Pre-Feasibility Study of A 1MW PV Plant For Cali, Colombia
Pre-Feasibility Study of A 1MW PV Plant For Cali, Colombia
14.10.2015
SES S 2015
Cali, Colombia
Executive Summary
This paper employs design and pre-feasibility study of a 1 MW Power plant for the city named Cali in
Colombia. Pre-feasibility study divided into several significant segments such as description of the
country including political and economic condition, energy market, site selection, solar resource
assessment, solar PV technology, PV plant performance, PV module degradation, Design with layout and
Project economics.
At the present time, the Colombian energy market is highly dependent on fossil fuel with a large share of
hydro power. In the months after May 2015, the Colombian government will establish a legal framework
to promote the use of non-conventional renewable energy sources as it continues its pursuit of a cleaner
national energy system. Foreign investments are highly encouraged for almost all areas of economy. In
October 2013, total production of electricity within the country was 5.3 Terawatt hours, mostly from
hydroelectric plants. Private companies own 60 percent of the installed capacity generating electricity in
Colombia. Almost half of the produced energy is distributed through interconnected grid. With growing
energy demand the Colombian government is planning to focus on more renewable energy due to the
global warming issue in the world. One of the most important reasons for Global Warming on earth is
greenhouse gas emission (GHG). Renewable energies like solar and wind power are the most probable
solutions for reducing the GHG emission rate. In addition, Colombia has a high potential on solar energy,
in the previous years the government has taken necessary steps to develop the solar energy market, which
is described later in this paper.
Furthermore, Cali one of the most popular cities in Colombia was chosen for the pre-feasibility study of 1
MW solar power plant. The city has more than 150 sunshine hours on an average each month according
to meteorological data. Cali has a flat land mostly in the center with a rough terrain in west side including
mountains and small hilly areas. South-east part of the city is protected for archaeological importance.
Three different locations were chosen for the study considering availability of grid connection, distance to
infrastructure facilities, flooding and soil liquefaction. The chosen site was then assessed for global
horizontal radiation. Later on, different solar PV technologies and inverter concepts were studied. After
that, PV plant performance was measured with the viable PV technologies and inverter using the software
PVsyst. Degradation is a key part for pre-feasibility study, which was also a focus of this paper.
Moreover, with the software the design and layout was drawn to find the optimum condition for solar
power plant. Then, the study focuses on Project economics. Levelized cost of electricity, operating
expenditure and capital expenditure were the main parts of project economics. Finally, the study was
concluded with the operation, maintenance and commission concept of the power plant. This extensive
study is a useful tool for assessing the feasibility of a 1 MW PV plant for the city of Cali.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... i
List of Figures.............................................................................................................................. v
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. vi
List of Abbreviations.................................................................................................................. vii
1.
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
2.
3.
4.
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6.
7.
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8.
8.1 Layout...............................................................................................................................38
8.2 Grid connection ..................................................................................................................39
8.3 Buildings and infrastructure .................................................................................................40
Project Economics ...................................................................................................40
9.
Final Selection.........................................................................................................42
11.
Operations Concept.................................................................................................43
11.1 Maintenance.....................................................................................................................43
11.1.1 Scheduled/Preventative maintenance .................................................................43
11.1.2 Unscheduled maintenance ................................................................................44
11.2
Commissioning.........................................................................................................45
References ..................................................................................................................................45
Appendix A ................................................................................................................................. 1
Appendix B ................................................................................................................................. 3
Appendix C ................................................................................................................................. 7
Appendix D ................................................................................................................................. 9
Appendix E.................................................................................................................................12
Appendix F .................................................................................................................................13
Appendix G ................................................................................................................................15
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List of Figures
Figure 1: Map of Colombia ............................................................................................................ 2
Figure 2: Potential resources in Colombia........................................................................................ 8
Figure 3: Map of Santiago de Cali .................................................................................................12
Figure 4: Political map of Santiago de Cali .....................................................................................13
Figure 5: Sites pre-selected ...........................................................................................................13
Figure 6: Corregimiento Navarro (district of Navarro) .....................................................................14
Figure 7: Selected Site for the 1MW PV plant ................................................................................15
Figure 8: Sun hours in Cali ...........................................................................................................16
Figure 9: Calis terrain profile (Natural landscapes, e.g. surrounding mountains) .................................17
Figure 10: Road Connectivity .......................................................................................................18
Figure 11: Energy grid layout of Cali ............................................................................................18
Figure 12: Connection of roads in Cali ..........................................................................................19
Figure 13: Ecologic structure in Navarro .......................................................................................19
Figure 14: Archaeology expectations in Navarro ............................................................................20
Figure 15: Location of Urban Facilities ..........................................................................................20
