HAWASSA UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Photovoltaic/Battery Smart Integration with Main Grid for Reliable Supply of

Electrical Energy to Hawasssa University Main Campus

By
Bawoke Simachew
(PGEng/006/09)

A project proposal
Submitted to: Dr.-Ing. Fasika Bete Georgise (Ph.D)

School of Mechanical Engineering, Hawassa Institute of Technology, Hawassa

University

For the course of Research Methodology

Jan. 2018
Hawassa, Ethiopia
 EXCUTIVE SUMMARY
This project would be undertaken to investigate the economic and environmental suitability of the
implementation of Grid Connected Photovoltaic Systems in comparison to the use of fuel
generators/plant as an alternative source of energy to solve the regular grid failure problem rural
areas of Ethiopia with Hawassa University main campus as the case study. In this work 300 kVA
(I have guessed shashemene substation to be this amount which feeds to the campus) grid
connected photovoltaic system with 100% battery backup is designed for the campus. To simplify
the work, the design is undertaken for the 300kVA substation (shashemene substation) and the
results are replicated for the remaining substations. The results of this work show that the Hawassa
university-shashemene substation requires a 360VDC battery bank with a capacity of
68000.264Ah (C10 rating). The system requires two 300kVA Trace sun-tied 3-phase Inverter and

2000 of the BP 7180 modules. The total yearly output of the system to the grid wouldd calculated.
The 300kVA grid connected photovoltaic system is estimated to cost 16,046,880.42 ETB. This
results show clearly that the grid-connected system is economically preferable than if a fuel
generator of the same capacity as an alternative source of electricity for Hawassa University since
fuel cost(running cost) of generator is inflated from time to time.
It is concluded in this work that in the long term the implementation of a grid connected PV system
is environmentally preferable and has low running cost compared to running cost of diesel
generator.

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Table of Contents
EXCUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. i
List of Table .................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 1
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ................................................................................................. 3
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................................... 4
1.3.1. General Objective ....................................................................................................................... 4
1.3.2. Specific Objective ....................................................................................................................... 4
1.4. LITERATURE REVIEW COMPONENTS AND THEORIES......................................................... 5
1.5. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 6
1.5.1. Data Collection: .......................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.2. Sizing .......................................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.2.1. Inverter sizing ...................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.2.2. Panel sizing .......................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.2.3. MPPT sizing......................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.2.4. Solar Charge Controller Sizing ............................................................................................ 6
1.5.2.5. Battery sizing ....................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.3. Design work: ............................................................................................................................... 7
1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................... 7
1.7. BUDGET PLAN ................................................................................................................................ 7
1.7.1. Inflation rate ................................................................................................................................ 7
1.7.2. Shipping cost ............................................................................................................................... 7
1.7.3. Custom duties.............................................................................................................................. 7
1.7.4. Value added tax (VAT) ............................................................................................................... 7
1.7.5. Wiring, Transport and other incidental costs .............................................................................. 7
1.8. PLAN OF WORK .............................................................................................................................. 8
1.9. REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 9

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List of Table
Table 1: individual and total cost material required...................................................................................... 8
Table 2: Time schedule to complete the whole work process ...................................................................... 8

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1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Hawassa University is one of the Universities in Ethiopia which establishes to conduct various
researches to create major scientific solutions to problems around and the country at large. The
university is located at 7°0572′𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ latitude and 38°4990′𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑡 longitude, about 278km southern of
Addis Ababa. As field areas and number of students and buildings in the campus is growing there
is a need continuous energy consumption growing i.e. starting from students mobile, pads and
laptops to large energy consumers like kitchen services, copy machines and printers, projectors,
networked computers, server routers, drilling machines, lighting and street lighting and other
activities which support learning and teaching processes require energy. Therefore, it is obvious
to have proportional resources increment as campus expands in terms of territory and student
numbers.
Mostly Hawassa University main campus dependent on both the main grid and nonrenewable
fossil fuels that have been and will continue to be a major cause of pollution and climate change
as well as has higher running cost. Because of these problems and continuous and the need of
uninterrupted power supply sustainable alternatives is becoming increasingly urgent. Perhaps the
greatest challenge in realizing a sustainable future is to develop technology for integration and
control of renewable energy sources in smart grid distributed generation. The smart power grid
distributed energy system would provide the platform for the use of renewable sources and
adequate emergency power for major metropolitan load centers and would safeguard in preventing
the complete blackout of the campus because due to man-made events and environmental calamity
would break up the main grid power system for short and sometimes will take long time to undergo
until required maintenance services is done.
Due to the continual oil price increment, growing concerns of global warming, the contradiction
between depletion of oil/gas reserves and the fast growth of global energy demand; renewable
energy a grid such as solar, wind, bio energy and hydropower might become a new trend in which
we produce energy to secure sustainable provision of electrical power. Energy resources exemplify
these issues. Reliable energy supply is essential in all economies for lighting, heating,
communications, computers, and other equipment, etc. Purchases of energy account for 5–10% of
gross national product in developed economies.

