http://www.upd.edu.ph/~solar/research/joint.htm



oint Projects

Department of Interior and Local Government
The U.P. Solar Lab provided advisory services for the DILG-OPDS regarding the Municipal Solar Infrastructure Project (MSIP) by conducting a price test of the PV systems to be installed in the project.

The Solar Lab is also envisioned by DILG as its training arm with regards to the installation, monitoring and maintenance of the PV systems as well as conducting quality control tests and characterization of the PV systems and components.

Department of Agrarian Reform
The U.P. Solar Laboratory has collaborative activities with the Department of Agrarian Reform on the Agrarian Reform Community (ARCs) Project. The ARCS projects aims to improve the living conditions of ARCS through the installation of photovoltaic systems. Delivery of potable water and irrigation can be done by the installation of PV pumping systems. Vaccines and medicines can be stored in PV refrigerators.

The Solar Lab provided the specifications of the PV systems for the PVARCS project. This includes specific components for each PV system i.e. PV modules, controllers, batteries, etc. The Solar Lab also provided inputs on policies and guidelines for the implementation of the organization and management projects.

Sunlight and Power Systems Inc.
The Solar Lab provided technical assistance on the installation of a PV powered streetlight in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila. The streetlight consists of 3 110Wp PV modules, a 70W metal halide lamp, a BCU with night switch, 2 250 Ah maintenance free lead acid battery and a 125W inverter. The streetlight switches on at 5:50 P.M. and switches off as soon as the PV module voltage reaches 10.5 volts.

Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC)
The Solar Lab provided technical advisory to PNOC's renewable energy activities. This includes (a) market study for the local assembly of PV modules; (b) evaluated project proposal on the local assembly of PV modules in the Philippines such as those submitted by CARE-ASE Amenras, MIPP project by EVP-USA and Sunlight and Power Systems Inc.; (c) technical inputs with regards to PV technology and energy efficiency.

Non-Conventional Energy Division of the Department of Energy (DOE-NCED)
The U.P. Solar Laboratory has installed demonstration PV systems under the auspices of the Non-Conventional Energy Division of the Department of Energy (DOE). The PV systems installed are solar home systems, battery charging stations and street lighting system.

    1. Photovoltaic Pumping System
    The U.P. Solar Laboratory has installed a PV Pumping System in Don Severino Agricultural College, Indang, Cavite. The PVP system consists of 16-36 Watt-peak AEG PV modules, a GRUNDFOS SA- 1500 inverter and a GRUNDFOS submersible pump. The PVP system can deliver between 5-8m3/day.

    2. PV Battery Charging Station
    The U.P. Solar Laboratory has installed PV battery charging stations in the following locations and are shown below:

        * Basco, Batanes
        * Puerto Princessa, Palawan
        * Apo Island, Negros Oriental
        * Manjuyod, Negros Oriental 

    The battery charging station consists of 4-PV modules of 36 Watt-peak each. It can charge a 6sMF, 100Ah battery in 2 days. The PV charging station requires minimum skills to operate as well as maintain making it ideal for rural application.

    Other sites selected are shown below. The PV modules, frames and accessories have been brought to the site but due to time constraint, the installation was not completed by the first quarter of 1997.

        * Gattaran, Cagayan
        * San Mariano, Isabela
        * San Salvador, Quirino
        * Adams, Ilocos Norte
        * DSAC, Indang, Cavite 

    3. Installation of demonstration PV street lighting
    Demonstration PV street lighting were installed in the following locations:

        * 4 systems in San Miguel, Surigao del Norte
        * 1 system in Puerto Princessa, Palawan
        * 1 system in Hardin ng Rosas in U.P. Diliman, Quezon City 

    The PV streetlight consists of one (1)-50 Wp PV module, a Battery Control Unit (BCU) with night switch, a 12VDC PL 11 lamp in a weatherproof enclosure, a 100Ah battery, a steel pole and accessories. The demo unit is fully automatic because of the night switch. At around 6:30 in the evening the PL 11 lamp switches on and switches off as soon as daylight arrives or the battery is discharged.

    4. Isla Verde Mini-Centralized Power Plant
    The U.P. Solar Laboratory provided monitoring and maintenance services for the 2kWp mini-centralized power plant in Isla Verde, Batangas. Upon arrival at the power plant, the system was not operational due to low battery voltage and short circuit on the load side.

    With regards to low battery voltage, it was found out upon inspection that the specific gravity of the battery bank is 1.000 kg/li and therefore, the battery bank is 100 percent discharged already. In order to restore the state of charge of the battery bank to 100%, the whole circuit was operational 3 hours daily.

    The problem of the short circuit on the load side was analyzed and localized. The fault was found in one of the users (tampering of the electric wires inside the house). The short circuit was removed and the system became operational again. 