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Home My WebLink AboutAVEC - Kaltag Solar Construction _Aug_2015Kaltag, Alaska Solar project reduces residential electricity costs by 50 percent Quick Facts Total Project Costs: $101,054 Funding: Renewable Energy Fund & Local Funds Capital Costs Design: $6,592 Construction: $94,476 Equipment Specifications Make/Model: Sharp 240, ND-240QCJ Individual Output: 240 W Total Output: 9.6 kW Annual Generation: 9,570 kWh Generation as of Dec. 2014: 10,667 kWh Pole Height: 20 feet Diesel Fuel Offset Estimated Annual: 676 gallons Actual Annual: 650 gallons Oct. 2012-Dec. 2014: 1,300 gallons Fuel Savings Estimated Annual: $2,000 Actual Annual: $2,300 Oct. 2012-Dec. 2014: $4,600 Kaltag Solar Construction Project Overview In partnership with the Alaska Energy Authori- ty (AEA), the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC) designed and implemented a solar photo- voltaic (PV) project in Kaltag, Alaska. The project installed 40 Sharp 240W models on a connex near the AVEC power plant, creating a total power capacity of 9.6 kW. Work involved shipping materials to the community and installing, integrating, testing, and commissioning the array. Objectives The objectives of this project were to offset diesel fuel costs with a reliable, renewable, and cost-effec- tive source of energy. An additional objective was to evaluate the benefits of solar arrays installed at power generating facilities to determine if solar panels could be installed at other AVEC facilities. Economic Feasibility The solar array became operational in October of 2012. Between October 2012 and December 2014, it has provided AVEC with 17.3 megawatt-hours of elec- tricity and displaced 1,300 gallons of diesel fuel. This displacement has saved AVEC $4,600 in reduced fuel costs. The solar panels have a design life of 30 years. Project Specifications Located along the historic Iditarod trail, Kaltag is a community of about 200 people. Based on an average fuel price of $3.65/gallon, their diesel-generated elec- tricity rate was around $0.59/kWh before AEA’s Power Cost Equalization program took effect. AVEC hired Remote Power, Inc. to complete the preliminary work on the project. Solstice Environmental Consulting ensured that the project remained on schedule and on budget. The 9.6 kW photovoltaic solar array is com- posed of 40 Sharpe 240 models. Solar panels can be ei-Senvion MM92 wind turbines, photo courtesy of AEA. ther mono or multi-crystalline; the Sharpe 240 models are mono-crystalline and are connected to a Fronius inverter with a power control system and breaker. Operating at 96 percent efficiency, the Fronius inverter takes solar-generated DC and converts it to usable AC that is compatible with AVEC’s electrical grid. In this way, solar energy can be integrated into the diesel gen- erator system in AVEC’s power plant. The panels are rotated bi-annually-to 90 degrees in the winter and 45 degrees in the summer to maintain maximum efficien- cy despite Alaska’s varying sunlight. Allocation of Funding The Alaska Energy Authority’s Renewable Energy Fund contributed $90,000 to the design and imple- mentation of the project. Local funds contributed $11,054 toward the same project phases. Learning Experiences/Challenges Because this project was a pilot study, AVEC is re- quired to monitor the system very closely to deterem- ine its success and flaws and whether a similar system could be installed at other AVEC facilities. In order to design an efficient and fully operational system, Remote Power was aware of the necessity of contacting the utility as early as possible to find out lo- cal requirements, system size limits, and to ensure that all permits and paperwork had been submitted. Soon after the system became operational, the Plant Operator reported error codes on the inverter screen. After troubleshooting the issue, it was concluded that the inverter experienced an internal circuit board fail- ure. The inverter was replaced under warranty; when the replacement parts arrived in Kaltag, Remote Pow- er, Inc installed them and the system began operating at normal levels. Community Benefits Using a connex to house the panels, inverter, control system, and breaker box provided several benefits to the set-up and commissioning of the project. Rather than having to construct an enclosure and foundation design, Remote Power used a connex, essentially pro- viding the shipping container, enclosure, and founda- tion in a single product. It also allowed Remote Power to assemble the inverter and power system controls in Fairbanks before shipping the entire container to Kaltag. This innovative solution reduced expenses and integration time. Although living in Alaska can have its challenges, it also provides conditions that are beneficial to solar devices. The Albedo effect (amount of the sun’s energy reflected back into space) is increased by the amount of snow in Alaska and exceptionally clean air allows the panels to harness the energy with little to no bar- rier to the sun. These aspects improve the amount of solar production and counter the reduced availability of sunlight in Alaska’s winter months. The Sharp 240 models have tempered glass, weather- proof backskin Project Contact Information Parties Involved: Mark Bryan, AVEC chief operating officer Email: mbryan@avec.org Phone: 907-561-1818 Case Study Author: Zoe Tressel, AEA Website: Akenergyauthority.org Phone: 907-771-3000 Kaltag Solar Construction Kaltag power plant, photo courtesy of AVEC.Published August, 2015