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Photovoltaic (PV) energy system is one of the most promising candidates of the future energy
technologies among the many listed above and it has been widely noticed that stand alone and grid
connected PV is grown fast. [2].
Energy generation system reliability has been considered as one of the most important issues in
any system design process. However, natural energy resources are unpredictable, intermittent, and
seasonally unbalanced. Therefore, a combination of two or more renewable energy resources may
satisfy bigger share of electricity demand and offer reliable and consistent energy supply. Solar
PV with back up battery and hydro (most Ethiopian energy source) Electricity System is well
suited to conditions where sun light and rain have seasonal as well as diurnal pattern.
For example, in Ethiopian winter time; the sun light is abundant but less water content of dams
while in summer, water resource increases that can complement the solar resource. The reliability
of the PV-integrated with main hydro grid system in producing energy would be ideal solution for
energy interruption. This alternative energy source is pollution free (environmental friendly), and
abundant in availability, and the best alternative for Hawassa university since the site is naturally
gifted in sun light power resource because it is nearer to the equator it has almost has more than
seven month over a year. On the other hand Ethiopian most education service (biggest load) is in
winter (from Ethiopian September to first July) this time the sun is nearly near the equator and will
deliver ample power
Solar photovoltaic system is one of renewable energy system which uses PV modules to convert
sunlight into electricity. The electricity generated can be stored or used directly, fed back into grid
line or combined with one or more other electricity generators or more renewable energy source.
Solar PV system is very reliable and clean source of electricity that can suit a wide range of
applications such as residence, industry, agriculture, livestock, etc.

Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of solar energy. These photons contain various
amounts of energy corresponding to the different wave length of the solar spectrum. When photons
strike a photovoltaic, they may be reflected, pass right through, or be absorbed. Only the absorbed
photons provide energy to generate electricity. When enough sunlight energy is absorbed by the
material that is a semiconductor, electrons are come out from the materials atom. Special treatment
of the material surface during manufacturing makes the front surface of cell more receptive to free
electrons, so the electrons naturally migrate to the surface.

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When the electrons leave their position, holes are formed. When many electrons, each carrying a
negative charge, travel towards the front surface of the cell, the resulting unbalance of charge
between the cell’s front and back surface creates a voltage potential like the negative and positive
terminal of a battery. When the two surfaces are connected through an external load, electricity
flows.

Photovoltaic cells, like the batteries, generate direct current (DC).which is generally used for small
loads like electronic equipment. When dc from photovoltaic cell is used for commercial
applications or sold to electric utilities using the electric grid, it must be converted to alternating
current (AC) using inverters:

 Conversion from sunlight to electricity is direct, so that bulky mechanical generator

systems are not necessary.
 PV array can be installed quickly and in any size required or allowed.
 The environmental impact is minimal, requiring no water for system cooling and
generating no by- products.
Major system components

Solar PV system includes different components that should be selected according to your system
type, site location and applications. The major components for solar PV system are solar charge
controller, inverter, battery bank, auxiliary energy sources and loads (appliances).

 PV module– converts sunlight into DC electricity

 Solar charge controller– regulates the voltage and current coming from the PV panels going
to battery and prevents battery overcharging and prolongs the battery life. For in our project
case:
 Inverter–converts DC output of PV panels into a clean AC current for AC appliances.
 Battery – stores energy for supplying to electrical appliances when there is a demand.
 Load – is electrical appliances that connected to solar PV system such as lights.

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Hawassa University currently conducting under graduate, post graduate and some Ph.D. education
programs, hence to make the education and research procedures fruitful beyond its availability

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power should never be interrupted for programs success. Taking closer observation on the campus
situation there are some service which never ever need power irruption such as laboratories,
workshops, student cafeteria, registrar and office secretary works teachers education ,simulation
works, …etc. and others.

