BEST PARCTICES IN SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS

Dr. O.S. SASTRY

DIRECTOR PV TESTING, SOLAR ENERGY CENTRE,
MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY,
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
PH. 0124-2579213; Fax: 0124-2579207e.mail: sastry284@yahoo.in
REQUIREMENTS OF BEST QUALITY
PV SYSTEMS
HIGH PERFORMANCE

SAFETY

LONG TERM RELIABILITY

LIFE CYCLE COST (Rs./ kWh)

( GRID PARITY ?)
Best practices solar energy include .
Programme Planning
Setting Targets (physical,
performance and cost reductions)
Site specific and Need based PV
Systems
Use of Standards with Indicators
Growth of Industry: through put &
reliability
Creation of high quality testing
laboratories
Adoption of latest developments
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION (JNNSM)
(TARGETS)

PHYSICAL:
20,000 MW Utility Grid
2000 MW Off- Grid.
100MW Roof Top Installations
Lighting Systems for 20Million Houses

RELIABILITY & LIFE :

35 years for PV modules?
COST:
Grid Parity by 2020
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION (JNNSM)
(ACHIEVEMENTS)
PHYSICAL:
1050 MW Utility Grid
155 MW Off- Grid
(Including Roof-top, Lighting, pumps all Off-Grid Systems)

RELIABILITY & LIFE :

10% in 10 years and 15% in 20 years for PV modules

COST:
Rs. 7- 9/ Wp
MAIN PV SYSTEMS / APPLICATIONS
LIGHTING SYSTEMS
- PROTABLE, FIXED HOME LIGHT AND STREET LIGHTING

PV POWER PACKS
- < 1kWp POWER PLANTS
STAND ALONE POWER PLANTS
- 1kWp TO 25kWp POWER PLANTS, TELECOMM
UTILITY SCALE (MW CAPACITY) GI POWER
PLANTS
- 1MW TO 50MW GI POWER PLANTS
PV WATER PUMPS
- HP TO 5HP AC/DC SURFACE OR SUBMERSIBLE
OTHER APPLICATIONS
- WATER PURIFIERS, GLOW SIGN DISPLAY,
PV STANDARDS ADOPTED FOR PV COMPONENTS
AND SYSTEMS
PV Modules :
STC PERFORMANCE
- IEC 60904-2 (I-V )
- IEC 60891 ( TEMP & INTENSITY CORRECTIONS)
DESIGN QUALIFICATION
- IEC 61215 (MON & MULTI CRYSTALLINE SILICON)
- IEC61646( THIN FILM)
- IEC 62108( CONCENTRATOR)
SAFETY
- IEC 61730 (ALL MODULES)

SALT, MIST AND CORROSIVE

- IEC 61701
PV STANDARDS ADOPTED FOR PV COMPONENTS
AND SYSTEMS
PV BoS SYSTEMS:
EFFICIENCY / PERFORMANCE
- IEC 61683 (PCU)
- IEC 62093( CHARGE CONTROLLERS & MPPT
ENVIRONMENTAL
- IEC 60068 2 (1,2,14, 30)
STORAGE BATTERIES
- IEC 61427 (ALL TYPE BATTERIES)
- IS 1651
- IS 13369
CABLES, SWITCH/ CIRCUIT BREAKERS/
CONNECTORS
- IEC 60947 PART I,II & III
- EN 50521
- IEC 60189, IS 694, IS1554, IS/ IEC 69947
PV STANDARDS ADOPTED FOR PV COMPONENTS
AND SYSTEMS

PV SYSTEMS :
Jn. BOXES/ ENCLOSURES
- IEC 2208
- IP 65 / IP 21
SPV SYSTEM DESIGN
-IEC 62124
INSTALLATION PRACTICES
- IEC 60364
- IEC 61727
NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODES (NEC)
 INDICATORS MATTERS..
PV MODULE STC EFFICIENCY
PV ARRAY AND SYSTEM EFFICIENCY
LIFE TIME ENERGY YIELDS (YL)
PERFORMANCE RATIO (PR)
CAPACITY UTILIZATION FACTOR (CUF)
LOSS OF LOAD PROBABILITY (LOLP)
LIFE CYCLE COST (Rs./ kWh) ( GRID PARITY ?)

