vs - a comparison of different approaches to rural electrification by PV

Water pumping systems and electrification of remote houses are two of the most important needs in the rural electrification sector. Often both needs emerge at the same time and same place. The installation of one photovoltaic pumping system (PVP) and one solar home system (SHS) might be one concept for the satisfaction of those needs. The installation of a hybrid system composed of PV modules, inverters, batteries and genset could be another reliable solution. University of Kassel identified two such cases on the island of Lesvos in Greece. There are two sites in a distance of approximately 10 km of each other, having very similar climatic conditions (solar radiation and temperature). Both sites are far from the public electric grid. The needs are very similar too; both sites need water for irrigating and electricity for a farm house. University of Kassel installed both a PVP+SHS at one and a Hybrid system on the other site. The power flow data of both system has been indicated, an economical comparison of both concepts are presented after one year of data monitoring.