D-Lab I Final Report: Adapting a Solar Microgrid to Provide

Lighting in Rural Nigeria

Jon Cook, Laleh Rastegarzadeh, and Daniel Sheeter
Prepared for D-Lab, UC Davis
Feb. 14, 2011
1 Introduction
For most remote, off-grid communities in the Niger Delta, candles and kerosene lamps are
the primary sources of light for households after the sun goes down. In addition to being
relatively expensive, these lighting sources provide poor light and contribute to respiratory
problems when used in poorly ventilated indoor environments. As advanced lighting
technologies have continued to become more efficient and inexpensive, the goal of replacing
fuel-based lighting with electric light powered by small-scale renewable sources is becoming
increasingly possible.
1.1 Modification of Indian Solar lighting Model for Aduku
The Indianmicrogrid model of our focus was designed and implemented by Mera Gao
Micro Grid power company (MGP). The main components of the Indian model are one PV
panel, two valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries in series, one charge controller and circuit
breaker at each distribution line. This model provides enough electricity for 40 homes, which
powers2-4 LEDs per home for 9 hours a day (Figure 1).



Figure 1 Lay out and technical specification of Indian solar lighting components

The distribution line in Indian model uses 1.5 mm
2
copper wires. The optimal length and
load of each distribution line in respect to distribution power loss or voltage drop is 100 m and
10 houses. The voltage drop of Indian model was calculated to be 5.7% (Voltage Drop
Calculator). The model in Aduku is suggested to start with 2 LED per house. The power per day
is same as Indian model, 9 hours per day.Table 1shows the main specifications of Indian and
Aduku model.



Table 1 Main characteristics of Indian model and Aduku model

Indian Model Aduku Model

Specification Quantity Specification Quantity
PV panel 136 W 1 200 W 1
Batteries 12 V, 72 Ah 2 12 V, 72 Ah variable
Copper wire 1.5 mm
2

100 m per
distribution line
variable variable
LED per house 1 W 4 1 W 2
Daily power light 9 hours light 9 hours
Voltage drop 5.7% Per distribution line 5.7% Per distribution line
Houses to cover cluster 40 Linear 86

2 Results
The required wire size to comply with a voltage drop of about 5.7% for different distribution
lengths was calculated using an online voltage drop calculator (Voltage Drop Calculator). The
assumptions for this calculation are as follows:
Seventy homes are equally distributed along the 2 km road passing through Aduku.
The homes are connected to 24 V battery through the distribution line in parallel
Each home has 2 LED fixtures with total power of 2 W
Theload current of each house is 1/12 A
The values input in the voltage drop calculator and the calculated wire size are shown in
Table 2.

Table 2 Wire size for different length of distribution line to maintain the voltage drop about
Wire Length (m) # Homes Load current (A) Wire size (mm2) voltage drop
1000 35 2.9 85 4.9 %
500 17.5 1.5 21.4 5.4%
250 8.75 0.7 5.26 5.1%
100 10 0.8 2.08 5.6%

The price of copper wire is linearly proportional with the cross section of the wire. The cost of
distribution wiring for providing light for 70households in a 2 km long segment of Aduku is
about 40 times the wiring cost in the Indian model.
2.1 Solar lighting pilot models
The components of pilot plans proposed in this section are similar to what is used in the
Indian model. Layout 1 covers 200m and provides light for about 16 homes (Figure 2). Layout 2
is designed to cover a longer distance of 400 m and 24 homes. To use the same wire size as
Indian model with a single PV panel, 2 more batteries were added to the model (Figure 3). The
choice of the layouts is based on the number of the homes which is planned to be included in the
pilot model.

Figure 2 Lay out 1 covers average of 16 houses in 200 m.



Figure 3 - Lay out 2 covers average of 28 houses in 400 m.

2.2 HOMER cost analysis of pilots
The cost values of the components of the pilot models are in



Table 3




Table 3. HOMER analysis showed Layout 2 is 73% more expensive than Layout 1 for
covering twice homes than Layout 1. Another important outcome of HOMER analysis was the
percent capacity shortage or failure rate (Table 4). The capacity shortage of layout 2 is 30%
meaning this layout does not meet 30% of the load.




