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Running Header: Assessment of Photovoltaic System Power Plant Installation in Rural Areas
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Assessment of Photovoltaic System Power Plant Installation in Rural Areas
Assessment of Photovoltaic System Power Plant Installation in Rural Areas
Table of Contents
1    CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION    3
1.1    Aims and Objectives    3
1.2    Impact of Renewable Energy    3
1.3    Research Objectives    5
1.4    Research Questions    6
1.5    Research Ethics    6
2    CHAPTER 2: Literature Review    7
2.1    Renewable energies in Northern Ireland    7
2.1.1    Wind Power    7
2.1.2    Biogas Power    8
2.1.3    Solar Power    9
2.2    Basic Operation Mechanism of the Photovoltaic Cell    10
2.3    Solar Panel Selection    15
2.4    Electrical Characteristics of a Solar Panel    17
2.5    Effect of Temperature on the Performance of a Solar Panel    18
2.6    Effect of Irradiance on the Performance of a Solar Panel    19
2.7    Battery Storage    20
2.8    Solar Inverter    20
References    21
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Aims and Objectives
The generation of power using photovoltaic system represents one amongst the cleanest of the sources to produce renewable energy. The uptake in the Irish market for renewable energy, however, has been lower. There appears to be deficiency in support offered to solar powered photovoltaic systems across Ireland. Further, there are not any solar powered photovoltaic energy related feed-in-tariff currently as has been the case for other renewable energy source systems across Ireland. Despite this deficiency in support current, Irish Government has stated its support to aid in the uptake of installing solar powered photovoltaic systems by way of provisions for feed-in tariff over future period [1] [2].
In this context, the aims and objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of undertaking installation of photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland from environmental and technical standpoints.
Impact of Renewable Energy
Conventional form of energy sources that relies upon coal, oil or natural gas increasingly led to damaging outcomes in terms of human life, overall environment and economic progress. These conventional and fossil fuel sourced energy sources, naturally, are facing increased levels of pressure over wide ranging environmental aspects, with most serious of this challenge concerns the reduction targets for greenhouse gases by way of limiting the use of these fuels. In this context, the overall potentials of using renewable energy can be enormous as principally they can address energy demand at the global level many times over. The various sources of renewable energy like that of wind, hydropower, biomass, solar and geothermal holds the potential for providing sustainable form of energy services, on the basis of using indigenous resources that are routinely available. The transition towards renewable reliant energy systems appears in being increasingly likely with costs for solar as well as wind reliant power systems have dropped at substantial level since the last 30 years, as well as continue to fall, whilst price for oil as well as gas continue in fluctuating due to uncertain supplies. In actual, in-between price trends of fossil fuels and renewable energy, there is a movement in opposite directions with respect to social as well as environmental costs. In addition, the mechanisms of policy and economic undertaking required for supporting widespread levels of dissemination as well as sustainable markets with respect to the systems of renewable energy have in addition evolved rapidly. It is evidently becoming very clear in that growth in future for energy sector shall be primarily focussed on newer regime entailing renewable, as well as to smaller extent systems dependent on natural gas, but not on conventional coal and oil sources. In alignment to this, financial markets have awakened to this growth potential for future in renewable as well as other various newer energy technologies, as well as the same represents likely harbinger for an economic reality where systems for renewable energy become truly competitive [3] [4] [5].
Environmental elements as well as quality of life illustrate that the pollution to environment is to a large extent linked with increasing levels of usage concerning energy, with at present climate changes is taking place on account of heavy use in fossil fuels that emit nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. The same has become planetary problem of significant nature and shall influence its use in future. Air pollution represents one amongst the crucial element of environmental problems. Water pollution represents any form of detrimental alterations to underground waters, surface waters, or else marine environment with material or thermal pollution. The shift to renewable energy reduced and, in some cases, totally prevents these pollutions [6] [7] [8].
The initiatives for renewable energy along with measures for demand response shall aid in protecting the producers of electricity as well as its consumers with respect to costs relating to adding newer capacity for a system as well as safeguard against disruptions in energy supply, volatility in energy prices as well as other various security / reliability risks. The use of renewable energy leads to the generation of wide ranging set of economic advantages, and some of these include the following: [1] job creation forms the key element in the activities for economic development and lead to healthy economies While more number of people working, ensuing benefits shall extend beyond income that is earned from these jobs, [2] benefits shall take place while workers actually spend some part of income over local economy, therein generating benefits of spin-off nature referred as multiplier effect, [3] the increased levels of spending leads to the creation of economic activity in terms of jobs as well as revenues within other sectors like that of restaurant, retail, entertainment and leisure, and [4] the systems of renewable energy could lead to the creation of more number of jobs per Euro invested as compared to conventional projects focussed on energy supply. The extent of jobs created in addition shall depend on the number of stages in production shall be undertaken in this region, with increasing number of jobs being created in case these technologies and materials are manufactured and processed locally [6] [7] [8].
Research Objectives
The specific objectives of this study include the following:
· Reviewing planning requirements and other location specific considerations for fostering installation of photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland
· Evaluating potential power generation using photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland and determining overall technical feasibility
· Evaluating potential impacts of environmental nature due to the installation of photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland
Research Questions
The research questions that shall be pursued by way of this study shall include the following:
· What are the planning requirements and other location specific considerations for fostering installation of photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland?
· What are the technical considerations for potential power generation using photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland?
· What is the overall technical feasibility for generating power using photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland?
· What are the potential impacts of environmental nature due to the installation of photovoltaic system power plants in the rural areas of Northern Ireland?
Research Ethics
This research shall be undertaken in an ethical, legal and socially responsible manner. All of the secondary data collected shall be duly cited and referred. The primary data shall be collected adhering to all ethical and legal guidelines. All findings and analysis will be original and the study shall be undertaken by adhering to university mandated ethics guidelines.
CHAPTER 2: Literature Review
Renewable energies in Northern Ireland
Wind Power
The overall amounts in onshore-based wind power that is connected with the grid of Northern Ireland has been noted to have breached the mark of 1 gigawatt, and the same means that close to 25% of the electricity in the region is sourced using renewable energy source. The data in this context have revealed surge with respect to connections immediately after figures illustrated that the onshore wind increased for making more than 22% of electricity for Northern Ireland in a span of 12 months [9] [10].
Figure 1 – Installed Wind Power Capacity in Northern Ireland (Capacity in MegaWatts)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/497294/cumulative-installed-capacity-of-wind-energy-northern-ireland/
Biogas Power
Anaerobic Digestion (“AD”) represents the process using which an organic matter shall get broken down using micro-organisms within an environment that is oxygen-free for forming biogas as well as digestate / bio-fertiliser. The organic matter, that is, feedstock, could include cattle or pig slurry, poultry litters, energy crops like that of grass silage, and even food waste. The composition of biogas shall be dependent upon feedstock, and the same is in general comprised of methane (at ~60%) and carbon dioxide (at ~40%), with other minor set constituents like that of hydrogen sulphide and water. The wide usage in biogas shall in a direct manner be for combined heat & power (“CHP”) generation, where electricity shall be employed in the site and / or else be injected within the grid [11] [12].
For purposes of reducing dependence by Northern Ireland over fossil fuels imported that accounts for about 90 per cent of overall energy demands, targets and incentives has been established for the purposes of increasing the overall proportions in renewable energy that is locally sourced, inclusive of biogas. Close to 40 plants undertaking AD are either already operating or else under construction across Norther Ireland as well as, by the year 2013, planning applications totalling to 91 are granted to build AD plants. All of these plants in essence are plants for...