Figure 16: Electrical grid composition in Cali .................................................................................21
Figure 17: Natural gas grid ...........................................................................................................21
Figure 18: Flooding risk in Navarro (alta = high, media = medium and baja = low water depth) ............23
Figure 19: Soil liquefaction areas ..................................................................................................23
Figure 20: Earth orientation and sun angle calculation......................................................................24
Figure 21: Monthly global horizontal irradiation in Cali ...................................................................26
Figure 22: Available photovoltaic cell technologies .........................................................................27
Figure 23: Centralized and decentralized inverter configuration ........................................................30
Figure 24: Available mounting systems in the market ......................................................................31
Figure 25: Inter-row calculation ....................................................................................................31
Figure 26: Degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter ........................33
Figure 27: Degradation of PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter ..................................34
Figure 28: Degradation of PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter .............................35
Figure 29: Screenshot from PVsyst from south-west ........................................................................38
Figure 30: Screenshot from PVsyst of the string arrangement ...........................................................38
Figure 31: IRENA study of economic life for renewable energy technologies all over the world ...........40
Figure 32: Spider diagram for Poly-Si ............................................................................................42
Figure 33: Hierarchy table of Operation & maintenance team ...........................................................45
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List of Tables
Table 1: Different tariffs established for the year 2015 for residential, commercial and industrial users. .. 9
Table 2: Site Assessment ..............................................................................................................14
Table 3: Monthly values of the meteorological parameters ...............................................................16
Table 4: Air pollution level and Index ............................................................................................22
Table 5: Different categories of pollution in Cali. ............................................................................22
Table 6: Purity and Cleanliness in Cali, Colombia ...........................................................................22
Table 7: Sun angle calculation.......................................................................................................24
Table 8: Global Horizontal Irradiation value obtained with different sources ......................................25
Table 9: Performance of three PV technologies with a centralized inverter .........................................32
Table 10: Energy yield and probability forecast of three different solar technologies with centralized
inverter ......................................................................................................................................32
Table 11: Losses of three different solar technologies with centralized inverter ...................................32
Table 12: Performance of two different solar technologies with decentralized inverter with Energy
yield and probability forecast ........................................................................................................32
Table 13: Losses of two different solar technologies with centralized inverter .....................................33
Table 14: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty .........33
Table 15: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty. ........34
Table 16: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation ...................................35
Table 17: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation giving..........................35
Table 18: Levelized cost of electricity for three different solar cell technologies..................................41
Table 19: Final selection for 1MW power Plant...............................................................................43
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List of Abbreviations
Community Carbon Fund
Clean Development Mechanism
Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa
Comisin de Regulacin Energa y Gas (Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission )
Direccin de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales de Colombia (National Taxes and
DIAN
Customs Direction )
EMCALI Empresas Municipales de Cali (Utility of Cali)
EMGESA Energy generation company
Empresas Pblicas de Medelln (Public companies of the city of Medelln)
EPM
Fondo de Energas No Convencionales y Gestin Eficiente de la Energa (NonFENOGE
Conventional Energy and Efficient Energy Management Fund)
Fuentes no convencionales de energa (non-conventional energy sources)
FNCE
Fuentes no convencionales de energa renovables (non-conventional renewable energy
FNCER
sources)
Global horizontal irradiation
GHI
Instituto Colombiano de Antropologa e Historia (Colombian Institute of Anthropology
ICANH
and History)
Infraestructura de Datos Espaciales de Santiago de Cali (Spatial Data Infrastructure of
IDESC
Santiago de Cali)
The International Renewable Energy Agency
IRENA
ISAGEN Energy generation company
Impuesto al Valor Agregado (Value Added Tax incentive )
IVA
Organization for Economic Cooperation
OECD
Sistema interconectado nacional (National Interconnected System)
SIN
Unidad de Planeacion Minero Energetica (Unit for Mining and Energy Planning)
UPME
Weighted Average Cost of Capital
WACC
World Health Organization
WHO
Zonas no interconectadas (Non-Interconnected Zones )
ZNI
CCF
CDM
CIVETS
CREG
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1. Introduction
The development of a PV project can be broken down into the following phases: conceptual, prefeasibility study, feasibility study, development and design. In general, each succeeding phase entails an
increased level of expenditure but reduces the risk and uncertainty in the project. In practice, the
progression through these phases is not strictly linear. The amount of time and money committed in each
phase will vary, depending on the priorities and risk appetite of the developer.
A typical scope for a feasibility study would include the items below (again, these are covered in more
detail in the book):
Production of a detailed site plan.
Calculation of solar resource and environmental characteristics.
Assessment of shading (horizon and nearby buildings and objects).
Outline layout of areas suitable for PV development.
Assessment of technology options providing cost/benefit for the project location:
Module type.
Mounting system & Outline system design.
Application for outline planning permission.
Grid connection more detailed assessment of likelihood, cost and timing.
Predicted energy yields.
Financial modeling.
The development phase takes the project from the feasibility stage through to financial close and is likely
to consist of:
Preparation and submission of the permit applications for the proposed solar PV project.
Preparation and submission of a grid connection application.
Revision of the design and planning permissions.
Decision on contracting strategy (turnkey EPC contract or multi- contract).
Decision on the financing approach.
Preparation of solar PV module tender documentation.
Supplier selection and ranking.
Preparation of construction tender documentation.
Contractor selection and ranking & Contract negotiations.
Completion of a bankable energy yield.
Preparation of a financial model covering the full life cycle of the plant.
Completion of a project risk analysis.
Environmental impact assessment.
Production of a detailed project report.
