Enota Solar Design Project

Proposal

Submitted by: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN 38505

To: Dr. Suan Freed

Enota Mountain Retreat
Hiawassee, GA 30546

Faculty in Charge: Ali T. Alouani, Professor of ECE

October 2008

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1. Abstract
In an era of high energy prices, many decision makers are looking to use alternative
sources of energy and to educate the public to do the same. Such is the case of Enota
Mountain Retreat. This study’s objective was to implement the optimal solar power system
for Enota and create an informational display to educate their visitors. There are hundreds of
off the self solar systems but they are not optimized for individual applications. In this
proposal we offer several specific solutions, with varying prices, for Enota to choose from. In
the conclusion we suggest our optimal solution.

2. Introduction
Enota Mountain Retreat is located in Hiawassee, Georgia. “Enota is a non-profit
conservation facility committed to preserving our beautiful land with a limited number of
accommodations including cabins, full hook-up RV sites, pop-up & tent sites and a Retreat
Center for conferences, groups, events and seminars. Enota is rated to be in the top 100
camping destinations in the country. [1]”

Enota approached Tennessee Technological University with two alternative energy

projects. These projects were for the design of a hydro power plant and for the design of a
solar system. The solar system was to be implemented into one of the log cabins that are
available for rent to Enota visitors. This project benefits Enota in two ways. First, this system
will lower the total energy usage from the grid which also leads to a smaller carbon footprint.
Second, this system will have an educational display to teach visitors about solar energy. The
display will show visitors how solar energy is harvested and used, the many different
applications of solar energy and how cost effective the system can be.

A solar panel absorbs the energy of sunlight in the form of electrons. These electrons
are directed in one direction across the panel which creates a direct current, DC. Solar cells
were first produced in 1883 by Charles Fritts [2]. Scientists at the U.S. Department of
Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have set a world record in solar
cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts 40.8 percent of the light that hits it
into electricity. This is the highest confirmed efficiency of any photovoltaic device to date
[3].

There are three common types of solar systems. An off-grid system uses a bank of
batteries to store excess energy for use when needed. A grid-tied system is used to sell excess
energy back to the electric grid for credit and a hybrid system is grid-tied with battery
backup. The hybrid system is meant to be self sustaining but if needed, can draw extra power
from the electric grid or sell power back.

The basic components that make up a hybrid solar system are; the solar panels,
batteries, inverters and charge controllers. The solar panels charge the batteries while in
sunlight. The charge controller determines how much power the batteries need to reach full

2
 charge. The inverter converts the direct current from the batteries to an alternating current for
use in the residence and also determines when to switch from battery to grid power.

Energy has become one of the highest commodities in today’s market. Numerous
people rely on energy and that number increases every day. The race is on to produce as
much energy as possible. However, until recently energy has been heavily derived from non-
renewable fossil fuels. Many believe the only solution to our growing energy needs is to build
an energy infrastructure of renewable energies. The most common renewable energies are
solar, wind and water. The current downside to these renewable sources of energy is that the
systems have to be quite large to produce a significant amount of energy. However, these
systems can be scaled down and used in applications such as small energy efficient housing
or rural areas where power distribution is not available.

3. Literature Survey
In designing a solar power system for the cabin at Enota, we are using the newest
most cost-efficient technology. However, to understand new more efficient methods we
researched past projects. By doing so, we can learn from others mistakes and hardships. By
understanding the difficulties we will face, we can be better prepared for them. The following
are two examples and tips from other solar projects.

Rockriver [4]
Looking through some do-it-yourself documents we found the detailed experience of
Shane from Rockriver. Shane wanted to become more self sufficient and decided to start with
a solar system consisting of 4, 190 watt solar panels. He documents his experience very
thoroughly on this website and has a few tips we can take from it. Shane says he lowered his
average monthly electric bill by half in just two steps. His first step was to change the
incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent and second was installing timed power strips
on the electronic devices with phantom loads. “A phantom load is when a device is plugged
into the wall and is turned off but still uses power when turned off [4].” The rest of the
installation is mostly straight forward and standard but he offers one other tip about panel
positioning. “It is recommended to tilt your panels to equal your latitude and then for winter
months add 15 degrees to the tilt and in Summer Subtract 15 degrees from the tilt [4].”

