PV markets and applications

The main components of a utility-interactive PV system are:

• Solar modules
• Inverter (no batteries or chargers).
Grid-tied PV systems have to be able to disconnect from the grid whenever
the grid is down or not within specifications. This is called anti-islanding and
means that the inverter cannot operate alone as an island of power. If a grid-tied
system did feed the grid when the grid was down, it could be dangerous to utility
workers who are fixing the problem. Some solar customers are surprised to find
out that their utility-interactive PV systems will not work during a power outage.

OFF-GRID, AKA STAND-ALONE, AKA BATTERY-BASED PV SYSTEMS

PV systems that work independent of the utility grid. Usually used for remote
homes. Stand-alone PV systems are designed to fulfill all of the electricity
requirements.
There are two basic types of stand-alone PV systems.

Direct current is the electricity from a solar module or a battery with a

positive and a negative connection. Alternating current is what comes
from your house and alternates very fast between positive and negative.

AC coupled systems (ac = Alternating Current)

DC coupled systems (dc = Direct Current)

DC coupled systems are the most common and simple off-grid systems. Their
main components are:

• Solar modules
• Charge controller (prevents battery over- and under-charging)
• Battery
• Inverter.
AC coupled systems are complicated and less common. They use two types of
inverters: battery inverters to create voltage so that grid-tied inverters can
work when there is no utility. Their main components are:

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PV markets and applications

Figure 1.2 DC coupled PV system

Stand Alone/Battery/Off-Grid

PV

Charge
INPUT
OUTPUT
Charge
200
220
80
AMP
Volt
Battery

Controller Batteries

Inverter
DC coupled
system
DC loads
AC loads

• Solar modules
• Grid-tied inverters
• Off-grid inverter/charger
• Batteries.
HYBRID PV SYSTEMS

Hybrid PV systems include another source of power.

Typical other sources of power include:

• Generator (internal combustion engine)

• Wind turbine
• Micro-hydro (small hydroelectric turbine),

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 Figure 1.3 SMA Sunny Island AC coupled PV system
Windy boy Sunny Boy Sunny Boy
PV 1 PV x

Loads
Sunny
WebBox

Utility
AC1 (Loads/Sunny Boys)

Digln Com

AC2 Relay1/2
Generator (Gen/Grid)
*) =
Relay1/2

BatTmp BatCur DC BatVtgOut

DC-Loads
Battery = DC/DC = Charge
current sensor = converter = controller

Description: Battery
Control voltage temperature sensor Fuel Cell
Battery PV
*) DC supply contactor
(not included in delivery)

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PV markets and applications
PV markets and applications

GRID-TIED-BATTERY-BACKUP, AKA MULTIMODAL OR BIMODAL PV

SYSTEMS

Grid-Tied-Battery-Backup (GTBB) PV systems can operate as grid-tied systems

and off-grid systems. They are typically the most complex systems to design.

The inverters will produce as much power as possible when operating in utility-
interactive mode. When the utility is interrupted, the inverters disconnect from
the grid and switch to stand-alone mode and make as much power as the loads
require. (Loads are devices that consume electricity.)

Multimodal systems have to disconnect from the grid completely when the grid
is down, but still have to feed power to the house. These systems usually power
a subpanel of specific loads and not the entire house.

DIRECT, AKA DIRECT-COUPLED PV SYSTEM

This is the simplest type of PV system. The only components are PV and a
load (usually an electric motor).

A good example of a direct-coupled system is a solar attic fan. A solar attic fan
consists of a PV module and a fan. When the sun is out, the fan works, when it
is brighter, the fan works better, which is convenient, since we need a fan more
when the sun is out.

Another common direct-coupled system is water pumping. In sunny times,

more water is needed and water can be stored with elevation and used at night.

Direct Water Pumping System Variation:

Often times, water pumping systems use a linear current booster (LCB)
which increases current and sacrifices voltage at times of low light,
such as mornings.

There are no direct-coupled lighting systems, since when the sun is out, the
direct sunlight is the most efficient light.

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 PV markets and applications

SELF-REGULATING PV SYSTEM

A self-regulating system is a stand-alone PV system without a charge con-

troller. In most cases, not having a charge controller would damage a battery
by under- and over-charging the battery.

According to the National Electric Code, a self-regulating PV system has to be

designed so that it will not charge over 3 percent battery capacity in an
hour. This way the battery will not be over-charged. Over-charging a battery
can not only damage the battery, but also can split water molecules into hydro-
gen and oxygen, which is an explosive combination.

There are no safety issues with under-charging batteries, but as anyone with a
car knows, letting a battery die is not good for the life of the battery, so self-
regulating systems are designed with loads that are small relative to the size of
the battery and PV, so that they can survive dark winter days.

A good example of a self-regulating PV system is a coastguard buoy, which has

a big battery bank relative to a modest blinking light.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PV

PV works when the sun is up and that is when people use electricity the most.
We say that it generates at “peak” times, which makes it most valuable. Other
conventional forms of energy production can be easily stored, however when
we are burning things to make electricity, we are doing something that is bad
for the environment.

Wind power is good when mixed with solar, because wind can work at night,
however most people would rather live in sunny places than windy places. Also
wind is intermittent, and sunshine is much more predictable. Even on cloudy
days, solar systems make power. Solar works 365 days per year.

One of the problems that we have with solar is storage of power so that we can
use the solar energy at night. As solar is adopted early and since solar energy
is less than 1 percent of the energy produced on the grid, storage is not such a
big deal; however as the industry grows exponentially, storage becomes more
important. Energy storage is becoming more important in places where solar PV