Table 3 Cost of the components of the pilot model
Components Specification Unit cost
PV panel 136 W $500
Battery 12 V, 72 Ah $180
LED module 12 V, 1 W $3
Charge controller NA $100
Wiring Copper 1.5 mm2 $30/100 m
Fixed capital cost
Timer, circuit breaker, mounting
track. Unexpected costs
$900

Table 4 HOMER analysis for pilot plans, Layout 1 and Layout 2
Lay-out PV (W)
Battery
capacity
(Ah)
Capital
cost ($)
M&O ($/yr) COE($/kWh)
Capacity
shortage

5 yr 5 yr
1 136 72 1760 24 2.245 0%
2 136 72 2400 -12 2.34 30 %

2.2.1 Sensitivity analysis
Sensitivity analysis was conducted for both layouts. Battery rating, PV panel power, and system lifetime were considered
as variable values to do the sensitivity(Table 6 and Table 6).We assumed the cost of other rating of batteries and PV
panels are linearly proportional with their costs in Table 3



Table 3.
Table 5 sensitivity analysis for pilot system, Layout 1
PV (W)
Battery
capacity (Ah)
Capital cost ($)
M&O($/yr) COE ($/kWh)
Capacity
shortage
5 yr 10 yr 5 yr 10 yr
100 40 1,448 57 57 2.21 2.21 13 %
100 60 1,568 19 49 3.62 2.24 13 %
100 72 1628 24 60 3.63 2.31 8 %
136 40 1580 41 59 2.13 3.5 3 %
136 60 1700 21 51 2.15 3.52 2 %
136 72 1760 24 24 2.25 3.58 0 %


Table 6 Sensitivity analysis for Layout 2
PV (W)
Battery
capacity (Ah)
Capital cost ($)
M&O($/yr) COE($/kWh)
Capacity
shortage
5 yr 10 yr 5 yr 10 yr
272 40 2540 27 58 2.598 1.53 3 %
272 60 2780 -19 41 2.618 1.556 2 %
136 72 2400 -12 60 2.34 2.043 % 30

