Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering

A Report on Technical visit to

Suragi Power Private Limited

2MW Solar Power Plant, Devanur,
Nanjangud
On 19th January 2019

Submitted by,
PG Students
Energy System & Management (2018-19)
Dept. Of E&EE, JSS S&TU, Mysuru

Date: 22.01.2019

1
Acknowledgement
The technical visit on 19th January 2019, to Suragi Power Private Limited, 2MW Solar
Power Plant, #293-299, Devanur, Nanjangud, 571119, was a great opportunity for us to learn
and for our professional development. We consider ourselves very lucky as we were provided
this opportunity to be a part of it. We are blessed to meet professionals who led us through
this technical visit.

Bearing in mind we are using this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude and
special thanks to Dr.M.S.Shashikala, [Professor & Head, Department of E&EE, SJCE,
Mysuru] took time out to hear, guide and keep us on the correct path.

We express our deepest thanks to Er.Shridhar, Managing Director, M/s. Suragi Power
Private Limited, #85, Surabhi complex, Saraswathipuram, Mysuru, for taking part in giving
necessary advices & guidance and arranged all facilities for this technical visit. At this
moment we whole heartedly acknowledge their contribution. We are thankful to all the
professionals and supporting staff of Suragi Power Private Limited.

It's our radiant sentiment to place on record our best regards, deepest sense of
gratitude to Prof. T.N. Nagabhushan, Principal SJCE Mysuru for the opportunity provided for
the industrial visit.

We express our sincere thanks to Dr.A.D.Srinivasan, Professor, Dept. of E&EE, SJCE,

Mysuru, for their careful and valuable guidance which were extremely helpful for our study to
correlate theory and practical applications Also we convey our deepest gratitude to TEQIP-III,
JSS S&TU, Mysuru.

We take this opportunity as a big milestone in our career development. We will strive
to use the gained skills and knowledge in the best possible way in our future career growth.

Sincerely,

PG Students
Energy System & Management (2018-19)
Dept. Of E&EE, JSS S&TU
Mysuru

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3
 A Report on Technical visit to

Suragi Power Private Limited

2MW Solar Power Plant, Devanur, Nanjangud
On 19th January 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Topic Page Number
Abstract 1
1. Introduction 3
2. General aspects of Solar power plant 7
3. Salient features of M/s.Suragi power plant 13
4. Equipment details 20
5. Transformers and connection to grid 21
6. SCADA system for solar power plant 23
7. Maintenance of solar power plant 24

8. Data on Energy generation 26

9. Security in plant 27
10. Summary of the visit 28
11. Conclusions 30

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Abstract
The technical visit to Suragi Power Private Limited, 2MW Solar Power Plant, #293-
299, Devanur, Nanjangud, 571119, was planned as a part of curriculum under the subject
work “Solar & Wind Energy System”. The site visit was successfully held on 19th January
2019. The capacity of the power plant is 2MW which consisted of arrays of 6888 nos. of
320W capacity solar panels. The unique feature of this plant is that it is equipped with 10 Nos.
of solar trackers for increasing the efficiency of power generation. The overall plant
efficiency with this arrangement is 17-18%. The solar power plant is fully automated with
SolarNxt SCADA system. The plant is provided with CCTV cameras all around for
monitoring security of the power plant.
Another unique feature of this plant is that, the power plant does not depend on utility
power for its auxiliary consumption. The plant has inbuilt solar panels for tracker system,
solar LED street lights, solar water pump with battery backup to meet its own power
requirement.
From the visit we managed to gather, explore and bring back lots of new knowledge,
practices and experiences. Besides that, we also managed to solve lots of questions and
uncertainties which seem to be not clear to us especially those related to the differences and
production of conventional electrical power.
Solar technology is an alternative source of power which becomes the main agenda
towards finding solution for future power storage. The suitable country’s weather
environment is one of the main reasons which enable this alternative source to be operated.
The main objective of our visit to this solar power plant is to increase knowledge
pertaining to the latest technology in solar energy.