Bob’s Solar Project [6]

Bob Goodsell undertook a project similar to ours, installing a PV system with battery
backup [5]. One of the major disadvantages to Bob’s design was that he did not incorporate
net metering, or selling power back to the grid [6]. During sunny days when the batteries
were completely charged, the rest of his power was just wasted. Our system is designed to
have the capability to net meter, thus selling excess power back to the power company.
Another issue Bob ran into is the overheating of his solar panels. The conversion of sunlight
to electricity is dependent on the temperature of the panels. If the panels get too hot, the
output will go down. He used the solar shingles directly mounted on his roof, with no air gap
behind them and no aluminum frame to dissipate heat. Because of this, his output in May was
higher than in July. Our system utilizes panels with aluminum frames to help dissipate heat.
Also, both mounting options have a sufficient air gap under the panels, keeping them at a

3
normal temperature. Also, Bob used flooded non-sealed batteries. Thus he has to maintain
the water level of these batteries to prevent damage or battery failure, as well as vent
dangerous fumes out of his house. Our system uses sealed batteries, so there is never any off
gassing or need to check any fluid levels.

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4. Conceptual Design

For the conceptual design, there are a few major components that are needed. First, a
load calculation is needed to determine how much power is needed. Then one can determine
the types of panels and the layout of the panels. Also, one needs to determine the type of
inverter, safety disconnect, batteries, and battery charger. For the data output, a computer and
display will be used, and a brochure will be given for educational purposes.

Cabin Layout before Solar System

Typically for a load calculation you look at old power bills to estimate usage.
However, this location has no old power bills as it shares a power meter with another
building. Thus, we made a list of all appliances in the cabin and their power ratings. Then we
estimated how long per day each appliance would be used. This gave us the power use of
each appliance per day. We then separated the appliances into groups. Our appliance groups
were small, medium, and large. The small appliances are thing such as lights, electronics,
microwaves, etc. The medium appliances are things like the air conditioner. The large
appliance group has the oven and the water heater. We used these appliance groups to
develop three different systems that will all meet the requirements.

The first system, referred to as the large system, is running the entire cabin (all
appliance groups) exactly as is. This requires a system with an average daily output of 13.4
kW per day. About half of this energy is going to the large appliances, which are the hot

5
water heater and the stove. These appliances also require a special 240 volt, two phase
inverter.

Next, the medium option is the most cost effective solution: to convert the large
appliances (stove and hot water heater) to natural gas, and then run the rest of the cabin (all
the other groups) off of a 7.4kW solar system. Since natural gas costs about $9.00/1000 ft^3
and contains 1,030 BTU/ft^3, [7] natural gas costs $0.00000874 per BTU. Electricity costs
about $0.12 per kW, and since one kW = 3414 BTU [8], electricity will run about
$0.0000351 per BTU. Thus natural gas appliances will cost about one forth as much to run
for an equivalent amount of use. Tankless hot water heaters can reduce expenses even more,
by only heating water as it is being used, eliminating standby losses.

The final system, referred to as the small system, is not designed to run the complete
cabin load, but to reduce the amount spent on electricity. This system produces 4.1kW of
solar energy, and would leave the larger appliances connected to grid power and the solar
system would only power the smaller loads. This option will not yield a zero net energy
building, which is a building that produces enough excess energy each summer (when peak
production is) to offset any energy bought to get through the winter (when there is less sun).
The small option would not be able to sell as much power back to the grid due to the smaller
size of the system.

By compiling a list of panels based on output power, price, and size we were quickly
able to narrow down the field of panels to only the best options. The least expensive panel per
watt was based on amorphous silicon solar cells [9] and would require many low rated low
efficiency panels. Only slightly more expensive were some panels based on highly efficient
multi-crystalline cells [10] that would use just a few large rating panels. However, once the
costs of wiring, mounting, and other parts of the system are considered, a system based on the
high efficiency panels will be less expensive. Also, these panels are covered in tempered
glass and have been tested to withstand hail, thermal cycles, thermal shocks, and other
relevant tests. These panels will provide a hassle and maintenance free system for a minimal
additional cost when compared to the low efficiency panels.

Kyocera Solar Panel [11]

6
 For the Enota solar system, there are two different ways to approach the layout of the
panels and equipment. For the layout of the panels, they can either be pole mounted [12]
where a pair of panels is mounted on a galvanized pole using a metal bracket, or they can be
flush mounted [13] on a small shed roof. For the rest of the equipment, it will be mounted on
a plywood box with a plexiglass front, allowing the equipment to all be located near the
panels and to allow the components to be easily seen. For the roof mounting system, this box
will be located under the roof to protect if from the weather. For the pole mounting system a
roof will be put over the box which will be mounted near the poles. A clear CAD model
showing both layouts is shown below. Either of these layouts will let the panels face due
south and allow the rest of the equipment to be easily seen but still protected from the
weather.

