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Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:41 pm
by CEOCambodiaNews
Solar microgrid ‘to cut Cambodian island’s diesel use by more than 600,000 litres per year’
Total Solar Distributed Generation, in partnership with Canopy Power, is building the infrastructure on the remote island of Koh Rong Sanloem
Jonny Bairstow
Tuesday 1 December 2020

The remote island of Koh Rong Sanloem in Cambodia will soon be powered by a solar-equipped microgrid system.

Total Solar Distributed Generation (DG), in partnership with Canopy Power, is developing and constructing a hybrid microgrid that will be made up of a 1.25MW solar plant, a 2MWh battery energy storage system, diesel generators and a smart controller.

Construction has now begun and the project is expected to be completed in April 2021, at which point it is hoped to provide at least 50% renewable power.

More than 60 hotels, resorts and guest houses are located on the island – they currently rely on their own diesel generator systems and import fuel using canisters.

The new system is expected to reduce noise and air pollution and cut island-wide diesel consumption by more than 600,000 litres per year.

Gavin Adda, CEO of Total Solar Distributed Generation, Asia, said: “Converting an entire island from diesel to solar battery power, in what is the largest project of its kind, is a milestone in our regional portfolio of over 600MW of projects in operation and development.

“As environmental awareness in the region increases, we are committed to delivering green energy solutions that also awareness in the region increases, we are committed to delivering green energy solutions that also make financial sense”
https://www.energylivenews.com/2020/12/ ... -per-year/

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:55 pm
by timmydownawell
With the ever decreasing price of solar I am surprised the resorts there haven't done this themselves already.

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:08 pm
by ssian
timmydownawell wrote: Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:55 pm With the ever decreasing price of solar I am surprised the resorts there haven't done this themselves already.
Can you kindly advise decreasing price from what to where?
Installation seems to be still expensive...

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:32 pm
by timmydownawell
ssian wrote: Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:08 pm
timmydownawell wrote: Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:55 pm With the ever decreasing price of solar I am surprised the resorts there haven't done this themselves already.
Can you kindly advise decreasing price from what to where?
Installation seems to be still expensive...
For starters, in the last four years, solar panels have dropped from $1/watt to $0.45/watt. The price of batteries has also dropped massively.

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:15 am
by CEOCambodiaNews
It's official.
Solar PV Installation on Koh Rong Sanloem Expected to Light Next April
AKP Phnom Penh, December 03, 2020 --

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installation has been conducted in Koh Rong Sanloem, a tourism hub off the coast of Sihanouville, Preah Sihanouk, one of Cambodia’s four coastal provinces.

France’s Total Solar Distributed Generation (DG) earlier this week said that it has partnered with Singapore-based developer Canopy Power Pte Ltd. to realise a solar and storage hybrid micro-grid project in Cambodia, according to the firm's press release.

As the engineering, procurement and construction contractor, Canopy Power will design and build a 1.25-MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic park and a 2-MWh battery integrated with diesel generators and a smart controller.

Project financier Total Solar DG will own and operate the micro-grid after the handover.
The micro-grid set up will be built on a Cambodian island of Koh Rong Sanloem, situated off the coast of Sihanoukville.

According to the French solar energy company, the island’s tourism establishments currently rely on their own diesel generators, importing fuel in canisters.
The new micro-grid could lower the island’s diesel consumption by more than 600,000 litres per year, Total Solar DG said.

By Chea Vannak
AKP

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:31 am
by SternAAlbifrons
Good. Now i can switch to winging about all the ugly solar panels.
I was getting sick of winging about not enough of them being used.


:mrgreen:

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:30 am
by IraHayes
I found an excellent article on the "Stamina" of solar panels and how the "rule of thumb" of loss of stamina by 1% per year may have to be revised given current advancements in solar panel technology.
Basically, engineers have been forecasting a drop in output of 20% after 20 years. But, in reality, the drop is par less, typically around 8% for the newest tech.
There was one minor problem and it concerned maintenance. The ones studied had a team of professional engineers and technicians keeping the panels in pristine condition. Which, given the sites location, and therefor potential for lack of oversight, is going to be concern.
But other than that it looks like a perfect place to put it. The chances of further large scale development will mean that it could even be expanded as development on the island goes ahead..... if they can keep them in good condition they might even make it an example of what can be done on similar islands.

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 8:28 am
by nemo
“New projects to produce energy from renewable sources are less and less expensive today compared to existing coal-fired power plants,” stated the Irena study. “On average, it’s cheaper to commission new PV and wind power facilities than to keep many coal-fired plants in operation.”

The levelized cost of energy generated by large scale solar plants is around $0.068/kWh, compared to $0.378 ten years ago and the price fell 13.1% between 2018 and last year alone, according to figures released by the International Renewable Energy Agency.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/06/03/ ... ince-2010/

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 8:47 am
by whatwat
As a localized energy source it’s a great idea but one big issue (especially here) is maintenance. I doubt that firm who’re installing them will hang around once they’ve got their cash.

I had a PV system on my small holding and the panels constantly need cleaning and little adjustments and don’t get me started on batteries.
Besides that everything within a PV system is still raw materials mined from the earth.

It’d be interesting to see a comparison on pollution for PV and say “normal” electric, obviously a diesel genny is noisy and inefficient.

Re: Cambodian Island Koh Rong Sanloem Converts to Solar Power

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 11:05 am
by Kammekor
whatwat wrote: Fri Dec 04, 2020 8:47 am As a localized energy source it’s a great idea but one big issue (especially here) is maintenance. I doubt that firm who’re installing them will hang around once they’ve got their cash.

I had a PV system on my small holding and the panels constantly need cleaning and little adjustments and don’t get me started on batteries.
Besides that everything within a PV system is still raw materials mined from the earth.

It’d be interesting to see a comparison on pollution for PV and say “normal” electric, obviously a diesel genny is noisy and inefficient.
Anyone who's been using solar power in Cambodia will know that during the dry season the panels collect heaps of dust, seriously reducing their output. Without regular maintenance / cleaning the output can be as little as 50% of the rated output after collecting dust for just two months.
Maybe the amount of dust is less on the islands, but there you have the extra problem of salt crystals forming on the surface.