Energy Efficient Hybrid Solar System for Cold Storage in Remote Areas

Abstract

Stand-alone PV systems have shown to be reliable and cost effective for cooling & refrigeration and have attracted the users. For a specific application with an estimated requirement of cooling in cold storage, low power air conditioning system using PV modules has been designed, fabricated and developed. The paper also deals with our experiences encountered including the successful operation of the refrigeration system during off the sunshine hours continuously for 7 or 8 hours. The calculations of the specific cooling costs show the promising economic effectiveness and reliability of the designed PV refrigeration system. Keeping in view of the technical performance and economic parameter, it demonstrates that this small-scale technology can contribute to solving problems of cooling like small area refrigeration including the transportable and small cold storage container with integrated PV energy supply systems. These systems can be erected on or around a cold storage to obtain the cooling needs while grid electricity cuts frequently or especially in remote desert areas.