ASSIGNMENT – 1

ETB 4192
ENERGY MANAGEMENT

PROBLEM BASED LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 (PBL ACTIVITY) –

SOLAR PANEL

S.Prusoth
EGT/16/512
Construction and Building Services Technology
Faculty of technology
University of Sri Jeyawardenapura
04/06/2020
Problem based learning activity 1 (PBL activity) – Solar panel

Introduction
Due to economic growth production and industrial development, Sri Lanka is facing an acute power and
energy scarcity. Solar energy a clean renewable source with no emission and low recurring cost. In past recent
years the technology of solar energy and its usage has experienced a phenomenal change and rapid growth.
Promotional and encouraging government policies about solar energy, technological improvements in less
setup and maintenance cost, growing public awareness in environmental issues, easy way to cutting down the
users electricity bills with assured power supply 24x7 are some of the facts that have facilitated and sustained
this strong interest in the minds of the users about solar technology worldwide including Sri Lanka.

We all are facing the challenge of climate changes. According to World Bank report release in August
2016, Sri Lanka loses 7.7% of its income due to environment pollution especially from burning fossil fuels by
setting up renewable environment friendly energy sources are aimed to prove countries contribution to global
effort and support to reduce the climate challenges. As a geographical advantageously located topical country
close to equator, where sunlight remains 365 days per year, 8 to 10 hours a day, is a great intensity for
generation of solar electricity. Therefore solar energy has a great potential as future energy source in Sri
Lanka.

Present consumption level of electricity is about 12,000GWh, with an increase rate of 6.5% to 9%
annually. Ceylon Electricity Board had identified that Sri Lanka needs additional 4000GWh by end of
2025This amount is planned to be generated through solar energy, other renewable and other indigenous
energy resources. Sri Lankan government’s aim of electrification 100% of houses became a success. But
without adequate supplies of affordable energy at reasonable generation cost, it is impossible to achieve the
future targets.

Solar panels work by absorbing sunlight with photovoltaic cells, generating direct current (DC) energy
and then converting it to usable alternating current (AC) energy with the help of inverter technology. AC
energy then flows through the home’s electrical panel and is distributed accordingly.

Figure no. 01: Residential PV system – grid diagram.

Figure no. 02: Residential PV system
diagram.
PROBLEM

 How would you calculate the cost effectiveness of installing a solar panel for your home/office/official
property?

 Suppose you are to install a solar panel (photovoltaic, PV, system) to your home/training institution. You
are tasked with evaluate the cost effectiveness (value for the money spent) of installing a solar panel.
Conduct a detailed analysis with below considerations, and critically evaluate the whether it’s
economically viable to install a Solar panel, PV system, to your considered facility.

ANALYSIS

According to this problem I chose my house for analysis. Below I mention the Sample plan of my house,
where 7 person are living.

Figure no. 03: Plan and area of my house

T01.Table of Area of my house.
Zoon Area (m2)
Hall 32.03
Room 1 6.00
Room 2 11.00
Room 3 9.87
Room 4 6.56
Room 5 6.22
Home theater 19.84
Kitchen 12.19
Dining hall 11.69
Bathroom & toilet 5.67
Bathroom space 2.11
Outer hall 42.92
Total 166.10
T02.Table of total energy consumption by each item of my house.

