For many years, solar energy has been the power supply of choice for industrial applications, where power is required at remote locations. One of the benefits of PV Technology is the flexibility in the kinds of designs and applications that solar power can accommodate. In recent years we have seen rapid growth in the number of installations of PV on to buildings that are connected to the electricity grid.
Examples of PV applications are Industrial applications such as powering repeater stations for microwave, TV and radio, telemetry and radio telephones. Solar energy is also frequently used on transportation signaling e.g. offshore navigation buoys, lighthouses, aircraft warning lights on pylons or structures, and increasingly in road traffic warning signals. Solar is used to power environmental and situation monitoring equipment and corrosion protection systems (based on impressing a current) for pipelines, well-heads, and bridges or other structures. As before, for larger electrical loads it can be cost effective to configure a hybrid power system that links the PV with a small diesel generator.
Apart from off-grid homes, other remote buildings such as schools, community halls, and clinics can all benefit from electrification with solar energy. This can power TV, video, telephones and a range of refrigeration equipment. It is possible to configure central village power plants that can either power homes via a local wired network, or act as a battery charging station where members of the community can bring batteries to be recharged. Solar Power is also frequently used in consumer product applications which require small amounts of energy such as recreation vehicles (RVs) and boating to recharge the battery for recreational use activities.
PV Systems can be used to pump water in remote areas. Specialized solar water pumps are designed for submersible use (in a borehole) or to float on open water. Usually, the ability to store water in a tank means that battery power storage is unnecessary. Large-scale desalination plants can also be PV powered.
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