Solar PV Training workshop. Kunini hosted a Training Workshop for a new installation company from Phetchabun. The team from Chaweewan Group drove all the way down from Phetchabun to our Hua Hin office for a crash course in Solar PV. Kunini’s Team covered the basic Theory, Solar PV design, System Components, Safety, Installation and Commissioning.
The morning session covered the basics with some practical training in the afternoon. The trainees installed a complete 5kW Solar PV System with an inverter, combiner box and all necessary components. They also got their hands on a 5kW Three-Phase Solar Inverter to mix up the training. We unboxed the new The Huawei 5kW 1 Phase Solar Inverter which is a great bit of technology and is quite a new player in the market.
Kunini, A Brief Outline..
Kunini has been involved in the Solar PV Business since 2010, today our company is a competitive and experienced player. We are a Solar EPC working on Solar Roofs for Residential and Commercial properties. For Residential, these are mainly self-owned. For Commercial we have different offers; self-owned, power purchasing agreements (PPA’s) and solar leasing.
We have noticed an increase in our Solar Business over the past couple of years, we put this down to the fact that costs have come down considerably and regulations are now clear cut. Take a look at our latest video, Solar Rooftop Options In Thailand..
Latest News
Seraphim Solar Panels
Solar Panel News; we have been using the latest solar panel technology, the 400Wp Seraphim Blade Series panels are cut into two, this helps tremendously with any shading issues… Kunini keeps up to date with the latest Solar Panel technology and uses these on its projects in Thailand.
Huawei Solar Inverters
Huawei Solar Inverters are fairly new in Thailand, they have both single and three-phase and are approved by both the PEA and the MEA. Kunini is starting to use the Huawei 5kW Single Phase unit and the 10kW Three-Phase units.
So why is now the right time to install a Solar Rooftop on your factory or business?
There are three key points that state the case for installing a Solar Rooftop today;
Cost
Technology
Regulations
Costs
During the past five years, we have seen a steady decline in costs relating to Solar PV and Solar Rooftops. Due to advances in new technologies and the surge of new solar manufactures competition has been fierce. Many countries have adopted favourable tax and duties for Solar PV and that has also helped bring costs down. Those factors have contributed to the reduction in costs of equipment, particularly Solar PV Panels and Solar Inverters. Although costs to buy the main components of a Solar Rooftop have come down considerably, other costs related to the installation have seen a steady increase but not enough to impact and deter the development of Solar Rooftops.
Technology
The development of Solar PV panels has come a long way, from 170Wp panels a few years ago to 400Wp panels today. There are even 500Wp panels on the market but lead times are long and the costs are relatively high. If you compare a 170Wp solar panel with a footprint of 2sqm (2x1m standard size), with a 400Wp solar panel with the same footprint then you can see that this has an impact on many fronts. Let’s look at an example;
A 500kW plant using 170Wp solar panels needed 2,940 panels with a footprint of 5,880 sqm.
A 500kW plant using 400Wp solar panels would need 1,250 panels with a footprint of 2,500 sqm.
This alone has a big impact on costs; fewer panels, less racking, less labour, fewer cables and all-round a quicker installation turnaround. Solar Inverters have also come a long way, with regards to functionality, efficiency and reliability. This means that there is a lot less downtime of PV Plants and the overall production is far greater than previous generations of Solar Inverters.
Regulations
In this article, we discuss regulations in Thailand as that is where we have our business. In the past installing a Solar Rooftop for commercial business was almost unheard of as there were no guidelines in place and just ‘doing-it’ was a big risk for all involved. These days we have pretty clear regulations and guidelines so installing a Solar Roof for ‘self-consumption’ is legal. There are different regulations depending on the size of the Solar Roof but in fact, it’s just that you need to be more compliant and there are a few more hoops to jump through. The process is fairly clear but you need patience. After submitting the application you can start construction and operate the plant whilst waiting for the final inspection and approval. The permits and licences are for 25 years so you only need to go thru the process once. Having a good O&M contract in place and an efficient documentation process in place is sound advice as you never know when you may have some inspector drop by to take a look.