JNNSM TARGET FOR DEGRADATION:

<10% IN 10 YEARS and <15% IN 25 YEARS
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF PV ARRAYS

YIELD FACTOR = Yf = (kWh/kWp) or (Hours)

Yf = E ( ENERGY OUTPUT)/ Po ( STC DC POWER)

REFERENCE YIELD Units (Yr) in Hours or kWh/kW

Yr = H ( IN PLANE IRRADIANCE )/ G( 1000W/SQ .M)

PERFORMANCE RATIO (PR) = Yf / Yr

PR is dimension less, Quantifies Effect of Losses

PR depends on site Temperature, Spectrum &
Technology
WHAT ARE OFF-GRID
PV SYSTEMS?
LIGHTING SYSTEMS
 Components of lighting
System
PV MODULE 3Wp to 74Wp
Storage Battery 12V, 4AH to 100AH
(Flood Lead Acid Tubular or VRLA)
Loads: 5 to 13W CFLs OR 2W to 9 W LED
Electronics:
- High Frequency Electronics ballast(87%)/ DC-DC
converters (95%)
- Charge Controller
- Protections
- Indicators
Structures
PV Lighting System Quality Performance
(MNRE Specs)
Conditioning of the System
On-Off Cycles (Endurance Test)
Electronic Efficiency
Measurement
Charge Efficiency Measurement
Lumen and LUX Measurement
Uniformity of Light
Quality of Light out put (UV
content, Speckle)
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF
LIGHTING SYSTEMS

Conditioning test
Electronic efficiency test
Charge discharge
efficiency measurement
Protections test
Lumen measurement
LUX measurement
Spectral distribution
measurement of LED
Measurement of view
angle
LED AND CFL PERFORMANCE
COMPARISON AND SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS
Color recognition
SOX lamp

Green-Red LEDs
19
Residential street

Before 36W TL Now 20W LED

16 lux (meter under the lamp at 8 lux under lamp

street level)
 The Physiology

Scotopic Mesopic Photopic

<0,01 cd/m |0,001 cd/m 3 cd/m | > 3cd/m
21
SPV WATER PUMPING SYSTEMS
 Quality Testing of PV Water
Pumping System
TYPE OF PUMPS
DC Surface (Centrifugal) Pumps
DC/AC Submersible Pumps
Float Pumps ?
SPECIFICATIONS
IEC 62253 & 61702 AND MNES Performance Guidelines
2006-07
INSTRUMENTATION
Deep Sump Well
PV Array
PV Array Testers
Data Loggers with sensors
Flow & Pressure Gauges/Meters
Main Quality Indicators
Throughput - Liters/watt/day
Average Wire to Water efficiency
Peak Efficiency
 WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CONCERNS ?

MAIN PROBLEMS ARE :

- MATCHING OF PUMP AND PV ARRAY

- EFFICIENCY OF MOTOR AND PUMP

- PV ARRAY STRUCTURES

- PROTECTIONS ( DRY RUNNING, GROUNDING, DC

SHOCK etc.)
BATTERY TESTING
 Quality Assessment of
Batteries
IEC 61427
IS 1651, IS 13369,
JIS 8709
PERFORMANCE
TESTS
- Capacity Test at C/10 or
C/20 rate
- Shelf Life
- Cycle Life vs. DoD
- Charge Efficiency
- Temp. Coefficients fully
computer
- Spill Proof Features
 WHAT ARE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS ?

MAIN PROBLEMS ARE :

- WRONG INSTALLATIONS (MODULE, STRUCTURE &
CABLES)
- POOR COMPONENTS
LOW WATTAGE MODULE AND BATTERY
POOR DESIGNS,
POOR ELECTRONICS

- SYSTEM SIZING PROBLEMS ? (CONNECTION OF

ADDITIONAL LOADS)
 TO ENSURE THE QUALITY OF SUPPLIED
SYSTEMS:
A THREE STEP APPROCH FOLLOWED BY IEC TO ENSURE
QUALITY

- TESTING OF PROTO-TYPE

- QUALITY TEST DURING MANUFACTURING

- QUALITY TEST OF PRODUCT FROM THE MARKET

SPV POWER PLANTS
OFF-GRID PV POWER PLANTS

Stand Alone
Hybrid
 COMPONENTS SPV POWER
PLANTS
1. SPV Modules
2. Batteries
3. Inverters
4. Charge Controllers
5. Loads CFLs, Pumps, Motors,
Refrigerators etc.
6. Structures
 STANDARDS FOR STAND ALONE POWER
PLANTS

Standards for POWER PLANT Components ( PERFORMANCE, DESIGN

QUALIFICATION AND ENVIRONMENT)
- PV MODULE IEC 61215, 61646, 62108
- BATTERY BIS , IEC (NO QUALIFIED SUPPLIER?)
- INVERTER IEC-61683 ( VERY FEW INDIAN SUPPLIERS!!) ,
- CHARGE CONTROLLER& MPPT IEC 62093
Design Verification
IEC - 62124
INSTALLATION AND SAFETY
IEC- 62548
IEC 61173 (OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION)
NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE FOR SYSTEM AND EQUIPMENT
GROUNDING
Performance Monitoring, DATA exchange
IEC 61724
I-V CHARACTERISTICS OF PV ARRAY ON SITE MEASUREMENT
IEC- 61829
ENVIRONMENTAL TESTS STANDARDS FOR
ELECTRONICS
OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS DIVIDED IN TO FOUR GROUPS
- INDOOR CONDITIONED
- INDOOR UN-CONDITIONED
- OUTDOOR CONDITIONED
- OUT DOOR UN-CONDITIONED
IEC STANDARDS
- 60068-2-1 (COLD TEST -10C 3C FOR 2 HOURS)
- 60068-2-2 (DRY HEAT TEST 55C 2C FOR 16 HOURS)
- 60068-2-14 ( TEMPERSTURE CYCLING -5C TO 55C 3C
FOR 5 CYCLES)
- 60068-2-30 (DAMP HEAT STUDY STATE 25C TO 40C
3C AND 93% RH 12+12 Hrs, 2Cycles)