Pole Mounted Layout

7
Pole Mounted Layout

Shed Mounted Layout

8
 Shed Mounted Layout

A solar inverter converts direct current (DC) electricity to alternating current (AC) to
allow one to use household appliances or to connect to a utility grid [14]. There are three
different load categories that were evaluated to determine which inverter would work best for
that given system. The small load (1000W) and the medium load (1800W) use the same type
of inverter. The large load (5000W) uses a more expensive inverter. The capabilities that are
needed for the system (data output capabilities and connecting to the grid) are not available in
the lower power inverters, so we need to get an inverter that has higher power than what is
really needed for the system. This also allows for one to upgrade the system if interested
without having to replace the inverter. Some of the larger load inverters also have the ability
for battery backup and charging the batteries. This capability is not required, but it is a nice
addition for the large system. The large load also requires 240V to power the large
appliances, whereas the small and medium loads require 120V.

9
 Xantrex GT 2.8 Grid Inverter [15]

It is very important to use a safety disconnect for the solar system installation. A
disconnect is a switch that disconnects the solar array from the inverter [16]. Some inverters
include a safety disconnect, while others require an additional component installed.

Midnite Solar Mini Disconnect [17]

Lead-acid batteries are the most common in solar energy systems because their initial
cost is lower and because they are readily available nearly everywhere in the world [18].
There are many different kinds of lead-acid batteries, but the most important characteristic is
whether they are deep cycle batteries or shallow cycle batteries. Sealed deep-cycle lead-acid
batteries are essentially maintenance free. They never need to have water added. A newer
type of sealed battery uses "Absorbed Glass Mats", or AGM between the plates. Since all the
electrolyte (acid) is contained in the glass mats, they cannot spill, even if broken. This also
means that since they are non-hazardous, the shipping costs are lower. In addition, since there
is no liquid to freeze and expand, they are practically immune from freezing damage [19].
An excellent choice of a sealed, deep-cycle battery is the Concorde Sun-Xtender. Sun-
Xtenders have a wide range of operating temperatures from -40F (-40C) to 160F (72C) as
well as a low self-discharge of approximately 1% per month at 77F (25C) [20].

10
 Sun Xtender Sealed PVX890T Battery [21]

A charge controller is a regulator that is placed between the solar panels and the
batteries. Regulators for solar systems are designed to keep the batteries charged at peak
without overcharging [22]. Since the load requires the use of high voltage solar panels, the
only way to get full power out of these panels is to use an MPPT controller [23]. A MPPT, or
maximum power point tracker is an electronic DC to DC converter that optimizes the match
between the solar array and the battery bank. They convert a higher voltage DC output from
solar panels down to the lower voltage needed to charge batteries [24].

Maximum Power Point Tracker Controller [24]

Initially we had planned a folded brochure that explained the solar powered cabin.
However, after speaking to Swan, it was clear that a single one sided 8"x10" paper would be
more adequate for Enota. This would fit into their welcome and introduction package that
each visitor receives. The information located on this page is meant to intrigue the reader.
Ideally after reading the information the visitors will walk over to the cabin and gain more

11
knowledge of solar energy. Below are examples of a possible slide show display and an
example of the brochure.

Solar Power Output Over Time How it works
Power Output 10000
1. Sunshine is energy in 
9000
the form of electrons.
8000
7000 2. These electrons are 
gathered by the solar panels.
6000

Price ($)
5000
1 kW/hour Initial Cost
4000
4kW/day 3000
Output ($)

2000 4. The house
1.46MW/year runs off the 
1000
0
energy stored in 
the batteries.

0
17
34
51
68
85
102
119
136
153
170
187
204
221
238
255
272
289
306
323
340
357
3. The power generated by the 
solar panels is either stored in 
Time (Days) batteries or sold back to the 
power grid.

Enota
Solar Power Plant
Enota is a non‐profit conservation facility
committed to preserving our beautiful land
with a limited number of accommodations
including cabins, full hook‐up RV sites, pop‐up
& tent sites and a Retreat Center for
conferences, groups, events and seminars.

Enota has abundant solar power which is

renewable and free to use. Enota spends an
average of $3000 a month on the electric bill.
The objective of this solar project is to take
advantage of the available solar power to
generate electric power which can be used by a
log cabin.

