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5MW off-grid PV-diesel hybrid plant with battery storage to be built in Bolivia

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bolivia

off-grid

PV storage

diesel genets

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A 5MW solar-diesel hybrid power plant connected battery storage is to be installed in Bolivia's Pando province.

Solely diesel generators are currently powering the remote area, located 4,000 metres above sea level and not connected to Bolivia's national grid. The 5MW solar plant is designed to meet half of Pando's capital city Cobija's power demand. The city has 45,000 residents.

Inverter manufacturer SMA is to provide controlling systems, central inverters and battery storage. "The SMA Fuel Save Controller records the energy flows in the stand-alone grid and uses that information to determine the maximum permissible PV power. In this way, we can guarantee permanent system stability and ensure smooth control of the gensets," said SMA senior vice president off-grid and storage Volker Wachenfeld.

Spain's engineering firm Isotron is currently carrying out the construction of the plant.

The plant is aimed to reduce the annual consumption of 20m litres of diesel and save $3m of fuel costs.

The solar power plant is set to start generating 2MW of electricity later this year and increase the capacity over the following months. According to SMA, it is worldwide the biggest plant of its kind.

The plant is fully state-owned.

EDF and IFC cooperate to power off-grid in Africa

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Power supplier EDF Energy and World Bank Group member International Finance Corporation (IFC) have agreed to cooperate in the development of off-grid electrification in sub-Saharan Africa.

A first pilot project will start in Benin and provide electricity for 25,000 people in its first phase, using hybrid solar-diesel networks and two biomass fired power plants. Other countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania and Myanmar will follow at a later stage.

"Almost 1.3 billion people live without access to electricity in the world. Bringing power to these people is a major challenge that we must address”, said Bertrand Heysch de la Borde, senior manager for infrastructure in Africa at IFC.

The goal of the cooperation is to supply power to half a million people living in rural areas. EDF and IFC will also seek for sources of financing to potential projects and explore sustainable co-investment opportunities where necessary, according to the companies.

"Electricity is a vital product without which no real development is possible. Access to energy for rural populations, who are more often the most disadvantaged ones, allows poverty reduction by developing income-generating activities, while also promoting education, health, access to water, etc,” said Edouard Dahome, EDF director for Africa and access to energy.

IFC is currently providing off-grid power through its “Lighting Africa” initiative to almost 7m people in several rural regions in Africa while EDF delivers electricity to 500,000 people on the continent.

Astonfield and Solesa to supply PV solutions to India and East Africa

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Astonfield and Solesa have teamed up to deliver power solutions, including PV-diesel hybrid systems, to India and East Africa.

The customised hybrid systems integrate solar PV with existing diesel generators to offset costs of diesel fuel for commercial and industrial power systems, claimed the two companies, marketed under the name of Astonfield Solesa Solar in India and Eastern Africa. The companies aim to deliver power solutions, ranging from industrial rooftop solar systems to ground-mounted solar and off-grid systems. The partnership intends to reduce power outages and combat rising energy costs.

A 100kW solar hybrid system will be installed in Tamil Nadu, India for Indo Shell Cast. Further contracts for systems between 100kW to 10MW are secured and first installations on industrial rooftops in Eastern Africa have started, stated Astonfield Solesa Solar.

A Navigant Research forecast predicts that the Indian market growth for diesel gensets between 15kW and 6MW will reach 82GW globally per year by 2018.

On track for a smaller more economical hybrid

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battery energy storage technology

japanese trains

A Japanese hybrid train company has made an engine 45% smaller and 20% more economical on fuel than conventional diesel locomotives. Kinki Sharyo use a diesel engine combined with lithium-ion batteries. Unlike diesel trains the hybrid only requires one engine for two locomotives making it lighter and more economical on fuel.