SOLAR ENERGY POWER PLANT

1. Define Solar Energy Power Plant.

The solar power plant is also known as the Photovoltaic (PV) power plant. It is a large-scale PV plant
designed to produce bulk electrical power from solar radiation. The solar power plant uses solar energy
to produce electrical power. Therefore, it is a conventional power plant. Solar energy can be used
directly to produce electrical energy using solar PV panels. Or there is another way to produce electrical
energy that is concentrated solar energy. In this type of plant, the radiation energy of solar first
converted into heat (thermal energy) and this heat is used to drive a conventional generator. This
method is difficult and not efficient to produce electrical power on a large scale.

TYPES OF SOLAR POWER PLANT

Standalone System - This type of plant can be used as a power backup plant when the power of the grid
is not available, this plant is used to supply the load. A battery and charge controller is an optional part
of this system. But in most cases, the battery and charge controller is used with this system to increase
reliability.

Grid-connected System- This type of system is used to generate bulk power and transmit it to the load
by a grid. Hence, this plant is known as a grid-connected power plant. In this system, a greater number of
solar panels are used to generate more power. And it requires a large area to build a power plant.

2. Components of Solar Energy Power Plant.

Photovoltaic (PV) Panel- PV panels convert solar photon energy into electrical energy.

Inverter- An inverter converts DC output power into AC power in solar power plants.

Energy storage devices- Batteries store solar energy to meet demand and variation of load.

Charge Controller- A charge controller is used to prevent overcharging of a battery, which can damage
the electrolyte.

System balancing component- Control, protect and distribute power to ensure optimal efficiency and
security.

Voltage regulator- Voltage regulators are used to maintain fluctuation in load current of solar panels.

3. Cycle or Process of Gas Turbine Power Plant

Solar PV power plants work in the same manner as smaller domestic-scale PV panels. As we have seen,
most solar PV panels are made from semiconductor materials, usually some form of silicon. When
photons from sunlight hit the semiconductor material, free electrons are generated, which can then flow
through the material to produce a direct electrical current.

This is known as the photoelectric effect. The DC must then be converted to alternating current (AC)
using an inverter before it can be directly used or fed into the electrical grid. PV panels are distinct from
other solar power plants as they use the photo effect directly without needing other processes or
devices. For example, they do not use a liquid heat-carrying agent, like water, as in solar thermal plants.
PV panels do not concentrate energy; they convert photons into electricity transmitted somewhere else.

4. Operation and Maintenance of Gas Turbine Power Plant.

Operation & Maintenance (O&M) is one of the most critical ways to ensure that the solar power system
gives the best possible generation. This enables the solar power plant to produce the maximum amount
of energy throughout its operational life, perfectly aligning the interests of developers, clients and the
investors.

General checks

During this inspection, technicians:

 Ensure roof drainage is adequate, roof drains are not clogged and confirm that there are no signs
of water pooling near the array
 Ensure roof penetrations (if any) are watertight
 Check for ground erosion near the footings of a ground mount system
 Confirm electrical enclosures are only accessible to authorised personnel
 Check for corrosion on the outside of enclosures and the racking system
 Check for cleanliness throughout the site to ensure that there is no debris in the inverter pad
area or elsewhere
 Check for loose hanging wires in the array
 Check for signs of animal infestation under the array

Specific checks

Modules: Modules need the maximum amount of preventive maintenance, and cleaning activities are
majorly concentrated around them.

Frequency of cleaning: In normal conditions, where there isn’t too much dust or dirt, cleaning is carried
out on a fortnightly basis. However, in dusty areas such as Rajasthan, the cleaning frequency is increased
to once a week.

Water Quality: Water quality is tested after every six months to ensure standards are maintained, and
TDS, chlorine, calcium, and conductivity levels are taken into account.

Quality of cleaning equipment: Brushes without hard bristles should be used for cleaning, as low-quality
brushes can negatively impact the glass surface.

Innovation in Cleaning: Automated cleaning systems will use remote monitoring to start, pressurise, and
pour water over modules, but costlier than deploying someone.
Post wash care: CleanMax takes responsibility for maintaining the plant, arranging for UPVC conduit
pipes to ensure water supply and recording maintenance work in the log book.

Inverter: CleanMax carries out servicing on a monthly basis, using high-quality filters and recording
voltage fluctuations in the periodic log book.

MC4 Cabling Connector: Preventive measures include ensuring no gaps between connector pipes, and
off-takers can install a "check" meter to cross-check production levels.

Transformer: Monitor operating temperature, oil temperature, winding temperature, and oil level daily
to detect internal disturbances. CleanMax conducts IR test and cable yearly to check transformer
performance.

Protection from external elements: The plant must be sealed properly to prevent rats and other rodents
from entering and damaging the modules.

Remote monitoring: Monitor solar power plant remotely to detect breakdowns and optimise operation.

Monitoring the solar PV panels consistently is the cornerstone of the O&M of a solar power plant, and
CleanMax does it successfully. It includes inspection, supervision, sending signals and messages, and
receiving signals from the environment about irradiation.

5. Advantages and Disadvantages of Gas Turbine Power Plant

A solar energy power plant has a number of advantages, which are listed below.

1. Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy which is an unexhausted source of
energy.
2. After installation, the solar power plant produces electrical energy at almost zero cost.
3. The life of a solar plant is very high. The solar panels can work up to 25 years.
4. This plant is not causing pollution.
5. There are no moving parts in solar cells. So, maintenance is not needed to keep a solar plant
running.
6. It does not produce any noise.
7. For a bulk generation, this plant can be installed in any land. So, there are no specific site
selection criteria like thermal and hydropower plants.
8. The solar plant can be installed on the house or flat. So, it reduces the transmission cost as it
generates energy near the load center.
9. In a grid-tied power plant, the electrical generate power can directly transfer to the grid and this
will reduce the burden of conventional power plants.

Here are some of the disadvantages of solar power plant that you should be aware of.

1. The initial cost of a solar panel is very high.

2. It requires large land to produce electrical power in bulk amounts.
3. The solar plant is only installed in countries where sunline is available efficiently.
4. During a cloudy atmosphere, the solar plant cannot operate efficiently.
5. The efficiency of a solar panel is very less.
6. This plant generates electrical energy when sunlight is available. During the night, this plant
cannot generate electrical power. Hence, if you need to use electrical power at night, you have
to install a battery and charge controller. That increases the cost and maintenance of the plant as
the life of a battery is very short.
7. In a grid-tide power plant, the inverter is required, which is costly and needs skilled manpower
and new technology to make sync with grid power quality.