textile industry
* Liquid baths automotive paint cleaning and degreasing
* Food industry
– Hot water production for bottles cleaning and disinfecting
– Meat products, canned vegetables and canned fish washing, cooking, blanching and cleaning
– Canned sterilization
– Animal slaughter facilities cleaning.

And in service sector. Some examples:

– Hotels
– Urban waste collection and treatment
– Supermarkets and hypermarkets
– Laundry, carpets cleaning, upholstery, dry cleaners, etc.
– Car repair garages
– Glass containers recovery and reuse.

Solar energy development policies implementation with Sopelia.

Sergio came to potential client Mary´s home and asked to see the roof where the solar installations would be located.

Once up, Sergio began to manipulate his mobile phone.

“Do not bother,” Said Mary … “there is no coverage.”

This did not stop Sergio because his tool works based on the location of the mobile device through GPS positioning (internet connection is not required).

From location latitude all calculations are performed.

Sergio selected Solar Thermal Energy from Installation Type Menu first.

Then he confirmed the location on the Map and selected Heating from Installation Use Menu.

The inclination angle of the thermal collectors depends on the use of solar equipment.

Sergio query his mobile, getting the result and informs Mary that 50◦ is the optimal solar thermal collector’s inclination.

Mary, a little surprised, asked what would be the optimum orientation.

“The optimum orientation of the solar collectors is towards the Ecuador” tells Sergio.

For guidance, Sergio used Compass App recommended by his tool that has cautiously already downloaded in his mobile.

The last missing data: separation between thermal collector’s rows.

Because surface was horizontal, only data needed was solar collector height in cm.

Sergio query his mobile, get the result and tells Mary that 4.42 m is the minimum spacing between rows.

Totally surprised, Mary tells Sergio where the solar photovoltaic installation would be located.

Sergio selected Solar Photovoltaic Energy option in the Installation Type Menu now.

Then he confirmed the location on the Map and selected On-Grid Connection from Installation Use Menu.

Sergio query his mobile, get the result and tells Mary that 34▫ is the optimum inclination for photovoltaic installation.

As in this case the module rows would be placed on a non horizontal surface, Sergio consulted Mary inclination of that roof sector, which is 20◦.

Sergio entered deck inclination angle from horizontal with a positive value because cover inclination direction coincides with modules inclination.

Finally Sergio told Mary numerous Tips available at i App button to consider for collection surface setting.

Sergio made a very good impression on Mary and demonstrated professionalism.

This App exists, was developed by Sopelia R+D+I and its name is Solar Layout.

Mary´s satisfaction was complete when Sergio told her how could download Solar Layout on his mobile and, in a very intuitive way, get herself recommended values at any geographic location.