Background:
I am building a farm in the Philippines (http://MountainAir.Farm). While there is grid power here, it is extremely unreliable and about double the cost of electricity in the USA.
• Local grid power is 240vac, 60hz, single phase (not split-phase like USA)
• I already have a 6500kw diesel genset which has the capability to be started automatically via an ATS. Even those my genset is relatively new, I am learning it is not highly reliable.
• There is a nearby (0.5 kilometer) spring-fed stream that runs 24/7/365 that I could possibly purchase.
• I likely will be able to drill a deep well (~300ft) from which I expect significant artesian (pressurized) water flow.
• I have ample room to build a small solar farm.
• I have already built a small structure suitable to house control equipment, genset and batteries.
Goals:
- Reliable Power - I will have aquaponics and aquaculture tanks with both water and air pumps. While a few minutes of power loss is not critical, a few hours or days of outage would jeopardize the lives of both plants and fish. Also do not want to be without AC, computer, or internet.
- Economical Power - Since local power is about double the cost of power in the USA, my “guess” the capital expense of alternate power would have a reasonable payback period.
- Automatic Power Management - This means turn on the generator if I am not generating sufficient power with Micro-Hydro and Solar. This means turn off supplying power to the grid if I am draining the batteries. Maybe other things I have not thought of.
- Make Ice - If I have excess power, I want to make ice that can be sold on the local market using essentially free power.
- Sell Power To Grid & Possibly Neighbors - I don’t want to count on this a lot because when the grid is down, I can’t sell power. But selling excess power would still be wise.
Power Source Plan
- Micro-Hydro, probably in units of 1000watts. Would hopefully start with at least 2. Voltage from the Micro-Hydro to my powershed would be 480vac/60hz… this allows savings in electric wire and reduces transmission loses. Depending on the costs of Micro-Hydro vs Solar… I would add more to augment.
- Solar. Depending on the costs of Micro-Hydro vs Solar… I would add more to augment MH.
- Batteries - At least enough to bridge the time gap to genset startup. Maybe more depending on the costs of Micro-Hydro vs batteries vs Solar to handle peak loads.
- Grid - Two way transmission.
- Diesel Genset - This is a necessary and expensive pain in the rear. I certainly would not want to sell power to the grid with power generated by my genset.
But the big question is just how to go about connecting/merging all these various power sources in a logical and cost efficient manner. Can anyone recommend the equipment and setup that I would need?