Financing
With the improvements in technology, reduction in costs and clear regulations installing a Solar Rooftop makes sense for a facility owner or roof owner as a way to reduce energy costs. The cost of the investment can be paid back within five years, usually, the saving from the utility costs will offset the cost of the investment. The Solar Rooftop will continue to produce energy for 25 years so once your investment is paid off you have free energy… What to do if the funds are not available? There are a few options available.
Self-financing through your local bank of finance vehicle
Entering into a PPA agreement with a Solar Services Provider
Self-financing may be an option but most times financial support is required for an investment of this size. Often times this can be difficult and time-consuming. However, if you can secure the funds you have the benefit of free energy after the investment has been paid back.
Another option is to enter into a PPA contract with a Solar Service Provider. This option means you have zero outlay and you get a percentage deduction off of your monthly electricity charge, usually 10-12%. The PPA contract usually runs for 15 years then you get to keep the asset after that time.
For more information about installing a Solar Rooftop for your Business, please email me or send me a message on messenger.
Daniel Parsons
Chief Operating Officer
Kunini EPC Services
SOLAR ROOFTOP OPTIONS IN THAILAND | 2020 REVIEW
I made a quick video review about Solar Rooftop Options in Thailand in 2020. We have more information on our page Solar PV Systems
This short video explains the various options there are when considering installing a Solar Rooftop on your home.
You have three main options;
1. Self Consumption
2. Self Consumption with FIT (feed-in-tariff)
3. Hybrid System
Self Consumption with Zero Export Policy enforced by the utility, this system needs to be designed for each customer based on their daytime power demand. Any excess power generated is wasted as you cannot export to the grid (utility, PEA, MEA).
Self Consumption with feed-in-tariff (FIT) This system is similar to the above in regards to design, however, any excess can be exported to the grid and the customer will receive compensation. The rate is currently Bt.2.2 per kWh. There are limits; Single Phase, max 5kW, Three Phase, max 10kW. The contract is for 10 years. * Note; Both of these systems are Grid-Tied, that means that if the grid is down then the Solar PV is down too. The Grid inverter is synchronized with the grid and needs grid power to operate.
Hybrid Solar PV System. With this system, you will have a Hybrid Solar Inverter and Batteries (we are using Lithium these days). You can install as much PV as you like as you can use this to charge the batteries during the daytime. You can also set this system up so you can use the batteries at night. An ideal setting is usually 60/40/10 – 60% to be used at night, 40% is in reserve for emergencies/power outages and 10% is the battery depletion rate, where it will start to re-charge.
Decision Process
So deciding which type of system best suits you should be the first step in the process, we have more information on our Solar PV Page and on our Blog Page.
Solar Rooftop Options In Thailand 2020 Review
It might seem strange that we have chosen the theme of garden tips to include in the blog section of a successful electrical and lighting company, but if you stop and think many garden features could be highlighted by carefully designed lighting.
Kunini are not horticulturists but they do understand the concept of low voltage lighting for gardens and outdoor places. If you are thinking of updating your outside area then contact us today to see what lighting is available for exterior use
What is Low Voltage Lighting?
Landscaping your garden or making improvements to an outdoor area of your home are popular pursuits of many homeowners. Landscape lighting is the term generally used to describe all outdoor lighting for the garden space; this term can also cover garden lighting (for plants, trees, shrubs, lawns etc..), pond lighting, water feature lighting etc.. There is also the addition of lighting for the exterior of the house or property, think wall lights etc., this type of lighting can also come under the same contract or brief from a customer.
The voltage for such illumination can change between mains voltage (220V), or low voltage such as 12VDC or 24VDC. It is Kunini’s recommendation to opt for the latter, especially for garden lighting. For pond lighting and water features low voltage lighting is mandatory. However, if its for exterior wall lighting or high level feature lighting 220V lighting can also be considered.
