Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Engineering in Renewable and
Sustainable Energy at the Stellenbosch University. / Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This project investigated the feasibility of incorporating photovoltaic cells into
plastic roof tiles using injection moulding. Such tiles have the potential to provide
robust and distributed electricity contained within the building envelope.
Current-voltage curves of amorphous silicon modules were measured under
illumination using the PVPM 2540C power measuring instrument, both before
and after moulding. The efficiency after moulding was reduced by 53% to 88%,
with modules that were heated for longer being degraded more. Thus the
duration of exposure to high temperatures affected the extent of performance
reduction during moulding. This suggested that faster moulding at a lower
temperature or faster cooling could solve the problem.
Economic feasibility was examined by calculating the levellised cost of electricity
provided by the tiles. A large-scale development in the Western Cape was
simulated using a typical meteorological year of weather data and using the
anisotropic diffuse irradiance model of Perez et al. (1988). Avoided costs due
to replaced roofing, avoided costs due to electricity distribution infrastructure,
and Clean Development Mechanism credits were accounted for. The cost of
energy calculated was R11/kWh in 2010 rands, which did not compete with
the price of conventional grid-based electricity at R1.8/kWh. The importance
of the cost of balance-of-system components, such as the inverter, and not only
of the photovoltaic modules, was highlighted for future cost reductions.
Several clear guidelines for manufacturing photovoltaic roof tiles were discovered.
The most important of these was that many bypass diodes make the
system more robust. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie projek het die haalbaarheid van die integrasie van fotovoltaïse selle in
plastiek dakteëls deur spuitvorming ondersoek. Sulke dakteëls het die vermoë
om robuuste en verspreide elektrisiteit te lewer, sonder om die gebou se vorm
te verander.
Stroom-spanning kurwes van struktuurlose silikon eenhede is onder verligting
gemeet met die PVPM 2540C kragmeet instrument, voor en na spuitvorming.
Die doeltreffendheid na spuitvorming is met 53% tot 88% verminder, met
groter vermindering in die eenhede wat langer warm was. Dus het die duur
van blootstelling aan hoë temperature die mate van vermindering van doeltreffendheid
beïnvloed. Dit het suggereer dat óf vinniger spuitvorming by laer
temperature óf vinniger verkoeling die probleem kan oplos.
Ekonomiese haalbaarheid is ondersoek deur die koste van die elektrisiteit wat
deur die dakteëls gelewer is te bereken. ’n Groot behuisingsontwikkeling in die
Wes-Kaap is gesimuleer deur ’n tipiese weerkundige jaar van weerdata en die
anisotroop model vir verspreide ligstraling van Perez et al. (1988) te gebruik.
Vermyde kostes van vervangde dakteëls, vermyde kostes van elektrisiteit distribusie
infrastruktuur en krediete van die Meganisme vir Skoonontwikkeling
is in ag geneem. Die elektrisiteitskoste was R11/kWh in 2010 se randwaarde,
wat nie mededingend met die R1.8/kWh koste van gewone netwerk elektrisiteit
was nie. Die belang van die kostes van die res van die installasieonderdele,
soos die wisselrigter, en nie net die fotovoltaïse eenhede nie, is beklemtoon vir
kostevermindering in die toekoms.
Verskeie duidelike riglyne vir die vervaardiging van fotovoltaïse dakteëls is
voorgestel. Die belangrikste van hierdie was dat meer omloopdiodes die installasie
meer robuust maak. / Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4397 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Donkin, Richard Philip |
| Contributors | Van Niekerk, W., Sebitosi, A. B., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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