Poor power transmission and distribution installation, accessories and control system of the
Ethiopian electric power corporation (EEPCo) is the main cause of unstable voltage which may
bring overcurrent that will cause either partial or permanent damage of materials.

EEPCo has no scheduled maintenance, once the fault is happened they/we cannot predict when the
full service will be back. But until that using diesel generator will not be cost effective and not
environmental friendly; hence it is a must to find alternative solution to be quite carbon free as
well as stable system.

Solar/battery connected with main grid is ideal for the required solution which can be managed
alone when EEPCo power is interrupted.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1.3.1. General Objective
The general objective of this work is to design grid connected solar photovoltaic energy source
for Hawassa University main campus to make full electricity access service and to educate
students, business agencies and the citizens as a whole to dream the clean energy.

1.3.2. Specific Objective

The specific objectives of the project include:

 Sizing solar PV panel which can deliver full load service to Hawassa University main
campus application
 Sizing of solar batteries
 Select the lamp types which are suitable lighting
 Design how to connect with main grid
 Simulate the system
 Recommend the university to use solar PV integrated with main grid system for better
education quality and the environment at large etc.

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1.4. LITERATURE REVIEW COMPONENTS AND THEORIES
It is important to state that the amount of literature on Ethiopia’s energy, is enormous. So much study
is needed to design PV system with battery backup accurately from first principles. The author of this
project has attended courses on the subject, read over many books, journals and papers. This chapter
will cover just a little portion of that enormous amount of literature.
F. Drake and Yacob Mulugeta [6] have merged data from a variety of sources and presented new
countrywide maps of the solar energy distribution over Ethiopia after predicting radiation from
sunshine hours by employing empirical models. They used data from seven stations in Ethiopia,
linear and quadratic correlation relationships between monthly mean daily solar radiation and
sunshine hours per day. To produce a national solar-energy distribution profile, they carried out
spatial extension of the radiation/sunshine relationships based on interpolation of regression
coefficients of each of the seven linear regression equations and another six from previous studies,
completed in neighboring Sudan, Kenya and Yemen. Subsequent to these procedures, 142 stations
Getachew Bekele [8] investigated the way of supplying electric energy from solar and wind hybrid
resources to remotely located communities detached from the main grid line in Ethiopia. He used
sunshine hour data collected over a period of more than 10 years at four different geographical
locations (Addis Ababa, Mekele, Nazret, and Debrezeit). Based on the sunshine duration data, the
monthly average daily sunshine amount for each of the places has been computed. The estimation
of monthly average solar radiation was done with the help of an empirical equation by Duffie and
Beckman, 1991 and using regression coefficients specific to the sites in question. The results
indicate an abundance of solar energy potential. The wind resource was also estimated from raw
wind speed data obtained at NMSA for the same sites which finally came up with a result showing
a good potential of wind power high enough to produce electricity. Finally he did feasibility studies
and the result of feasible systems architecture that comprises one or more of wind/solar
PV/Generator/battery for each site fall in COE range of US$0.349/kwh to $0.441/kwh.
Connolly D. et al [11] have made a comparative study of 68 computer tools for integration of
renewable resources in various energy systems. Accordingly, SIMULINK is best for optimization,
feasibility and sensitivity analysis of both off-grid and grid connected micro power systems. The
main focus of this project is to investigate solar potential in Hawassa University Main campus
situated south central part of Ethiopia and propose the possibility of using a large scale optimized
stand alone and PV connected with main grid system for the total number of settled loads.

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1.5. METHODOLOGY
1.5.1. Data Collection:
 calculating the amount of load required
 measure solar irradiance/intensity of the university
 measure the wind speed

1.5.2. Sizing
1.5.2.1. Inverter sizing
An inverter is used in the system where AC power output is needed. The input rating of the
inverter should never be lower than the total watt of appliances. The inverter must have the same
nominal voltage as your battery.

1.5.2.2. Panel sizing

Different size of PV modules will produce different amount of power. To find out the sizing of
PV module, the total peak watt produced needs. The peak watt (Wp) produced depends on size
of the PV module and climate of site location. We have to consider “panel generation factor”
which is different in each site location

1.5.2.3. MPPT sizing

If, when installing a PV array on a roof, panels need to face in different directions, it is essential
to assemble at least one string per direction and ensure each string is facing in just one direction
to ensure optimized supply. Each string must be connected to a specific inverter (or to inputs of a
multi-MPPT inverter).

