RENEWABLE ENERGY

ASSIGNMENT 2

Designing of Grid-connected PV systems

Question 1

1. What types of inverter would you select and give reason?

Total generated energy:

= 140 + 255 + 290 +310 + 275 + 320 + 270 + 245 + 170 + 280 + 325 + 200 + 260 + 250 + 245 +

280 + 85 + 325 + 260 + 225 + 245 + 260 +255 + 245 + 255 + 180 + 65 + 250 + 280 + 115

= 7155wh

Yearly generated energy =

= 2862wh

Model Xantrex GT series 3.3N inverter was selected because minimum AC power is 3100 Watt
and maximum is 3300 Watt. So, it’s suitable for 2862 Watt yearly generated energy. The GT
Series may be installed as a single inverter, for a single PV array, or in a multiple-inverter
configuration for large PV systems. Otherwise, it has very low sensitivity to grid disturbances to
avoid undesired disconnection from the grid and grid-tied behavior according to national grid
standards.
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ASSIGNMENT 2

2. How many parallel strings and clarify it.

Solar module : Sun – E (HWT120-P72) Polycrystalline
Inverter Model : Xantrex GT series 3.3N

No. of module used =

No. of module used (min) =

= 25.83 (r. up 26)

No. of module used (max) =

= 27.5 (r. up 28)

34.50 V
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ASSIGNMENT 2

Inverter:

MPP (o/w) = 200 - 600V

Input MPP = 200 - 550V

New MPP = 200 - 600V

.
Safety margin: Min = 200 x 1.1 = 220V
Max = 600 x 0.95 = 570V
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ASSIGNMENT 2

| | | |
200 220 ACTUAL 570 600

No. of module in string (min)

(R. down 9)

No. of module in string (max)

(R. down 16)

3. How many modules in each string and clarify it

 3100W

(R. up 3)

R. up 2)

Min = 2
Max = 3

 3300 W
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ASSIGNMENT 2

R. down 3)

R. up 2)

Min = 2
Max = 3

No. of module for P3100 =

= 3 String, 9 Parallel

No. of module for P3300 =

= 3 String, 10 Parallel

4. The efficiency of the system designed?

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ASSIGNMENT 2

= efficiency must be 0.9

P3100

P3300

= 0.9

5. Advantages of your system designed.

 Best-in-class efficiency to maximize solar system return on investment

 Accurate MPPT tracking ensures maximum energy harvest under any conditions
 FCC Part B compliance provides less external electronic interference

Question 2

1. Intro to PV system

A photovoltaic system is a system which uses solar cells to convert light into electricity.
A photovoltaic system consists of multiple components, including cells, mechanical and
electrical connections and mountings and means of regulating and/or modifying the electrical
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ASSIGNMENT 2

output. Due to the low voltage of an individual solar cell (typically ca. 0.5V), several cells are
combined into photovoltaic modules, which are in turn connected together into an array. The
electricity generated can be either stored, used directly (island/standalone plant)or fed into a
large electricity grid powered by central generation plants (grid-connected/grid-tied plant) or
combined with one or many domestic electricity generators to feed into a small grid (hybrid
plant) . Depending on the type of application, the rest of the system ("balance of system" or
"BOS") consists of different components.

2. Simple payback

Determining the cost of installation and the payback for installing a photovoltaic (PV)
system is the easiest of all renewable energy systems to understand. There are 3 main
components needed to analysis the cost and payback of installing a PV system, which are:

1. Average number of peak hours of sun per day in your area (about 4.3 hours of sun per day,
365 days per year, in Malaysia)
2. The amount to pay for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity use
3. The cost of the PV system, including installation

Where T = the payback period, in years

C= the initial capital cost of the PV system

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S= the actual cost savings in the electricity that does not need to be purchased.

For example:

 1kWp grid – connected system produces 3600 kWh per year.

 The system costs RM25000.
 Average costs for residential electricity is RM0.15 per kWh, therefore the savings per
year will be MYR540 (3600 X 0.15).