Installing a low voltage system can be a bit more costly as there are more component parts to consider, cabling routes also need to carefully planned so that the system works as planned. The main issue for low voltage lighting is volt-drop, when you get a drop in the voltage the last lights on the line can be dimmed. For main voltage lighting there is the risk of electrocution if the gardener was to chop thru a cable, or a child was to start playing with the fixture. All mains voltage lighting must be RCD protected. Low-voltage systems are more safer, efficient; especially when using LED lamps, and the product range is vast.
What Can Low-Voltage Lighting be Used For
There are many features you can employ that will improve your outdoor space and elevate your garden or yard to something quite spectacular.
The most popular features are rockeries, fountains, ponds, relaxation areas, gazebos, BBQ’s, paths, and sculptures. Every one of these features can be enhanced by clever lighting design that will make them even more spectacular.
What Are the Key Components
There is a plethora of choice when it comes to low-voltage lighting, fixtures and fittings that are different styles, sizes and colours. LED lamps, RGBW lamps (multi coloured), no matter what lighting system you choose there will be some core component parts.
Transformers
For every low-voltage system there needs transformers to provide the power. Sometimes one major transformer is all that is needed, but it all depends on the design and size of the system.
Basically a transformer will lower the house current down to 12 or 24 volts, either AC or DC, depending in which country you live in it will be slightly different. All transformers are rated according to their maximum wattage output and models can range from 20 watts to 2000 watts.
Cable
Most external cable is specifically made for burial under the surface, the low-voltage cable will run from the transformer then connect individually to each low-voltage unit. When designing a low-voltage lighting system it usually best to split the area up into zones then get one transformer to power each zone, this reduces voltage drops and allows for a more manageable system. The type and size (conductor size), of cable used generally depends on the size of the system, the number of lights, the number of zones and the transformer rating..
Pathway Lights
These low-voltage lights are designed specifically for use on drives, paths and walkways. Generally they are the most attractively designed lights as they are highly visible. If however, you want to illuminate a feature and hide the fitting then these lights housings can be made from dark painted materials.
Accent Fixtures
These types of fixtures are the wizards of lighting, hidden from view they illuminate key features you wish to highlight in a swathe of colour. They include fitting such as spotlights, floodlights, wall-wash units and up-lights.
So all your shrubs, trees, flowers, walls, fences, ponds etc can all be separately illuminated with the light coming from an unknown source.
If you are considering a low-voltage lighting system for your garden then contact Kunini who are the professionals of electrical design and installation and are sure to help you improve your own outdoor space.
What is a Solar Hybrid System?
You may think that a Solar Hybrid system is just a Solar system with batteries, but it’s much more than that. Kunini has been installing Solar PV systems since 2010 and did install some early versions of Solar hybrid systems. Back then, these were off-grid systems that were a bit iffy, to be honest. The Solar inverter was an off-grid type, and the batteries were either lead acid or Solar gel, and you needed to integrate a charge controller for the batteries.
You needed so much kit to get them working, and reliability and maintenance were tedious. Those systems were defiantly hit and miss!
Move forward a few years, say 2018 or thereabouts, and real Solar Hybrid systems started hitting the market. Kunini started installing Solar Hybrids with Lithium batteries around 2018.
So, what is a Solar Hybrid System? It’s a Solar PV System with batteries that can be used for emergency power or to save energy at night.
Growatt Hybrid System 20kW
Can a Solar Hybrid System take care of all my power needs? Yes and no. It all comes down to requirements and design. Let’s look at the components of a Solar Hybrid System.
Solar Hybrid Inverter – the brains behind the system with an integrated solar battery charger and other intelligent components. The Hybrid Inverter can be single or three-phase. Typically, 5 or 10kW, but some bigger ones are in the pipeline. If you have a single-phase supply, the only size available is 5kW. If you have a three-phase supply, you can get a 5 or 10kw inverter.
What does that mean? 5kW will give a 500W output, and a 10kW inverter will provide you with a 10000W output. Note: the three-phase inverter backup output needs to be balanced; generally, 3.3kW per phase and no phase imbalance of more than 1kW.
So, is running your whole house from Solar PV and Batteries possible? Yes, but it is costly. New commercial Solar Inverters or Smart Energy Systems are available for small commercial or luxury residential systems. Still, these start around 30kW, and you need sufficient battery storage systems and larger Solar PV arrays to charge them.