3 Discussion
3.1 HOMER
The HOMER model used to obtain these results is a modified version of the model
developed by the D-Lab group working on the optimization of the India grid. Major adjustments
to their final model included changing the solar resource data to the sun conditions in Aduku,
reducing the load of the system, and performing sensitivity analyses around battery size, panel
size and maximum acceptable capacity shortage (failure rate). Inputs such as the load profile,
number of LED fixtures per house, and battery specifications (other than size) were not changed.
The main result from the HOMER model is that compared to the current microgrid in India, a
microgrid designed for Aduku should be able to use smaller panels, smaller batteries, or both,
due to smaller loads that result from the linearity of the community. Whether or not both
components can be downsized depends on the maximum allowable failure rate that is specified.
The output from our HOMER model provides several important pieces of information to
think about when designing a microgrid for Aduku. First, because of the linear nature of Aduku,
only two distribution lines will be coming off of each battery group. The implication of this is
that a grid in Aduku can use a smaller battery than the 75 Ah batteries being used in India. We
found that running the HOMER model with a 40 Ah battery from the same company as the 75
Ah battery resulted in lower capital and levelized costs of both microgrid layouts without
increasing the failure rate of the grid.
Another area where the Aduku may be able to be downsized compared to the India grid is
the solar panel size. We specified three different sizes of panels in our model (with 272 W being
the largest of the three) and allowed HOMER to choose the panel that resulted in the lowest cost
while still meeting the performance level specified by the maximum allowable capacity shortage.
For the lowest failure rate of 5%, the microgrid requires one 136 W panel (same size as the India
grid). When the failure rate is relaxed to 15% or 25%, however, a 100 W panel can be used
instead (a more detailed sensitivity analysis showed the switching point to be around 12.5%).
None of the models that we ran required the use of a 272 W panel.
When considering pilot layouts, the sensitivity analysis conducted in HOMER provides
useful information with regard to the size of components needed and capacity shortage rate. The
optimal pilot layout will depend on the number of houses that would need to be covered. For a
small number of houses, Layout 1 can be used with both a smaller panel and smaller battery,
depending on the desired failure rate. If the number of houses to be covered is closer to 30, then
it would likely be more economical to use Layout 2 with a larger panel instead of two systems of
Layout 1.
3.2 Security concerns
The implementation of solar-powered lighting utility in Aduku will affect the kerosene
market in the area. If people shift away from kerosene, the people whose livelihoods depend on
supplying and distributing the fuel may feel threatened by the micro-grid. Steps will have to be
taken to ensure the microgrid components are protected from vandalization. This will be
especially important, as the PV array will likely be installed on a community building or
structure.
3.3 Construction
Most of the houses in Aduku are rentals and have thatched roofs that must be replaced
every 2-3 seasons. Landlords do not install more durable tin roofs because they want their
tenants to feel like they are in temporary housing. The tin roofs make the residence seem more
permanent to the tenants. The thatched roofs mean that a permanent array of PV panels cannot be
installed on homes in the village. The roof will not be strong enough to support the weight of the
panels. We are examining alternative structures that may be suitable for a PV array. There are a
number of structures constructed to shelter workspaces from the elements. According to our
partners, these structures are generally located in central locations surrounded by a dense cluster
of homes. However, in their current state, they are not rugged enough to support an array. One
option is to rebuild them so the structure supporting the PV panels also provides a benefit to the
village as a shelter.
Before a structure is built, it must be determined where panels should be located to
maximize exposure to the sun throughout the year. A site obstacle survey can provide the data
necessary to place the panels in area large enough to support the array with a clear field of view
of the suns path across the sky.
4 NEXT STEPS
4.1 ViPOR
The ViPOR (Village Power Optimization Model for Renewables) software suite is an
optimization model for designing village electrification systems. The National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed ViPORin conjunction with HOMER. While HOMER
evaluates the economic and technical feasibility of a large number of technology options, ViPOR
uses spatial data to optimize the physical layout of the electrical distribution grid. Given a
detailed map of the village, ViPOR will determine which houses should be powered by isolated
power systems (like Smart Lights) and which should be included in a centralized distribution
grid. It does require the cost of generating electricity, which is modeled in a hybrid system
design tool like HOMER beforehand. The output displays a map of the optimal configuration
based on the spatial and economic data inputted in advance. The recommended configuration
will avoid difficult terrain, which adds to transmission costs.
We attempted to model Aduku within ViPOR but could not do it accurately because we
lacked a detailed map of the village. If the pilot phase is successful, obtaining precise spatial
information and modeling Aduku in ViPOR will determine which areas of the village are most
feasible for a centralized distribution grid and where isolated power systems should be used.
4.2 Charging Station
Charging the 12V batteries at large, centrally located PV array is an option if suitable
structures near the densely populated areas of the village cannot be found. Once the batteries are
charged, they would be carried to the midpoint of the micro-grid and plugged into the grid to
power the lights overnight. The next morning, the batteries would be brought back to array to be
recharged. It could also be implemented if the security of the panels is a problem. It would be
much easier to secure one large array than three or four small arrays. This type of system is
theoretically possible, but has not been modeled.
Potential issues with this configuration include managing the one or two people required
to move the batteries back and forth between the grid and array. Furthermore, the batteries and
their connections would need to be very robust to stand up to the repeated transport and
disconnection/reconnection to the grid and panels.
4.3 Cell Phone and Light Charging
If there is an interest in a cell phone charging service, a centrally located charging station
can be added to the grid. This station can also provide a place for residents of the village who
live outside the range of the grid to charge battery-powered lanterns and flashlights.
4.4 Hybrid Grid
Solar was the only electrical grid technology modeled with HOMER. An analysis of a
diesel or gasoline generator used in conjunction with a PV array could be conducted to determine
if costs can be reduced with a hybrid system. Gasoline and diesel are readily available in the oil-
rich Niger Delta. A small generator could reduce the number of batteries required by providing
extra capacity during peak hours or periods when the panels cannot fully recharge the batteries.
4.5 Detachable Lighting
Currently, the LED lights designated for use in the project are hardwired into the grid.
Research could be conducted to investigate the technical feasibility of a detachable LED light.
The light can be plugged into the grid to provide light within the home and charge its own
internal battery. If the customer ventures somewhere at night without lighting, they can detach
the light and use it as a flashlight. Furthermore, the internal battery would provide a backup for a
period of time if the grid were to fail.

5 Conclusion
Starting from a solar microgrid framework developed for a rural village in India, we
analyzed the technical modifications that would be required to implement a similar grid in
Aduku, Nigeria. Using HOMER software, we specified two potential layouts for pilot microgrids
and determined the components that are required for each of them. Due to the linear nature of
Aduku, we found that the number of connected households and the capacity shortage that is
deemed acceptable have an important impact on the optimal layout of the microgrid. Choosing
the appropriate sizes of components can reduce capital costs for a pilot microgrid.























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