Publications

Operational results of russian-built photovoltaic alternative energy powered lighthouses in extreme climates

Estrada, Luis; Rosenthal, Andrew; Foster, Robert; Hauser, Gene C.; Grigoriev, Alexander; Khoudykin, Alexei

This paper summarizes operational histories of three Russian-designed photovoltaic (PV) lighthouses in Norway and Russia. All lighthouses were monitored to evaluate overall system and Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) battery bank performance to determine battery capacity, charging trends, temperature, and reliability. The practical use of PV in this unusual mode, months of battery charging followed by months of battery discharging, is documented and assessed. This paper presents operational data obtained from 2004 through 2007.