Do You Know Your Solar Installation Basics? (Part 1)
All prospective solar Energy Enthusiast must know their Solar Installation Basics
in order to avoid their systems under performing, some times even to the extent of making them not viable. Of course you aught to have decided before hand whether the system you have decided on is to be "Grid Tied" or "Stand alone" type. If so your next serious step will be to finalize where you can install it and how?
If you have decided on a system of Solar Panels for your home or business premises, you need to work out first:
The capacity of a panel [in terms of watts (w) and if an array of panels in kilo Watts (kW)] you have to buy.
How many panels will be required to make up your total need?
The floor area required to install all these panels.
The best location for these to be mounted.
The special precautions that should be observed when installing
solar Panels.
Most convenient location for your Inverter/ Power distribution panel.
Where to locate your Storage Battery Pack (if it is an off grid installation)?
The method and accessories that are required to tie up your system to the Utility power grid.
and finally,
The facilities to be provided for future maintenance.
The capacity of a panel [in terms of watts (w) and if an array of panels in kilo Watts (kW)] you have to buy.
If you have worked out your electricity requirement of the building by now, you must have the figures at hand. If not, you need to work this out using the calculation charts or good software like PV/kW Calculator.
Browse through most PV manufacturer' catalogues and sometimes you feel confused rather than learning anything from it. From a manufacturer having a fixed production line only a selection of products will be available for sale. A supplier on the other hand might offer products from several manufacturers, which may differ in their capacities, technology, structure and the manner of presentation of its parameters.
So if not compared "orange to orange" your selection may not be in your best interest. But one thing will be certain; you must base your selection on Annual Power out put in kilowatts (kW) DC. With all panel manufacturers you are considering, check at what Standard Test Conditions (STC) each one has calculated the output at. There are 3 main characteristics in any Standard Test Condition, commonly used in USA. They are:
The Solar irradiance is considered @ 1000 w/m2 (referring to the quantum of solar energy incident on the panel)
The solar module temperature at peak sun is maintained at ( 250C (NREL standards) and 20 0C (PVUSA standards)
The wind velocity is considered as (@ 1 m/s) ( neglected in NREL developed calculations)
If you deviate from these, your panels out put may be de-rated.
Even when manufactured under stringent electrical and mechanical quality standards, at the time of interconnecting several panels there could be mismatch in characteristics which will de-rate the DC out put. The manufacturing tolerances therefore should be adequate to accommodate such (seemingly minor) anomalies.
In the second contribution of these articles you will be taken to how you could determine the dimensions and the space requirement for your system.
Do You Know Your Solar Installation Basics? (Part 1)
By: Sam Braidley
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