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2.626 Fundamentals of Photovoltaics

Fall 2008

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Solar Resource – Interactive Slides
Lecture 2 – 2.626
Tonio Buonassisi
 Foreword
• These were presented in class as “interactive
slides”. As such, reading them online might
not give you the “full experience”. We expect
to have full video of the class posted online by
January.
A few intro items
1. Course material posted to MIT class Web site . If you do not have access, pls.
email Sarah.

2. OCW: Privacy concerns w/ project postings.

3. PV listserv signup

4. UNSW book order – next week, be prepared!

5. Community resources: photovoltaics.mit.edu listserv.

6. Upcoming events:
‐ Monday, Sept. 15: Swiss Solar Taxi makes Round‐the‐World Trip, stops at
MIT
‐ Tuesday, Sept. 16: PV Social @ Muddy Charles Pub, 5:30‐7:30pm.

7. Who checked out the PVCDROM at www.pveducation.org?

Who’s sitting next to you? (bkgnd survey results)
Who’s sitting next to you? (bkgnd survey results)
Who’s sitting next to you? (bkgnd survey results)
Who’s sitting next to you? (bkgnd survey results)
Who’s sitting next to you? (bkgnd survey results)
 Units 101
• Basic Units Check: Assign Appropriate Units

• Energy • Amps (A)

• Power • Kilowatt Hours (kWh)
• Current • Kilowatts (kW)
• Voltage • Volts (V)
 Units 101
• Basic Units Check: Assign Appropriate Units

• Energy • Amps (A)

• Power • Kilowatt Hours (kWh)
• Current • Kilowatts (kW)
• Voltage • Volts (V)
 Unit Check
• Current, voltage, power, and energy.

– Example: Hairdrier vs. Fridge.

• Which is more likely to blow a fuse?
• Which is more likely to blow your budget?

Image from the Open Clip Art

Library, http://openclipart.org/ Image from flickr user Niels van Eck.
 Unit Check
• Current, voltage, power, and energy.

– Example: Hairdrier vs. Fridge.

• Which is more likely to blow a fuse?
• Which is more likely to blow your budget?

0.044 kWave 1.88 kWpeak

Image from the Open Clip Art

Library, http://openclipart.org/ Image from flickr user Niels van Eck.
 Unit Check
• Current, voltage, power, and energy.

– Example: Hairdrier vs. Fridge.

• Which is more likely to blow a fuse?
• Which is more likely to blow your budget?

0.044 kWave 1.88 kWpeak

~ 1 kWh/day ~ 0.5 kWh/day

Image from the Open Clip Art

Library, http://openclipart.org/ Image from flickr user Niels van Eck.
 Units 101

Solar
Coal

• What is the peak power produced by each?

• What is the average power produced by each?
 Why “Peak Power”?
• Why is “peak power” (kWp) useful?

Image from Wikimedia Commons,

http://commons.wikimedia.org

Courtesy USAF.
 Why “Peak Power”?
• Why is “peak power” (kWp) useful?
– Because it is a location (resource) neutral rating of
output power. A PV module will have the same
kWp in Arizona or Alaska, although the kWave will
be very different! Useful spec when designing
systems. Courtesy USAF.
 Solar Resource Questions
• For a fixed (non‐tracking) PV system
somewhere in the U.S., what tilt angle should
the modules be facing, to maximize yearly
electricity output?
• Does your answer hold true, if above the
Arctic Circle?
Influence of Weather on Irradiance

Images removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see

http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/1069.gif
http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/1070.gif

• Question: Why do many solar panels in the San Francisco Bay

Area point south or south‐west, instead of south‐east?

http://www.newport.com/Introduction‐to‐
Solar‐Radiation/411919/1033/catalog.aspx
 Estimation of Land Area
• Let’s spec out a solar system…
Buonassisi Residence

Boston latitude: 42° 19’ North

Electricity Consumption of Buonassisi Residence

Pre‐PV Post‐PV
 Questions…
• What is the average monthly electricity (pre‐
PV) use of the Buonassisi household?
• Assuming a certain insolation for the Boston
area, calculate the suggested PV system size
to match all electricity use.
• Does this fit on the roof?
Natural Gas Consumption of Buonassisi Residence
What uses more energy – electricity or natural gas?
What are the implications for energy neutrality?

