Enota Solar Design Project Proposal

1 1 Enota Solar Design Project Proposal Submitted by: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN 38505 To: Dr. Suan Freed Enota Mountain Retreat Hiawassee, GA 30546 Faculty in Charge: Ali T. Alouani, Professor of ECE October 2008 2 1. Abstract In an era of high energy prices, many decision makers are looking to use alternative sources of energy and to educate the public to do the same.

2 Such is the case of Enota Mountain Retreat. This study s objective was to implement the optimal Solar power system for Enota and create an informational display to educate their visitors. There are hundreds of off the self Solar systems but they are not optimized for individual applications. In this Proposal we offer several specific solutions, with varying prices, for Enota to choose from. In the conclusion we suggest our optimal solution. 2. Introduction Enota Mountain Retreat is located in Hiawassee, Georgia.

3 Enota is a non-profit conservation facility committed to preserving our beautiful land with a limited number of accommodations including cabins, full hook-up RV sites, pop-up & tent sites and a Retreat Center for conferences, groups, events and seminars. Enota is rated to be in the top 100 camping destinations in the country. [1] Enota approached Tennessee Technological University with two alternative energy projects. These projects were for the Design of a hydro power plant and for the Design of a Solar system.

4 The Solar system was to be implemented into one of the log cabins that are available for rent to Enota visitors. This Project benefits Enota in two ways. First, this system will lower the total energy usage from the grid which also leads to a smaller carbon footprint. Second, this system will have an educational display to teach visitors about Solar energy. The display will show visitors how Solar energy is harvested and used, the many different applications of Solar energy and how cost effective the system can be.

5 A Solar panel absorbs the energy of sunlight in the form of electrons. These electrons are directed in one direction across the panel which creates a direct current, DC. Solar cells were first produced in 1883 by Charles Fritts [2]. Scientists at the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have set a world record in Solar cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts percent of the light that hits it into electricity. This is the highest confirmed efficiency of any photovoltaic device to date [3].

6 There are three common types of Solar systems. An off-grid system uses a bank of batteries to store excess energy for use when needed. A grid-tied system is used to sell excess energy back to the electric grid for credit and a hybrid system is grid-tied with battery backup. The hybrid system is meant to be self sustaining but if needed, can draw extra power from the electric grid or sell power back. The basic components that make up a hybrid Solar system are; the Solar panels, batteries, inverters and charge controllers.

7 The Solar panels charge the batteries while in sunlight. The charge controller determines how much power the batteries need to reach full 3 charge. The inverter converts the direct current from the batteries to an alternating current for use in the residence and also determines when to switch from battery to grid power. Energy has become one of the highest commodities in today s market. Numerous people rely on energy and that number increases every day. The race is on to produce as much energy as possible.

8 However, until recently energy has been heavily derived from non-renewable fossil fuels. Many believe the only solution to our growing energy needs is to build an energy infrastructure of renewable energies. The most common renewable energies are Solar , wind and water. The current downside to these renewable sources of energy is that the systems have to be quite large to produce a significant amount of energy. However, these systems can be scaled down and used in applications such as small energy efficient housing or rural areas where power distribution is not available.

9 3. Literature Survey In designing a Solar power system for the cabin at Enota , we are using the newest most cost-efficient technology. However, to understand new more efficient methods we researched past projects. By doing so, we can learn from others mistakes and hardships. By understanding the difficulties we will face, we can be better prepared for them. The following are two examples and tips from other Solar projects. Rockriver [4] Looking through some do-it-yourself documents we found the detailed experience of Shane from Rockriver.

10 Shane wanted to become more self sufficient and decided to start with a Solar system consisting of 4, 190 watt Solar panels. He documents his experience very thoroughly on this website and has a few tips we can take from it. Shane says he lowered his average monthly electric bill by half in just two steps. His first step was to change the incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent and second was installing timed power strips on the electronic devices with phantom loads. A phantom load is when a device is plugged into the wall and is turned off but still uses power when turned off [4].