Design and Implementation of a Charge Controller for Solar PV Systems for Emergency Situations in Health Facilities in Rural Areas of Uganda

Abstract

This paper presents the design and implementation of a solar charge controller system (SCCS) for emergencies in health facilities located in rural areas of Uganda. The SCCS is a Direct Current (DC) voltage regulator and controller that controls the production of power from solar panels and stores the power in battery backup systems. The charge controller reduces the voltage to prevent overcharging of the battery, which reduces its life expectancy. The SCCS also prevents the batteries from over-discharging, protecting the system from electrical overloading. The methodology utilized in this study is clearly outlined, detailing the design and implementation process of the SCCS. The experimental setup and testing show that the SCCS works accurately and low sunlight does not affect its efficiency. The SCCS efficiently protects the system from excessive current flow due to overloading and overvoltage. The average efficiency of the designed renewable energy system is 96.52% over eight days of testing. The SCCS presented in this paper is a cost-effective solution for emergencies in health facilities located in rural areas of Uganda, where access to electricity is limited.