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Group Photo

Group Photo of ESM 1st Sem Students with faculty

Acknowledging the plant head

2
 1. Introduction
SURAGI POWER PRIVATE LIMITED is a Private Company limited by Shares. It is
registered with Registrar of Companies; Bangalore on Jun 12, 2015.Corporate Identification
Number (CIN) is U40104KA2015PTC080868. It was incorporated on 12.06.2015
at Mysore and its registered address is # 85, 1ST Floor, Surabhi Complex, Mysore Karnataka
India 570009.
It is a Non-govt company with an Authorized Capital of Rs. 4,30,00,000 (Four Crore
And Thirty Lac Indian Rupees) and Paid Up Capital of Rs. 3,00,00,000 (Three Crore Indian
Rupees).There are 3 Directors associated with Suragi Power Private Limited. They are: Suhas
Sridhar, Sridhar Srinivasa Iyengar and Saroja Belatur Shelvapullia Iyengar.
Suragi Power Private Limited, 2MW Solar Power Plant, is located in Devanuru,
Nanjangud taluk, Mysore district, Karnataka. This Solar power plant is photovoltaic (PV)
ground mounted power plant systems, convert sunlight directly into electricity. It was
commissioned from 26th December 2016.
It is a project of 2MW. Area utilized for this is project 13.0 Acres, PV module rating,
320Wp (6888Nos) - Crystalline solar panels, PV module tilt angle –is single axis tracker with
east and west orientation. It has Inverter rating 2 Nos of 1000KVA central inverter. It has
estimated generation 4114499 Kwh per year with it estimated Co2 saved is 3497 tons per
year.

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Purpose of Visit to Suragi Power Private Ltd

Industry Visits enhance the student’s learning process. It helps to bridge the gap
between classroom and the real field world. The Dept of E&EE organized a visit to Suragi
Power Private Limited, 2MW Solar Power Plant with a vision to understand the power
generation through solar energy by the PG students.
The main objective of the visit was to understand about plant construction, PV array
structure, design and installation, learning about PV modules, connections and protection
systems, knowing about monitoring hardware through solar energy. The students are
subjected to learn about electricity generation through solar energy using Silver based solar
plates. As light hits the solar panels, the solar radiation is converted into direct current
electricity (DC). The direct current flows from the panels and is converted into alternating
current (AC) used by local electric utilities. Finally, the electricity travels through
transformers, and the voltage is boosted for delivery onto the transmission lines so local
electric utilities can distribute the electricity to homes and businesses.
The students also looked forward to visit the installation site. However, their
enthusiasm turned to excitement when they found out that the tour would not only include a
walk-through of the site, but also got demonstrated of huge source of non-conventional power
generation.
The visit greatly inspired students as they got idea about Green Energy production and
encouraged them to use their skills and knowledge in power industries.

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Renewable Sources - Solar Energy

Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are
naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves,
and geothermal heat. Renewable energy often provides energy in four important
areas: electricity generation, air and water heating/cooling, transportation, and rural (off-
grid) energy services. Renewable energy is reliable and plentiful and will potentially be very
cheap once technology and infrastructure improve.
One of the first renewable sources of energy is sunlight. It is the reason why life on the
planet Earth has flourished and is the one truly renewable source of energy. About 70% of
sunlight gets reflected back into the space and we have only 30% of sunlight to meet up our
energy demands.
Solar energy has become quite practical to use and many applications have created for
it. First of these is solar heaters. Whether it is industrial grade water heating or simple heating
to cook food, solar energy can be utilized quite easily. With the development of solar panels
and photovoltaic cells, it can also be used to create and store energy as needed.
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, is harnessed using a range of ever-
evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaic's, concentrated solar
power (CSP), concentrator photovoltaic's (CPV), solar architecture and artificial
photosynthesis. Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active
solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy.
A photovoltaic system converts light into electrical direct current (DC) by taking
advantage of the photoelectric effect. Solar PV has turned into a multi-billion, fast-
growing industry, continues to improve its cost-effectiveness, and has the most potential of
any renewable technologies together with CSP. Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems use
lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam.
Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s.
Solar powered homes, cars and appliances are becoming common these days, as are
solar farms that provide electricity to areas that are not on the grid.