1 therm of natural gas = 29.3 kWh

Predicted vs. Actual System Outputs

Predicted: PVWatts:
http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/codes_algs/PVWATTS/version1/

1 therm of natural gas = 29.3 kWh

Actual System
Outputs
Actual system outputs may
be significantly lower, due
to suboptimal system
performance, design,
installation, shading losses,
etc.:
See, e.g.,
http://soltrex.masstech.org Image removed due to copyright restrictions.
Please see any site listed at
/systems.cfm http://soltrex.masstech.org/systems.cfm
 Difference between tracking
concentrator and non‐tracking flat
panel?
Map removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see [PV Solar Radiation (Flat Plate, Facing South, Latitude Tilt), Annual], NREL.
Map removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see [Direct Normal Solar Radiation (Two-Axis Tracking Concentrator), Annual]. NREL.
Map removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see [Direct Normal Solar Radiation (Two-Axis Tracking Concentrator), Annual]. NREL.
What other types of PV systems are
there?
SOLAR SPECTRUM
 Solar Spectra
• What are the standards?
• How is the solar spectrum simulated in the
lab?
 http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/
Where to find it?
 http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/
Where to find it?
 http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/
Where to find it?
ASTM G173‐03
The receiving surface is defined in the standards as an inclined plane at 37° tilt
toward the equator, facing the sun (i.e., the surface normal points to the sun, at an
elevation of 41.81° above the horizon)

The specified atmospheric conditions are:

a) the 1976 U.S. Standard Atmosphere b with temperature, pressure, aerosol

density (rural aerosol loading), air density, molecular species density specified in 33
layers
b) an absolute air mass of 1.5 (solar zenith angle 48.19°s)
c) Angstrom turbidity (base e) at 500 nm of 0.084 c
d) total column water vapor equivalent of 1.42 cm
e) total column ozone equivalent of 0.34 cm
f) surface spectral albedo (reflectivity) of Light Soil as documented in the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory ASTER Spectral Reflectance Database
(http://speclib.jpl.nasa.gov.)

Experts: Keith Emery, Daryl Myers.

Source: http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/am1.5/
Attempts to Simulate Solar Spectra

Non‐ideal matches: QTH, Hg, M‐Halide…

Images removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see

http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/808.gif
http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/810.gif

http://www.newport.com/Simulation‐of‐Solar‐
Irradiation/411986/1033/catalog.aspx
Attempts to Simulate Solar Spectra

Better matches: Xe lamps with air mass filters

Image removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see

http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/845.gif

http://www.newport.com/Simulation-of-Solar-Irradiation/411986/1033/catalog.aspx
Spectral response of different PV materials

Warning: Different PV
materials are sensitive to
different parts of the solar
spectrum. You may be
over/under estimating
your performance, if the
solar simulator calibration Image removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see
http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/826.gif

cell is made of a different

material to the cells you
are testing.

http://www.newport.com/Energy%E2%80%90Conversion/412147/1033/catalog.aspx
Solar Simulator Qualities

Uniformity

Spectral Fidelity Image removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see

http://www.newport.com/images/web150w-EN/images/806.gif

Temporal Stability

http://www.newport.com/Simulation‐of‐Solar‐
Irradiation/411986/1033/catalog.aspx
Solar Simulator Standards

Standard IEC 904‐9: Requirements for solar simulators for

crystalline Si single‐junction devices

Class A Class B Class C

Spectral match (ratio of the actual
percentage of total irradiance to the
required percentage specified for
each wavelength range) 0.75-1.25 0.6-1.4 0.4-2.0
Non-uniformity of irradiance < ±2% < ±5% < ±10%
Temporal Instability < ±2% < ±5% < ±10%

For more info on PV testing standards, see:

http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/pvstndrds.htm
Change is the Only Constant…

From data included in C.A. Gueymard / Advances in Space Research 37 (2006) 323–340
Change is the Only Constant…

Text removed due to copyright restrictions. Please see

http://www.livescience.com/environment/060119_dark_china.html