SOLAR ROOTS Renewable Energy for Community Development

*"All"solar"system"hard"costs"and"D&E"were"donated"by"Solar"Roots **"Installation"labor"donated"by"MSN"A,"B,"C,"D Appendices"

Mangrove)Services)Network:)Solar)/)Generator)Hybrid)Power)System)

Project)Summary)In#June#2014,#a#320.watt#solar#system#with#battery#storage#was#installed#on#Mangrove#Services#Network’s#

(MSN)#island,#and#integrated#with#an#existing#diesel#generator#to#operate#as#a#hybrid#off.grid#power#system.#

Solar#Roots,#a#California#based#nonprofit,#donated#the#solar#equipment#and#battery,#as#well#as#the#design#

and#engineering.#MSN#oversaw#the#logistics#of#the#project,#provided#the#labor#for#the#installation,#and#will#

operate# and# maintain# the# system.# The# solar# system# will# provide# electricity# sufficient# to# sustain# daily#

operations#on#the# island,# including# lights# in#the#kitchen#and#caretaker#home,#safety#and#security# lights#on#

the#jetty#and#walkways,#and#water#pumping#for#daily#use.##The#combined#solar#and#battery#system#will#also#

supplement# the#diesel# generator# to#provide#electricity# for#MSN’s# clients# at# the# training# facility.# The# total#

cost#for#the#solar#system#was#$1,089,#and#the#solar#energy#will#offset#approximately#$923#of#diesel#fuel#per#

year,#equating#to#a#payback#period#of#just#14#months.#The#solar#system#will#save#MSN#approximately#$3,324#

in#diesel#expenses#in#the#first#7#years,#and#over#$7,986#in#the#20.year#expected#life#of#the#system.#Based#on#

the# capacity# of# the# solar# array# and# capabilities# of# the# lead.acid# battery,# the# solar# system# is# expected# to#

produce#an#average#of#643#watt.hours#of#consumable#electricity#per#day.#

Technical)Specifications,)Energy)Production)and)Environmental)Impact)Solar)System)Technical)Specifications)Solar#system#capacity# 320#W#

Battery#capacity# 150#Ahr#

Battery#voltage# 12#V#

Assumed#battery#depth#of#discharge:#

• Training#day#

• Non.training#day#

#

50%#

30%#

Equipment#life#expectancy:#

• Solar#panels#

• Battery#

• Inverter#and#Controller#

#

30#years#

7#years#

10#years#

Energy)Production)and)Environmental)Impact)Average#daily#Whr#produced# 960#Whr#

.#Battery,#inverter,#wiring#losses#(33%)# 317#Whr#

=#Net#average#daily#energy#produced# 643#Whr#A#

# #

Average#daily#Whr#consumed:#

• Training#day#

• Non.training#day#

#

783#Whr#

470#Whr#

# #

Average#daily#diesel#fuel#saved# 2.03#liter#

Annual#carbon#emissions#offset# 4,319#lbs#A#

Solar)System)Costs)and)Economic)Impact)Solar)System)Costs*) ))Design#&#engineering#(D&E)*# $0##

Installation**# $0##

Solar#panels#(4,#80W)# $291##

Battery#(150Ahr)# $241##

Inverter# $118##

Rack# $62##

Controller# $36#

Pipe,#wire,#cable,#bolts,#ground#rods,#

paint,#light#bulbs,#battery#water,#etc.#

$341##

Total)System)Costs) $1,089#A)

Economic)Impact)of)Solar)System Daily#diesel#fuel#savings# $2.56##

Annual#diesel#fuel#savings# $923#A#

Payback#period#(months)# #14#B##

#

NPV#of#MSN#Solar#System#(7#years) $3,324#B##

NPV#of#MSN#Solar#System#(20#years) $7,986#B#

#

Average#7.year#cost#per#kWh $0.85#C#

Average#20.year#cost#per#kWh $0.39#C#

Appendix(A:(Solar/Generator(Hybrid(System(Summary(

Appendix(B:(Economic(Impact(

Appendix(C:(Cost(of(Energy(