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What is Solar Energy Harvesting?
 It is the process of capturing and storing solar energy which is radiated from the sun.
 Then it is converted from light or heat energy to electrical energy by suitable method.

Why do we need Solar Energy Harvesting?

 Solar energy is free and rather available in many parts around the world.
 In just 1 year, the sun can provide the earth with 15,000 times more energy than the
atomic and fuel energy actually needed during the year.
 If the fossil fuel resources are consumed at the present rate, all the fossil fuels will
exhaust. This will create an unprecedented energy crisis on the earth.

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2. General aspects of Solar Power Plant

Figure: Block diagram of a Solar Power Generation

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels absorb sunlight as a source of energy to

generate electricity. In other words, Photovoltaic modules use light energy (photons) from the
Sun to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect.

Normally, the solar panels are stationary and do not follow the movement of the sun
and hence Solar tracker system is used. This tracks the sun's movement across the sky and
tries to maintain the solar panel perpendicular to the sun's rays, ensuring that the maximum
amount of sunlight is incident on the panel throughout the day

Voltage regulator is used to automatically maintain a constant voltage level. A voltage

regulator may use a simple feed-forward design or may include negative feedback. It may use
either an electromechanical mechanism or electronic components.

Control unit (CU) is used to direct the operation of the processor. It tells the system
how to respond to the instructions that have been sent to the processor.

A Solar Inverter or PV inverter converts the variable direct current (DC) output of a
photovoltaic (PV) solar panel into a alternating current (AC) that can be fed into a
commercial electrical grid or used by a local, off-grid electrical network.

Merits of Solar Power Plant:

1. Solar power is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after
installation
2. Reduced dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels

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 3. Renewable clean power that is available every day of the year, even cloudy days
produce some power
4. Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years
5. Creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers, solar installers, etc. and in turn
helps the economy
6. Excess power can be sold back to the power company if grid integrated
7. Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the home / building
8. Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building
9. Use batteries to store extra power for use at night
10. Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and building and even power cars
11. Safer than traditional electric current
12. Aesthetics are improving making the solar more versatile compared to older models;
i.e. printing, flexible, solar shingles, etc.
13. Federal grants, tax incentives, and rebate programs are available to help with initial
costs.

Demerits of Solar Power Plant:

1. High initial costs for material and installation
2. Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet
3. No solar power at night so there is a need for a large battery bank
4. Devices that run on DC power directly are more expensive
5. Depending on geographical location the size of the solar panels vary for the same
power generation
6. Cloudy days do not produce much energy
7. Lower production in the winter months

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Solar Energy Generation
The energy is produced from the sun is known as the solar energy. The sun’s energy
comes from nuclear fusion reaction that takes place deep in the sun, where hydrogen nucleus
fuses into helium nucleus. When such a reaction take place than tremendous amount of energy
is produced which is escaped into the space

Solar power is the conversion of sun radiation into electricity through the use of solar
photovoltaic cells. This conversion takes place in the solar cell by photovoltaic effect. There
are several applications that use solar power, here is the information on the generation of
electricity through pv cells. The solar power generation is the most efficient route for power
generation because it takes a minimum number of steps (for producing electricity) than that of
other generation methods.

There are two ways of converting sunlight into electricity.

 In one method, solar energy is used simply as a source of heat. This heat is further used to
produce the steam, which drives the steam turbine. This method of power generation is
called solar thermal power generation.
 In the second method, solar energy is directly converted into electricity using pv (or
solar) cells as mentioned above. The pv cell is made with silicon semiconductor material.

Some of the factors for choosing the solar power generation are listed below.

