PV systems open space and roof

Solar energy that comes to the surface of our planet has enormous power - the solar radiation in one week exceeds all known world reserves of oil, uranium and coal together. Moreover, solar energy is ecologically clean, it does not produce carbon dioxide (like thermal power plants), it is completely radiation-proof (unlike nuclear power plants) and does not produce waste that requires further processing (slag and radioactive waste). This is why solar energy has recently become one of the fastest developing industries. While the total capacity of all solar power plants was 40.3 GW in 2010, it reached 230 GW in 2015, and 76 GW were commissioned in 2016 alone. Improvements in technology have led to solar power becoming cheaper than gas and oil at cost price in 30 countries (Australia, Chile, Mexico, etc.) in 2016. According to forecasts, in a few years these countries will account for 86% of the world market. In addition, solar energy became the cheapest of the alternative energy forms in 2016.

Grid-connected industrial solar photovoltaic stations

Grid-connected (i.e. connected to a public grid) solar photovoltaic stations (the most common and commonly used abbreviations are FES, SES, or PV power plants or simpler PV systems, and PV farms) is one of the most actively developing types of power plants that use renewable (alternative) energy sources to generate electricity. Solar cells (photovoltaic modules) convert the energy of solar radiation into alternating current, which is then fed into the general (central) power grid. Grid-connected (i.e. connected to the public grid, grid-connected or sometimes grid-connected) solar systems (photovoltaic) as an object of solar energy can be used both to generate environmentally friendly electricity for feeding into the national grid and to generate electricity for own consumption.

Main advantages of grid connected solar power plants:

• Use of free, renewable energy, which is available in almost unlimited quantities solar radiation. Which above all does not have to be delivered to the place of power generation.
• High reliability modern solar modules can be operated efficiently for 25 years. Furthermore, the system has no movable/rotating parts that wear out particularly quickly and need to be replaced quickly.
• Low operating costs a modern solar power plant is characterized by a high degree of automation of all processes and therefore requires a minimum of maintenance personnel.
• The maintenance of the solar power plant is very costeffective and does not require any time and cost-intensive operations to keep it running.
• The possibility to use not only free areas for the construction of the solar power plant, but also those that are little or not used at all, such as facades and roofs of buildings this not only saves territory, but also significantly reduces the investment in the construction of the plant.
• The amount of electricity generated is many times higher than the amount spent on its production.
• High profitability investments in solar energy today pay off faster than in the oil and gas industry.

Other advantages of grid-connected solar power plants are also worth mentioning:

• The possibility to install devices in places where there is no central power supply.
• Variability in the output of solar power plants so you can produce the necessary amount of electricity and use it as efficiently as possible.
• The possibility of creating completely autonomous energy supply systems using energy storage devices (highperformance batteries).
• High automation of all processes, which allows you to easily control all running processes and optimize the generation modes.

A typical grid connected solar power plant consists of the following elements:

• Solar cells used to convert solar radiation hitting their surface into direct current.
• Grid inverter its function is to convert the direct current (DC) from the solar modules into alternating current with industrial frequency.
• The monitoring and control system of the solar power station is designed to control the operating parameters and also the serviceability of all components of the station.
• Meters allow monitoring the output of the solar power plant and billing the amount of electricity sold to the external grid.
• Metal supporting structures are used for installation of solar panels (batteries) on the ground surface, facades of houses, roofs, etc. In addition to static structures, mobile solar rotary guides can be used for the installation of solar panels.
• Transmission lines enable the solar power plant to be connected to the public power grid.
• Own power receivers household or industrial appliances that use the power generated by the solar power plant.

The solar power plants installed by German Energy can be supplied with additional components:

• Batteries they can take over the emergency power supply of the consumer in case of external power failure. In addition, the use of energy storage devices enables a completely autonomous power supply to the system - this option is particularly important in areas where there is no public power grid.
• Power overflow control system it prevents the loss of power from the solar power plant to the public grid.
• Automatic rotation system tracking system for the sun - an electro-mechanical system that allows for the constant maintenance of the optimal position of the solar cells relative to the sun in order to maximize the efficiency of the total incident solar radiation.
• Control systems allow continuous remote monitoring of all parameters of the station, carrying out diagnostics of the equipment, displaying all necessary information in real time, storing all information about the state and operation of the solar station itself and individual elements.

