GPE completed the Taungdaw Gwin solar photovoltaic (PV) facility within ten months despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The renewable energy project was commissioned in November 2022.
Downstream Petroleum, Shipping, Renewable Energy, Plastics & Ceramics Manufacturing, Real Estate, Wood Treatment, Corporate Finance, Banking, Insurance, Tea Production, Logistics and Distribution.
I can''t thank you enough for your understanding support through some difficult times. It is refreashing to work with someone who provides the utmost in professionalism and kindness
Countries with higher levels of poverty often have limited access to modern energy services (World Bank 2017). Universal access to electricity is widely regarded as a prerequisite for alleviating poverty to stimulate economic growth, expand employment opportunities, and support human development. Electricity access is critical for achieving the UN''s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and one of the targets for Sustainable Development Goal 7 is to expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programs of support.
Despite all the goals, policies, and plans of the government, a significant population living in remote rural areas will remain far from the nation grid and unable to afford connection fees in the distant future. In general, the farther the village was from the grid, the lower the average income and ability to pay for energy services. The government estimates that of the 64,000 villages in Myanmar, about 40,000 are un-electrified. The geographical diversity makes it difficult to provide grid electricity to these isolated villages.
The Myanmar Department of Rural Development (DRD) under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, which is the leading government agency in implementing the off-grid component of the NEP, seeks assistance from advanced countries and international societies, including the Taiwanese government. The International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF or Fund) subsequently starts a dialogue with the DRD to understand existing government and donor off-grid electrification programs.
Further, Myanmar has a strong solar radiation level, and around 60% of the land area suitable for solar PV installation (Asian Development Bank (ADB) 2016). Given the country''s high radiation rates, of the renewable energy technologies available for off-grid use in Myanmar, solar technology has become particularly popular among international donor community. The solar PV modules has fallen by more than 80% since 2009, while the global cost of solar PV power declined over 70% from 2010 to 2017 (International Renewable Energy Agency (IERNA) 2018). With globally rapidly declining price of PV systems and widespread use of highly efficient light-emitting diode bulbs in Myanmar, renewable energy solutions may be a cost-competitive option to expand electricity access.
The main focus of the project is the solar PV technology and the nature of mini-grids. In the policy framework of Myanmar, the primary purpose of mini-grids is to fill the time-gap for many communities in rural areas until they connect to the national grid. However, some villages are simply difficult to access, hence the grid is not likely to extend to them in near future, possibly over 10 years. This is exactly the situation faced by some of the villages in the project. Therefore, for vulnerable groups and rural areas, the sustainability of solar PV mini-grids is even more critical, and in the interests of governments and communities.
The project team identified the specific sites from a list of villages provided by the government of Myanmar. Key parameters for site selection include geographical suitability, renewable energy resource potential, existing economic activity, population density, distance of main grid arrival, as well as the commitment and willingness of local communities. It also included a comprehensive survey of potential socioeconomic and environmental impacts. The team identified two project sites:
Site I: Inbingan Village
Site II: Bawdigone Village, ChiYarPinSu Village, Zeephyjim Village, Payagone Village.
The average irradiation in Site I is estimated to be approximately 5.34 kWh/m2/day and 4.78 kWh/m2/day in Site II—both are suitable for developing PV-based power applications.
Satellite image of villages (Left: Inbingan Village, Magway Region; Right: Bawdigone/ChiYarPinSu/Zeephyjim/Payagone Villages, Sagaing Region). Source Compiled by the author
In the technical design process, several factors need to be accessed and considered by the project team, including the choice of generation technology, storage technology, grid size, and configuration, as well as the distribution system. A PV solution with batteries was chosen, of course, because of good irradiation levels. Due to its nature of intermittency, the choice of energy storage plays a key role in PV mini-grids. The project team chooses lithium-ion batteries because they have more life cycles than lead-acid batteries, require less maintenance, and are environmentally friendly.