 Solar energy is available freely and conveniently in nature and it needs no mains supply.
 Solar power is clean energy as it produces no air or water pollution. Also, there are no
moving parts to create noise pollution. Unlike fossil fuels, no toxic emissions are released
into the atmosphere during solar energy power generation.
 Solar power has less running cost that means once the capital investment is made, there is
no need for continues purchase of fossil fuels as the solar energy is effectively free in
nature.
Solar Cells
Solar cells are devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar cells are
made of layers of semiconductor materials example
(silicon, germanium etc). When sunlight is absorbed
by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons
loose from their atoms, allowing the electrons to flow
through the materials to produce electricity.
Solar Arrays
Solar cells are generally , and each one may
oly be capable of generating a few watts of electricity. They are typically combined into
modules of about 21 cells, the modules are in turn assembled into PV arrarys up to several
meters on a side. These flat-plate PV arrays can be mounted at a fixed angle facing south, or
they can be mounted on a tracking device that follows the sun, allowing them to capture more
sunlight. For utility-scale electricity generating applications,hundreds of arrays are
interconnected to form a single, large systems.

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Solar Panels
Photovoltaic solar panels absorb sunlight as a source of energy to generate electricity.
Photovoltaic modules constitute the photovoltaic array of a photovoltaic system that generates
and supplies solar electricity in commercial and residential applications.

Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions (STC),
and typically ranges from 100 to 365 Watts (W). The efficiency of a module determines the
area of a module given the same rated output – an 8% efficient 230 W module will have twice
the area of a 16% efficient 230 W module. There are a few commercially available solar
modules that exceed efficiency of 24%.

Solar panels of Suragi power private limited

What is photovoltaic?
Photovoltaic is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some
materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb
photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric
current results that can be used as electricity.

Basic operation of photovoltaic cell:

The diagram above illustrates the
operation of a basic photovoltaic cell, also
called a solar cell. Solar cells are made of the
same kinds of semiconductor materials, such
as silicon, used in the microelectronics
industry. For solar cells, a thin semiconductor
wafer is specially treated to form an electric

10
field, positive on one side and negative on the other. When light energy strikes the solar cell,
electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the semiconductor material. If electrical
conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides, forming an electrical circuit, the
electrons can be captured in the form of an electric current - that is, electricity. This electricity
can then be used to power a load, such as a light or a tool.

A number of solar cells electrically connected to each other and mounted in a support
structure or frame is called a photovoltaic module. Modules are designed to supply electricity
at a certain voltage, such as a common 12 volts system. The current produced is directly
dependent on how much light strikes the module.

Multiple modules can be wired together to form an array.

In general, the larger the area of a module or array, the more
electricity that will be produced. Photovoltaic modules and
arrays produce direct-current (dc) electricity. They can be
connected in both series and parallel electrical arrangements to
produce any required voltage and current combination.

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Invertors & Controls Systems in Grid Connected Systems
In grid-connected applications, the power is supplied directly to the grid – and the
important blocks are photo voltaic modules and inverters. The PV inverters for grid
connection can be of different topology and operation than off-grid ones. They have to
produce excellent quality sine wave outputs with low ripples i.e., less THD, which has to
match the frequency and voltage of the grid for synchronisation – and extract maximum
power from the PV modules through the MPPT algorithm.

Grid connected inverters are classified as Voltage Source Inverters (VSIs) and Current
Source Inverters (CSIs). However, in PV applications, VSI inverters are used. The complete
diagram of PV panels & VSI with grid integration is provided in Figure.

PV panels & VSI with grid integration

Central inverters are used in larger scale applications, offering Operation and
Maintenance (O&M) contracts for the plant owners. The operation availability of such
inverters is warranted up to 99% throughout a complete year of operation.

The recent trend is to use Central Station Inverters (CSI), which consist of the house,
the transformer, the medium voltage switchgears, the monitoring system, and the cooling,
heat sinks for inverter switches to minimise losses and the wiring channels that come on the
installation preassembled, hence reduces all the required tasks and connections in less time.
Such inverters are used mostly in PV parks higher than 2MWp, however lower size
installations are also preferred.

3. Salient features of Suragi Power Plant

The salient features of Suragi Power Private Ltd, 2MW Solar Power Plant is as follows:
 The plant has 2MW installed capacity.
 The plant is built up in the 12acres of land.

