DILI, 09 july 2024 (TATOLI) – The Head of the POLBAN (Indonesia) Community Service Team, Sri Wuryanti, collaborated with the Head of the Electrical Engineering Department at the National University of East Timor, João Guterres. This collaboration involves training in solar power plant design simulations. The program aims to improve energy-related technologies and produce competent resources in the field of solar power generation technology.
Timor Leste has a dry tropical climate with moderate rainfall, which allows the population to utilize the sun as an energy source, making solar power plant technology applicable. Through a community service program (P3M) organized by the Research and Community Service Unit (UPPM) of Politeknik Negeri Bandung-Indonesia, a joint P3M team from three study programs in the Department of Energy Conversion Engineering (JTKE) conducted training activities using simulation for solar power plant optimization. As a result of this training, students from UNTL’s Electrical Engineering Department can now optimize the development of solar power plants.
Solar power plants utilize sunlight to produce direct current (DC) electricity, which can be converted into alternating (AC) electricity if needed. Therefore, even in cloudy weather, as long as there is light, solar power plants can still generate electricity.
The design is done by doing simulations first to optimize the small-scale power generation system model (micro power plant). This software facilitates the evaluation of power generation system designs for various types of small-scale power plants, whether connected to the electricity grid or not. The software performs energy balance calculations for each system configuration being considered and then determines the feasible configuration, evaluating its ability to meet electricity demand under specified conditions. It also estimates the cost of installation and operating the system over the project’s life. The system calculates costs such as capital costs, replacement costs, operation and maintenance costs, fuel costs, and interest. The software works on three main steps: simulation, optimization, and sensitivity analysis.
The training material was divided into off-grid and on-grid solar power plant design training. The training lasted for 8 hours and was attended by 25 students. Based on the discussion results between mentors and students, 71% of participants stated that they understood and were very satisfied with both the material modules provided and the explanations from the mentors.
“This program highlights the commitment of the chairman of UNTL’s Electrical Engineering Department to strengthen its international relations and foster cooperation in Solar Power Technology,” said the committee of the Secretariat of the Departamento de Engenharia Eletronica e Eletrica, Faculty of Engineering, UNTL.”
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