Securing financing for the project.
The design phase will prepare the necessary detail and documentation to enable the tendering and
construction of the solar PV plant. [10]
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Trade Agreements negotiated and signed with other countries. These factors establish an attractive and
promising frame for investors.
The advantages in terms of investment in the country can be seen specifically in workforce availability,
offer in highly productive sectors, development of high-capacity ports, implementation of free trade
zones, tax exemptions for some sectors, and a healthy and competitive business environment. [2]
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e) Massive dissemination programs. UPME will develop massive dissemination programs aimed at
informing the general public on the requirements, procedures and benefits of implementing smallscale self-generation solutions;
f) Focalized dissemination programs. UPME will identify niches with a high probability for a
feasible implementation of small-scale self-generation solutions. Based on this research, UPME
will develop focalized dissemination and training programs on these technologies, and will
prepare and distribute technical and financial guides.
2.5.1.2 Article 11. Incentives for the generation of non-conventional energies.
With the purpose of stimulating research, development and investment in the production and use of
energy generated from FNCE and energy efficient management, those obliged to file income tax returns
who have invested in this type of projects, will be entitled to reduce annually from their rent, during the 5
years following to the fiscal year in which the investment was made, fifty percent (50%) of the value of
their investment.
The deductible amount for this concept in no case should exceed 50% of the contributors net income,
determined before subtracting the value of the investment.
To be eligible, the investment should receive the environmental benefit certificate, issued and properly
certified by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, according to the article 158-2 of
the Tax Statute.
2.5.1.3 Article 12. Instruments for the promotion of the FNCE.
Value Added Tax incentive (IVA, for its acronym in Spanish). To foster the use of energy generated from
FNCE, the equipment, elements, machinery and national and imported services destined for preinvestment and investment, for the production and use of energy from non-conventional sources, as well
as for measuring and evaluating potential resources, will be exempt from IVA. To this effect, the Ministry
of Environment and Sustainable Development will certify the equipment and services excluded from this
tax, based on a list issued by UPME.
2.5.1.4 Article 13. Instruments for the promotion of renewable energies.
Tariff incentive. Natural or legal persons that upon entry into force of this Law hold new investments in
new FNCE projects, will be exempt from paying import tariffs for machinery, equipment, materials and
inputs exclusively destined for pre-investment and investment projects with said resources. This tariff
incentive will be applicable only to machinery, equipment, materials and inputs not produced by national
industry and whose only means of acquisition is subject to their importation.
The exemption of import tariffs mentioned in the previous paragraph will be applied to FNCE projects
and must be requested to the National Taxes and Customs Direction (DIAN, for its acronym in Spanish)
at least 15 workdays before the import of the machinery, equipment, materials and inputs required and
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exclusively destined to develop renewable energy projects, according to the documentation of the project
endorsed in the certificate issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy or the entity entitled by it to this
purpose.
2.5.1.5 Article 19. Development of solar energy
1. Solar energy will be considered as FNCER. The nature and conditions of the resource shall be
studied and analyzed by CREG for its technical regulation.
2. The National Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Housing,
City and Territory and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, within their
jurisdictions, will foster the use of the solar resource in municipal or district urbanization projects,
government buildings, and in the industrial, residential and commercial sectors.
3. The National Government, directly through the Ministry of Mines and Energy or through the
entity it designates for this purpose, will regulate the conditions for the participation of solar
energy as a source for distributed generation, establishing technical and quality regulations to be
met by the facilities using solar energy, as well as the requirements for the connection, the
delivery of surplus power and safety standards for the installations.
4. The National Government will consider the viability of developing solar energy for selfgeneration in the socio-economic strata 1, 2 and 3, as an alternative to the current energy
consumption subsidy of these users.
5. The National Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development,
will define the environmental parameters to be met by solar energy projects, as well as the
mitigation of potential environmental impacts that may occur during their implementation.
6. The National Government will stimulate the use of photovoltaic generation as a form of selfgeneration and in schemes of distributed generation with FNCER.
7. The National Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Energy, will consider metering
schemes for all those private and government facilities, industries, commercial establishments
and households using solar energy generation. The metering scheme will contemplate the
possibility of bi-directional net metering, so that a self-generation scheme is available for these
facilities.
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carried out in an effort coordinated among the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Energy and Gas
Regulatory Commission, and the Mining and Energy Planning Unit, among others.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy is responsible for regulating the integration of self-generators, the
Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) will establish the technical procedures for doing so.
Additionally, CREG will form regulatory mechanisms to provide incentives for demand response
programs. The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development established procedures and
criteria for issuing certifications to programs they deem environmentally beneficial, as well as promoting
scientific research, technological development, and innovation related to renewable energy and energy
saving and efficiency.
Although the enactment of Law 1715 was an important advancement for renewable energy in Colombia,
the forthcoming regulations will be equally as important. Colombias regulatory agencies have their work
cut out for them to ensure the nations exciting renewable energy goals are realized. [5]
https://umshare.miami.edu/web/wda/hemisphericpolicy/Task_Force_Papers/Yanovich%20%20The%20New%20Colombia%20Task%20Force%20Paper.pdf
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As the estimates in Figure 2 show, Colombia has great potential for growth in both non-renewable and
renewable sources of energy. Non-renewables, such as oil, gas and coal, would supply increasing energy
demand in developing countries, while renewable fuels, particularly biodiesel and ethanol, are set to
supply, in very competitive terms, the shift in energy usage in OECD countries, in particular the United
States and Europe, as I outlined in section II above.