IEC STANDARD FOR INGRESS PROTECTION (IP)

- IP 21 FOR HOME LIGHTS/ LANTERNS
- IP 54/ IP64 FOR STREET LIGHTS
 PERFORMANCE TEST STANDARDS FOR
INVERTERS
IEC STANDARDS
- 61683
EFFICIENCY OF PERFORMANCE of STAND ALONE INVERTERS (at unity
and .25PF)
- 10% LOAD
- 25% LOAD
- 50% Load
- 75% Load
- 90-100% Load

- EFFICIENCY OF PERFORMANCE OF CHARGE CONTROLLER AND MPPT

(
- IEC 62093 ( PERFORMANCE TEST, PROTECTIONS, etc.)

INSTALLATION AND SAFETY FOR OFF-GRID SYSTEMS

- IEC 62548 ( SYSTEM VOLTAGE, GROUNDING, RATING OF CONTROL
DEVICES, etc.)
 ENVIRONMENTAL TEST STANDARDS
INVERTERS, CHARGE CONTROLLERS

AND MPPTs
OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS DIVIDED IN TO FOUR GROUPS
- INDOOR CONDITIONED
- INDOOR UN-CONDITIONED
- OUTDOOR CONDITIONED
- OUT DOOR UN-CONDITIONED
IEC STANDARDS
- 60068-2-1 (COLD TEST -10C 3C FOR 2 HOURS)
- 60068-2-2 (DRY HEAT TEST 55C 2C FOR 16 HOURS)
- 60068-2-14 ( TEMPERSTURE CYCLING -5C TO 55C 3C FOR 5
CYCLES)
- 60068-2-30 (DAMP HEAT STUDY STATE 25C TO 40C 3C AND
93% RH 12+12 Hrs, 2Cyc)

IEC STANDARD FOR INGRESS PROTECTION (IP)

- IP 21 FOR INDOOR INVERTERS ( IN -DOOR CONDITIONED)
 Quality Checks Of PV

Power
Standards/Specifications
Plants
IEC, & IEEE Standards
Inspection Criteria
Performance Indicators
Energy Yields ( Yi = kWh/kWp )
Performance Ratio (PR= Yi/ Rf)
LOLP
Plant capacity factor/ Plant Utility Factor
Instrumentations
Array Testers
Data Acquisition Systems (DAS)
Current Voltage Power Transducers
Battery SOC Testers
Loads
Data Contents of SPV Power
Plant
 WHAT ARE THE MAJOR QUALITY
CONCERNS?
MAIN PROBLEMS ARE :
- WRONG DESIGNS ( SELECTION OF PV ARRAY, BATTERY BANK,
INVERTER & LOAD)

- BATTERY RELATED PROBLES ( REDUCED LIFE SPAN)

- POOR INSTALLATIONS

- GROUNDING ( SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT AND LIGHTNING ARRESTERS)

- SHADOWING

- CERTIFICATION OF COMPONENTS

- MATCHING OF PV ARRAYS, MPPT RANGE, BATTERY BANK &

INVERTER
WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO
CERTIFY?
 WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FROM
THE LABS?

REQUIREMENTS ARE :

- NABL or EQUIVALENT ACCREDITATION

- PART OF THE REQUIRED TEST EQUIPMENT

- MANPOWER

- INDEPENDENT TEST LABORATORY PREFERRD

 AUTHORISED TEST CENTRES IN INDIA
SEC PV MODULES, BATTERY , LIGHTING SYSTEMS (PERFORMANCE ONLY), WATER
PUMPS & INVERTERS
OATCs
ERTL (KOLKATA) BATTERIES, LIGHTING SYSTEMS & INVERTERS
ETDC ( BANGALORE) PV MODULES, BATTERIES AND INVERTERS
CPRI ( BANGALORE) - BATTERIES, LIGHTING SYSTEMS (CFL), INVERTERS
ADDITIONAL CENTERS FOR PV MODULES
TUV AND UL BANGALORE

ADDITIONAL CENTERS FOR BATTERIES

CECRI OR ANY OF THE NABL CERTIFIED

NABL ACCREDITED ADDITIONAL CENTERS FOR IELECTRONICS , LIGHTING

SYSTEMS , NVERTERS & MPPTS
ETDC (Bangalore), UL, TUV, INTER TEK (Noida), ERTL (kolkata), ETDC
Pune, ETDC Maholi and ETDC (G)

ALL TESTING LABS WITH NABL ACCREDITATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ,

MECHANICAL & IP TESTS ARE APPROVED
QUESTIONS ?
?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!!