Solar Energy Systems Design, Manufacture

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• Solar Energy Systems Design, Manufacture
  Implementation Specialists

Lotus Energys Solar PV Electrification Works in
Nepal
Solar Power for Poverty Alleviation
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A Pioneering Solar Energy Promoter in Nepal
Lotus Energys mission is to improve the lives
of the people in Nepal by offering the best
quality Solar Energy Products and Services,
thereby uplifting them to a modern standard of
living using renewable energy with no
environmental pollution.

• Founded in 1993 by 2 Americans based in
  Kathmandu, Nepal
• Solar PV systems manufacturing, sales,
  installation and service
• Over 100 employees and many agents throughout the
  country
• 5 regional offices and several franchises
  throughout Nepal
• Annual revenue of over 140 million Rupees (
  Approx. US 2 Million )
• Pioneered the Solar Home Village Lighting Systems
  (SHS)
• Sold and installed over 30,000 small SHS and many
  community systems
• First implementer of SHS Subsidy in Nepal
• Pioneer and current market leader for
  community-based larger solar power systems such
  as hospitals, schools, health posts, and
  community water pumping
• An ISO 90012000 certified company

http//www.lotusenergy.com
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The world by night
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The Presenter

• Managing and Technical Director
• J.R. (Jeevan) Goff, Dallas,Texas USA
• 1993 to Present Co-founder of Lotus Energy
  -Solar Industries.
• 1991 to1992 World Wildlife Fund Research
  Assistant (Solar technical support) in Nepals
  Chitwan National Park.
• 1985 to 1990 Vice President of Axtron
  Corporation, a professional electronics products
  service company in Dallas, Texas, USA.
  Responsible for operations, planning, technical
  advisor to technical team and computer-based
  accounting system implementation.
• 1981 to 1984 Senior Service Technician, Arnold
  Morgan. Responsible for servicing and engineering
  modifications to professional electronics
  equipment.
• 1980 Technician, Apple Computer. Responsible for
  quality control and manufacturing testing of
  Apple computers and disk drives.

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About Nepal

• Diverse ethnic groups
• Diverse Culture and religion
• 14 Zones (States)
• 75 Districts
• 4047 Villages Development Committees
• 85 of the households are in rural areas

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About Nepal

• Facts about Nepal
  
  
  Land area 147,181 sq.
  km Population 29 Million (est.) Per
  capita GDP US 345 per annum
• Nepals Energy Supply Challenges Very
  difficult terrain - few roads Economy - one of
  the worlds poorest countries Political
  situation was volatile, now stabilizing -
  maybe No fossil fuel resources within the
  country
• Renewable Energy Industry Advantages Abundant
  solar, hydro and wind resources Donor /
  Government Support with policies and
  incentives Healthy and well-established RE
  industry

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Usage of Resources

• Roughly 88 of the energy needs of the population
  are met by biomass
• 79 by firewood
• 3 by agriculture residue
• 6 by animal waste
• Rest by commercial resources
• Petroleum Products 9
• Coal 2
• Electricity 1 (Solar PV is 3 of this 1)
• Only 30 have connection to Electricity Grid
  (which often has no power available)

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Renewable Energy in Nepal

• Solar Water Heating
• Solar Dryers
• Solar Cookers
• Biogas
• Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS)
• Micro-Hydroelectric Power
• Improved Water Mills (IWM)
• Electric Vehicles (EVs)
• Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Electricity

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Solar Home Systems (SHS)

• Solar Home Systems (SHS) comprise 60 of annual
  sales
• 2,500 to 3500 SHS sold and installed per year
• Main customers are rural villagers living in
  areas where mains grid electricity is not
  available
• Typical SHS has a 20-85w PV panel, solar deep
  cycle storage battery, electronic controller and
  several lamps

• Designed to light the home for 4 hrs per
  night and operate TV/ Radio
• Typical cost ranges from 350-1000 (USD)

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Reading Under Kerosene Tuki
a. The most common light source in Nepal is a
tuki which is a small kerosene lamp made from
discarded bottles. Also a type of oily wood
painstakingly harvested by women at an estimated
rate of 4 trees per family per year in west Nepal.
b. Tukis give an extremely dim sooty light and
cause bronchial irritations
c. Tukis are a very common source of house fires
and infant burns in small village houses
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Reading under Solar
a. Solar lights are clean and smoke free,
excellent for students and adult literacy classes.
b. Savings on kerosene, candles and small torch
batteries
c. Safe for the entire family no fires, burns
or electric shocks
d. Significantly reduces respiratory disease
occurrences
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SHS Components

1. Solar Module
2. Power House
3. Deep Cycle Battery
4. Solar Tube Light
5. Solar Waterproof Multi light
6. Solar Tuki (LEDs)
7. DC Radio and Colour TV

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Solar Home System village houses
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Solar Home System village houses
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Solar Home System village houses
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• Customized Systems