In October 2013, Colombia had 14.4 Gigawatts (GW) of installed electricity generation capacity, over
60% derived from hydropower according to the Unidad de Planeacin Minero Energtica (UPME), the
federal special administrative unit responsible for the sustainable development of the mining and energy
sectors of Colombia.
In October 2013, Colombia generated 5.3 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity. Of electricity generated,
hydroelectric plants provided 68%, gas accounted for 18%, and coal accounted for 8%, and oil accounted
for less than 1%, and the remaining percentage was from other sources. [11]
Commercial
Industrial
Residential
Social strata
kWh/Month
Tariff [ct]
17,07 ct/kWh/Month
17,07 ct/kWh/Month
1
173
5,6
2
>173
14,23
173
7,11
3
>173
14,23
173
12,09
>173
14,23
4
5 and 6
Any consume
14,23
17,07
Table 1: Different tariffs established for the year 2015 for residential, commercial and industrial users.
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in the Non-Interconnected Zones (ZNI). SIN encompasses one third of the territory, giving coverage to 96
percent of the population. The ZNI, which covers the remaining two thirds of the national territory, only
serves 4 percent of the population.[1]
2.8.1 Responsibilities
Policy and regulation
Colombia has had a liberalized energy market since 1995. An unbundled generation, transmission,
distribution, and commercialization framework characterizes the sector. The Ministry of Mines and
Energy is the leading institution in Colombias energy sector. Within the Ministry, the Unit for Mining
and Energy Planning (UPME) is responsible for the study of future energy requirements and supply
situations, as well as for drawing up the National Energy Plan and Expansion Plan.[3] The Regulatory
Commission for Gas and Energy (CREG) is in charge of regulating the market for the efficient supply of
energy. It defines tariff structures for consumers and guarantees free network access, transmission
charges, and standards for the wholesale market, guaranteeing the quality and reliability of the service and
economic efficiency. Among others, CREG is responsible for providing regulations that ensure the rights
of consumers, the inclusion of environmental and socially sustainable principles, improved coverage, and
financial sustainability for participating entities.[3] The provision of public services (water, electricity,
and telecommunications) to final users is supervised by the independent Superintendence for Residential
Public Services, or SSPD.[3]
2.8.2 Generation
Colombia has 66 registered electricity producers.[3] Private companies own 60 percent of the installed
generation capacity and account for 43 percent (measured in number of consumers) to 49 percent
(measured in kWh sales) of energy supplied to the interconnected grid.[3] Just three companies - the
public companies Empresas Pblicas de Medelln (EPM) and ISAGEN, as well as the private EMGESA control altogether 52 percent of total generation capacity.[2]
2.8.3 Transmission
Transmission in the National Interconnected System is carried out by seven different public companies,
four of which work exclusively in transmission (ISA, EEB, TRANSELCA and DISTASA). The
remaining three (EEPPM, ESSA and EPSA) are integrated companies that carry out all the activities in
the electricity chain (i.e. generation, transmission and distribution).[2] The largest company is
Interconexin Elctrica S.A. (ISA), which belongs to the government.[3]
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3. Site Selection
3.1 Santiago de Cali
Usually known by its short name "Cali", is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most
populous city in western Colombia, with an estimated 2,319,655 residents. The city spans 560.3 km2 with
120.9 km2 of urban area, making Cali the second largest city by area in the country, behind Bogot. As
the only major Colombian city with access to the Pacific coast, Cali is the main urban and economic
center in western Colombia, and is one of the fastest growing economies in the country thanks to its
proximity to the Buenaventura Port, Colombia's principal seaport on the Pacific Ocean.
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Cali features a tropical savanna climate, presenting high temperature reports all year long. Western
Mountain Range screens most of the humidity and airflow from the Pacific coast towards the interior of
the city but definitely, ocean air flow reaches Cali. The average annual precipitation ranges from 900 mm
in the drier areas to 1,800 mm in the most humid areas, with a 1,000 mm average over most of Calis
metropolitan area. Cali's average temperature is 25 C with an average low temperature of 18.5 C and a
high of 31 C. The dry season goes from December to February and from July to August; and the rainy
season from March to May, and September to November. The following figure shows the location of the
city in Colombia
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Colombia_-_Valle_del_Cauca_-_Santiago_de_Cali.svg
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3
4
www.cali.gov.co/publicaciones/descargar.php?id=32324
www.cali.gov.co/publicaciones/descargar.php?id=32326
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For a better selection a ranking from 1 to 3 has been defined. Being 1 = Low, 2 = Medium and 3 = High.
The location with lower score will be the final site selected for this study.
