Total Solar Distributed Generation (DG), in partnership with Canopy Power, has started constructing a solar and battery energy storage hybrid microgrid on the remote island of Koh Rong Sanloem in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
The project, which aims to deliver clean and reliable power, will consist of a 1.25MWp ground-mounted solar PV plant and a 2MWh battery energy storage system integrated with diesel generators and a smart controller. These components will make it one of Southeast Asia’s largest off-grid renewable energy microgrids.
Electricity will be distributed across two of the main bays of the island via a new medium voltage distribution system. The microgrid is designed to deliver electricity to the island with a renewable energy contribution of more than 50%.
The island is home to more than 60 hotels, resorts and guest houses which currently each rely on operating their own diesel generator systems and importing fuel in canisters, for their electricity supply. This is expensive, unreliable, logistically cumbersome and environmentally damaging.
The new microgrid will provide a stable 24-hour electricity supply at a lower cost while removing noise and air pollution from the properties and reducing island-wide diesel consumption by more than 600,000 litres per year.
The project will be developed with Canopy Power, as Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor. The Singapore-based microgrid specialist will design, procure, build and handover the microgrid to Total Solar DG who will finance, own and operate the plant, providing renewable electricity to the licensed electricity retailer on the island.
The project is expected to be completed in April 2021.
This article is reproduced at www.powerengineeringint.com
