Decentralized solar power project in the village of Noyon in Mongolia

Sharp solar cell arrays are used on satellites and for lighthouses that are exposed to extreme environmental conditions‚ and have been highly rated for their technical capabilities and performance.

Sharp is also developing and marketing solar power products designed for household use‚ and for five consecutive years since 2000‚ we have been the world’s number-one manufacturer of solar cells in terms of production volume.

At the same time‚ we are tackling the challenge of using photovoltaic (PV) power systems to deliver a reliable supply of electricity in areas where electricity is available only part of the day or where no electrical power grid exists at all.

One example of our involvement is a rural electrification project in southern Mongolia where we have been working under commission from NEDO^* since August 2002.

* NEDO‚ the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization‚ is an independent administrative agency of the Japanese government focusing on R&D in industrial technology to foster the creation of new industries‚ and R&D on clean energy to solve environmental problems. The current project came about in response to a request from the Mongolian government. NEDO solicited public input in Japan for a 2002 Photovoltaic Power Generation System International Cooperative Development Project‚ Decentralized Solar Power Systems Experimental Research Study (Mongolia). Sharp's proposal was adopted and the project was launched. The results of this project can be found using the "Project Results Search" on the NEDO website (http://www.nedo.jp/english/index.html).

Lack of Electricity Forces the Population to Concentrate in the Capital

Population migration to Mongolia’s capital‚ Ulan Bator‚ is becoming a serious social issue. One reason that nearly 35% of the total population is concentrated in the capital is that electricity is available 24 hours a day in the city.

Mongolia covers an area of almost 1.57 million sq. km.‚ about four times the size of Japan. With a population of approximately 2.5 million people who live scattered around this vast territory‚ it is difficult to develop and maintain an electrical power infrastructure across the entire country. Many areas of Mongolia have small-scale coal-fired power plants or diesel-powered generators in towns and villages‚ but the amount of electricity generated is small and power is available only for limited hours during the day. In addition‚ many nomads live without electricity.

Against this background‚ the Mongolian government made regional electrification a major policy focus‚ and decided to proceed with exploiting renewable energy sources such as sunlight as an approach appropriate for their country.

A Village Where Electricity is Available Only Four Hours a Day

The village of Noyon is located on the edge of the vast Gobi Desert some 650 km south of Ulan Bator. The village is home to approximately 160 families‚ around 500 people‚ as well as innumerable grazing goats. Up to August 2003‚ electricity was only available in the village for four hours per day‚ from around 7 to 11 p.m. at night.

The village has a hospital and a school. But because electricity wasn’t available during daylight hours‚ required surgeries had to be done at night when equipment such as X-ray machines and UV sterilization lamps could be used. And in the school‚ classes that used an electronic piano could only take place at night.

No power grid exists to bring in electricity from outside. And the 60 kW of power available to the village was generated by a small diesel-driven generator. It had the capacity to light around 600 lights up to a maximum of 100 W in size. Insufficient fuel meant that electricity might not always be available.

Achieving a World First in an Environment with a Day-Night Temperature Difference of 60°C

The project staff first visited Noyon in October 2002. They began a survey of village power consumption‚ the existing electrical plant and equipment‚ and potential locations for installing a system.

The project faced two difficulties. The first was operating a photovoltaic power system under extreme weather conditions in which temperatures reach +30°C in the summer and plunge to –30°C in the winter. The second was ensuring that the system supplied electricity 24 hours a day regardless of changes in weather or whatever system problems might occur.

The survey was repeated‚ and the resulting final plan featured a system of photovoltaic generation running together with a diesel power system to produce a total of 200 kW‚ but decentralized to provide a margin of safety. The project planners also decided to use batteries to store electrical power generated by solar energy during the day‚ enabling continued use during the night and on rainy days.

Mongolia has a continental climate‚ and enjoys approximately 300 days of sunshine a year. The present project is the forerunner of many more in the future that will deploy photovoltaic power systems throughout the entire country to take maximum advantage of these climatic conditions.^* It was also the first system in the world to function as a decentralized‚ independent photovoltaic power system.

* Promoted by the Mongolian government‚ the Mongolian Rural Electrification Project now under way will establish 100‚000 independent photovoltaic power systems by the year 2010. The project uses Sharp products and is making a significant contribution to reducing the number of areas that have no access to electricity.

Construction Completed with the Help of Everyone in the Village

Sharp did the system design and equipment fabrication in Japan. On-site construction began in June 2003‚ with key components such as construction materials‚ equipment and supplies shipped from Japan.