Terrain Usability
Area Accessibility
Distance to substation
Existence of endangered flora and fauna
Archaeology expectations
Distance to infrastructure
Flooding
Total
San Luis
2
3
1
1
2
2
3
14
Pance
3
3
1
1
3
2
1
14
Navarro
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
12
So it was necessary to assess the project location according to the data obtained. Considering all the facts
of environment regulation, the project location was chosen. According to the requirements established in
the site selection, the most suitable place for the development of a PV plant of 1 MW in the city of Cali is
in the location of Navarro.
https://www.google.at/maps/@3.4117911,-76.4893111,5177m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=es
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4. Site Assessment
Selecting a suitable site is a crucial part of developing a viable solar PV project. In selecting a site, the
aim is to maximize output and minimize cost. The main constraints that need to be assessed include:
Solar resource Global Horizontal Irradiation, annual and inter-annual variation, impact of
shading.
Local climate flooding, high winds, snow and extreme temperatures.
Available area area required for different module technologies, access requirements, pitch
angle and minimizing inter-row shading.
Land use this will impact land cost and environmental sensitivity. The impact of other land
users on the site should also be considered.
Topography flat or slightly south facing slopes are preferable for projects in the northern
hemisphere.
Geotechnical including consideration of groundwater, resistivity, load bearing properties, soil
pH levels and seismic risk.
Geopolitical sensitive military zones should be avoided.
Accessibility proximity to existing roads, extent of new roads required.
Grid connection cost, timescales, capacity, proximity and availability.
Module soiling including local weather, environmental, human and wildlife factors.
Water availability a reliable supply is required for module cleaning.
Financial incentives tariffs and other incentives vary between countries and regions within
countries.[10]
https://www.google.at/maps/dir///@3.4098776,-76.4818559,1565m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!4m1!3e0?hl=es
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Shading could be due to mountains or buildings on the far horizon, or mutual shading between rows of
modules, or shading near the location due to trees, buildings or overhead cabling. Avoiding shading is
critical as even small areas of shade may significantly impair the output of a module or string of modules.
The loss in output could be more than predicted by simply assessing the proportion of the modules that
are shaded. When assessing shading, it must be remembered that the path the sun takes through the sky
changes with the seasons. An obstacle that provides significant shading at mid-day in December may not
provide any shading at all at mid-day in June. The shading should be assessed using the full sun-path
diagram for the location.
The following table shows the monthly values of the main meteorological parameters [7]
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A site assessment of the location where the PV installation is proposed in Cali was performed. According
to the terrain data, the shading conditions were evaluated. The ideal installation of a PV system is where
there are no shadows at all. When considering shadows on the site the following was evaluated:
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http://www.investpacific.org/es/images/sectores/c6_8.jpg
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http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_28_subsistema_de_energia_electrica.pdf
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_30_jerarquizacion_vial.pdf
10
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_12_estructura_ecologica_principal.pdf
9
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4.7 Archaeology
The following map shows the protected archaeological areas in the city of Cali pointing out the sites and
areas with backgrounds, as well as areas with archaeological potential of the city. The Colombian
Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) agreed in 2014 to point out the sites with archaeological
backgrounds as well as archaeological areas with low, medium and high potential which is shown in the
following map. The site selected is located in a medium potential for archaeological areas. Further studies
must be done to ensure the non-interference of protected sites.
11
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_23_sitios_arqueologicos_y_expectativa_arqueologica.pdf
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As well as education facilities such as kindergarten, schools and universities and recreational facilities
such as sports centers and courts. Social well-being facilities such as shelters, centers for disability
services and daycare centers. All these facilities belong to the public and private sector.
12
13
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_33_sistema_de_equipamientos.pdf
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_28_subsistema_de_energia_electrica.pdf
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Index
Pollution Index:
Pollution Exp Scale:
30.92
51.67
Low
Low
Low
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Low
Low
High
High
High
Moderate
Moderate
High
Very High
High
If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as
very high.
4.10 Flooding
Considering the possibilities of flooding, the area is on a low level of danger. The following map shows
the threatened areas in the near surrounding.
