45 °Celsius and no electricity: a situation typical in many parts of India during the languorous dry season. In places boasting electricity, air conditioning units run at full power to battle the heat, heaping more strain on the grid and triggering early power cuts. Such a situation occurred in June, when a heat wave drove up energy demand in the northern federal state of Uttar Pradesh. The resulting blackout stopped fans, refrigerators and water pumps and left over 70 million people without electricity. In 2012 the media spoke of one of the greatest power outages of all time, when 12 out of India’s 35 states, as well as New Delhi, lost electricity. More than 600 million Indians sat there without energy – and so for several days. Subway systems, traffic lights and trains stopped working, and hospitals had to rely on their emergency generators to keep the lights so and their patients cared for.

720 million people of India´s over 1.23 billion inhabitants endure frequent power failures, sometimes for several hours a day; and 480 million live without any grid connection at all. The problem of insufficient power and a reliance on an old, overburdened, low-capacity grid are well known; and energy industry representatives have regularly called for greater investment in adequate power provision. Despite inadequate power generation capability, regular conflicts between power accessibility and environmental pollution haunt the country. For instance, New Delhi´s intense energy use has led to high levels of smog, often reaching 400 micrograms of particulate matter per 1,000 liters of air, exceeding even the measured data in Beijing, China, and causing widespread respiratory diseases and ill-health.

To improve human and economical conditions, and to develop the economy further, access to reliable, clean, and affordable energy is paramount. Solar off-grid and hybrid solutions offer eco-friendly and cost-effective power whenever and wherever it is needed. Customized system design, good component quality, and professional service during and after installation are important for a successful system operation. The following examples provide an overview of possible markets and system designs and the advantages that off-grid systems offer.

From PV hybrid solutions for homes …

The Pjamijara family lives in a wealthy suburb of Pondicherry in South India. They regularly had to put up with two hours of power shortage almost on a daily basis. During the dry season or when the grid was undergoing maintenance work, they even had to go without energy for entire days. Blackouts were also a usual occurrence during the lengthy rainy season, when the rain would knock down trees and power lines. In many cases, the resulting damage to the grid left them without electricity for days.  

The Pjanmijaras grew fatigued with this situation and decided to protect themselves against future power failures. The family had already installed a backup system consisting of a 48-volt battery bank and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that delivered energy for different loads. This solution did not provide enough power to handle every outage, however, so in order to have reliable electricity at all times, they installed an off-grid solar system.

To meet the family´s needs, the system integrator expanded their existing battery and UPS system with an additional off-grid solar system consisting of 500-Wp solar panels and a reliable charge controller. It controls the current from the solar panels to the battery bank and makes sure the batteries are not overcharged. The charge controller plays an important role as it prolongs the lifespan of the costly batteries and reduces maintenance costs. Since the batteries use a higher system voltage (48 volts), with the higher voltage CX48 charge controller from Phocos, the system current is lower due to less energy loss. Smaller wire gauges can be used, resulting in lower system investment costs. Battery charge status is continuously displayed via a circular bar graph, which can also display the input and output current of the battery (e.g. overloading or load short-circuiting). An audible alarm and a programmable nightlight feature are standard on all CX controllers.

When the grid stops providing power or when the family just wants to save on energy costs, the off-grid solar system switches on. This can save a lot of money, even when energy costs are relatively low. The PV hybrid system also offers the family more comfort and safety, providing power for ten lights, a TV, a PC, a fan, and a water pump. Mrs. Pjanmijaras, who lives in the house, said: “My husband is often on business trips. During this time, I stay alone with my two children in the huge house. Thanks to the installed off-grid system, I feel safer and more comfortable knowing that we have reliable energy all day.”

… to a solar-powered juice stall

In Pondicherry, South India, stall operator Mr. Ramadass has created a new business selling juice drinks chilled from a solar powered stall. Every day the stall attracts hundreds of customers at the sea front in Pondicherry. Depending on the time of day, Mr. Ramadass transports his cart and refrigerator/freezer along the promenade in search of the juiciest business, and all the power he needs for this venture comes from the solar panels fitted to the top of his cart. The panels also serve as a roof for the cart and can generate around 1,000 watts of solar power. An implemented charge controller regulates the energy flow and prolongs the battery lifetime. A SL-LED-lamp (3 W) and a cooling device work on 12 and 24 volts DC basis, whereas an inverter transforms the DC-energy to 230 V, allowing the operation of an AC-mixer.

The new Phocos FR240 refrigerator/freezer offers 240 liters of capacity. “The reliability of the solar system means I am able to prolong my opening hours from 6 until 10 p.m.,” Mr. Ramadass says. The FR240 is also very flexible, as it can be used both, as fridge or as freezer in the temperature range from minus 18 °C to plus 6 °C. That means ice cream could be added to Mr. Ramadass product portfolio as well. The fridge features a low voltage disconnect, protecting the battery and prolonging its lifespan. A maintenance-free brushless DC compressor also helps extend lifetime. The cooling refrigerant (R-134a) is eco-friendly and the 12-cm polyurethane layer for thermal insulation makes the FR240 very energy-efficient. Its patented low-frost system reduces the formation of condensation and ice. A drainage opening at the base simplifies the interior cleaning.

Phocos India managing director Shanmuganandam Veerasamy said: “The aim of building the stall was to create awareness of solar powered products among the public. Solar off-grid products are getting a high response from people in North India, and awareness is growing in South India. The demand for energy and off-grid systems is rising day by day.”

That is no surprise. The World Bank´s latest population development statistics show that India´s population has surged from 730 million in the early 1980s to more than 1.23 billion people today, and is growing at an even faster rate. Compared to China, India has just 120,000 million fewer inhabitants but almost three times the population density. If this trend continues, India will soon be the world´s most populous country, placing even more strain on the energy infrastructure and increasing the need for more off-grid solar solutions as well.

Susanne Kircher
International Marketing Director
Phocos AG