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 The solar panels are provided with 10 no’s of solar trackers to track the sun
throughout the day for effective utilization of solar energy.
 The plant has totally 6880nos solar panels, each panels having capacity of 320W,
32V, 8A.
 The plant has its own solar powered UPS for its auxiliary consumption.
 KEB power supply only for grid synchronization.
 Hybrid System for uninterrupted power supply within the plant.
 Remote Monitoring System- The plant is 24/7 CCTV with continuously remote
monitoring facility.
 The plant energy is evacuated to nearby 66/11kv KPTCL substation Devanuru through
underground cable.

 The plant synchronization is by DC Synchronization through inverters.

 All the panels are Ground Mounted and easy to clean and maintain.
 The plant energy is evacuated to nearby 66/11kv KPTCL substation Devanuru through
underground cable.
 The plant synchronization is by DC Synchronization through inverters.
 All the panels are Ground Mounted and easy to clean and maintain.
 Optimized and Low maintenance system.
 Provide stable and reliable power with overall efficiency.
 True MPPT (maximum power point tracking) charge controller to efficiently convert the
power generated at module level.
 Inverters to effectively manage usage of solar power based on load requirements. High
efficiency inverters capable of supplying load directly (in the day time) without storing in
the batteries all the time.
 Tubular/SMF/VRLA deep discharge batteries designed for longer life
 100 % Utilization of solar power using Power sharing MPPT Converter and solar
PCU.
 Industrial Grade IGBT inverter with complete Galvanic Isolation (Three phase output –
Three phase single Delta-Delta Transformer)

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 Parallel operation for Solar, Battery and Grid.
 Load side Reactive power compensation Ensures Additional output load can be used.
 Solar PCU module utilizes the entire power available from solar and in the event of short-
fall in power availability from solar the battery stored power is drawn to compensate the
deficit of power.

Inverter & Battery system:

Suragi solar power plant in Devanur uses 2 No’sx1 MW ABB make,Model No:
PVS800 – 500 to 1000 kW Invertors for DC To AC conversion and Control.

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 Fig: ABB make,Model No: PVS800 – 500 to 1000 kW Invertor.
Inverters: Total 2 No’s inverter’s installed.
Manufacturer: ABB
Capacity: 2x1000kW,
AC output: 230-400 Vac,1445A, 50/60Hz.

INVERTER 1 INVERTER 2
Sl
SCB’s Strings Output Sl No SCB’s Strings Output
No
1 SCB 1 36 9 1 SCB 10 40 10
2 SCB 2 36 9 2 SCB 11 40 10
3 SCB 3 36 9 3 SCB 12 40 10
4 SCB 4 38 10 4 SCB 13 36 9
5 SCB 5 36 9 5 SCB 14 32 8
6 SCB 6 36 9 6 SCB 15 32 8
7 SCB 7 36 9 7 SCB 16 32 8
8 SCB 8 36 9 8 SCB 17 36 9
9 SCB 9 38 10 9 SCB 18 40 10

Battery system

Batteries: Total 44No’s used

Installation features
Suragi Power Private Ltd,
Devanuru, Nanjangud Tq, Mysore
District

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Area Utilized: 13.0Acres.

PV module rating: 320Wp- Crystalline Solar Panels.

Total PV panels: 6888 No’s

Estimated Generation: 4114499 kWh/Y

Date of commissioning: 26.12.2016

Minimal Technical Requirements / Standards for SPV Systems /

Plants to Be Deployed, Under the Programs of Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy.

PV MODULES:
The PV modules must conform to the latest edition of any of the following IEC /
equivalent BIS Standards for PV module design qualification and type approval:

Crystalline Silicon Terrestrial PV Modules IEC 61215 / IS14286

Thin Film Terrestrial PV Modules IEC 61646 / Equivalent IS (Under Dev.)

Concentrator PV Modules & Assemblies IEC 62108

In addition, the modules must conform to IEC 61730 Part 1- requirements for construction &
Part 2 - requirements for testing, for safety qualification or Equivalent IS

PV modules to be used in a highly corrosive atmosphere (coastal areas, etc.) must

qualify Salt Mist Corrosion Testing as per IEC 61701 / IS 61701.

