Isle of Eigg PV Extension
Wind & Sun supply and install additional 22kWp PV array to the Isle of Eigg Sunny Island Multi-Cluster system
See also Isle of Eigg
The pioneering Sunny Island system that Wind & Sun had installed in 2007 enabled over 90% of the island’s power to be generated from renewables.
However, in May/June 2010 there was very little rain on Eigg, resulting in reduced hydro generation & diesel generator support.
Data supplied by: John Booth, Eigg Island Electricity
In addition there were plans for new properties on the Island and consequently an increasing energy demand.
So a new 22 kWp PV array was proposed. (New PV added in April 2011).
This had always been planned for in the original electricity scheme design but due to constraints of budget the funds available were spent on installing a larger hydro turbine.
This made sense since the hydro could not be increased in size at a future date but PV’s because of their modular nature and the flexibility of the Sunny Island system could be added to very easily.
Eigg were successful in obtaining funding from the Nesta Big Green Challenge a national competition with three finalists each receiving £300,000 to develop further their community-based carbon reduction schemes; and the Ashden Awards which are given to sustainable energy projects.
After an abortive trip in February (when strong winds meant the ferry failed to make the last 100m to the pier on Eigg!) Wind & Sun installed the new PV system in March 2011 in snow with help from the Eigg Electric team!
Island Going Green, Spring is in the air - or is it?!
The new PV system was sited adjacent to the existing arrays and consisted of
126 x BP Solar BP4180 180Wp PV modules, connected to 3 x SMC-7000HV inverters and mounted on three Schletter PVMax-3 ground mounting frames
The PV system’s performance has been monitored over Internet using Sunny Webbox & Sunny Portal. Performance has been excellent with kWh/kWp being produced over the first 12 months.
System Monitoring
PV, Diesel & Sunny Island Power
Shows first day with good renewables but generator use on subsequent days
4x Wind Turbine Power
Shows wind power being limited on first day as battery becomes fully charged
Battery State Of Charge (SOC)
Shows battery fully charged on first day & then being discharged & charged by generator on subsequent days
Shows frequency being raised on first day when battery becomes full due to good renewablesand grid voltage being set by Sunny Islands. On subsequent days frequency is lower and voltage set by generator whilst this is running.
The summers of 2011 & 2012 have been dry again so the PV’s have really proved their worth and a further 22kWp are to be installed early in 2013.
Videos:
