Lamma Power Station
Solar Power System
Content

Project Background

Site Selection

Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Photovoltaic System

Environmental Benefits

Challenges

Project Schedule

Summary and Way Forward
2
Project Background

To widen the use of renewable energy in
HK Electric’s power generation system in
support of government policy.

To explore the introduction of
commercial scale solar energy project
following the success of commissioning
the first wind turbine in providing green
electricity.

To partner with DuPont Apollo Limited in
studying the feasibility of installing large
scale PV System in Lamma Power
Station.
3
Site Selection - Considerations

Large flat area for solar PV
installation on ground or roof top

The total weight of solar panels
and supports against allowable
roof loading

Orientation of solar panels –
facing south and tilted at 22º

Full utilization of sunlight with no
shading

Visual impact

Ease of grid connection

Accessibility for operation &
maintenance
4
Site Selection - Installation Locations
5 groups on rooftops of Main Station Building & 1 group near C.W. Intake no. 2
5
Amorphous Silicon Thin Film PV System –
Technical Information

Amorphous silicon photovoltaic module –
5,500 pieces

Total Area of PV modules – 8470 m²

Maximum output of each PV module – 100 W

Total installed Capacity – 550 kW

Capacity Factor – 12.9%

Anticipated power output – 620,000 kWh

Design life – 20 years

Project Cost – HK$23 million
6
Amorphous Silicon Thin Film PV System –
Characteristics and Benefits
1. Use less energy for production
The more silicon is used for production of PV
panels, the more energy is required. Thin film
PV technology uses less silicon. Thickness is
only about 1/200 of that for crystalline PV
module.
2. More suitable in tropical environment
Thin film PV maintains better power output
level at high temperature than crystalline PV.
3. Better weak light performance
Thin film PV modules are able to effectively
produce power at low irradiance conditions.
7
Amorphous Silicon Thin Film PV System –
Power output in response to solar irradiance variation
Output
(kW)
Irradiance
(W/m²)
1000
1000
900
18/07/2010
(Sunny) - Output
900
800
22/07/2010
(Cloudy & Rainy) Output
18/07/2010
(Sunny) - Irradiance
800
700
600
22/07/2010
(Cloudy & Rainy) Irradiance
500
700
600
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
Time
Power Output:
18/7/2010 (Sunny) – 3,582 kWh, 22/7/2010 (Cloudy & Rainy) – 1,258 kWh
8
Amorphous Silicon Thin Film PV System –
Operation & Maintenance
● Fully Automatic Operation
 With solar irradiance of 100 W/m² and the output voltage of PV
string at 360V, the system connects to the grid automatically.
● Simple Maintenance
 General cleaning required under normal circumstances.
 Power output not affected even with minor cracks on surface of PV
modules.
9
Environmental Benefits

Reduce 520 tonnes of
CO2 emission per annum

Reduce 2.9 tonnes of
SO2 emission per annum

Reduce 1.4 tonnes of
NOx emission per annum
10
Challenges
1. Retrofitting large scale solar power system in existing power plant –
locating large flat areas without any shade to set up PV modules,
while not affecting plant operations.
11
Challenges
2. Mounting the PV panels firmly at the selected sites without damaging
water-proofing layers on rooftops and wind pressure on PV panels.
HK Electric’s Solar Power System
Typical
Mounting
of
modules
Metal
structure fixed
by anchored
bolts
Wind
Pressure
2.4 kPa / m²
(No stiffeners)
Concrete blocks
freely stand on
the roof to avoid
damage to
water-proofing
layers
5.6 kPa / m²
(Stiffeners
added)
12
Challenges
3. Delivering large quantities of equipment and materials to rooftops.
5,500 Solar
Panels
47 PV inverters,
47 combiner
boxes, 25
Electrical and
instrument
panels
100,000 metres
of cables and
cable supports
21,888 angle
steel brackets for
fixing of PV
modules onto the
concrete blocks
11,000
concrete
blocks for
fixing of PV
modules
250 Ton crane
for lifting of
materials to
EL+80.15 roof
areas
13
Project Schedule

4 – 9/2009
Site investigation and study

10 & 11/2009
Tendering

12/2009 – 3/2010 Design

4 – 6/2010
Construction, testing & commissioning

End 6/2010
Project Completion
14
Summary and Way Forward
●
●
●
It is the largest solar energy system in Hong Kong.
More solar panels are planned to be installed on the rooftops of the
New Store Building and existing 275 kV Switching Station.
The long term target is to expand the total capacity of the system to
1 MW.
550 kW
Lamma Power Station
Completed in 2010
Amorphous Silicon Thin Film
350 kW
EMSD Headquarter
Completed in 2005
Crystalline Silicon
198 kW
Hong Kong Science Park
Completed in 2005
Crystalline Silicon
15
Thank You