Identification and Traceability:

Each PV module must use a RF identification tag (RFID), which must contain the
following information:

Canadian Solar 320W Polycrystalline Solar

Make
Panel - CS-320
Maximum power 320.0 Wp
Open circuit Voltages( Voc) 45.3V
Short Circuit Current ( Isc) 9.26 A
Voltage at Pmax (Vmp) 32.30V
Current at Pmax(Imp) 8.12A
Fuse rating 15A
Maximum System Voltage DC1000V
Power Tolerance 0 - +5W

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 Nominal Operating Cell Temp( NOCT) 46 degree C
Cell technology Poly-Si
Module Application Class A
(All technical data at standard test conditions (STC): (AM1.5, 1000W/m2, 25 Degree C).

PV modules tilt Angle: Single Axis Tracker with East-West Orientation.

Trackers mechanism:

 Total 10 Trackers Mechanism are installed.

 PV module for arranging power supply to UPS facing
South orientation.
 Motor used : Stepper Motor
 Make: AUMA DRIVES INDIA PVT Ltd
 Power : 0.75KW
 Motor speed:1500 rpm
 One Main sensor using for sun position tracking.

In Suragi Solar power plant, Devanur, Horizontal single axis tracker (HSAT)
mechanism is used. The axis of rotation for horizontal single axis tracker is horizontal with
respect to the ground. The posts at either end of the axis of rotation of a horizontal single axis
tracker can be shared between trackers to lower the installation cost. This type of solar tracker
is most appropriate for low latitude regions. Field layouts with horizontal single axis trackers
are very flexible. The simple geometry means that keeping all of the axes of rotation parallel
to one another is all that is required for appropriately positioning the trackers with respect to
one another. Appropriate spacing can maximize the ratio of energy production to cost, this
being dependent upon local terrain and shading conditions and the time-of-day value of the
energy produced. Backtracking is one means of computing the disposition of panels.

Horizontal
trackers typically have the
face of the module
oriented parallel to the
axis of rotation. As a
module tracks, it sweeps
a cylinder that is
rotationally
symmetric
around the axis of
rotation. In single axis
horizontal

17
trackers, a long horizontal tube is supported on bearings mounted upon pylons or frames. The
axis of the tube is on a north–south line. Panels are mounted upon the tube, and the tube will
rotate on its axis to track the apparent motion of the Sun through the day.

String Monitoring Combiner Box:

Total 18 Numbers of SMCB

In a large solar photovoltaic (PV) array, multiple solar modules are connected in series in a
string to build the voltage up to proper levels for the inverter. Multiple strings of solar
modules are then combined together in parallel to multiply the string output currents to higher
levels for input into the inverter.

String combiner boxes, collates multiple strings of solar PV modules in order to give a
single main output to inverters. The combiner box house many components such as a Fuses,
disconnector switch, surge protection device, blocking diodes for reverse current flow
protection cables & busbar. Combiner box enclosures come in different sizes, depending on
the number of input strings and protection features implemented in the combiner box. There
are 18 SCBs with 35-40 strings. 9 SCBs are connected to inverter1 and the other 9 SCBs are
connected to inverter2.

A string monitoring terminal unit is installed inside a combiner box or near a combiner
box, in order to measure the currents and voltages of the strings. The string monitoring
terminal units are powered by electricity generated from the solar panels.