Lithium Batteries and Controller – batteries have come a long way these past few years, and new technologies are constantly being researched. Right now, let’s look at Lithium. Lithium batteries are an excellent choice for solar power systems. They are incredibly forgiving when it comes to the level of discharge they will tolerate. Said another way, you can safely go up to a 100% depth of discharge (DoD) while maintaining nearly 98% efficiency.
Many Solar Hybrid manufacturers have their own batteries and controllers.
Smart Logger / Smart Meter – These smart meters are used to control Solar Production, Load Consumption and Zero Export Control. These work by installing CT clamps on the main incoming power cables and connecting the meter to the Solar Inverter via an RS485 cable connection.
Design & Installation – when choosing to install a Solar Hybrid system, you need to decide what your needs are. Emergency backup power? Energy-saving (using batteries at nighttime)? Whatever your needs are, selecting the suitable loads to add to your system is critical. If it is for emergency power, then look at critical loads; lighting, power, refrigeration, house water pump, internet etc. If it is for Energy Saving, then the loads are equally crucial as only the loads connected to the Hybrid Inverter’s backup box will be able to receive battery power. What loads are not advised to be on the battery system? Large Air-condition units, Hot Water units, Ovens, Pool Pumps etc.
Common Misconceptions I have a Solar Hybrid system; if there is a power outage, will this cover all of my home power needs? No. Only the loads connected to the battery system, as explained earlier. Why? Because if you feed the Solar Energy directly to your loads through the Solar Inverter, you will be pushing power down the utility power lines, which is not allowed. When there is a power outage, the Solar Hybrid Inverter switches to battery mode or off-grid mode. It’s the batteries that supply the power needed for the loads inside your battery backup box.
Our Interview On Bangkok Chit Chat
Kunini featured on the Bangkok Chit Chat show, episode #96 where we were interviewed about Solar PV and Solar Rooftops in Thailand.
Kunini’s Business Model
Kunini has seen a surge in Solar PV installations over the past few years. Actually, the Solar PV business in Thailand has seen a rapid increase since regulations were clarified and prices for Solar Panels, Solar Inverters and other equipment has stabilized. Indeed, Kunini’s business which focuses on two markets; Solar Hybrid and Grid Tied Solar PV Systems, has seen a steady flow of business since 2018. This has allowed us to strengthen our position in these areas, particularly with Solar Hybrid systems as these require more understanding and design considerations. It’s important to educate customers so that they know about the benefits and limitations of all systems so that there are no disappointments moving forward.
There has never been a better time to install a Solar Rooftop in Thailand, whether it’s for your home or business. Costs have stabilized and typical ROI’s are around 4-5years not to mention other benefits of installing Solar.
Here are some benefits of installing a Solar Rooftop…
Reduces your monthly utility charge by saving energy, based on the self-consumption model
Ads value to your property
Reduces Carbon footprint, helping to achieve a greener planet
Keeps your home or business cooler with the additional shading
Gives you an Emergency power supply if you choose a Solar Hybrid system
Be a Cool Dude or Dudess knowing you are doing your part to save the planet
Hi, I am Daniel Parsons – Chief Operating Officer of Kunini Electrical and Kunini Solar EPC. We founded Kunini in Thailand in 2002. Since conception, I have been running Kunini and have a wealth of knowledge and experience with Electrical and Solar PV Systems and have been the innovator behind Kunini’s success.
I have been in South East Asia since 1988; I have also lived in Hong Kong and the Philippines.
My job as the COO is to innovate, plan, coach, inspire and motivate our teams and our customers.
Innovate
Plan
Coach
Inspire
Motivate
We work with our customers to design either Electrical or Solar PV systems that meet their requirements and needs.
All of the systems that we install are designed to meet the needs of our customers; one size does not necessarily fit all.
