Solar Standards Sustainability Photovoltaic Standardization Certification and Labelling

Solar, Standards, Sustainability Photovoltaic Standardization, Certification and Labelling for Thailand 1 December, 2006 Intercontinental Hotel, Bangkok – Thailand Chris Greacen, Ph. D. Palang Thai www. palangthai. org

Outline Standards – Why? – Standards need to address real problems Thai solar home systems – BGET experience in TAK – Overview of Thai SHS program – BGET local technician trainings – Survey and results – Failure modes – Post warranty sustainability?

Standards Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

Area of interest Standards Challenges with solar PV in Thailand

Standards… why? Quality – Standards are a way to help ensure quality Equipment Installations – quality sustainability, safety, environmental performance – quality user satisfaction long term profitability – Seal can communicate quality to consumers Interoperability – “part A will work with part B"

What standards? … a cautionary note Standards be: are important… but can – Expensive, bureaucratic, restrictive Standards need to: – Address real problems in Thai context – Achieve balance between quality & cost

Addressing real problems… Case study: Thai SHS in Tak Province – – – User knowledge O&M Installation quality Inverters Lights Other case studies that should be considered… – Battery charging stations, PV water pumping, PV satellite phones, PV for rural schools, grid-connect PV, etc.

Case study: Thai SHS in Tak province Rated 120 peak Watt single crystalline PV module Rated 150 W, 50 Hz, 230 V Inverter / 10 A Charge controller AC outlet for TV or other appliances 12 V, 125 Ah deep cycle lead-acid battery Two 10 W tube fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts

Thai Solar Home System (SHS) Tak Source: PEA, May 2006 290, 716 households without grid connection before SHS 188, 995 SHS in all Thailand 15, 000 SHS in Tak Province Thai installed PV in 2003: 6 MWp SHS program adds 23 MWp! Responsibility of SHS transferred from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) to Tambon (county) governments

Existing linkages Tax payers $ Ministry of Interior $ warranty PEA $ Installation company SHS End users

Missing linkages Tax payers $ Ministry of Interior $ warranty PEA $ Installation company SHS End users What happens when systems fail? There is no feedback loop from the end users to installation company, PEA, government or taxpayers

Missing linkages Tax payers Question: Should a Thai PV standard include endusers training? $ Ministry of Interior $ warranty PEA $ Installation company Feedback on status of systems, failure modes, successful interventions SHS End users Warranty awareness Self-help: local technicians + user training

SHS Warranty periods – – – Complete system: 2 years Solar panel: 5 years Charge controller/Inverter: 3 years Battery: 2 years Light/Ballast: 2 years Very few villagers informed that there is a warranty Question: Should a Thai PV standard require that end-users are informed about warranty terms and claims procedures?

Border Green Energy Team (BGET) SHS trainings in Tak province Technician trainings in two districts – 3 -day theory & hands-on training – cooperation with Tambons The technicians – are provided with a tool box – get a SHS manual – – http: //www. palangthai. org/docs/Tech. Manual. Thai. pdf make minor repairs and system improvements educate homeowners in system use & maintenance help with repairs after the warranty expires survey all SHS in their village cluster

BGET SHS trainings in Tak province

BGET SHS trainings in Tak province Districts in Tak province 1. Mueang Tak 2. Ban Tak 3. Sam Ngao 4. Mae Ramat 5. Tha Song Yang 6. Mae Sot 7. Phop Phra 8. Umphang Priority 1: 8, 692 SHS Priority 2: 3, 834 SHS

BGET SHS trainings in Tak province Trainings already performed in ten Tambons Tambon District Date of training Mae Tan Tha Song Yang October 2005 964 16 Mae Song Tha Song Yang October 2005 1, 728 29 Mae Wa Luang Tha Song Yang November 2005 778 39 Mae La Tha Song Yang December 2005 847 30 Mae Cha Rao, Phra Tart Mae Ramat December 2005 250 19 Tha Song Yang February 2006 571 25 Sam Meun Mae Ramat March 2006 642 19 Mae U Su Tha Song Yang May 2006 1, 065 19 Mae Tuen Mae Ramat June 2006 1, 443 28 8, 288 224 TOTAL # of SHS # of technicians

