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Photovoltaic challenges in Lebanon


Photovoltaic business in Lebanon is very challenging: the government is strongly committed to renewable energy and energy efficiency, but power grid is unstable and frequent electricity cuts makes any photovoltaic installation more complex.

The main push for solar business comes from NEEREA, "National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Action", the national financing mechanism initiated by the Central Bank of Lebanon (Banque du Liban-BDL) dedicated to the financing of green energy projects in the country. It provides low interest (less than 1 percent) long-term loans to residential, commercial, non-profit and industrial users for all energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for new and existing facilities.

Increased used of Net Metering, which allows the flow of electricity both from the grid to the customer and from the customer's facility to the grid through a single bidirectional meter, is also a tool from the government to push private customers towards energy independence. Net Metering allows a balance between the electricity produced by the customer and given to the grid and the electricity coming from the grid to the customers, so that the "prosumer" (a consumer who has also a production plant) pays just for the excess energy taken from the grid.

These are quite strong incentives for solar investment, in a country with 300 days of sunlight, very suitable temperature for panel operations, and minimal dust and sand. Unfortunately, the chronic instability of the grid, not solved since 1975-1990 civil war, and electricity cuts which can happen two-thirds of a 24-hour day makes the control of solar panel operation more difficult, where it is necessary to switch from an "off-grid to a "grid-connected" situation and vice-versa in a very short time.

"These are reasons why photovoltaic business in Lebanon is very challenging: the favourable financial loan, which guarantees return on investment in about 6 -7 years (this is influenced by oil price, of course), is a very strong push, but we need very reliable technology, able to support the difficult situation of the grid: that's why we chose Omron Inverter for PV installations", says Emile Azar, general manager in Metacs, Omron distributor since 2002 and  a qualified Energy Service Company in Lebanon able to advise and support in preparing proper technical and financial reports to access NEEREA.

The first Omron KP100L inverter in Lebanon was part of the Omron Industrial Automation Lab which is located at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (FEA) at the American University of Beirut (AUB). This competence center, inaugurated in 2010, introduces students to industrial automation technology, conducting research and receiving training on complex operational components of machines in the manufacturing industry.

An OMRON PV inverter was also newly installed last November 2015 in ZAHLE, which is the fourth largest city in Lebanon and around two hours from Beirut. The plant, benefiting from NET Metering, is in an office building with warehouses and 5.5HP submersible pump for irrigation. For this installation Omron's technical support has been very important to adapt the KP100L Inverter to the quality of the grid and to the frequent electricity cuts of it.

"We have been monitoring the performance together with the plant owner and the results have been superior to anything that the system integrator has seen", says Emile Azar," That has been a very good experience, with strong cooperation between our engineers and Omron's technical support: that's why we will push Omron technology for next PV installations".


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