4. Equipment Details

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Sl.No. Equipment name
1 Solar panel module
2 Inverters
3 LT switchgear
4 LT cable
5 Inverter transformer
6 Auxiliary transformer
7 HT cable
8 HT panel
9 Solar energy meter
Details
Make: Canadian solar – Panel mounted
on single axis tracker.
Total 6888 Nos. of PV Modules.
Rating of each module: 320 Wp, 9.26A Isc,
Voc = 45.3V
Make: ABB, Capacity: 2x1000 kW, AC
output: 230-400 Vac, 1445A, 50/60Hz.
Make: ABB, 2000A, ACB for each
inverter.
5Rx1Cx300sq.mm , LT cable per phase
from transformer to inverter.
Make: Trinity electrical industries.
1x2000 kVA, 400V-400V/11 kV, 1443.4-
1443.4A/105A
Make: Prima transformers
1x30 VA, 400V/415V
1Rx3Cx150 sq.m HT UG cable from
transformer to HT panel with VCB.
Make: ABB, 12kV 630A, VCB panel
Make: Secure, Type: Premier 300, 3 phase
4 wire, class: 0.2s, 1A.
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 5. Transformer & Connection to Grid
All grid-tied photovoltaic systems include a main power transformer to provide
galvanic isolation, step up the voltage and transfer energy back to the utility grid. A common
transformer size for most medium voltage solar facilities is the 0.75 to 2.5MVA, 11kV class
step-up product range.

Solar inverter transformers are designed and manufactured precisely for stepping up
voltage feed to maximum value in grid. Also, voltage can be stepped up to a desired value as
needed by the customers.

When choosing a transformer in a PV system, it is important to select the correct

power rating and voltage rating on both the primary side and the secondary side of the
transformer. Transformers are typically rated in kVA (kilo* volt * amp). The kVA rating of
the transformer shall match (or be slightly larger than) the kVA rating of the generation
source (in our case this is the PV system inverter). The low voltage side of the transformer
must match the output voltage of the inverter. The high voltage side of the transformer must
match the grid interconnection voltage supplied on the the utility company transmission /
distribution system.

The details of Invertor transfomers used in Devanur Solar PV plant are as below:

Make: Trinity electrical industries.

Capacity: 1x2000KVA

Volatage Class: 400V-400V/11 kV,

Current Rating: 1443.4-1443.4A/105A

Vector Group: Delta-Delta

2MVA Inverter Transformer, Trinity

electrical industries make.

In the plant, 2Nos of 1Rx3Cx150 sq.m HT UG cables run from 2MVA invertor
transformer to HT panel with VCB in Devanur 66/11KV KPTCL Substation. Synchronism
with the KPTCL 11KV grid is done at the DC level of the invertors in the plant.

The details of HT Panels & Meters installed at 66/11KV HT panel KPTCL Substation
to this 11KV Suragi PV line are as below:

HT Panels Details: Make: ABB, 12kV 630A, VCB panel.

Solar energy meter: Make: Secure, Type: Premier 300, 3 phase 4 wire, class: 0.2s, 1A.

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21
 6. SCADA system for solar power plant
Supervisory control and data acquisition systems are used in solar power plants for
monitoring, control, remote communication purpose.

Solar plant does not have any moving parts, as a result we need live and historical
details about the plant, using a plant scada system that monitors, all the critical field devices
such as inverters , weather station, lt/ht panel. All this combined to provide a live and plant
comprehensive view of the entire plant with continuous alert system, viewed from anywhere
(either at site, or central control system, Despatch centre or on PC / mobile).

SCADA system at M/s Suragi power

plant:
M/s. Suragi power plant is equipped
with SolarNxt SCADA and monitoring
software provided by M/s. Megamic
electronics pvt ltd., Bengaluru. It provides
following options:

 SolarNxt - Local SCADA Platform.

 SolarNxt - Cloud Based Intelligent
Remote Monitoring System

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 7. Maintenance of Solar Power Plant
Maintenance Activities at M/s. Suragi power pvt ltd.
Maintenance can are broken down in two parts:

1. Scheduled / Preventive maintenance: Planned in advance and aimed at fault prevention,

as well as ensuring that the plant is operated at its optimum level. Preventative
maintenance encompasses routine inspection and servicing of equipment at frequencies
determined by equipment type, environmental conditions, and warranty terms in an
O&M services agreement to prevent breakdowns and unnecessary production losses.

