ABSTRACT
– This study shows the results of the technical assessment visit made in November 1998 to Parque Estadual da Ilha do Cardoso (Cardoso Island State Reserve) in the County of Cananéia, State of São Paulo, in Brazil. The visit's aim was to evaluate the photovoltaic systems installed under the ECOWATT Program in the homes on that island. The visit was not intended to address problems, which is a task under the responsibility both the electrical services grantee and the company that won the bidding, but, instead, it was intended to detect and point out critical points, which were mentioned by users during several occasions in a dispersed way. During these visits we could record 75 systems (2 churches, 4 schools and 69 homes) and 56 interviews were made with users present at the time. Additionally, at some homes a test was carried out on performance and working conditions of the charge controller with the Solar Home System Tester and, during one year, the power consumption of two homes in the ECOWATT Program and of two homes out of the program was measured, with the use of Ampere/hour meters. The study includes comments related to the state of the facilities, users' satisfaction level, default level, measurement of batteries' capacity after two years utilization and about mistakes made during implementation. The results presented herein are intended to divulge the common mistakes made and which could have been prevented in order to ascertain the success of such programs.