The 10 solar panels, placed outside the

cabin, can produce as much as 1kW of energy
per day and is estimated to save Enota $350 per
year. At that rate the system will pay for itself
within 7 years.

This system is designed to store excess

energy during the day to a bank of batteries
which can be used during the night. However, it
is also possible to sell the excess energy back to
the power grid.

We chose a small computer such as the EEE PC [25] because it has the proper
hardware to run our display at an economic price. The EEE PC that is recommended
consumes 22W [26]. A 17" monitor was selected because it should be suitable size for
viewers up to 7' away. Also in comparison to a smaller screen such as a 15" model, this 17"
[27] is actually cheaper and uses minimal power at 32W.

ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf Notebook [25] I-inc 17” Widescreen LCD Monitor [27]

12
 Enota is responsible for completing the on site tasks necessary for the installation of
the solar system. These include acquiring any needed permits for this work, working with the
power company on grid sellback and getting a net metering power meter installed at the solar
site, replacing the current wiring from the shower house to cabin with wiring that runs from
the grid to the designated solar site and then to the cabin, building the mounting system
following the detailed blueprints that will be provided by the design team.

13
5. Project Management
The following timeline shows tasks to be completed in order, and are due at the end of
the week that they are filed under.

Fall Semester
Decision by the industrial client on which
system to choose(small, medium, or large
11/20/08 solar system)
industry client.
11/30/08 Wiring diagram completed
submit the parts order form.
Spring Semester
01/26/08 Any blueprints needed by Enota for on site
construction will be completed.
02/02/09 Enota's system will be assembled at TTU
and tested.
02/16/08 Testing and display interface starts

03/02/08 Testing completed at TTU

04/13/08 System installation at Enota site

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 6. Parts and Cost Estimation
Enota Solar Project Cost Estimation

Small Medium Large

Materials Cost 4.1 W 7.4 W 13.4 W
Panels $4,550.00 $7,280.00 $12,740.00

Charge Controller $200.00 $200.00 $200.00

Batteries $470.00 $870.00 $1,410.00

Inverter $1,800.00 $1,800.00 $3,300.00

Safety Disconnect $0.00 $0.00 $760.00

Computer and Display $300.00 $300.00 $300.00

Wiring $200.00 $300.00 $400.00

Total for materials $7,520.00 $10,750.00 $19,110.00

Pole Layout
Mounts $500.00 $800.00 $1,400.00
Poles $90.00 $120.00 $210.00
Concrete $28.00 $32.00 $44.00
Building $80.00 $80.00 $80.00

Estimated total system

cost for pole layout $8,218.00 $11,782.00 $20,844.00

Shed Layout
Building 200 350 600
Concrete 32 32 32
Bolts 20 32 56

Estimated total system

cost for shed layout $7,772.00 $11,164.00 $19,798.00

Currently these estimations do not include shipping or taxes.

Since this solar system will be generating power back over time, it will pay back dividends in
the form of reduced power bills. To estimate exactly how much money it is saving, we found the
value of the electricity the system will produce, applying the increasing cost of the kW over time.
We can then find out information such as how long until the system will pay for itself. After the

15
system cost has been recouped, any savings on energy cost become profit. The medium system
calculation includes the effect of switching the stove and water heater to natural gas.

Profit for system

Total Cost kW / day Years to recoup cost
lifetime
Small $7,772.00 4.1 16.4 $7,941.25
Medium $11,164.00 7.4 10.5 $34,442.75
Large $19,798.00 13.4 14.0 $31,557.50

16
7. Conclusions
Based on our calculations we recommend the medium system. We chose the medium
system because it meets the power requirements needed to power everything in the cabin so
long as the oven and water heater are replaced. This is the most cost effective solution.
However, if the capital is not available for new appliances the small system would be
sufficient for powering the small appliances and lighting as well as give an educational
model. Also, the small system could be upgraded to a larger system at some point in the
future.

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8. References
[1] Enota. “Enota Mountain Retreat, Cabins, Stream-side RV site, Camping, Retreat Center.”
21 October 2008. <http://www.Enota.com/>

[2] Wikipedia. “Solar Cell.” 21 October 2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell>

[3] National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “NREAL: NREL Solar Cell Sets World
Efficiency Record at 40.8 Percent.” 2008. 21 October 2008.
<http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2008/625.html>

[4] Rockriver.us. “Do-it yourself wind turbine solar panel installation.” 22 9 October 2008.
<http://www.rockriver.us/index.htm>

[5] Bob Goodsell. “Bob’s Solar Project.” 10/7/2006. Bgoodsel Solar Blog. 10/9/2008.
<http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bgoodsel/solar/blog.htm>

[6] Wikipedia. “Net Metering.” 10/9/2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_metering>

[7] Wikipedia. "Natural Gas." 19 October 2008. Natural Gas. 19 Oct. 2008.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas>

[8] The Solar Guide. "Amperes, Volts, Watts, Horsepower, BTUs." All About Energy. 19
Oct. 2008. <http://www.thesolarguide.com/energy-intro/amperes-volts-watts.aspx>

[9] Wholesale Solar. "Thin-film Silicon PV Module." 2007. Kaneka. 26 Sept. 2008.
<http://www.wholesalesolar.com/pdf.folder/module%20pdf%20folder/kanekaspecs.pdf>

[10] Kyocera Solar. "KD205GX-LP." Kyocera. 26 Sept. 2008.

<http://www.kyocerasolar.com/pdf/specsheets/kd_205gx-lp_081508_web.pdf>

[11] Wholesale Solar. “Kyocera Solar KD205GX-LP 205.” 2007. 26 Sept 2008.
<http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products.folder/module-
folder/kyocera/KD205GX_LP.html>

[12] Northern Arizona Wind & Sun, Inc. "Mounts for Solar Electric Panels." 19 April 2005.
Solar Panel Mounts 4 Oct. 2008 <http://www.solar-
electric.com/PV_Mounts/Solar_Panel_Mounts.htm>

[13] SPI Renewable Solutions. "Types of Solar Panel Mounts." Solar Panel Info. 9 Oct. 2008.
<http://www.solarpanelinfo.com/solar-panels/accessories/mounts/>

[14] Wikipedia. "Solar Inverter." 17 October 2008.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaic_inverter>

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[15] Wholesale Solar. “Xantrex GT 2.8 Grid Inverter.” 2007. 17 October 2008.
<http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products.folder/inverter-folder/xantrex-gt2.8.html>

[16] SolTrex. "How Solar Energy Works" 2003-2008. 17 October 2008.

<http://www.soltrex.com/learn/how.cfm>

[17] Wholesale Solar. “MNDC125, MNDC175, MNDC250 Disconnect Power Centers.”

2007. 17 October 2008. <http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products.folder/disconnect-
folder/MidniteSolar/MNDC125-250.html>

[18] Solar 4 Power. “Solar Power Battery Information.” 18 October 2008.

<http://www.solar4power.com/solar-power-battery.html>

[19] Northern Arizona Wind and Sun. “Deep Cycle Battery FAQ.” 1998-2007. 18 October
2008.
<http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#AGM,%20or%20Absorbed%20Glas
s%20Mat%20Batteries>

[20] Solar 4 Power. “Deep Cycle Batteries – Concorde.” 18 October 2008.

<http://www.solar4power.com/store/060-005-battery-concorde.htm>

[21] Atlanta Solar. “Sun Xtender Sealed PVX890T 12V.” 2004. 18 October 2008.
<http://www.atlantasolar.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/49/products_id/856>

[22] Northern Arizona Wind and Sun. “Deep Cycle Batteries FAQ” 1998-2007. 18 October
2008.
<http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#AGM,%20or%20Absorbed%20Glas
s%20Mat%20Batteries>

[23] Northern Arizona Wind and Sun. “Charge Controllers for Solar Electric Systems.” 1998-
2007. 18 October 2008. <http://www.windsun.com/ChargeControls/ChargeCont.htm>

[24] Northern Arizona Wind and Sun. “Maximum Power Point Tracking Charge Controller.”
1998-2007. 18 October 2008. <http://www.windsun.com/ChargeControls/MPPT.htm>

[25] Amazon. “ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf.” 1996-2008. 15 October 2008.

<http://www.amazon.com/7-Inch-Display-Mobile-Processor-
Preloaded/dp/B00114T9WY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224103695&sr=8-
10>

[26] B & H. “ASUS | Eee PC 2G Surf Notebook Computer.” 2000-2008. 15 October 2008.
<http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/550344-
REG/ASUS_90OA02AB0004111U105Q_Eee_PC_2G_Surf.html#specifications>

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[27] TigerDirect. “I-inc IF171ABB 17” Widescreen LCD Monitor.” 2007-2008. 15 October
2008. <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-
details.asp?EdpNo=4008589&CatId=167>

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