Solar powered infotainment spot: design, feasibility study and fabrication of an autonomous PV system. Issue 1771 (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Weeda, V.; Isabella, O.; Zeman, M.
• Editors: Gloeckler, M.; Tiwari, A.N.; Yamada, A.; Yan, Y.; Kim, J.Y.; Miyasaka, T.; Mora-Seró, I.; Zhu, K.; Andersson, M.; Manca, J.V.; Palomares, E.; Vandewal, K.; Li, T.; Mastro, M.; Tao, M.; Wang, Q.
• Is Part Of: MRS proceedings. Issue 1771(2015)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 57
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: Sustainability, -- simulation, -- photovoltaic; Electrical engineering -- Congresses; Physics -- Congresses; Materials -- Research -- Congresses; Materials science -- Congresses; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1557/opl.2015.346
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-9172

Abstract

ABSTRACT: For increasing the awareness of photovoltaic (PV) conversion and its consumer developments, a PV-powered infotainment spot (information + entertainment) has been recently designed to be used in the campus of Delft University of Technology. This demonstrator provides information to people on campus via a rugged touchscreen that is powered only by solar energy. In this PV system, a 90-W rated flexible CIGS module was deployed as market alternative to rigid c-Si modules. A methodology to accurately estimate the irradiance on a curved plane was developed. Taking into account temperature, irradiance and shading effects, the energy production of the PV module was estimated to be 62 kWh/year. On the other hand, the load should exhibit an energy consumption of 19.3 kWh/year. By means of a 12-V DC mini grid, the excess energy was thus stored in a 120 Ah battery regulated via charge controller or made directly available with two ad-hoc USB ports for smartphone battery recharging. The realized prototype of the infotainment spot is potentially a completely autonomous small-scale PV system with zero loss of load probability.