Difficulties related to pumping water for the new guesthouse on the Chisac property, along with expensive and unreliable electrical power, have raised the priority of developing an alternative energy supply. The materials for installation of Phase I have been purchased and are in Guatemala. We are planing for installation in early 2015.
The Green-Solar-Alternative Energy Project will:
- Be used as part of an instructional and development program in Tactic
- Provide a clean energy source for the computers & water pump @ Chisac
- Increase Impact Ministries capacity for self-sustainability
- Reduce reliance on the current electrical grid
- Reduce carbon emissions attributed to Impact Ministries operations
Impact Ministries Guest House Solar Grid-Tie Project
Impact Ministries is proposing a solar grid-tie project which will reduce guest-house dependency of expensive grid electricity. The solar system would create electricity from the sun to help power the water pumping system, lighting, and other electrical loads in the new guest house. The system will consist of two main components; a solar array and a grid-tie solar inverter. The design will allow for simple modular expansion in the future as need arises.
The Solar Array
One or more ground mounted arrays of PV solar panels will produce DC electricity from the sunshine. The racking will be constructed using concrete, steel pipe, and rails to which the solar panels attach. Initially, a 6 kW array consisting of twelve 250 Watt solar panels would be built, oriented facing south with a 10 degree slope. In Guatemala, this 6 kW array will produce about 8500 kWh of electricity annually from the sun.
The Grid-Tie Solar Inverter
One or more grid-tie inverters will receive the DC electricity produced by the solar array(s) and convert to 120/240 Volts AC for powering guest house loads and connect to the grid. Electricity produced by the inverter will be used first by the guest house with any surplus energy then flowing back into the grid. The solar system will create savings by reducing the amount of electricity purchased, and by selling surplus energy back to the local utility.
The Green-Solar-Alternative Energy Project consists of the following components:
- Phase I: A pumping solution for the well and storage tanks on the Chisac property
- Supply and install a high efficiency pumping system
- With capacity to accept AC/DC or solar power;
- With a soft start;
- Reliable with silt;
- Controls to prevent well depletion and tank overfilling.
- Initial phase of a Solar Electrical Grid-Tie @ Chisac
- Supply and install a high efficiency pumping system
- Phase II: Green energy source
- Clean energy solution for the computers;
- Extension of Solar Array @ Chisac
- Hot water solution for the facilities on the Chisac property.
- Phase III: Extension of Solar Array @ Chisac