Solar-Powered Laboratory Lighting System in Active Use at Balıkesir Vocational School
A solar-powered energy system operating within the Department of Electricity and Energy at Balıkesir University’s Balıkesir Vocational School supplies a significant portion of the lighting demand of two laboratories using renewable energy.
The system consists of photovoltaic panels with a total installed capacity of 2.5 kWp, a 3 kW smart inverter, and a battery unit with an energy storage capacity of approximately 2.4 kWh. It supplies the laboratories’ combined instantaneous lighting load of approximately 1,000 W.
The electricity generated by the photovoltaic panels is primarily used to meet the lighting demand of the laboratories. Surplus electricity is stored in the battery unit and can be used during periods when solar energy production is insufficient. The smart inverter automatically manages the energy flow between the photovoltaic panels, battery unit, laboratory loads, and electricity grid. In this way, the system aims to maximize on-site consumption of the generated electricity and reduce the amount of energy drawn from the grid.
The system’s electricity generation and consumption data are monitored in real time through a computer-based monitoring platform and are regularly recorded. The monitoring infrastructure enables users to track the instantaneous output of the photovoltaic panels, laboratory electricity consumption, battery state of charge, and charging and discharging values.
The recorded data allow the daily, monthly, and annual energy performance of the system to be evaluated. The amounts of electricity generated, directly consumed, stored, and supplied by the grid can therefore be compared and analyzed in detail.
In addition to contributing to energy savings, the solar-powered system also serves as a practical educational infrastructure for students in the Department of Electricity and Energy. Students have the opportunity to examine photovoltaic electricity generation, smart inverter operation, energy storage, load management, energy efficiency, and remote monitoring using data obtained from an actual operating system.
The data generated by the system can be used in laboratory activities, student projects, scientific studies, and energy performance analyses. In this respect, the application supports the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical training and functions not only as an electricity generation system but also as an operational educational laboratory in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability.
The system actively used within Balıkesir Vocational School represents a good practice in increasing the use of clean energy, reducing grid electricity consumption, lowering indirect carbon emissions, and supporting Balıkesir University’s sustainable and green campus objectives.