14
https://planeacion.cali.gov.co/pot_adoptado/20141201_DTS_RAPOT.pdf
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Figure 18: Flooding risk in Navarro15 (alta = high, media = medium and baja = low water depth)
15
16
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_06_amenaza_por_inundacion_del_rio_cauca_tr_500.pdf
http://idesc.cali.gov.co/download/pot_2014/mapa_09_zona_susceptibles_a_licuacion_y_corrimiento_lateral_por_sismos.pdf
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Day
Time
June 21st
6:00 AM
June 21st
9:00 AM
June 21st
12:00 PM
June 21st
3:00 PM
December 21st
12:00 PM
Sun declination
Time equivalent
23.44
-1.61
min
23.44
-1.61
min
23.44
-1.61
min
23.44
-1.61
min
-23.41
2.01
12.03
12.01
-90.11
h
h
12.03
12.01
-45.11
h
h
12.03
12.01
69.97
h
h
12.03
12.01
44.85
h
h
12.03
12.07
63.16
mi
n
h
h
Azimuth
1.26
42.07
0.00
42.29
40.20
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Reliable solar resource data are essential for the development of a solar PV project. While these data at a
site can be defined in different ways, the Global Horizontal Irradiation (the total solar energy received on
a unit area of horizontal surface) is generally of most interest to developers. In particular, a high long term
average annual GHI is desired. There are two main sources of solar resource data: satellite derived data
and land-based measurement. Since both sources have particular merits, the choice will depend on the
specific site. Land based site measurement can be used to calibrate resource data from other sources
(satellites or meteorological stations) in order to improve accuracy and certainty. As solar resource is
inherently intermittent, an understanding of inter-annual variability is important. At least 10 years of data
are usually required to give the variation to a reasonable degree of confidence. [10] In Colombia, solar
resource data are available from various sources. These include the Colombian Meteorological
Department, NASAs Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy data set, METEONORMs global
climatological database, and satellite derived geospatial solar data products from the United States
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These sources are of varying quality and resolution. Appropriate
expertise is needed to interpret the data.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total
MeteoNorm
kWh/m
153.7
140
154.8
145
139.7
136
148.5
153.4
153.8
145.8
132.3
145.2
1748.2
NASA
kWh/m
139.5
129.1
149.7
138.3
142
132.6
159.3
159.3
140.7
140.4
131.7
137
1699.7
GIS
kWh/m
2013
Average
kWh/m
146.6
134.5
152.3
141.7
140.8
134.3
153.9
156.4
147.3
143.1
132
141.1
1820.3
This value is of particular interest to photovoltaic installations and includes both Direct Normal Irradiance
(DNI) and Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DIF). DNI is solar radiation that comes in a straight line from
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the direction of the sun at its current position in the sky. DIF is solar radiation that does not arrive on a
direct path from the sun, but has been scattered by molecules and particles in the atmosphere and comes
equally from all directions. The following graphic shows the horizontal global irradiation according to 2
data sources, which are MeteoNorm and NASA. MeteoNorm, NASA and GIS data can be found in the
Appendix F.
Off-grid domestic
Off-grid non-domestic
Grid-connected distributed PV
Grid-connected centralized PV
The focus of this report is on grid-connected PV power plants. However much of the guidebook is also
relevant to other applications.
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Crystalline Silicon (c-Si) Modules are made from cells of either mono-crystalline or multicrystalline silicon. Mono-crystalline silicon cells are generally the most efficient, but are also
more costly than multi-crystalline.
Thin Film Modules are made with a thin film deposition of a semiconductor onto a substrate.
This class includes semiconductors made from:
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solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels do not require the Czochralski process. Raw silicon is melted
and poured into a square mold, which is cooled and cut into perfectly square wafers.
The process used to make polycrystalline silicon is simpler and cost less. The amount of waste silicon is
less compared to monocrystalline. The efficiency of polycrystalline-based solar panels is typically 1316%. [9]
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The interconnection of the modules and the connection with the centralized inverter is planned in 980
parallel strings with each 6 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50C an output of
Umpp = 490 V and an Impp = 1889 A is expected. In Appendix B more information about the panel is seen
in the datasheet.
6.2.2.2 Decentralized inverter
The interconnection of the modules and the connection with the centralized inverter is planned in 1271
parallel strings with each 4 modules connected in series. At an operation temperature of 50C an output of
Umpp = 327 V and an Impp = 2450 A is expected.
Designed specifically for multi-megawatt solar projects, GE's Brilliance Solar Inverter is UL508C
certified and optimized for direct connection to the grid via a Medium Voltage Transformer. With a
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standard voltage output of 480 VAC, GEs solar inverter requires no additional intermediate transformer,
resulting in higher conversion efficiency. [14]
17
https://sites.google.com/site/reeetech/mbipv/pick-and-design-a-pv-system
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18
For the design proposed, with a tilted angle = 15, shading angle of 62 and a module array b= 2 m. The
minimum distance is dmin = 2.21 m.
The distance between back to front rows for the design proposed is 2.5 m which gives enough distance for
maintenance and mobility in the PV plant.
7. PV Plant Performance
The performance of a PV power plant is expected to fall during its lifetime, especially in the second and
third decade of its life as modules continue to degrade and plant components age. In addition to the
quality of the initial installation, a high degree of responsibility for the performance of a PV plant lies
with the O&M contractor. This section discusses how the operational performance of a PV plant may be
quantified.
18
http://schletter.eu
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Area [m]
kW_peak [kW]
N of modules [1]
CIS
CdTe
7221
1000
5880
7920
1100
11000
Energy yield
Poly
CIS
CdTe
1359
1506
1406
1398
1506
1547
76.1
87.2
81.4
Poly
1398
1366
1336
P50
P75
P90
CIS
1506
1466
1434
CdTe
1547
1519
1485
Table 10: Energy yield and probability forecast of three different solar technologies with centralized inverter
Losses [%]
Poly
1.1
3.4
1.3
12.0
1.5
1.0
1.1
3.2
CIS
1.1
3.4
8.2
0.7
1.0
3.0
CdTe
1.2
3.3
0.5
8.0
2.5
0.8
1.0
3.1
Table 11: Losses of three different solar technologies with centralized inverter
CIS
1480
CdTe
1395
1279
1207
85.6
80.7
Energy yield
Specific production [kWh/kWp/y]
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Losses [%]
CIS
1.1
3.4
8.2
0.7
0.8
1.0
4.7
CdTe
1.1
3.4
0.5
8.1
2.5
0.8
1.0
4.6
Table 13: Losses of two different solar technologies with centralized inverter
1
1398
Year
MWh
10
1293
Year
MWh
19
1188
2
1386.35
3
1374.7
11
1281.5
20
1176.65
12
1269.9
21
1165
4
1363.05
13
1258.2
22
1153.35
5
1351.4
14
1246.6
23
1141.7
6
1339.75
15
1234.9
24
1130.05
7
1328.1
16
1223.3
8
1316.45
9
1304.8
17
1211.6
18
1200
25
1118.4
Table 14: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized
inverter.
