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The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes
This thesis presents a study of the technical, economic and social appropriateness of small stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems for meeting minimal electrical requirements in low-income off-grid households. A comprehensive review of the literature on photovoltaic technology was undertaken to ident...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Energy Research Centre
2016
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| _version_ | 1867613450140647424 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Muller, Donovan Herbert |
| author2 | Eberhard, Anton |
| author_browse | Eberhard, Anton Muller, Donovan Herbert |
| author_facet | Eberhard, Anton Muller, Donovan Herbert |
| author_sort | Muller, Donovan Herbert |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This thesis presents a study of the technical, economic and social appropriateness of small stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems for meeting minimal electrical requirements in low-income off-grid households. A comprehensive review of the literature on photovoltaic technology was undertaken to identify key theoretical parameters and issues, and also to determine what the experience has been of similar applications in third world countries. Two PV systems were installed as demonstration projects: one at Uitsig near Cape Town, and the other at Omdraaisvlei in the Northern Cape. In order to monitor and evaluate the techriical performance of these systems, remote data capture units were installed for measuring appropriate parameters for analysis on typical daily, weekly and monthly bases. The degree of matching between the PV output characteristics and the battery and load demand was examined as weLl as the costs of system and component efficiencies under different operating conditions. The economic evaluation aimed to compare small PV systems with these of alternative power systems, for example petrol generators. Using a life cycle costing methodology (discounted to present value) the least-cost option for small power systems was determined under a range of financial scenarios. The social evaluation aimed at determining the impact of PV power on peoples' lifestyles. The results of the two demonstration projects have shown that photovoltaics can appropriately meet small domestic power needs in off-grid applications, providing clean, reliable, maintenance-free electricity which is far more convenient than other electricity producing technologies. Photovoltaics proved to be very much more cost effective than petrol generators, and were also found to be cheaper than coventionally used energy sources such as paraffin, candles and batteries. Both of the demonstration project households were extremely satisfied with the PV systems, which have resulted in significant improvement in quality of lifestyles. However, based on the overall performance of the systems it was recommended that more research was needed, using local conditions, and data to develop better PV system design and sizing methodologies. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/21862 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:20.374Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | Energy Research Centre |
| publisherStr | Energy Research Centre |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/21862 The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes Muller, Donovan Herbert Eberhard, Anton Energy Research This thesis presents a study of the technical, economic and social appropriateness of small stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems for meeting minimal electrical requirements in low-income off-grid households. A comprehensive review of the literature on photovoltaic technology was undertaken to identify key theoretical parameters and issues, and also to determine what the experience has been of similar applications in third world countries. Two PV systems were installed as demonstration projects: one at Uitsig near Cape Town, and the other at Omdraaisvlei in the Northern Cape. In order to monitor and evaluate the techriical performance of these systems, remote data capture units were installed for measuring appropriate parameters for analysis on typical daily, weekly and monthly bases. The degree of matching between the PV output characteristics and the battery and load demand was examined as weLl as the costs of system and component efficiencies under different operating conditions. The economic evaluation aimed to compare small PV systems with these of alternative power systems, for example petrol generators. Using a life cycle costing methodology (discounted to present value) the least-cost option for small power systems was determined under a range of financial scenarios. The social evaluation aimed at determining the impact of PV power on peoples' lifestyles. The results of the two demonstration projects have shown that photovoltaics can appropriately meet small domestic power needs in off-grid applications, providing clean, reliable, maintenance-free electricity which is far more convenient than other electricity producing technologies. Photovoltaics proved to be very much more cost effective than petrol generators, and were also found to be cheaper than coventionally used energy sources such as paraffin, candles and batteries. Both of the demonstration project households were extremely satisfied with the PV systems, which have resulted in significant improvement in quality of lifestyles. However, based on the overall performance of the systems it was recommended that more research was needed, using local conditions, and data to develop better PV system design and sizing methodologies. 2016-09-25T16:16:24Z 2016-09-25T16:16:24Z 1987 Master Thesis Masters MSc (Eng) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21862 eng application/pdf Energy Research Centre Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Energy Research Muller, Donovan Herbert The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes |
| title_full | The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes |
| title_fullStr | The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes |
| title_full_unstemmed | The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes |
| title_short | The use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off-grid homes |
| title_sort | use of small photovoltaic systems for the electrification of off grid homes |
| topic | Energy Research |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21862 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mullerdonovanherbert theuseofsmallphotovoltaicsystemsfortheelectrificationofoffgridhomes AT mullerdonovanherbert useofsmallphotovoltaicsystemsfortheelectrificationofoffgridhomes |