Development of industrial solar power plants

To date, several technologies have been developed and are actively used to generate solar energy on an industrial scale. In the planning and construction of solar power plants that use the photovoltaic effect, German Energy uses photovoltaic modules made of silicium for ground applications, which have an optimal price-performance ratio. It is this technology that currently dominates the conversion of solar energy into electricity and will remain so for at least the next 15-20 years according to experts. The design of solar modules of this type enables high efficiency combined with high reliability and protection of solar stations. The advantage of this type of photovoltaic modules is their very long lifetime - at least 25-30 years. At the same time, the reduction in output due to the natural aging of the components, including the photovoltaic module, after 25 years of operation of the solar power plant is not more than 20%.

German Energy offers services for the implementation of solar power plant construction projects in all regions of Sierra Leone. We are ready to offer the installation as a standard version of the solar power plant and to develop an individual option that takes into account all the client's wishes and the specifics of the place (object) where the installation will be carried out.

Within the scope of the cooperation German Energy:

• Carrying out a search and analysis of plots of land, houses, structures for various purposes, where it is planned to install the solar power plant.
• Calculation of the project efficiency, which includes specific territorial factors that may affect the volume of energy generated and the development of methods to minimize their impact.
• Cost calculation for solar power plants (CAPEX).
• Payback calculation for solar power plants (IRR).
• System design and detailing of all components of a solar power plant and engineering.
• Selection, procurement and delivery of all necessary equipment and components.
• Execution of the entire construction and assembly complex, as well as ensuring the commissioning, personnel training and startup of the plant.
• Support of the procedure to obtain a permit for the connection of the power plant to the general power grid for the sale of electricity.
• Complex maintenance of the solar power plant, monitoring the operability and performance of all key components of the plant.

Operation of solar power plants that are connected to the public grid for own consumption

The solar power plants planned and constructed by German Energy are designed to generate electricity for subsequent use in the internal power grid of plants for any purpose: residential buildings, industrial or office buildings, warehouses and shops, shopping and entertainment complexes, petrol stations, etc. The power station of this type is characterized by the variability of the installation - floor (both in the immediate vicinity and at some distance from the object) or roof design, attachment to the facade, etc. In order to ensure full energy autonomy of the installation and power reserve, it is possible to install an energy storage system (accumulators) and software that controls the process of accumulation and optimal use of the stored energy.

These power supply systems do not require any additional energy sources or fuels, which allows for considerable savings by eliminating the need for external power supply - the cost of the electricity generated is lower than the public electricity tariffs.

Commercial solar power plants up to 750 kW

You can order from us not only systems for large industrial plants or home solar power plants, but also for medium-sized solar power plants with an output of up to 500 kW, which can be placed on land as well as on the roofs of buildings and plants. If it is necessary to realize the project "turnkey", we work with the involvement of partner organizations, which allows us to optimize the customer's costs for projects of this size.

One of the most common reasons for investing in medium size solar power plants is the investor's desire to make a profit and his investment by selling electricity to the state or private organizations. Such a mechanism is provided for in Sierra Leone's law and is in force. German Energy can assist you in the preparation of all documents. We also have the necessary contacts at the ministry and can help investors with contract negotiations.

Solar power plants on the roof

Medium-sized solar power plants are very often installed on roofs.

This type of installation has certain advantages:

• The possibility to avoid a sufficiently long procedure, which is connected with the paperwork and the adoption of the procedure for the allocation of areas for the demand of renewable energy.
• This speeds up the entire project cycle, which is easy on the budget.
• Optimal solution in case the owner of a plot of land suffers from lack of space and wants to preserve the original purpose of the agricultural land.
• Solar panels suffer less from shading from tall buildings or trees if the station is located within the settlement or close to green areas.
• In the case of office buildings, the electricity itself can be used.