Figure 26: Degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter
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Year
MWh
1
1398
2
1386.35
3
1374.7
4
1363.05
5
1351.4
6
1339.75
7
1328.1
8
1316.45
9
1304.8
Year
MWh
10
1293
11
1281.5
12
1269.9
13
1258.2
14
1246.6
15
1234.9
16
1223.3
17
1211.6
18
1200
Year
MWh
19
1188
20
1176.65
22
1153.35
23
1141.7
24
1130.05
25
1118.4
21
1165
Table 15: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation given by warranty.
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter.
Figure 27: Degradation of PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter
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Year
MWh
1
1398
2
1391.0
3
1384.1
4
1377.1
5
1370.2
6
1363.4
7
1356.6
8
1349.8
9
1343.0
Year
MWh
10
1336.3
11
1329.7
12
1323.0
13
1316.4
14
1309.8
15
1303.3
16
1296.7
17
1290.3
18
1283.8
Year
MWh
19
1277.4
20
1271.0
21
1264.6
22
1258.3
23
1252.0
24
1245.8
25
1239.5
Table 16: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized
inverter.
Figure 28: Degradation of PV plant with Si-Poly panels with a centralized inverter
Year
MWh
1
1506
2
1498.5
3
1491.0
4
1483.5
5
1476.1
6
1468.7
7
1461.4
8
1454.1
9
1446.8
Year
MWh
10
1439.6
11
1432.4
12
1425.2
13
1418.1
14
1411.0
15
1403.9
16
1396.9
17
1389.9
18
1383.0
Year
MWh
19
1376.1
20
1369.2
21
1362.3
22
1355.5
23
1348.8
24
1342.0
25
1335.3
Table 17: Energy injected into the grid each year according to the degradation giving
The following graph shows the degradation of the PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter.
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Figure 29: Degradation of the PV plant with CIS panels with a centralized inverter
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Choosing row spacing to reduce inter-row shading and associated shading losses.
Choosing the layout to minimize cable runs and associated electrical losses.
Allowing sufficient distance between rows to allow access for maintenance purposes.
Choosing a tilt angle that optimizes the annual energy yield according to the latitude of the site
and the annual distribution of solar resource.
Orientating the modules to face a direction that yields the maximum annual revenue from power
production. In the northern hemisphere, this will usually be true south.
The electrical design of a PV project can be split into the DC and AC systems. The DC system comprises
the following:
Array(s) of PV modules.
Inverters.
DC cabling (module, string and main cable).
DC connectors (plugs and sockets).
Junction boxes/combiners.
Disconnects/switches.
Protection devices.
Earthing.
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is essential. This allows the yield of the plant to be monitored and compared with calculations made from
solar irradiation data to raise warnings on a daily basis if there is a shortfall. Faults can then be detected
and rectified before they have an appreciable effect on production. [10]
8.1 Layout
The PV plant layout shown in the following 3D simulation draws out of PVsyst. Virtual simulation of 1
MW power plant layout drawing is included with shading factor and loss. Number of PV panels in series
are 18 and number of strings are 235. Total number of panels for the plant is 4,290.
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Capacity The capacity for the grid to accept exported power from a solar plant will depend on
the existing network infrastructure and current use of the system. The rating of overhead lines,
cables and transformers will be an important factor in assessing the connection capacity available.
Switchgear fault levels and protection settings may also be affected by the connection of a
generation plant. In cases where a network does not have the existing capacity to allow
connection, there are two options available:
1) To reduce peak power export to the allowable limits of the network or 2) to upgrade the
network to allow the desired export capacity. Network upgrade requirements will be advised by
the network operator. But some aspects of that upgrade can be carried out by contractors other
than the network operator. Initial investigation into network connection point capacity can often
be carried out by reviewing published data. However, discussion with the network operator will
be required to fully establish the scope of work associated with any capacity upgrades.
Proximity A major influence on the cost of connecting to the grid will be the distance from the
site to the grid connection point. Sites should be at locations where the cost of grid connection
does not adversely affect project economics. Besides, a higher connection voltage will entail
increased cost of electrical equipment such as switchgear and transformers, as well as a higher
conductor specification. A higher voltage is also likely to increase the time taken to provide the
connection resulting in longer development period.
