Solar Decathlon: The UPRM Solar House Project and the Perspectives for Solar Energy in Puerto Rico Dr. Gerson Beauchamp Professor Electrical and Computer Engineering Department University of Puerto Rico
Overview The UPRM Solar House Project The Solar Decathlon 2007 Photovoltaic (PV) Systems The Perspectives for Solar Energy in Puerto Rico
2002 Competition Images of the Inaugural Ceremony, the Solar Village and a delegation of the UPR Team
Images of the House Tours, the Cooking Task and the Inaugural Ceremony 2005 Competition
The Competition Solar Decathlon 2007 Will take place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from September 21-30, 2007. Consists of ten (10) events that encompass all the ways in which societies use energy in their daily lives. Twenty (20) universities will compete against each other in this challenging decathlon during a week in which the public and the media will be invited.
Solar Decathlon 2007 Hot Water Lighting Appliances 100 100 100 100 Comfort Zone 100 100 Communications 100 Decathlon Events 100 100 200 Marketability Engineering Architecture Getting Around Energy Balance
Solar Decathlon 2007 Participants Universidad de Puerto Rico California Polytechnic State University Carnegie Mellon University Cornell University Georgia Institute of Technology Kansas State University Lawrence Technological University Technische Universität Darmstadt Massachusetts Institute of Technology Texas A& M University New York Institute of Technology The Pennsylvania State University Université de Montréal Universidad Politécnica de Madrid University of Cincinnati University of Colorado University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Maryland University of Missouri-Rolla University of Texas at Austin
Official Sponsors The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Association of Home Builders BP Solar Do It Yourself Network Sprint
2005 Solar Village Lot in the 2007 Competition
PV Systems
Solar Cells
Solar Cell Arrays
Energy Storage Battery Bank
Energy Management Charge Controllers Inverters (DC-to to-ac converters)
Stand Alone PV Systems PV Systems that are able to supply all the energy demand independently They may or may not require the use of a Battery Bank These systems are feasible where utility services are not available They are typically used for remote home sites or places where the cost for utility service may be prohibitive
Grid-Tied PV System PV systems that are interconnected to the conventional utility system. Grid-Tied PV with Battery Backup - designed to provide power in the event of a utility outage Provide a way to sell power back to the utility The Utility may be used as a backup for the system
The State of Regulation Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) Utility companies are obliged to purchase energy from independent producers based on a pricing structure referred to as avoided cost rates This rate is smaller than the rate the utility company sells the energy to the smaller producer
The State of Regulation Net Metering Under net metering, excess electricity produced by the PV System will spin the existing home or business electricity meter backwards, effectively banking the electricity until it is needed by the customer This provides the customer with full retail value for all the electricity produced
Avoided Cost Concept 4-6 cent-kilowatt-hour 18-22 cent-kilowatt-hour kwh Meter
Avoided Cost Concept 4-6 cent-kilowatt-hour 18-22 cent-kilowatt-hour kwh Meter
Net Metering Concept 18-22 cent-kilowatt-hour 18-22 cent-kilowatt-hour kwh Meter
Net Metering Concept 18-22 cent-kilowatt-hour 18-22 cent-kilowatt-hour kwh Meter
The State of Net Metering Net metering is allowed in 40 US States and Washington D.C. Allowed system sizes range from 10 kw to no- limit Bureaucracy and governmental barriers have slowed down the growth of grid-tied systems Net metering is not allowed in Puerto Rico
Questions?