However‚ snow was expected to start falling at the site by October and temperatures to fall rapidly. This meant that installation work normally requiring five months would have to be wrapped up in only three. The Japanese staff of eight worked with 25 people from the local area who acted as interpreters and served as construction laborers and electrical equipment installers. We also had all the villagers help with activities such as carrying materials‚ cleaning and acting as night watchmen.

However‚ things did not go smoothly. Parts and materials that had to be procured in Mongolia could only be obtained from Ulan Bator‚ requiring a week for the order to reach the capital and then to be shipped back. Then‚ there was the difficulty of communicating through interpreters and the different ways of thinking. There were many occasions when the Japanese staff was flustered and confused‚ but by working hard to overcome various difficulties‚ construction made progress.

On days off‚ conversations blossomed around volleyball games and the topic of sumo wrestling. On those occasions‚ we heard many people say‚ "If electricity was available 24 hours a day‚ I’d want a refrigerator." Having reliable refrigeration would make it possible to preserve goat meat‚ their primary food‚ even during the summer months.

Then‚ it was late August. After two months of construction work and one month of electrical equipment installation‚ operational tests began. At last‚ the village of Noyon had electricity available 24 hours a day.

Electricity for the Hospital‚ the School and to Change Lifestyles

At the hospital‚ the doctor’s face shone with delight. Medical vaccines could now be kept cool in the refrigerator. Surgery and X-ray exams could be performed whenever needed‚ and respirators for newborn infants could be used. At the school‚ classes that used electronic musical instruments could be held in the morning.

The lives of the people also began to change. They were liberated from the coal-fired heaters that were essential to survive the long winter months‚ and were now able to use electric heaters that didn’t pollute the air. Mongolian people pay a lot of attention to their personal appearance and grooming‚ and they were happy to be able to use the iron whenever they liked.

Sharp’s photovoltaic power system is now providing electricity round the clock on need‚ protecting the lives and health of Noyon’s people‚ as well as transforming their lives and enriching their education.

The Significance of Using Renewable Energy

After construction of the photovoltaic power system was complete‚ the staff addressed the people of Noyon village with the question‚ "You now have electricity 24 hours a day. Would it be wise to waste it?" They also held seminars in which they made requests such as: "Consider environmental problems and tell the world about the importance of not wasting energy." The significance of this was to make the people of the village aware that there is a link between using solar power and protecting the environment.

Efforts to promote new industries in the village also began. The 200 kW the system provided exceeded the amount needed for everyday living. Using this surplus power‚ villagers planned to build a bakery‚ an auto repair shop and a gasoline station. When it came time for the staff to leave‚ the villagers came to see them off with the words‚ Bayarlalaa! ("Thank you!").

The lively scene of a photovoltaic power system on the steppes of Mongolia should stimulate us to re-think our way of life.

Power Failure Caused by Lightning Repaired the Same Day

In the 18 months from completion of construction in September 2003 up to March 2005, researchers from Japan made visits to the site every two to three months for the NEDO international demonstration research project. However, a major problem arose in July 2004. Lightning hit power transmission lines and damaged some key pieces of equipment (power conditioners). But the advantages offered by the design of this decentralized photovoltaic power system allowed repairs to be made the same day, thanks to the hard work of Mongolian technicians who had been brought to Japan and received basic training in system maintenance and operation. They were able to get the system running to continue supplying the village with electrical power.

Note: Conventional PV power systems use a single 200-kW power converter. When a problem occurs, making major repairs and the work to completely restore the system take time. During that time, no power can be supplied. But in this system, twenty 10-kW inverters were distributed throughout the system. In the unlikely event that a system failure occurs and some inverters are damaged, power can be restored by reshuffling existing units or swapping in new units. Sharp's design minimizes damage and the system can be restored to full operation quickly.

Routine Maintenance and Training of Local Technicians

Sharp provides operational training as needed during visits to sites.
For example, training was held on site during the winter, and local staff was taught how to remove fallen snow from solar panels, as it is likely to interfere with power generation. For operator training, local management technicians were invited to Japan twice, in April 2004, and in January 2005, where they received basic training and detailed technical guidance. During their training, Sharp held both classroom lectures, as well as practical training, including hands-on contact with actual equipment. Sharp also prepared manuals in the local language, enabling management technicians not only to acquire the knowledge they needed but to pass it on to other staff in their region. These efforts have received high praise from the eight management technicians who participated in this training program.

From the Village of Noyon to All of Mongolia, and to the World

In Mongolia, there are still more than 100 villages such as Noyon, where small diesel generators are the only source of energy. The use of renewable energy, such as solar power will likely continue to spread throughout the region.

Sharp will be supplying decentralized photovoltaic power systems like the one at Noyon as new solar-powered "mini-grid systems" . They will see widespread use in villages without access to large-scale power networks, both in Mongolia and around the world.