1.5.2.4. Solar Charge Controller Sizing

The solar charge controller is typically rated against Amperage and Voltage capacities. Select the
solar charge controller to match the voltage of PV array and batteries and then identify which
type of solar charge controller is right for your application. Make sure that solar charge controller
has enough capacity to handle the current from PV array

1.5.2.5. Battery sizing

The battery type recommended for using in solar PV system is deep cycle battery. Deep cycle
battery is specifically designed for to be discharged to low energy level and rapid recharged or
cycle charged and discharged day after day for years. The battery should be large enough to store
sufficient energy to operate the appliances at night and cloudy days.

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1.5.3. Design work:
as per the collected load the overall work is performed using

 Simulating the overall analyzed and designed data

 Installation

1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The campus power is not reliable, hence solar generated power will much solve the dependence of
power from EEPCo, and installing solar PV also decreases power fluctuation. The 24 hrs power
availability will permit for street lights which increases attractiveness of the campus, reduce the
crimes made by both the students and who comes from outside bodies.

1.7. BUDGET PLAN

1.7.1. Inflation rate
In this economic analysis, the average inflation rate of 12% is used.

1.7.2. Shipping cost

The shipping cost is expected to be 10% of manufactures cost
1.7.3. Custom duties
According to Ethiopia law it is expected to be free for renewable energy sources
1.7.4. Value added tax (VAT)
I have assumed the VAT is not more than 15% of manufacturers cost
1.7.5. Wiring, Transport and other incidental costs
Is expected to be 5% of total investment cost

Item Qty Unit Total cost Shippin Custom VAT Total cost(𝐸𝑇𝐵)
cost at g cost duties
from manufactu
manufa rer
cturer
300 KVA 2 116,14 232288 23228.8 - 5,226.46 260743.26
inverter 4

2V 280 3000 840000 840000 - 42000 9282000

Battery
Panels 2000 1800 3600000 360000 - 180000 4140000

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BP 180W
Installation& cost
2000 800 - - - - 1,600,000
mounting
Panels

SUB TOTAL 15,282,743.26

Wiring,MPPT,Transport and other incidental costs 764137.163

TOTAL INVESTMENT COST 16,046,880.42

Table 1: individual and total cost material required

1.8. PLAN OF WORK

month 1 2 3
No week 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 Reading
litratures
2 Load study

3 Project
organization
4 Analysis

5 Design

6 Simulation

7 Implementing
the project

Table 2: Time schedule to complete the whole work process

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1.9. REFERENCES
[1] Bianca Barth, G. C. (August 2014). PV final project report.

[2] Chris Greacen, R. E. (April 2013). A Guidebook on grid interconnection and island operation
of minigrid power system up to 200kw.

[3] Ontario. (Feburary,2011). Operationalizing Privacy by Design:The Ontario Smart Grid Case
Study.

[4] SETH, A. (2014). STUDY ON THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AND IMPACT OF

INTEGRATING HIGH PENETRATION PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEMS INTO THE
GHANAIAN TRANSMISSION GRID.

[5] Venkatesh, J. (. (n.d.). Renewable energy integration in SMART grids.

[6] S. Javadi and S. Moini, “A new solar radiation models for IRAN,” Latest Trends on Systems,
Volume 1, Islamic AZAD University, Central Tehran University, Iran, 1991.
[7] F. Drake and Y. Mulugeta, “Assessment of solar and wind energy in Ethiopia. I. Solar energy”,
Solar Energy, vol. 57, no. 3, pp. 205-217, 1996
[8]. B. Getachew, “The Study into the Potential and Feasibility of Standalone Solar-Wind Hybrid
Electric Energy Supply System for Application in Ethiopia”, KTHvRoyal Institute of Technology
Doctoral Thesis, December 2009.
[9]. M. S. Ismail, “Simulation of a Hybrid Power System Consisting of Wind Turbine, PV, Storage
Battery and Diesel Generator with Compensation Network:Design, Optimization and Economical
Evaluation,” An-Najah NationalUniversity, 2008
[10]. M. Shadmand and M. Pasupuleti, "Implementation of Photovoltaic-Wind Hybrid Systemms
with Battery Back-up in the State of Texas," Texas A&M University, Texas, 2010
[11] Connolly D., Lund H., Mathiesen B.V. and Leahy M., 2010, “A review of computer tools for
analyzing the integration of renewable energy into various energy systems”, Applied Energy, vol.
87, no. 4, pp. 1059-1082.