The system architecture of the solar PV mini-grid system conceived in the project proposal consists of a solar PV module, PV mounting system, PV charge controller, inverter/charger, village grid, and other components required for the balance of the system. The system generates a centralized power supply to offer households and public facilities electricity for lighting through a newly established distribution network. Energy-saving products can also be used for lighting.
Regarding the design of the power supply system, scalable architecture was used to manage the expected increase in load in the foreseeable future, given an increase in electricity consumption. This architecture is also expandable by using an inverter/charger to optimize energy management by including and controlling different power supply sources.
In addition, considering the solar radiation conditions of the two sites, the PV arrays were mounted facing south at a 24-degree angle of inclination. In principle, the PV array should be mounted in an environment that is free of shade from approximately 08:00 to 16:00 throughout the year.
The PV system was ground and mounted in the open space next to the village temple. The foundation was constructed in cement in the pile type. To encourage villager participation, the installation contractor commissioned the cement foundation construction and electrical room work to the management committee of the villages. The electrical room for Site II was built over the existing temple pavilion. All of the construction works met the required specifications and were accepted by the installing contractor.
Regarding the power grid, the main line uses a 35 mm2 aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) cable, the branch line uses a 25 mm2 ACSR cable, and the service line uses a BVVB 2 × 3029 cable. Eighteen step-down transformers (460 V/230 V, 300 VA) and overcurrent protection devices were also installed in boxes on the electrical poles.
The main power supply circuit is divided into four main areas: temple area, school area, electrical room, and village power supply. All four areas are independent power supply control circuits. The installation of household lights was performed by local villagers under the guidance of the installation contractor. Installation work included connecting the service line box, fuse, LED lamp and holders, and indoor wiring. After the installation was confirmed as correct, a warning seal in Myanmar was adhered to the riding seam of the service line box to prevent users from replacing existing fuses with a larger capacity fuse and to ensure their electricity safety. Photographs of the installation and construction are shown in Figs. 3.2 and 3.3.
Solar PV system and LED lights installation.
According to the organization chart (Fig. 3.4) designed by the project team, the committee was organized by the villagers, who were divided into two groups: technical maintenance and operation management. The former is responsible for the daily operation of the equipment, household power checks, and system component replacements. The latter is responsible for electricity tariff calculations and collection, tariff fund account management, and education advocacy. The functions of the management committees are illustrated in Fig. 3.5.
Organization of power supply system management committee.
Functions of power supply system management committee.
To advance the villagers'' power usage knowledge and develop basic electric power engineering knowledge and technical capacity, the project team encouraged villagers to actively participate in system construction and maintenance and participate in the technology training courses offered by this project. These experiences are expected to contribute to the villagers'' future development of specialty skills. Electricity tariffs collected from the villagers would be used as funding for future power supply system maintenance work, such as the replacement of battery banks, PV charge controllers, inverter equipment, fuse replacements, and power line maintenance, for the long-term operation of the power supply station to ensure the sustainability of the project.
The project team recorded the changes in the village lifestyle after the power systems were put into operation by interviewing villagers and distributing questionnaires. The objects include ordinary households and members of the power supply system management committee of the five villages. The questionnaire asked villagers to assess the degree of influence of their nighttime lifestyles. The impact of lighting on local lifestyles ranged from L1 to L5. The higher the number, the greater the impact, with L1 having the weakest impact and L5 having the strongest impact.
A total of 60 questionnaires were distributed to the villagers in the Inbingan Village of Magway Region, and 57 were collected. After filtering out questionnaires with serious omissions, 53 were considered valid. Furthermore, 15 questionnaires were distributed to and collected from the management committee. After filtering out the severely missed questionnaires, 12 questionnaires were considered valid. The data analysis results showed that nighttime lighting allows children to read at night, village shops can operate for a longer period, owners'' incomes increased, village meetings could be conducted later in the evening, and some villagers continued agricultural work (Fig. 3.6).
About Myanmar photovoltaic pv systems
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Myanmar photovoltaic pv systems have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Myanmar photovoltaic pv systems for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Myanmar photovoltaic pv systems featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
Related Contents
