REDUCING CLIMATE CHANGE BY INSTALLING A NEW PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANT IN BULGARIA

Abstract

Three new roof-mounted 10 kWp grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) power plants have been constructed in the Technology Park at the Technical University of Gabrovo, Bulgaria, as part of a project "Competence Center – Intelligent Mechatronic, Eco, and Energy Saving Systems and Technologies". Three different PV modules types have been used: monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). New three power plants, together with the existing amorphous silicon and poly-crystalline silicon photovoltaic power plants at the TU-Gabrovo enhanced simultaneous testing of five different photovoltaic materials. A small 500 Wp mono-Si photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collectors (PVT) PV system has also been constructed. The power plants feature a monitoring system for the meteorological and electrical operating parameters, which measures, displays, and stores data on solar radiation, temperature, wind speed, currents, voltages, and electrical power of each power plant. PV plants components' technical characteristics are given in the paper. The schemes describing the basic wiring diagram, disposition of the three PV subsystems on the roof of the building at the technology center have also been presented. The initial comparative software data for monitoring of meteorological and electrical operating characteristics of the three different types of PV subsystems are shown as well. According to the specific ecological equivalent of energy resources and energy for the region of Bulgaria, the data are presented on the saved CO2 emissions from the avoided production and transmission of electricity owing to the operation of photovoltaic power plants.