Top 5 Hybrid Energy News (Solar- and Wind-Diesel-Hybrid + Microgrids) – February 2017

The February edition of our “Top 5 Hybrid Energy News” features SMA, Toshiba, Electro Power Systems (EPS), Hydro Tasmania, Fluidic Energy, Peak Power and Victron. It covers projects from Kenya, Australia, Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The off-takers include a salt producer and local communities in rural electrification projects.

Top 1

1 MWp PV-hybrid system to save 25% on electricity costs for Kenyan salt producer

SolarAfrica and SMA built the grid-connected PV system at East Africa’s largest salt factory in Malindi, Kenya. The factory belongs to Krystalline Salt Limited (Kaysalt). SMA expects a 55% solar power share during daylight hours. 

Top 2

EPS and Toshiba to finish solar-diesel plus storage microgrid project in Tasmania

The microgrid features 0.5 MW of solar and 0.5 MWh of storage capacity designed by Electro Power Systems (EPS), along with 2.0 MVA of diesel generators. The installation will stabilise the supply of renewable energy for roughly 900 people on Flinders Island, off the northeastern tip of Tasmania. It is expected to provide enough electricity to cover about 65% of the island’s annual energy demand. This Australian project may eventually be expanded to include wind turbines. EPS and Toshiba have built the project for Hydro Tasmania.

Top 3

Fluidic Energy builds a solar plus storage microgrid on Sekunyit Island in Indonesia

Sekunyit Island is remote: it takes 3 hours by road and 5 hours of sailing to reach it. A 15 kWp PV microgrid backed by Fluidic Energy’s zinc-air storage batteries now provides electricity to the inhabitants of the island. “For the inhabitants of remote islands and nations where reliable electrical infrastructure does not exist, mini grids offering long-duration, affordable, safe and clean energy, have the potential to not only “turn on the lights” but to transform lives through improved standards of living and increased economic activity”, says Steve Scharnhorst, CEO of Fluidic Energy.

Top 4
Peak Power builds solar plus storage microgrid in the Nepal Himalayas

Simigoan is a village in the Nepal Himalaya, at around 2,000 meters elevation. It is situated above the Tama Koshi River along the trekking route to the Gaurishankar base camp. The new systems adds 7 kWp PV solar and 600 Ah of AGM batteries to an existing micro-hydro installation. The solution was designed and implemented by Peak Power, a local renewable energy specialist based in Kathmandu. Peak Power designed and installed a three-phase inverter stack using three 5 KVA Victron inverter/chargers along with two MPPT charge controllers. Joel Basham, CEO of Peak Power Pvt. Ltd. adds: “Many remote places in the Nepal Himalayas do not have the national grid so there is a huge potential to deploy micro-grids to these communities. Renewable energy based micro-grids are a perfect fit for these locations as they are eco-friendly and fit with the lifestyle of the people. A lot of these places rely on tourism as well so communities with micro-grid service are more appealing and receive more tourists this increased traffic drives up local economic development which infuses the entire community.”

Top 5

First wind-solar-diesel hybrid power plant commissioned in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has opened its first hybrid power plant with a capacity of 67 kW that will generate electricity using wind, solar and diesel. The plant is situated on Eluvathivu Island in Jaffna, Northern Sri Lanka. It consists of a 46 kWp PV array, six 3.5 kW wind turbines and a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery.

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