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TCO-optimized solar system dimensioning in BTS applications

Conference Paper · October 2015

DOI: 10.1109/INTLEC.2015.7572476

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 Power for the 21st Century

Knowledge Energy Environment

TCO-optimized solar system dimensioning

in BTS applications
IEEE Intelec, Oct 22, 2015 – Osaka/Japan

Kai Siemer, Daniel Wolf

 Managed Power by Heliocentris

One-stop-shop for network managed hybrid power solutions

Hybrid Power Solutions Power Network Management Power Services

TCO Consult

Manage Enable

Energy Manager
Operate
Imple-ment

Data Base Maintain

Design & implementation of multi-hybrid Managed Services and

Remote analysis, optimization
power solutions based on Heliocentris’ Power as a Service
and management
leading energy management including financing

Turnkey multi-hybrid Consulting & Operation

Power as a service
power solutions Services

2
Power for the 21st Century
Motivation

 ~1 Mio. Base transceiver stations off-grid / bad-grid

 CO2 emission of 45 Mio. tons p.a. (without any measures on efficiency)
 Energy is a major cost driver for operations in off-grid sites
 Efficient energy configurations can reduce cost siginificantly

 Target of this work:

Optimization of energy cost through optimized system dimensioning
– Minimize total cost of ownership

3
Power for the 21st Century
Off-grid power solutions for BTS

 Traditional: Genset 24/7

– Highest fuel consumption
– Short genset lifetime
 Genset hybrid
– Genset charges batteries at high efficiency
– Batteries supply load for up to 20 hours / day
– Genset at high efficiency when running
 fuel savings 50%
– 75% runtime reduction
 genset lifetime increased 4x

4
Power for the 21st Century
Solar hybrid solution for BTS

What is the optimum system dimensioning ?

– For lowest cost
Solar
array – For maximum solar contribution
– Per a specific business model

Charge
controller
TCO

Replacement
Capex OPEX
Rectifier cost

Solar Fuel
battery Battery
consumption
Genset lifetime

Solar
Battery
contribution
capacity 5
Power for the 21st Century
Simulation model

 Heliocentris proprietary MS Excel-based tool

– Time-series simulation with 10-min intervals
 Combination of technical and commercial properties
 Solar contribution time-dependent
– MeteoNorm solar data
– Loss mechanisms (situation-dependent)
 Battery charge performance derived from field observations
– State-of-charge determination
– Genset control based on battery state
 Power-dependent fuel demand of diesel generator
 Lifetime of equipment
 Cooling simulation
– Temperature-dependent efficiency derived from lab data

6
Power for the 21st Century
Economical figures

 Total cost of ownership

(for given project duration)
𝑇𝐶𝑂𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐 = 𝑐0 + 𝑐𝑖 / (1 + 𝑟)𝑖

Equipment invest
Installation cost 𝑐0 + 𝑐𝑖 / (1 + 𝑟)𝑖
𝐿𝐶𝑂𝐸 =
Capex 𝐸𝑖 / (1 + 𝑟)𝑖
Battery lifetime
DG time to overhaul
r – imputed interest rate
Replacement cost
Ei – annual generation of electricity [kWh-DC]
Fuel cost
DG maintenance cost
LCOE & discounted TCO:
Opex
financing costs are paid
TCO
7
Power for the 21st Century
Total-cost-of-ownership comparison

Mandalay/Myanmar, 1.20 $/l Dubai/UAE, 0.60 $/l

8
Power for the 21st Century
Payback times of solar system

 Opex savings / Extra Capex

– Fuel
– Runtime-related maintenance
 Equipment lifetime extension: Genset / Batteries
 Fuel ist the major driver for payback times

1.20 $/l 6 kWp

2 kW load, ~1000 Ah OPzV battery, 20 kVA Genset, Mandalay/Myanmar

Power for the 21st Century
9
Why to consider seasonal variations

 For small solar systems, solar

share raises linearly with solar
system
size.
 Battery limits solar contribution
 In reality, seasonal, day-to-day,
and intraday variations exist
– During bright days,
storage capacity limits
usage of solar
– Average kWh/day is inaccurate

10
Power for the 21st Century
Optimizing solar & batteries

 Larger battery
– Allows for more solar
– Overall solar contribution is higher
 Larger battery
– Shifts LCOE optimum to larger
solar system
– Reduces LCOE
 Battery and solar system should be
optimized together

11
Power for the 21st Century
Impact on battery lifetime

 Usage of solar power increases

duration of battery cycles
– Less stress on battery
– Longer battery life
 Battery must be capable to handle
prolonged PSOC

12
Power for the 21st Century
Selection of battery technologies

PSOC Fast charge FSOC

Charge power

FSOC

Time

 Batteries requiring full recharge each cycle (FSOC)

result in low fuel efficiency towards end of charge cycle
 Overall efficiency in Fast-charge FSOC batteries is better
 PSOC batteries or – even better – Lithium batteries reduce fuel demand

13
Power for the 21st Century
Comparison of LCOE

Power configuration LCOE (10-year operation)

Diesel generator 24/7 30 kVA 1.97 $/kWh-DC
Diesel generator 24/7 15 kVA 1.48 $/kWh-DC
Diesel hybrid 1.25 $/kWh-DC - 40%
600 Ah AGM battery, 20kVA DG
Optimized Diesel hybrid 1.05 $/kWh-DC
800 Ah OPzV battery, 15 kVA DG
- 17%
Typical Solar hybrid 0.90 $/kWh-DC
3 kWp solar, 600Ah solar battery
Optimized Solar hybrid 0.75 $/kWh-DC
10 kWp solar, 1500 Ah battery

 2 kW load, location: Mandalay/Myanmar, Fuel cost 1.20 $/l

14
Power for the 21st Century
Practical limitations

 Physical limitations
– Space on BTS sites limits solar to 6…9 kWp (40…60 m²)
 Risk of theft
– Batteries
– Solar system
– Fuel
– Monitoring helps against organised theft
 Business model
– Short-term interest
– Fuel pass-through models limit interest in fuel reduction

15
Power for the 21st Century
Summary

 Payback time of a solar system is 3 years in many countries

 Simulation with reliable meteo data is required to optimize solar systems
 Solar system should be optimized together with storage system
– Impact on equipment lifetime to be considered
 An optimized solar system can save
– ~ 40% against an average diesel-hybrid system
– More than 15% against an average solar-hybrid system

16
Power for the 21st Century
 Power for the 21st Century

CONTACT
Thank you for your attention!

Dr. Kai Siemer – kai.siemer@heliocentris.com

Dr. Daniel Wolf
Heliocentris Industry GmbH

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