Photovoltaic

Design Overview

Chris Smith (949) 939-8881

Senior Design Engineer csmith@schuco-usa.com
Solar Technologies
Solar Cell
• The basic photovoltaic device that generates dc
electricity when exposed to light
• A typical silicon solar cell produces about 0.6 volt and
around 6 amps and 3.5 Watts for larger area cells.

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Types of Solar Cells
• Monocrystalline silicon cell
• High quality starting material (chip manufacture)
• High efficiency (~ 14% to 17%), but expensive

• Polycrystalline silicon cell

• Most common type (largest market share)
• Efficiency ~13% to 15%

• Amorphous (aka Thin Film) cell

• Thin layers vacuum deposited onto glass
• Efficiency ~ 5% to 8%
• New technology

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Connecting Solar Cells Together
• Solar Module
• Solar cells connected together
electrically in series
• Front of one is connected to the back
of its neighbor
• One +ve lead and one –ve lead

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Photovoltaic Modules
• Solar Module
• A complete, environmentally protected unit containing
solar cells and other components, designed to generate dc
power when exposed to sunlight.
• Does not store any electricity

Polycrystalline Monocrystalline
module module

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Electrical Characteristics of Modules
• Power output is directly proportional to irradiance
• Irradiance (in Watts per sq meter) measures the brightness
(energy) of the light

• Power output is reduced as the temperature increases

• Four main electrical parameters
• Open circuit voltage (Voc)
• Short circuit current (Isc)
• Maximum Power Point (Vmpp, Impp)

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Review of Electrical Concepts
Current - measured in Amps I
Voltage - measured in Volts V (or U)
Power - measure in Watts W or kW
Energy - measured in Kilowatt-hours kWh

Power = Voltage x Current

Energy = Power x Time
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Connecting Modules Together
• “Strings” (series connection)
• Module voltages are additive
• Current remains the same
Solar module
• Max voltage = 600V 24.2 V / 7.45 A
180 W
Solar Array
48.4 V / 7.45 A
360 W

Solar module
24.2 V / 7.45 A
180 W

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Connecting Modules Together (cont)
• Serial / parallel connection
• Voltages in series are
Solar module Solar module
additive 24.2 V / 7.45 A 24.2 V / 7.45 A
• Total current (from the 180 W 165 W
individual strings) is
additive
Solar module Solar module
24.2 V / 7.45 A 24.2 V / 7.45 A
180 W 180 W

Solar Array
48.4 V / 14.90 A
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720 W 9
String Rules
• Modules connected together into strings must all have
the same orientation and tilt
• Strings connected in parallel must match
• That is, have the same number of the same type of modules

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Grid-Tied Inverters
• Generate utility-quality AC power from DC input
• Synchs up with grid frequency
• High quality sine wave
• 208v, 240v, 277v capable
• Single and three phase capable

• Inverter efficiency
• Typically ~95%

• Max Power Point (MPP) tracking

• Inverters continuously adjust the
voltage in order to get the most
power out of the modules
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Grid-Tied Inverters (cont.)
• Inverters do not like high temperatures
• Shuts down whenever grid goes down
• Records how much power has
been generated

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How Much Energy will the Array Generate?
• Depends on latitude, orientation and tilt angle
• Shade matters a lot
• Module power ratings
• Standard Test Conditions (STC)

• Very rough estimate for a South-facing, tilted array

• 5kWh DC per kW STC of modules per day on average in CA

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Orientation and Tilt Factor (Los Angeles)
Flat 4:12 7:12 12:12 21:12 Vertical
 
0° 18° 30° 45° 60° 90°

South 89% 97% 100% 97% 89% 58%

SSE, SSW 89% 97% 99% 96% 88% 59%

SE, SW 89% 95% 96% 93% 85% 60%

ESE, WSW 89% 92% 91% 87% 79% 57%

E, W 89% 88% 84% 78% 70% 52%

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Module Shading Effects

Each of these results in a 50% loss of power

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Module Shading Effects

This results in a 100% loss of power

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A Grid-Tied PV System
Photovoltaic
Array

Sunny Boy
Inverter

Breakers

Meter

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1500
1450
1400
1300
1200
1100
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0 kw/h
kw/h
kw/h
kw/h 17
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