Every job starts with a Consultation and a Survey allowing us to get to the heart of what our customer wants. We send a detailed quotation and project brief for every job and follow up with a call or visit to clarify our intention. Our teams are trained for their work, and they carry out installations to a professional standard according to the Project Brief. All jobs are QC inspected and documented by a site Engineer. We have a CSR – Customer Service Representative on hand to manage customer expectations and plan the service and maintenance contracts.
Design Electrical and Solar PV Systems with Safety and Functionality as a Standard
One size does not fit all
Consultation and Survey
Detailed quotation and project brief
Professional installations, QC inspected and documented by a site Engineer
CSR – Customer Service Representative to plan the service and maintenance contracts
“Trust Us To Get Your Project Done”
Now you know who I am and what we do, please feel free to contact me directly. My contact details are in my email signature. Chat soon.
Risk Assessment and Solar PV Systems
The recent floods here in Thailand got me thinking about Solar PV installations in low lying areas and whether a risk assessment should be included with all solar surveys. We are quite fortunate here in Thailand that we don’t get much bad weather like typhoons, strong winds, hale storms etc. Not like our close neighbour’s from the Philippines or Hong Kong! But we do get plenty of flooding! Seeing news pictures showing houses underwater or half-submerged got me thinking. What would be the consequence of this in regards to electrical safety?
Obviously, any submerged equipment would be written off in terms of damage, but what about electrical safety?
If a grid-tied system was installed and the utility switched off the power, the inverter and AC side would be shut down, but what about the DC side? Even if the Solar Inverter and DC isolators have been turned off, the Solar Array will still be live (during daylight hours). This is a major concern as you could face serious injury from electric shock. What about Solar Hybrid systems? Well, these could be more problematic as they would stay online, as they are supposed to do, during a power outage. This means that the connected loads and the Solar PV array would still be live and a potential source of electric shock.
“solar panels continue producing electricity even if your utility has cut off power to your property.”
What to do, what solutions are available?
Knowing what we know now, we can assess the property and area to see if it’s prone to flooding, then design the Solar PV Systems equipment location accordingly. Options could include installing the Solar PV System higher up, like on the second floor of a house or mounting the systems high up, which would mean servicing access would need a ladder. Consider installing a second DC isolation switch on the roof (or as close to the array as possible); that way, you can isolate the PV array entirely from the system. If you have a Solar Hybrid system and it looks like you may get flooded, shut down the system completely, even the backup power supply.
What to do after a flood?
If your Solar PV System gets wet or submerged after a flood, do not turn it back on. Call your local Solar PV System installer to come out and assess your system to see if it’s safe, can be repaired or will need to be replaced.
It is evident that installing a Solar rooftop is on the increase here in Thailand and indeed around the world. Advertisements from Solar companies are blasted all over Social Media. The number of daily enquiries that we receive from Solar equipment suppliers has peaked at about one per hour either by email, Whatsapp or Line!
When we started installing Solar rooftops ten years ago, the ROI (return on investment) was around ten years; now, it can be less than five.
Residential Solar Roof
What I have seen over the years with ‘trends’ is that there is a ‘tipping point. In our field (electronics, tech etc..), we know that when the ‘tipping-point occurs, you will see a swift decline of suppliers and installers, generally leaving the customer frustrated and lost. We witnessed this in the electronic security business when cheap CCTV cameras entered the market, there was a shift and selling quality equipment became almost impossible. When this happens, there are only a few options available; join in the fray and sell cheaper products, quit or adapt!
So what’s next for Solar? How can you protect your investment, one that should serve you for at least 15-20 years.
The best way is to work with a supplier/installer that has been in the business for some time and has a reputation that they want to maintain. Try to base your purchasing decision on the equipment used and the warranties and service offered by the company you choose. With Solar equipment, items like solar inverters and solar panels typically have an extended warranty period, and no installation company will offer the warranty themselves. The contract for these items is with the manufacturer. If your installer shuts shop, how will you claim in the event of a fault or faulty part? What about servicing and maintaining your system, does the installer offer this service after the contract has finished?
Kunini has been in business in Thailand since 2002 and has been installing Solar Rooftops since 2010. If you are considering installing a Solar Rooftop for your home or business, please contact us. We are here to help and answer any questions you may have.
