Description of photovoltaic village power systems in the United States and Africa
The NASA Lewis Research Center has designed, fabricated, and installed two photovoltaic power systems in remote villages in the United States and Africa. These projects were undertaken to demonstrate that existing photovoltaic system technology is capable of providing electrical power for basic domestic services for the millions of small, remote communities in both developed and developing countries. One system is located in the Papago Indian Village of Schuchuli in southwest Arizona (USA) and bacame operational 16 December 1978. The other system is located in Tangaye, a rural village in Upper Volta, Africa. It became operational 1 March 1979. The Schuchuli system has a 3.5 kW (peak) solar array which provides electric power for village water pumping, a refrigerator for each family, lights in the village buildings, and a community washing machine and sewing machine. The 1.8 kW (peak) Tangaye system provides power for community water pumping, flour milling and lights in the milling building. These are both stand-alone systems (i.e., no back-up power source) which are being operated and maintained by local personnel. Both systems are insutrumented. Systems operations are being monitored by NASA to measure design adequacy and to refine designs for future systems. Baseline socioeconomic studies have been performed for both villages. Follow-up studies are planned to determine the impact of the power systems on the villagers. The designs, hardware, and installations for both systems are described.
- Research Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
- OSTI ID:
- 6205376
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NASA/20485-79/1; NASA-TM-79149; CONF-790457-4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
AFRICA
AMERICAN INDIANS
APPLIANCES
CLOTHES WASHERS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GAS APPLIANCES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MACHINING
MILLING
MINORITY GROUPS
NORTH AMERICA
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
PIPES
POPULATIONS
POWER SUPPLIES
PUMPS
REFRIGERATING MACHINERY
REFRIGERATORS
REMOTE AREAS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
USA
USES