Volume 8 – Mechanical and Electrical Services - Malaysia Geoportal

Chapter 6 ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN MANAGEMENT OF M&E INSTALLATION
This will often lead to a fruitful discussion of the savings potential. The most important thing in the
first instance is to get a dialogue started with the suppliers and to make them aware of the fact that
the energy cost is one of a number of criteria in your selection of new equipment. The suppliers
cannot be counted on to bring up this matter of his/her own accord as most suppliers have learned
that this is of no interest to their customers.
For equipment with an annual energy consumption corresponding to more than RM10,000 – RM
20,000, for example (the limit being fixed in the goal), a detailed evaluation should be made of the
criteria the equipment is to meet. The department may choose to do this itself, or to do it in
cooperation with the suppliers.
Suppliers ought to be instructed to pass on information related to energy consumption of equipment,
which is in the tendering phase, so that the energy efficiency of the equipment can be evaluated.
The suppliers should also be made aware that, if possible, an alternative offer for a solution that is
more energy efficient should be given in addition to their standard offer even though it may be more
expensive.
6.6 SOLAR
a) Solar Electricity
i) Sunlight can be converted into electricity using photovoltaic’s (PV), concentrating solar power
(CSP) and various experimental technologies. PV has mainly been used to power small and
medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by single solar cell to off-grid homes
powered by a photovoltaic array.
ii) A solar cell (or photovoltaic cell) is a device that converts light into direct current using the
photoelectric effect.
iii) The earliest significant application of solar cells was a back-up power source to the Vanguard
satellite, which allowed the satellite to continue transmitting for over a year its chemical battery
was exhausted.
iv) Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) system use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a
large area of sunlight into a small beam. The concentrated light is then used as a heat source for
a conventional power plant. A wide range of concentrating technologies exists; the most,
developed are the solar trough, parabolic dish and solar power tower. These methods vary in the
way they track the Sun and focus light. In all these systems a working fluid is heated by the
concentrated sunlight, and is then used for power generation or energy storage.
b) Solar Cell
A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is made of special materials called semiconductors, the most common
semiconductor material which is used in the manufacture of a solar cell is known as silicon. When a
light source strikes a solar cell, a portion of it is absorbed by the semiconductor material. The
absorbed light energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely.
March 2009 6-7