Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV?

Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Lecture 9 - Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems

Alan P. Morrison

October 6, 2016

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Table of contents

1 Quick Perspective

2 Why have stand-alone PV?

3 Design considerations for stand-alone PV

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Global trends

Global Installed PV - 2013

128 GW

Source:
http://www.iea.org/topics/renewables/subtopics/solar/

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Global trends

Global Installed PV - 2013

128 GW
Module Cost

Multicrystalline Silicon modules

cost 22% less in 2013 compared
to previous year
Source:
http://www.iea.org/topics/renewables/subtopics/solar/

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEA Solar PV Technology Roadmap 2014

Key findings:
Since 2010, the world has added more solar photovoltaic
(PV) capacity than in the previous four decades. Total
global capacity overtook 150 gigawatts (GW) in early 2014
The geographical pattern of deployment is rapidly
changing. While a few European countries, led by
Germany and Italy, initiated large-scale PV development,
since 2013, the People’s Republic of China has led the
global PV market, followed by Japan and the United
States
PV system prices have been divided by three in six years
in most markets, while module prices have been divided
by five.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEA Solar PV Technology Roadmap 2014

Key findings:
This roadmap envisions PV’s share of global electricity
reaching 16% by 2050, a significant increase from the 11%
goal in the 2010 roadmap.
Achieving this roadmap’s vision of 4,600 GW of installed
PV capacity by 2050 would avoid the emission of up to 4
gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) annually
This roadmap assumes that the costs of electricity from PV
in different parts of the world will converge as markets
develop, with an average cost reduction of 25% by 2020,
45% by 2030, and 65% by 2050, leading to a range of US$
40 to 160/MWh, assuming a cost of capital of 8%.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEA Solar PV Technology Roadmap 2014

Key findings:
To achieve the vision in this roadmap, the total PV
capacity installed each year needs to rise from 36 GW in
2013 to 124 GW per year on average, with a peak of 200
GW per year between 2025 and 2040.
The variability of the solar resource is a challenge. All
flexibility options - including interconnections,
demand-side response, flexible generation, and storage -
need to be developed to meet this challenge.
Appropriate regulatory frameworks - and well-designed
electricity markets, in particular - will be critical to achieve
the vision in this roadmap.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEA Solar PV Technology Roadmap 2014

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEA Solar PV Technology Roadmap 2014

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEA Solar PV Technology Roadmap 2014

PV Growth by Sector

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Reasoning behind stand-alone PV

High cost of extending electricity grid to remote locations.

Supplement other stand-alone generation schemes e.g.
diesel/petrol generator, hybrid-wind.
Scale required unattractive for other sources of electricity.
Portability required.
Matching the application.
Self-reliance/security of supply.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Cost-effectiveness

Cost-effective region
The cost-effective region for using stand-alone PV versus grid
connection varies with (i) load, (ii) distance from existing grid
and (iii) choice/design of standalone system.

In U.S. in the 1990’s PV systems were cost-effective if grid

extension was more than 5 miles and loads were less than
1500 kWh/month.
Smaller (2 kW) systems could be cost effective at grid
extensions of only one third of a mile.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

Alan P. Morrison
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Examples of stand-alone PV systems

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Stand-alone PV design

System design is a complicated exercise involving several

trade-offs.
Wide range of loads, sites, and required availability.
Design of stand-alone PV-baed power systems is
determined by:
▶ location
▶ climate
▶ site characteristics
▶ equipment used
▶ load considerations
Selection and interconnection of system components
must be given priority.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Off-grid system example

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Simplified stand-alone PV power system

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Stand-alone PV power system

Solar modules usually charge a battery (bank).

Typical 36 cell module has cells connected in series to
charge 12 V battery.
Typical silicon cell characteristics are:

VOC = 600 mV (25o C)

ISC = 3.0 A
FF = 75%
Vmp = 500 mV (25o C)
Imp = 2.7 A
Area = 100 cm2

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Stand-alone PV power system

Module output with 36 cells in series gives

VOC = 21.6 V (25o C)

ISC = 3.0 A
FF = 75%
Vmp = 18 V (25o C)
Imp = 2.7 A

Cells encapsulated in modules have lower average

efficiencies in practice because:
▶ Reflection from glass
▶ Refractive index difference from cell/encapsulant interface.
▶ Cell mismatch losses
▶ Resistive losses in interconnects.
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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Stand-alone PV power system

A module with a Vmp of 18 V is required when charging a 12 V

lead-acid battery because:
∼ 2.8 V is lost to temperature rises to 60o C.
Blocking diode drops ∼0.6 V
Regulator drops ∼1.0 V
Some voltage loss with reducing light intensity.
Lead-acid batteries must be charged to 14-14.5 V to reach
full state of charge.

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

Stand-alone PV power system

Life expectancy of solar cells determined by quality of

encapsulation.
Module design and materials used significantly affect cell
operating temperature and hence efficiency.
Output influenced by:
▶ siting
▶ shading
▶ tilt-angle
▶ module self-cleaning properties

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Quick Perspective Why have stand-alone PV? Design considerations for stand-alone PV

IEC/IEEE Standards for off-grid PV

IEC 62509 Battery charge controllers for photovoltaic

systems - Performance and functioning.
IEC 61194 Characteristic parameters of stand-alone
photovoltaic (PV) systems.
IEC 61702 Rating of direct coupled photovoltaic (PV)
pumping systems.
IEC/PAS 62111 Specifications for the use of renewable
energies in rural decentralised electrification.
IEEE Std 1526 IEEE Recommended Practice for Testing
the Performance of Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems.
IEC 62124 Photovoltaic Stand-Alone Systems - Design
Qualification and Type Approval.

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