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Solar
Design and Installation

Hybrid PV-Diesel Energy Systems Planning for Beginners

Mathy Mpassy Isinki • Last updated 02/2021

4.5/5 (view ratings)
661 students
1 module
25 minutes
14 assignments

Course description

Hybrid PV systems are designed to increase the reliability of solar. In hybrid PV systems, the most used conventional source is a diesel generator. The benefit of integration of photovoltaic energy with conventional fossil fuel based generator is that the weakness of solar are complemented by the strength of the generator and conversely. Solar resource, as all other renewable source of energy, is variable in nature; it’s can’t all the time and everywhere be reliable. A generator which can locally produce enough power to supply the load makes hybrid systems more reliable.

Hybrid PV systems are suitable for off grid or unreliable grid areas, they are the best solution:

*Where a generator could be used 24h/7;
*When the effective cost of fuel at the point of consumption, including transportation and storage, exceed one dollar per liter;
*Where there is willingness to save operational expenditure or to reduce on CO2 emissions and going green.

This short course provides a quick recap of Solar PV basics and then walk you through the main planning steps of a Diesel - PV hybrid system.

At the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • List the components of a PV-Diesel hybrid systems and describe their working principles
  • Discuss the benefits of integration of photovoltaic energy with conventional fossil fuel based generator
  • Be able to shape a load profile for a specific user
  • Be able to size the components of a PV-Diesel hybrid system based on a specific load profile

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Full course outline

Module 1 - Hybrid PV- diesel energy systems planning basics

  • Solar PV Basics (.pdf)
  • Load estimate (06:18 minutes)
  • Load profile (02:42 minutes)
  • Energy efficiency (02:22 minutes)
  • Sizing the PV array (03:23 minutes)
  • Diesel generators (03:22 minutes)
  • Selecting the generator (01:02 minutes)
  • Energy storage (02:26 minutes)
  • Sizing the battery bank
  • Inverter (02:37 minutes)
  • Specifying the inverter (01:14 minutes)
  • Hybrid PV-diesel energy systems planning (.pdf)

Instructor

Mathy Mpassy Isinki

Founder, Energy One Africa

Mathy is the founder of Energy One Africa, a company founded with the goal of giving energy access to underserved low income consumers via pay-as-you-go. Energy One Africa's subscribers own a solar lamp after its full payment through small increments equivalent to their current kerosene lighting expense. Energy One Africa plans to reach 33000 subscribers in the rural... Learn more

Ratings

4.5
166 reviews

661 students have taken this course

by Mamadou Faye 07/15/2023

i find this course simple and very interresting

by Asiru Azeez 07/14/2023

The given examples are self explanatory for beginners and good memory refreshers for pros. Very interesting session

by أندرويد Andriod 07/10/2023

thanks

by AbdulWahid AlHarazi 04/13/2023

Content rich in science and knowledge. I advise all those interested in the hybrid solar system to join the cycle

by Messiah Ameh 03/09/2023

This course was very impactful and I enjoyed every bit of it so much that I had to pause and also go back while watching the videos. The calculation examples made the course more engaging and easier for a beginner to determine the required number of PV modules, Batteries in a battery bank and also list components of a hybrid PV system. I will recommend this course over and over to anyone who wants to understand the basics of a PV system.

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