Zoon Items No. Watts h per Days per Total Units

(W) day month Watts
Hall Fan 2 52 4 30 12480
Bulb 3 5 6 30 2700
Tube light 1 40 6 30 7200
Tv 1 60 5 30 9000
Router 1 5 24 30 3600 34.98
Room1 Computer 1 100 2 20 4000
Fan 1 52 8 30 12480
Bulb 1 5 8 30 1200
A/C 1 1100 1 4 4400
Tv 1 40 3 30 3600
Phone charger 1 5 2 30 300 25.98
Room2 Bulb 1 5 1 30 150
Fan 1 54 1 30 1620 1.77
Room3 Fan 1 54 10 30 16200
Bulb 2 5 10 30 3000
Iron 1 1000 0.5 15 7500
A/C 1 1100 3 4 13200
Phone charger 2 5 3 30 900 40.80
Room4 Bulb 1 5 1 30 150
Fan 1 54 1 5 270 0.42
Room5 Fan 1 54 10 30 16200
Bulb 4 5 10 30 6000
Computer 1 60 5 30 9000
Tv 1 50 2 30 3000
Phone charger 2 5 3 30 900 35.10
Kitchen Oven 1 1400 0.25 10 3500
Bulb 2 5 3 30 900
Fan 1 54 0.5 30 810
Heater 1 1100 0.75 30 24750
Rice cooker 1 700 0.75 25 13125
Motor 1 750 0.25 30 5625
Fridge 1 75 24 30 54000 102.71
Dining hall Bulb 2 5 1 30 300
Fan 1 54 1 30 1620 1.92
Bathroom toilet Bulb 2 5 1 30 300 0.30
Bathroom space Washing 1 1200 1 15 18000 18.00
machine
Outer hall Show lamps 4 7 2 30 1680 1.68
263660 263.66

Average total energy consumption of my house is 263.66 kWh.

 Figure no. 04: CEB Bill of my house

This was my home electricity bill of April.

Total Energy consumption = 244 kWh
Monthly bill 244kWh = 6943.50 Rs.

Calculated Energy consumption = 263.66 kWh

Last month CEB bill unit = 244.00 kWh

263.66𝑘𝑊ℎ +244.00𝑘𝑊ℎ
Average energy consumption =
2
= 253.83 kWh

Assume 253.83 kWh as average Energy consumption of my house for every month.

Table 03. Table of Tariff plans for electricity usage in private residences.
Monthly Consumption kWh Unit charge (Rs/kWh) Fixed charge (Rs/month)
0-60 7.85 N/A
61-90 10.00 90.00
91-120 27.75 480.00
121-180 32.00 480.00
>180 45.00 540.00

Monthly bill of 253.83 kWh = (60*7.85) + (30*10) + (30*27.75) + (60*32) + (73.83*45) + 540.00
= Rs. 7385.85
Total Area of house = 166.10 m2
Total Energy consumption per month = 253.83 kWh
Monthly bill of 253.83 kWh = Rs. 7385.85
Annual bill of energy consumption = Rs. 7385.85 x 12
= Rs. 88630.20

My house’s monthly energy consumption is 254 kWh. In this case I want to choose a suitable PV system for
my needs. After so many researches I found a PV system, SMA 2.5kW (2500W) Inverter systems (2440 Watt
System) from KHM Fernando & Sons LTD., 37, D.S.Senanayake Street, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Specification of this system:
 SMA 2.5kW Inverter.
 8 x 305W SERAPHIM High Power PERC Mono panels
 293 kWh Units monthly production. (2440 Watt System).
 All SERAPHIM panels are warranted for 25 years with its
unique linear power warranty.
 All-inclusive price : 570,000/=

And also we want to maintain this system properly in every certain

period. In this case Rs. 150000/= need for that.
Figure no. 05: SMA 2.5kW (2500W)
Total cost for the installment and maintenance for the PV system is, Inverter systems

Rs.570000 + Rs.150000 = 720000/=

Seraphim Perc Solar Panals gives the 25 years of unique linear power warranty. In their manual book the guaranteed
power of the system for 25 years is given.
In the 1st year power efficiency is 97.5%
After that, every year decreasing the efficiency linearly.

Graph 01. Efficiency (%) VS Years

 Graph 02. Sun hours vs Months

*The average annual amount of sun hours is: 2620.0 hours h = 2620 hours

Table 03 .Table of total unit generate by PV system for 25 years.

Year No of Year Efficiency Watt Produce Unit per Year Total Units(kWh)
0-1 1 97.5 2379.00 6232.98 6232.98
1-5 4 94.7 2344.84 6143.48 24573.92
5-10 5 91.2 2267.98 5942.11 29710.55
10-15 5 87.7 2182.58 5718.36 28591.80
15-20 5 84.2 2097.18 5494.61 27473.05
20-25 5 80.7 2011.78 5270.86 26354.30
Total 142936.60

Table 04 .Table of cost analysis.

