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Case study 1 April, 2016 Battery / Energy StorageSolar PV Other Stand alone

Phaesun – PV System in Yandup Island Lodge, Panama

Who, What & Where

  • Phaesun
  • Off-grid PV System with batteries
  • Yandup Island Lodge, Panama

The Company

Phaesun GmbH based in Memmingen, Germany has been specialising in the sale, service and installation of Off-Grid photovoltaic and wind power systems since the company was founded in 2001. Phaesun works as wholesaler and system integrator and has daughter companies and representations in France, Dubai, Eritrea, Panama and Ivory Coast.

The Challenge

Yandup Island is difficult to reach. All equipment had to be delivered by plane to the neighbouring larger island Ukupseni (PlayĆ³n Chico). Then the equipment was shipped with a small speed boat to Yandup Island. As soon as the PV system was installed, it turned out to be a reliable solution to serve all necessary loads on the island!

Renewable Solution

High solar irradiation at the coast of Panama is ideal to run PV Off-Grid systems. The diesel generator that had been serving the loads in the kitchen before, was running every day for several hours thus consuming high amounts of diesel. The diesel had been regularly deliverd from the neighbour islands with high costs. The PV system now serves the whole island with reliable power throughout the year.

Yandup Island is one of the islands of the Kuna Yala (San Blas) archipelago along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Most of the 350 islands of the archipelago are not electrified. Yandup Island was not habited until a few years ago and now mainly serves as a tourist destination with the Yandup Island Lodge. There was a diesel generator to serve electric loads in the kitchen house before. A 3kW PV system was installed in 2011/12 to serve basic loads in the kitchen, administration, the staff accomodation and lights in the tourist bungalows.

Size: 3 kWp

System components:

  • 40 ET solar modules monocristalline
  • 75 Wp
  • 1 Outback Solar Charge Controller FM 80
  • 1 Outback System FW250, 3.6 kVA,
  • 120 VAC/60 Hz
  • 1 system controller MATE and communication manager HUB4
  • 1 AC distribution
  • 32 Trojan Batteries 6 V/225 Ah,
  • total 48 V/900 Ah
  • Mounting equipment and accessories