30kw off grid solar system supply power to a farm

The diesel oil is getting more and more expensive, and the farm owner change his mind to off-grid solar system. this is a case study about supply power to a farm by a 30kw off grid solar system.

Our customer Lewis is the owner of a farm. He exports farm equipment from China and know little electricity knowledge. In his farm, there are about 5set freezer and 3set pumps to keep his seafood fresh.

His farm business is too far away. There is no electricity grid that he can use to utilize the acquired machines. In fact, for him, using a diesel generator is almost impossible. Maintaining the diesel and the oil costs is out of reach. As we know, the cost of diesel and oil is increasing rapidly. For him, overcoming all these expenses is impossible.


The question is, his farm is far away from the city, and he use diesel generator before, but it’s not easy for him to maintain the diesel and the oil cost is getting higher from year to year.

He spent a lot of money in diesel oil. If someone is using a diesel generator in 2022, they might think again about what exactly they are doing. As we know, the availability of energy is on the verge of ending. The overwhelming prices of diesel and other energy resources have been a problem since COV 19. 

Every region, whether in the developing world or the developed world, is suffering from an energy crisis. Although you still use a diesel engine, either you have a lot of money or you don't want to keep your health and give yourself an easy life.

Likewise with Lewis, who uses a diesel generator. He might have managed the expenses of diesel and oil prices three to four years ago. although for now, it is almost impossible. Each year, the total cost of diesel and oil is about $4000. 

This is a huge number for a person like Lewis who runs a farm. In fact, besides the cost of the oils and diesel, the overall maintenance of the diesel generators itself costs more. as the income Lewis gets from his farm cannot bear those expenses. He has a family to look after, and many other things are brutally affecting his lifestyle.

Diesel generators are not only about diesel and oil. There are a lot of other things that you have to look forward to efficiently maintain the generator. You will have to hire a routine general inspection, lubrication services, and fuel system maintenance company. 

The most important thing about it is the battery inside. Moreover, routine engine exercises All these things will cost you way more than using the best alternatives for them. Even sometimes, despite the good maintenance of the diesel generator, there are still chances that it can stop working all of a sudden. The problem wouldn't be big, but for the time being, it will completely stop any work that you might be doing using the electricity of the generator.

If somehow you think we can still maintain a diesel generator without these things, then give it a try. Exactly after a week, you will have to change the generator engines and many other machines in your generator. Maintaining a diesel generator properly is not a piece of cake. 

The same thing happened with Lewis at the farm, where he spent more money on the maintenance of his diesel generator than he earns at the farm. For Lewis, every penny he earns—almost every one of them—is spent on the diesel generator.

And his place is far away from city, it’s not possible for him to use the city grid power. Lewis lives in a very remote part of the country from the city where he looks after the farm he runs. He rarely goes to the nearest city from his farm, especially when he needs something only available in the city. There is no power source whatsoever. 

There is no city grid power that he can use for his farm as well as for his home. Certainly, he doesn't have any other option than to use his diesel generator to run all the necessary things that need electricity. 

Being far from the city means he doesn't have any livelihoods things that a normal person will need. He has to move around to his nearest city to get all the necessary things at once, especially to maintain his diesel generator in good condition.

Being far from the City has made Lewis completely miserable. There is no chance of a City Grid power connection. Most of the time when Lewis works at the farm, he always feels a lot of stress due to the overflowing expenses of diesel generators and the overall lifestyle of his family. 

And why not every person wants a good life for their familiar, likewise with Lewis? The only problem he is facing is a lack of energy resources, and that's it.

That’s why he wants to use a sustainable energy to replace the diesel energy. And he start to interested about solar power because his place is full of sunshine, and sunshine is free!

As his place is full of sunshine, and not much cloudy day. That’s why perfect to use solar energy. We help him calculate how many solar panels he need and how much battery power he needs at night.

He uses about 120kwh each day, because the pumps and freezer is 24hrs running, non stop for his seafood.

As he wants the system can run more than 6 years. So that means about 30% battery DOD each day.

And we design a 30kw off-grid solar system with 78pcs 380w mono solar panel and 60pcs 200Ah gel battery.

This is one time investment, about $29,000 ex factory. Solar panel life span is more than 25years, and battery can be run about 6 years. Battery price is about $11,000, solar panel price is about $10000. If he use the system for 12years, and at the 13t h year, he not use solar system any more. And sell all the solar panels as second hand in the rate of 0.8..

That’s means his solar system about

($29000+$11000 - $10000*0.8)÷=$2600 each year.

If he use diesel generator in the next 12years, it would be at least $4000 each year, and consider the diesel cost and labor cost is getting higher each year, it would be $4600 to $4800.

The solar system maintenance can be done by Lewis. What he need to do is clean the solar panel twice a year, and check the battery voltage each year.
No need extra labor to do that, and total 0 for the maintenance. That’s solve his worried about the maintenance.

Just using water soft sponge and the multimeter, it give him a stable solar system for a very long time.

The solar system maintenance can be done by Lewis. What he needs to do is clean the solar panel twice a year and check the battery voltage each year. There is no need for extra labor to do that, and the total cost for the maintenance is zero. That solves his worries about maintenance.
How easy it is to clean the solar system:

Cleaning the solar system doesn't need any special ingredients. All you need is water and a sponge to clean it. Sometimes it doesn't even need a spoon; just a little water will be enough to clean it. Moreover, it can be done by anyone at home. You don't need any labor for that. Cleaning it every week will be enough for it to give you the complete efficiency you need to run your farm as well as your home..

His system is instantiated in 2019, and now the battery is still very health. That’s because the battery quality is very good.

For his system, he not need extra labor to do the maintenance. And the solar system is clean and no noise.

In the rainy day, the battery not enough. At this time, the old diesel generator as back up power. Only used few time a year, not need much the oil.

Lewis's satisfaction with his new solar system is 100%. In fact, he is very happy that he has no stress about anything. He works on the farm daily without any anxiety about the energy source. Every day, the batteries attached to the solar system charge, which works pretty well during the night. Moreover, during rainy days, he uses the diesel generator as a backup. So life for Lewis after the solar system is pretty good.

Ben is a researcher, and data analysis expert who has worked for clients in the solar power system. He knows the battery very well.