Customized systems comprise 40 of annual sales

• Remote Area RE solutions
• Hospitals
• Tourist lodges
• Monasteries
• Water pumping systems
• Drinking water systems
• Portable systems (e.g. Trekking /Expeditions)
• Urban Area Solar solutions
• Traffic lights
• Backup Systems

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Getting there is a costly struggle filled with
obstacles...
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Institutional Solar Power SystemsHimalayan
Rescue Dog Squad Nepal
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Kopan Monastery by day .....
and by night
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Kopan Monastery Solar Peace Garden
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Hospital Projects

Himalayan Rescue Association Hospital, The
highest hospital on Earth ! (near Mt. Everest
Base Camp)
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AMDA Referral Health Center, Damak, Jhapa
Diesel Generator was replaced by the Solar System
Managing Director with Chief Doctor
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MDSA Hospital in Ghami, Mustang
Solar Power Converter System Which provides 220
VAC
PV Module Array on Hospital Roof
Hospital Staff with Local Dignitaries
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Lungthung Health Post Vaccine Refrigerator
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Eye surgery under solar lighting in school
building, Jalpa
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Solar Ozone Water Treatment Systems
In Annapurna Trekking Route
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Solar Water Heaters

• Dozens of local manufacturers and installers
• Uses locally available materials
• Widespread use in Nepals urban areas
• High price of gas and electricity (or lack
  thereof)
• Self-sufficient and healthy industry

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Examples are easily found on the rooftops of
Kathmandu
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Solar Dryers

• Extremely simple technology
• Locally manufactured
• Uses locally available materials
• Allows easier (lighter) food transport from
  remote areas to markets without concerns for food
  spoiling
• More development required current use is mainly
  limited to fruit drying in aid project areas

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Solar Cookers

• Simple technology
• Locally manufactured
• Uses locally available materials
• Requires flexibility with cooking schedule
• Conflicts with cultural and religious customs in
  many areas of Nepal

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Biogas

• Over 30 Biogas companies with more than 2,500
  masons and 3,200 staff employed
• Uses locally available materials
• Supported by 25-35 subsidy
• Clean gas and smokeless cooking reduces
  respiratory and eye problems and makes
  dishwashing easier
• Over 100,000 biogas plants installed since 1992

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Biogas (continued)

• Only livestock manure and water are required
• Minimal daily labor requirements compared to
  gathering firewood
• Anaerobic process produces a gas mixture with
  60-70 methane
• Produces high quality slurry that is a better
  fertilizer than traditionally used manure and
  compost
• Production is decreased in cold weather

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Biogas Plant Diagram
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Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS)

• Extremely simple and inexpensive to make
• Uses locally available materials
• Smoke is channeled outside the kitchen, thereby
  reducing respiratory and eye problems
• Up to 50 more efficient use of firewood,
  resulting is less deforestation and time spent on
  firewood gathering
• More development required current support is
  limited to Trainer Training

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ICS
Traditional Cooking
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Micro-Hydroelectric Power

• Abundant hydro resources
• Scalable 200 w to 10 kw (or more)
• Healthy industry with multiple installers and
  repair shops
• Subsidies and financing available
• Produces AC electricity (inverter not required)

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Micro-Hydroelectric Power (continued)

• High capital costs
• Specialized spare parts
• Regular maintenance by professional technicians
• Training of local operators required
• Manufacture and installation by trained engineers
• Transport of heavy equipment to remote areas
• Fluctuating voltage

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Large micro-hydro turbine for village grid
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Improved Water Mills (IWM)

• Abundant hydro resources
• Indigenous technology has been handed down in
  Miller families for centuries
• IWM has nearly double the efficiency of
  traditional water wheel designs
• Displaces diesel powered mills
• Locally designed and built using mostly local
  materials
• Low cost
• Subsidy available

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Improved wheel design
Traditional wheel design
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Improved Water Mills (IWM) (continued)

• Diverse end-use, especially for income generation
  (e.g. grinding, paddy hulling, oil expelling, saw
  milling, electricity generation, etc)
• Over 25,000 traditional water wheels throughout
  Nepal
• Over 1,000 IWM already installed since support
  program began in 2003
• Typically generate 500 watts of equivalent power
  from 6-20 feet of head

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Hand mill
Water mill
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Solar Water Pumping Project
Chiyabari Village, East Nepal
Submersible Pump
Pump House and Solar PV Panels
Villagers Enjoying First Solar Pumped Water
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Solar Pumping , Kulungkot, Tanahu, West Nepal
Beneficiaries...
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Lotus Energy Training Programs
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Lotus Energy Awareness Campaigns
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Lotus Energy Facilities
Manufacturing
Quality Control RD
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Foreign Volunteers Assisting Installations and
Sharing Costs of the Solar Systems
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SHS Subsidy Programme

1. With DANISH support Alternate Energy Promotion
   Center was established in 1999 for dissemination
   of Solar Home System
2. Phase One was targeted for 25,000 SHS but 75,000
   SHS were installed
3. Phase Two is targeted for 150,000 SHS, for the
   period of 5 yrs. (2007 2011)
4. Recently, Norway has started funding for the
   subsidy programme as well.

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Thank You