Availability The grid availability describes the percentage of time that the network is able to
export power from the solar PV plant. The annual energy yield from a plant may be significantly
reduced if the grid has significant downtime. This may have adverse effects on the economics of
the project. Availability statistics should be requested from the network operator to establish the
expected downtime of the network. In developed areas, the availability of the grid is usually very
high. The mandatory grid connection is due to the fact of the existing substation at the border of
the plant area an easy and low cost operation act. There are no
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9. Project Economics
9.1 Assumptions for this project
9.1.1 Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE)
LCOE may be reported as either a real or nominal LCOE. For the following calculations it will be
considered a real LCOE. Taxes are not taking into account. The key input in calculating the levelized cost
of electricity is the discount rate applied to cash flows in different years. For the cost of capital a fixed
value can be used. For this calculation it is assumed a WACC according to an IRENA study [15].
Figure 31: IRENA study of economic life for renewable energy technologies all over the world
These assumptions are average values, but the reality is that the cost of debt and the required return on
equity as well as the ratio of debt-to-equity varies between individual projects and countries depending on
a wide range of factors.
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LCOE (Poly)
0.099 /kWh
LCOE (CdTe)
0.107 /kWh
LCOE (CIS)
0.104 /kWh
Table 18: Levelized cost of electricity for three different solar cell technologies
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As it can be seen in the figure 33, the highest LCOE is presented when the CAPEX and OPEX remain
stable and the energy yield is reduced by 15%. This could be given for technical or environmental
reasons. At the same time the lowest LCOE is presented when the CAPEX and OPEX remain stable and
the energy yield is increased by 15%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the two factors that affect the
most to the final LCOE for polycrystalline technology are the energy yield and the CAPEX.
PV Technology
Inverter
N of modules
LCOE [ct/kWh]
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Poly
Centralized
4290
Cali, Colombia
1398 9.94
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11.2 Commissioning
Commissioning should prove three main criteria:
The power plant is structurally and electrically safe.
The power plant is sufficiently robust (structurally and electrically) to operate for the specified
project lifetime.
The power plant operates as designed and performs as expected.
Commissioning tests are normally split into three groups:
Visual acceptance tests. These tests take place before any systems are energized and consist of a
detailed visual inspection of all significant aspects of the plant.
Pre-connection acceptance tests. These include an open circuit voltage test and short circuit
current test. These tests must take place before grid connection.
Post-connection acceptance test. Once the plant is connected to the grid, a DC current test
should be carried out. Thereafter, the performance ratio of the plant is measured and compared
with the value stated in the contract. An availability test, usually over a period of 5 days, should
also be carried out.
References
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[1] V!VA Travel Guides. (2011) Colombia's Political System [Online] Available from:
http://www.vivatravelguides.com/south-america/colombia/colombia-overview/colombias-politicalsystem/ [Accessed: 5th April 2015].
[2] Marca Colombia. (2013) Investment [Online] Available from:
http://www.colombia.co/en/investment/investment.html [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[3] Raisbeck, Lara, Rodrguez & Rueda. (2005) Doing Business in Colombia [Online] Available from:
http://www.bakermckenzie.com/files/Uploads/Documents/LATAX%202010/09_General%20Publications
/db_04_colombia.pdf [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[4] Ryan Rosero. (2014) How Colombia Is Defining Renewable Energy [Online] Available from:
http://www.westeva.com/blog/defining-renewable-energy [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[5] Ryan Rosero. (2014) Law 1715The Path to a Cleaner Energy Future in Colombia [Online]
Available from:
http://www.westeva.com/blog/colombia-law1715 [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[6] ColombiaInfo. (2014) Cali - Temperature & Climate [Online] Available from:
http://www.colombiainfo.org/en-us/cities/cali/caliclimate.aspx [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[7] INSTITUTO DE HIDROLOGIA METEOROLOGIA Y ESTUDIOS AMBIENTALES. (2000) Tabla
de valores mensuales de los principales parmetros meteorolgicos [Online] Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali#Climate [Accessed: 9th April 2015].
[8] Numbeo. (2015) Pollution in Cali, Colombia [Online] Available from:
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/city_result.jsp?country=Colombia&city=Cali [Accessed: 9th April
2015].
[9] Mathias Aarre Maehlum. (2015) Which Solar Panel Type is Best? Mono- vs. Polycrystalline vs. Thin
Film [Online] Available from:
http://energyinformative.org/best-solar-panel-monocrystalline-polycrystalline-thin-film/ [Accessed: 16th
June 2015].
[10] International Finance Corporation (IFC). (2012) Utility Scale Solar Power Plants [Online] Available
from:
http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/04b38b804a178f13b377ffdd29332b51/SOLAR%2BGUIDE%2BB
OOK.pdf?MOD=AJPERES [Accessed: 16th June 2015].
[11] David Yanovich. (2013) Colombia and its Energy Potential [Online] Available from:
https://umshare.miami.edu/web/wda/hemisphericpolicy/Task_Force_Papers/Yanovich%20%20The%20New%20Colombia%20Task%20Force%20Paper.pdf [Accessed: 16th June 2015].
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Appendix A
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2|Page
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Appendix B
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4|Page
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5|Page
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6|Page
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Appendix C
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8|Page
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Appendix D
9|Page
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Appendix E
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Appendix F
MeteoNorm
NASA
GIS
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Appendix G
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