Years Avg. Units per total unit Units Extra Earn from If use CEB Total Cumulative
Watt year Usage by units extra units energy Money saving (Rs)
produce produce house (Rs) (Rs) saving(Rs)
by solar by solar
0-1 2379.00 6232.980 6232.98 3045.96 3187.020 70114.44 88630.20 158744.60 158744.60
1-5 2344.84 6143.481 24573.92 12183.84 12390.080 272581.80 354520.80 627102.60 785847.30
5-7 2267.98 5942.108 11884.22 6091.92 5792.295 127430.50 177260.40 304690.90 1090538.00
7-10 2267.98 5942.108 17826.32 9137.88 8688.443 130326.60 265890.60 396217.20 1486755.00
10-15 2182.58 5718.360 28591.80 15229.80 13362.000 200430.00 443151.00 643581.00 2130336.00
15-20 2097.18 5494.612 27473.06 15229.80 12243.260 183648.90 443151.00 626799.90 2757136.00
20-25 2011.78 5270.864 26354.32 15229.80 11124.520 166867.80 443151.00 610018.80 3367155.00
76149.00 66787.62 1151400.00 2215755.00 3367155.00
 Net Metering
Solar generation is directly consumed by the house in the day time. Power from CEB line is used at night.
The net usage is carried forward to the next

 Net Accounting
Solar generation is directly consumed by the house in the day time. Power from CEB line is used at night.
At the end of the month, CEB pays Rs.22 per unit of excess solar generation for 7 years. After 7 years,
Rs.15 paid

 Net Plus
Solar generation is directly given to the CEB grid. At the end of the month, CEB pays Rs.22 per unit of
excess solar generation for 7 years. After 7 years, Rs.15 paid per excess unit.

PAYBACK PERIOD
The payback (PB) calculates the minimum number of years required for the sum of non-discounted annual cash flows to
equal or exceed the non-discounted investment cost.

 Total cost for the installment and maintenance for the PV system is,
Rs.570000 + Rs.150000 = 720000/=

Graph 02. Cumulative savings VS Years

In this Cumulative savings vs year graph gives the payback period as 4.7, it is 4 years and 8 months.
RESULTS
Number of person in my home – 07
Area of my house – 166.1 m2
Total average energy consumption per month – 253.83kWh
Life cycle cost of PV system – Rs.720000.00
Energy produce by the PV system in 25 years – 142936.60kWh
Energy consumption for 25 years – 76149.00kWh
Energy export to CEB – 66787.62kWh
Earn from exported energy – Rs. 1151400.00
Total money saving from PV system in 25 years – Rs. 3367155.00

Total amount saving using this PV system Money saving from PV Life cycle cost of PV
-
= system in 25 years system

= 3367155.00 - 720000.00
= Rs.2647155.00

Payback period of this system = 4 years and 8 months.

CONCLUSION
According above mentioned problem, this analysis prove that Installing Photovoltaic system is economically
viable and it’s financially beneficial. In this analysis of PV system for house, here installing ON Gird PV
system (Net metering) with power electricity provider we could able to get zero electricity cost after payback
period of 4 years and 8 months. And also we could get Rs.2647155.00 profit from it in 25 year life cycle
period.
Under feed-in-tariff policy customers get financially compensated for every unit of excess electricity fed back
to the grid and under the policy of net metering customers receive the excess energy that they feed back to the
grid as credit.

REFERENCES
 https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-hours-Sunshine,Colombo,Sri-Lanka
 https://www.ceb.lk/commercial-tariff/en
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331064600
 http://www.khmsolar.com/solar-panels.html
 https://suntekindustrialsolutions.com/2018/10/05/roof-top-solar-generation-profitable/
 https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1069584/FULLTEXT01.pdf