Green Development of Mahidol University in Thailand
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Mahidol University is a century-old, renowned university located in southern Thailand. It is endowed with Thailand's traditional wooden huts and temples, as well as modern libraries and laboratories. Seen from above, you can find rows of neatly arranged PV modules on the rooftops of the faculty buildings. This is Asia Pacific's largest single-site commercial and industrial (C&I) PV+ESS plant that uses FusionSolar C&I Smart PV Solution of Huawei. Mahidol University is not only a leading educator, but also a pioneer in exploring carbon neutrality in Thailand.
Aerial view of Mahidol University
At the COP26 summit in 2021, Thailand announced that it will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through the vigorous promotion of clean energy via PV technology, and adopt a series of policies and measures to encourage people and enterprises to install rooftop PV systems. To ensure the quality and safety of PV systems, Thailand has strengthened rooftop PV safety standards. The Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) has released Thailand's national electrical specifications, which specify the following requirements for DC voltage of rooftop PV plants and rapid shutdown devices: 1. The AFCI must be installed on the DC side. 2. Rapid shutdown devices are mandatory. This demonstrates Thailand's commitment to enhancing PV rooftop safety and standardizing industry standards. Thailand has become one of the first countries in the world to make PV rooftop safety into a mandatory standard.
Mahidol University actively promotes the green and low-carbon transformation of its campus, and works with FusionSolar whose high-quality and safe products enable the project of 15 MW PV + 600 kWh energy storage system (ESS) fully configured with optimizers, setting a benchmark for large-scale application of PV+ESS integration in Thailand.
Aerial view of Mahidol University
As a world-leading Smart PV+ESS solution provider, FusionSolar has rich industry experience and strong technical advantages. It is estimated that the PV+ESS system in Mahidol University can reduce the annual electricity fee by US$2.3 million and cut carbon emissions by 11,000 tons, which is equivalent to planting 15,000 trees. This solution is fully configured with optimizers, making full use of the rooftop areas of the campus's 41 buildings, allowing them to install as many PV modules as possible to generate 10% more electricity. The application of the ESS is not only essential for efficient energy management, but can also supply backup power for the university.
FusionSolar Smart PV+ESS system
In addition, this PV+ESS solution fully meets Thailand's mandatory rooftop PV safety standards. The inverter provides an enhanced intelligent arc protection (AFCI) and has obtained the highest level L4 certification in the industry. It can accurately detect arc faults and perform rapid shutdown within 0.5s (beating the 2.5s mandatory standard). If an emergency occurs on the rooftop, PV modules continue generating current even if the inverter is shut down. With optimizers fully configured, PV modules can be rapidly shut down, preventing contact with high voltage, and ensuring personal safety for O&M personnel and firefighters. The four-level active safety protection design for the ESS ensures system safety.
FusionSolar Smart Module Controller (optimizers)
The Smart PV+ESS system of Mahidol University not only provides green energy for the campus, but also reduces carbon emissions and electricity costs. In addition, it provides students with a platform for close access to and research on green power operation, and sets a benchmark for Thailand to develop distributed PV. In the future, FusionSolar will work with global partners to enable low-carbon, safe, and green electricity for every home and business.
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