German Energy's parent company has extensive experience in the planning, full range of construction and installation work and further maintenance of roof-mounted solar power plants of various types - from small (low capacity) private solar power plants to commercial, large solar power plants with a capacity exceeding several megawatts. In addition, we have realized projects where solar modules have been localized on roof surfaces of various buildings.

Roof-mounted solar power plant of German Energy - is the optimal ratio of price and quality, the use of products of the most reliable and proven manufacturers of solar cells and solar inverters in the implementation of projects, as well as their full service in Germany, EU, Australia and Sierra Leone.

Open space solar power plants of medium capacity

The most common location of commercial solar power plants is the ground installation of all elements of the solar power plant (solar modules, mounting systems, inverters, transformers and other devices). On the one hand, this type of placement of the equipment of a solar power plant slightly extends the duration of the overall project - after all, all formal issues concerning the site have to be coordinated. On the other hand, the undeniable advantage of solar systems on land - the possibility of installing more (compared to the roof version) the number of solar panels, in other words - the possibility of obtaining a more powerful solar system.

We would like to point out other advantages of a ground-mounted solar system:

• The possibility of obtaining a solar power plant with the required output this is important when building back-up solar power plants, if the generated power is to fully compensate for the loss of electricity from the industrial network.
• The use of land that is unsuitable (or little used) for agricultural activities.
• The ability to install solar panels in such a way that they are optimally aligned with the sun.

We offer for your attention different types of home solar power plants:

• gridconnected solar power plants;
• autonomous solar power plants;
• backup and hybrid power plants with solar cells.

Home solar power plants on the roof

Roof projects, where the solar panels are placed on the roof of a building or structure and not on the land, are particularly popular in the home solar power plant segment. The placement of solar panels on roofs makes it possible to make more efficient use of the available space, while at the same time obtaining additional benefits from the roofs, which, in addition to their main function, begin to participate in the generation of "green" electricity.

German Energy from Freetown and our partners installed solar modules on pitched roofs, placed metal constructions for solar modules on flat roofs and installed PV systems on canopies, fences and other structures. We are able to install solar power plants on all types of roof coverings, as well as install special solar modules instead of traditional tiles, resulting in significant savings in new construction or renovation of existing roofs.

With a solar power plant for your home you can save energy costs. As long as the sun shines, no electricity is drawn from the grid.

If you have any questions regarding the supply of equipment for home solar power plants or the realization of turnkey projects for small solar power plants, please contact us.

Grid-connected solar power plants;

Network solar power plants for the home

German Energy, as a company from Sierra Leone Freetown with extensive experience in solar energy, could not ignore the dynamic segment of private solar power plants. We build solar power plants for private individuals, small businesses, organisations and companies, so that they can use the sun as a source of electricity. Our portfolio includes various types of small solar power plants.

Small solar power plant with grid connection

Below is a standard circuit diagram of a home solar power plant that consumes the generated electricity itself and draws power from the grid when needed:

Independent solar power plants

The main direction of German Energy's activity is the design and construction of photovoltaic systems for power supply of objects of various complexity. Due to the fact that electrical energy is generated in the process of direct conversion of solar energy, the photovoltaic solar power plant is a completely environmentally neutral and economically profitable object of the electricity industry. Photovoltaic systems can be redundant and autonomous.

Diagram of an independent home solar power plant

Self-sufficient photovoltaic systems

Self-sufficient solar power plants (photovoltaic systems) are mostly used where there is no central power supply (the installation of air or cable lines is difficult or economically unviable), as well as for power supply to mobile objects. In addition, autonomous solar power plants are increasingly used as an additional power supply system in places (regions) with free access to the central power supply system, in order to ensure the energy independence of the plant or to reduce the costs of power remuneration. Based on the experience of its parent company, German Energy is ready to help in choosing the most suitable technical solution based on energy-efficient solar PV energy technologies. Among others, we include home solar power plants and solutions based on parking lots, as well as PV systems of autonomous energy-saving lighting - solar street lighting and solar billboard lighting.

