Solar power saves Egyptian farmer fuel every month
The Egyptian energy sector is currently undergoing a rapid transformation into greener and more sustainable power sources. The aim is that 20% of the electricity is being generated from renewable sources by 2022 and 42% by 2035. So far, the energy sector primarily has been based on fossil fuel. However, the country’s high wind speeds, climate and location make solar and wind power a great alternative for sustainable energy.
Farming is one of the main occupations in Egypt and for a fruit grower in Bahryia Oasis, Al-Wahat Al-Bahariya in the Western Desert of Egypt, implementing solar power will make his farm greener and more economical. Not only does the solar plant make his production more sustainable but also saves him thousands of litres of fuel every month.
The Egyptian manufacturer of electrical solutions Gila Al Tawakol Electric is a regional leader in solar power solutions, and the company has been a co-developer on four PV plants in Benban, Aswan. The project in Benban is a 140 MW solar project and thereby one of the world’s largest solar projects.
Fast commissioning with reliable components
For the solar plant in Al-Wahat Al-Bahariya, Gila Al Tawakol Electric was advised by its partner Schneider Electric to cooperate with DEIF. Schneider and DEIF have worked together on many projects worldwide, and the cooperation has always been successful. Project Manager Eng. Mohamed El-Shinawy contacted DEIF’s sales manager Gaëtan
Floriach, and the project was initiated. Having commissioned the solar plant, the project manager is satisfied with the partnership. ”DEIF’s components are very easy to install and extremely reliable. ATOS’ engineering team onsite with Commissioning & Testing Engineer Rami Mansour in charge made the commissioning in only a few days with online support from DEIF’s Sales Manager Gaëtan Floriach. Everything went very fast and satisfying”, says Eng. Mohamed El-Shinawy.
In close cooperation with Gila Electric Al Tawakol and DEIF’s distributor ATOS Generator in Egypt, DEIF delivered a control solution to the farmer’s three existing gensets (400/250/110 KVA). DEIF provided Al Tawakol with the technical solution and DEIF’s Egyptian distributor and genset packager ATOS Generators supplied the components.
The three older gensets are now being controlled by DEIF’s ASC-4 solar controller and MIC power meters. The MIC power meter sends signals to the ASC-4 controller that optimises the consumption.
The installation and commissioning went very smooth, and in only three days, the plant was up and running. The results so far are convincing and during the first month, the owner of the farm reduced his monthly fuel consumption with 50,000 litres, equalling approximately a fourth of his monthly consumption.
“The plant has been in operation for three months now, and it is running stable and efficient, and the cooperation has been smooth and professional”
Mohammed El-Shinawy
Engineering project manager
The plant has been in operation for three months now, and it is running stable and efficient, and the cooperation has been smooth and professional”, explains Eng. Mohamed El-Shinawy. The farmer is happy with the current results and currently, the second phase of the project is initiated, which is an expansion of the solar power plant. The project will include adding two additional generators which will be controlled by the ASC controller and MIC power meters.
Renewables are booming
Egypt’s Feed-in-Tariff program initiative aims at promoting renewables, and several projects are in the pipeline. Both Gila Al Tawakol Electric and ATOS Generators are currently working on several upcoming PV power projects, and according to Commissioning & Testing Engineer Rami Mansour from ATOS Generators the launch of DEIF’s new AGC 150 hybrid controller opens up for new possibilities.
“The new AGC-150 Hybrid controller is very suitable for customers with smaller and more simple setups as it is less expensive, I believe this controller is going to be installed in several PV plants in Egypt”
Rami Mansour
Technical solution engineer, ATOS Generators
"The new AGC-150 Hybrid controller is very suitable for customers with smaller and more simple setups as it is less expensive, I believe this controller is going to be installed in several PV plants in Egypt”, Rami concludes.
Automatic sustainable controller ASC-4 Solar
- Solar, storage, wind, Mains and genset integration in hybrid applications
- ASC-4 sustainable controllers and AGC-4 Mk II/AGC 150 let you control up to 32 gensets
- Simple graphical configuration
- Uptime guaranteed through spinning reserve
- Maximised sustainable power penetration
- Load dependent genset start/stop
- Minimum genset load constraint
- Ideal for self-consumption applications
- Highly customisable with user-friendly M-Logic tool
- Control of breaker
- Record time commissioning with DEIF Emulation
- uses and verifies the functions of the real system for test, production and design - Suitable for power management solutions fitted with AGC-4, AGC 150 or AGC 200 genset controllers
- Suitable for stand-alone solutions using multi-instruments such as DEIF’s MIB or MIC
Advanced Genset Controller AGC 150 Hybrid
- Minimum Genset load
- Load calculation in terms of solar power
- Genset start/stop based on mains import/export
- Genset start/stop based on PV production
- PV included in mode: MPE Mains Power export/import
- PV included in mode: LTO Load Take over
- PV included in mode: Fixed Power
- PV included in mode: AMF Automatic Mains Failure
- PV included in mode: Peak Shaving
