Solar PV System Design

Solar PV System Design Training Course Outline

DAY ONE

Module 1 – Introduction to Solar Energy

• Overview of the PV industry past and present including history of PV
• Common and required terminology in both industry and NEC and CE Code
• Climate change and it’s mitigation through policy world-wide
• Environmental impacts
• Energy efficiency and reduced consumption
• Why energy efficiency is important when it comes to PV

Module 2 – Solar PV Systems and Electrical Components

• Examine the differences between DC current and AC current
• Examine basic components for electrical and PV systems
• Certification of equipment
• Components required for different types of PV systems (ex. grid- connected and off-grid battery based systems)
• Grid connected and off grid differences
• How a grid-connected PV system works, looks and behaves and discuss how a grid-connected system works with different types of regulations
• Micro inverters vs string inverters

Module 3 – Solar PV Modules and Electrical Theory

• In-depth understanding of how a PV module is constructed.
• Processes a module goes through for testing
• STC (Standard Test Conditions) and labeling
• PV cell/module produces electricity from sunlight
• Different types and materials used in the construction of PV cells (ex.
• Mono-crystalline and polycrystalline cells)
• Specific terminology required for the design of PV systems
• Series/parallel circuits and how they relate to not only PV modules/arrays and the design but to the safe installation of an entire PV system
• Temperature and irradiance fluctuations can have a significant effect on PV cells, modules, arrays and the design of PV systems (there will be labs for testing modules at this point)
• I-V (current-voltage) curve characteristics of modules, arrays, and PV
• system designs
• MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) and it’s uses

DAY TWO

Module 4 – Site Analysis and Mounting Solutions

• Discuss site analysis, planning, and implementation
• Use the Solar Pathfinder and Solmetric Suneye via demonstration labs to determine site shading
• Discuss the different instruments and tools required for solar site analysis
• Discuss the need to understand the following factors and how they apply to PV
• System and yearly energy production:
• Azimuth (orientation)
• Magnetic declination
• Tilt angle
• Shading, debris, other losses
• Roof type (material and condition)
• Roof structure
• Solar resource data from various sources

Module 5 – Off Grid Solar PV Systems

• Equipment and components used in off-grid PV installations
• Different Solar PV system designs and configurations
• Sizing calculations for PV array and battery bank sizes
• Proper installation methods for PV arrays, battery banks, and additional equipments.

Case study of Off-Grid PV System fully designed

DAY THREE

Module 6 – Grid-Connected Solar PV Systems

• System sizing for a customer’s needs, desires, and/or budget
• Energy efficiency and why it’s important for people who are considering a grid-connected PV system
• Sizing a system requires addressing a customer’s habits when consuming (electrical)
• Energy and the property’s ability or inability to accommodate a PV system
• Losses and how some are calculated
• Formulas used to calculate appropriate performance and derating factors, solar insolation, temperature co-efficient parameters, and code specific rules then apply these to a PV system design
• Proper load analysis on various electrical appliances using a watt meter
• How to determine the correct size of a grid-connected PV system for a customer using a yearly kWh consumption derived from the customer’s electricity bills
• Calculation for the amount of space needed for a PV array and how to properly lay it out
• Different types of grid-dependent inverters (string, central, and micro inverters), their unique qualities and performance values, how and why to choose the proper one for your system as well as installation techniques
• Discuss how all of this will determine the system size, the number of PV modules, wiring configuration, and type of inverter

Case study of Grid-conected Solar PV System fully designed

 Module 7 – NEC (2020) and CE Code (2021) Solar PV System Requirements and Documentation

• How to properly bond and ground a PV system and why it is so important
• Different bonding and grounding equipment specific to the PV industry
• How to properly determine the type, size, and ratings of wiring/cabling, over- current protection (fusing and circuit breakers), and BOS (Balance of System) components (ex. Disconnects, Junction boxes, combiner boxes etc.)
• Specific NEC and CECode nomenclature
• Voltage drop and why it is important
• Wire gauge and ampacities, types of conductors, size and colour coding of conductors, and insulation ratings
• PV wire and PV specific connectors
• Different wire and cable protection methods (conduits and raceways)
• Calculations based on the above course material

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Start: 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Finish: 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time