House-to-house surveys -- interviews

House-to-house surveys -measurements

BGET SHS status survey BGET Survey based on sample of 405 systems from Tak House-to-house survey conducted by technicians that passed BGET training course. Typical Load Two 10 watt fluorescent lights other light bulbs (7 to 20 watt) Television rated from 20 to 100 watt VCD player No. of system Typical Usage hours per day 405 3 -4 20 3 -4 68 1 2 N/A

BGET SHS status survey: failure modes observed in Tak Sample size: 405 systems in Mae Ramat Amphur & Tha Song Yang Amphur Survey: house-to-house, interviews & measurements, between Dec 2005 and March 2006 Failure mode Quantity % Battery 41 39 3 24 10. 1% 9. 6% 0. 7% 5. 9% Total 91 22. 5% Inverter/charge controller Light ballast Solar module All SHS in Tak installed by Solartron. Anecdotal evidence suggests that other provinces/other companies may have higher failure rates.

Observed failure modes - inverter Failed inverter/charge controller (~10% of all systems surveyed).

Inverter/controller failure modes Manufacturing defect? – FET failures (? ) – Suspected causes harmonics or voltage spikes from fluorescent ballast Insufficient protection circuitry Insects ? (Solartron) User error – Attempted synchronization of 2 inverters Installation-related – Rain damage Question: How can standards reduce charge controller/inverter failures?

Observed failure modes - ballast Ballast failure ~9% of systems surveyed Question: How can standards reduce fluorescent light failures?

Observed failure modes –battery failure in ~6% of systems surveyed sulfated plates healthy, without sulfation Question: How can standards reduce premature battery failure?

Observed failure modes – solar panel Manufacturing defect: Missing connector )Junction Box) (rare: < 1%( Missing Correct

Observed failure modes – solar panel Manufacturing defect: Diode with wrong polarity (rare: < 1%( Correct polarity Incorrect polarity Question: How can standards reduce module failure?

Observed failure modes – solar panel Installation error: Burned Diodes from Panel Reversed Polarity (rare: < 1%(

Installation error PV installation in shady location 14: 00 Saw Kre Ka village, Tha Song Yang District

Problems found during training surveys Installation error: Bad panel locations Question: How can standards reduce installation errors?

ISP certified installers (USA) have to know how to use a solar site selection tool like the Solar Pathfinder.

Observed failure modes – (cascading component failure) User error: bypassed controller battery overcharge 1. Villager bypasses broken controller and charges battery directly from PV 2. Battery over-charged. Electrolyte level drops and plates are exposed to air. Battery fails. 1 2

Thai SHS program SWOT Strong features – – Relatively big PV module – 120 watts (compared to SHS in other countries) PV modules & battery work well Systems are generally installed well Provide useful services, appreciated Weak features / challenges – Failure-prone inverter/controller, ballast Insufficient local capacity for O&M, repair – Insufficient user knowledge about system limitations, basic care, warranty – Villages often very remote – hard to get to (especially in rainy season) – Language barriers in remote areas (few speak/read/write Thai) Opportunities – Installed solar panels represent huge investment (25, 000 baht x 200, 000) – Relatively small additional investment to make good use Threats – Widespread SHS failures unless coordinated effort to address sustainability

Summary questions from Tak SHS case Should a Thai PV standard include: – end-users training? – require that end-users are informed about warranty terms and claims procedures? How can standards reduce: – charge controller/inverter failures? – fluorescent light failures? – premature battery failure? – module failure? – installation errors?

Can standards help ensure that PV panels produce useful electricity for a long time. . . rather than being used for other purposes?

www. bget. org www. palangthai. org Chris Greacen chris@palangthai. org