Autonomous power plants based on solar batteries

Independent solar power plant:

• Solar modules (batteries, panels) that convert the energy of the solar radiation falling on their working surface into electricity.
• Batteries that store excess electricity during the day and become the main source of electricity when the solar panels cannot fully meet the consumer's electricity needs.
• Charge/discharge regulators devices that not only control the process of charging the batteries, but also enable the optimization of the process of supplying energy to the consumers when operating from the battery pack, minimizing losses and extending the time of autonomous operation of the system.
• Inverter a converter of direct current supplied to the system from the photovoltaic solar battery pack or battery into alternating current, which is fed directly into the object's power grid.

In the European countries, Canada and the USA, photovoltaic systems are increasingly used as a back-up power supply, as completely self-sufficient operation is not possible due to insufficient generation both in the evening and at night and in winter. However, this shortcoming is being remedied with the introduction of energy-efficient and sufficiently large systems for accumulating and storing electricity (a number of companies and research centres are constantly working on their development), as well as specialised software that ensures control of all processes in the energy system and ensures optimum energy distribution. This allows the following advantages offered by photovoltaic solar systems to be fully exploited:

• Installation of systems in places where the installation of a centralized power line is either difficult or unnecessarily costly (e.g. tourist infrastructure high in the mountains, on islands, or construction works in the initial phase, etc.).
• Silent operation.
• Environmental safety and friendly attitude towards the environment.
• Minimal maintenance requirements.

German Energy Sierra Leone offers the planning, economical design and installation of stand-by (reserve) photovoltaic systems of various power ratings, which guarantee technical characteristics based on the tasks and requirements of a specific customer. We offer our services in the planning and installation of solar power plants throughout Sierra Leone.

In order to ensure absolute reliability and stability of the power supply of the object, we are ready to design and install hybrid systems, which are a combination of several energy sources - both traditional (centralized grid, diesel generators, etc.) and alternative (wind turbines, solar panels). Based on the value of the total power consumption, our designers select the type and number of PV solar modules, calculate the required capacity of the battery system, the parameters of the inverters and the charge/discharge controllers.

An important advantage of power supply systems based on solar modules is the complete safety of solar energy both for the environment and for the people who can work in the immediate vicinity. The installation of alternative energy sources is an investment in the preservation of the natural diversity and purity of the planet, a socially responsible action before future generations of the earth's inhabitants. In order to increase the efficiency of the solar power station, we offer the installation of rotary two-axis tracking systems - movable supporting steel structures can increase the value of the annual production of the photovoltaic station by 20-30%.

Hybrid solar power systems

Hybrid solar power plants are combined back-up power supply systems in which other sources of power can be used in addition to the solar panels: central power grid, wind generators, petrol or diesel generators.

A hybrid solar power plant combines the characteristics of an autonomous and networked solar power plant. With good solar lighting and the right choice of power, the solar power plant delivers the full power of the system and charges the batteries in parallel. Once the battery is fully charged, the excess electricity can be sold to the general power grid. A hybrid solar power plant in a private household, in the afternoon, with good solar radiation, without owner, with low power consumption will practically work in the grid solar power plant. In case of reduced generation (evening, cloudy day), the lack of electricity will be covered by connecting a battery group and when discharged - from the general power grid or another source.

Advantages of a hybrid solar power plant:

• Minimization of power consumption from the general power grid, as a result a significant reduction of bills for the electricity consumed.
• Energy supply of the object in case of fan, shortterm and emergency power failures.
• Sale of the generated electricity, which is economically advantageous for the owner of the solar installation.
• Compensation for the lack of electricity generated by the solar system by connecting other sources.

A hybrid solar power plant built by German Energy is a stable household electricity system plus reduced compensation for electricity consumption from the central power grid.

If you have any questions regarding the supply of equipment for hybrid solar power plants or the realization of turnkey projects for such power plants, please contact us, we will be happy to help you.