Preventative Maintenance includes the following activities:

 Panel Cleaning.
 Water Drainage.
 Vegetation Management.
 Upkeep of Data Acquisition and Monitoring Systems (e.g., electronics, sensors).
 Upkeep of Power Generation System (e.g., Inverter Servicing, BOS Inspection,
Tracker Maintenance)
 Site maintenance (e.g., security, road/fence repair, environmental compliance etc.).
 A visual check of the system components for visible damage and defects.
 Ensure that the required maintenance will be conducted on all components of the
system as per manufacturer recommendation.

2. Unscheduled / Correction maintenance: Carried out in response to failures. This

addresses equipment repair needs and breakdowns after their occurrence and, as such, is
instituted to mitigate unplanned downtime.
Corrective maintenance includes:

 On-Site monitoring and corrective actions in case of any damages, breakdowns.

 Warranty enforcement in case of damage from the manufacturer.

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 Replacement of defective system components and system components whose failure is
deemed imminent.

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 8. Data on Energy Generated
The plant has recorded a maximum of 16000 units per day during the summer season
and average generation is around 7000-8000 units per day.

Snapshot of chart of energy generated from April-2018 to July-2018 is shown below:

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 9. Security in Plants:
As we all know that, almost all our solar plants are established in remote areas (other
than urban/city areas). This also means that the security of these installations is of high
concern. Unfortunately, there have been reports of various theft activities in a very high
proportion of these areas. Thieves have not only stolen components but also have damage
property which has cause loss of bulky amounts of money too.

The following are some solar panel security tips.

1. Don’t show off about how much the panels are worth, you may attract unwanted
attention.
2. Install movement detector lights on your roof. No criminal wants a spotlight shining in
their face.
3. Use anti-theft fixtures (security cameras etc).
4. Chain the panels together with locks and heavy gauge nylon coated wire.
5. Affix a security cable and lock from the panels to below roof level to the roof bind.
6. Engrave clear identification into the panel frames.
7. Avoid entering animals into the plant, causing damage to the panels.
8. Do not leave ladders or other items around the house that make it easier for criminals
to gain access to your roof.

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 10. Summary of the visit
A one day technical visit to Suragi Power Private Limited, 2 MWs Solar Power Plant
at Devanur, Nanjangud taluk was organized, under the valuable guidance of
Dr.A.D.Srinivasan, Professor, Dept of E&EE, JSS S&TU.

On 19th January 2019 the technical visit started at 8:30am with 17 PG students of
Energy System and Management and reached the power plant at 11:00am after the formalities
the students were taken inside the plant.

The Managing Director of the plant was very courteous to explain and also
accompanied the students to show the plant. The information about the installation method of
the solar plant and its economic features was well explained by him. Concept of solar energy
tracking system was well explained. The students gained the practical knowledge about the
working of the tracking system and on the gears-sensors involved in it. The explanation about
the SCADA system installed in the solar plant helped the students to get a clear picture about
the controlling and monitoring of the whole solar plant.

All the PG students well participated and gained practical knowledge from this
technical visit. The plant tour ended with a vote of thanks and a photograph with the officials
of the Suragi Power Private Limited.

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 After the visit, back haul trip started at 3:00pm for Mysore and we reached college
safely at about 5:00pm.

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 11. Conclusion
A typical Solar power plant converts Solar energy into electricity using PV cells. The
Suragi solar plant in Devanur has 2MW installed capacity which is built up in 13 acres of
land. As the light hits the solar panels where each panels having capacity of 320watts,
32volts, 8amps which are Ground Mounted, the solar radiation is converted into direct
current(DC). True MPPT charge controller is used to efficiently convert the power generated
at module level. The direct current flows from the panels is converted into alternating current
(AC) by high efficiency inverters (Industrial Grade IGBT) capable of supplying load directly
(in the day time) without storing in the batteries all the time, used by local electric utilities.
Finally the electricity travels through transformers, and the voltage is boosted for delivery
onto the transmission lines so local electric utilities can distribute the electricity to homes and
business. The main attraction in the plant was the solar tracker. The construction, working and
the designs were clearly explained.

The industrial visit planned was highly useful for the students in terms of both
theoretical and practical knowledge.

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