= 46.3 year

3. Life cycle costing

Undertaking a life cycle comparison is simply determining all the costs associated with
operating the system over its life. Therefore to perform this task it is need to:

1. Determine all the installed capital costs of the equipment.

2. Determine all the operating and maintenance costs associated with each piece of
equipment.
3. Determine the component life and replacement cost.

4. Present worth factor

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ASSIGNMENT 2

Present worth Factor (PWF) is been used to calculate the present value of all of the year
maintenance costs. It is depend on g, d, and n. The formula as follow:

For example:

The cost of maintenance for a PV system is assumed to be RM500 per year. The cost of
maintenance is expected to rise at the inflation rate of 5% each year and the market discount rate
is 7%. We need to work out the present value of the maintenance over 20 years.

Present worth = RM500 x PWF (0.05, 0.07, 20)

Using the above formula, PWF (0.05, 0.07, 20) = 16.5
Therefore present worth is = 16.5 x RM500
= RM8, 250

So, Mr Husin Ahmad must spend the maintenance over the next 20 years in RM8, 250.

5. Costs of PV system
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ASSIGNMENT 2

Capital Costs

A PV array can cost approximately RM25k to RM30k per kWp installed. This depends
mainly on the price of modules, but is also affected by the BOS costs such as support structures,
foundations, cabling and labour.

Maintenance Costs

Assume the electronic component is located in a clean, cool, dry environment then very
little maintenance is required. In general the maintenance associated with solar modules is small,
and undertaken at 6 or 12 month intervals. It is recommended that for the life cycle analysis a
minimum of 2 hours per kW installed per year is cost in undertaking maintenance at a typical
site. Alternatively, if a detailed calculation is not required, a figure of 1% of the capital cost is
usually sufficient as an approximate figure.

Replacement Costs

Electronic products can last 10 to 20 years longer but can also in general be repaired. The
designer should ask the manufacturer what is the expected life of inverter they are installing in
the system. If it is less than the length of the life cycle analysis then a replacement should be
include.
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ASSIGNMENT 2

6. Saving of RM per kWh

The full life cycle costing involve appliying the formula. Historically life cyle cost have
been undertaken based on 20 years,that was the predicted life time of the PV modules.To
determine the RM per Wh, the present value of the whole system over a 20 years is calculated.
The energy that will be produced over the 20 years life is estimated an then the RM per kWh is
determined by:

RM per kWh = Present value of system over 20 y / kWh produced by system over 20 y

Once the cost has been determined and the 20 years has been selected, the inflation rate
and discount rate is selected. The inflation rate used must be based on the current rate as
provided by Bank Negara Malaysia (National Bank of Malaysia). The discount rate can be
difficult to determine. Certainly the choice of discount rate affects the life cycle cost of the PV
system substantially since the have capital costs and low running costs. Therefore, the economic
and social benefits accrue over the life time of system, It is however, often useful to examine the
sensitivity of the costing to changes in discount rate.

Let’s assume we have installed a 5.25kWp PV system with the cost as shown below:

Unit Price Total Price

Qty
No Item (RM) (RM)

1 PV Module (120 Wp each) 2800 30 87,000

2 Inverter (3.3kW) 13,800 1 13,000

Installation, testing and commissioning

3 47,800 1 47,000
charges

System Price (5.25 kWp) 147,000

Price per kWp 28,000

Table 1: Costs for a 5.25kWp Grid Connect System

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Let’s assume the inverter will be replaced after 10 years the life cycle costing is based on 20
years. The system produces 6300kWh per annum. Maintenance is based on 1% of the total
capital costs. Table below provides RM per kWh for a variety of real discount rates.

Real Discount Rate Rate/kWh

3% 2.21
4% 2.36
5% 2.52
6% 2.69
7% 2.86
8% 3.03

Table 2: RM/kWh for Different Discount Rates

7. Total cost of the system (excluding the solar panel cost)

UNIT PRICE TOTAL PRICE

NO ITEM QUANTITY
(RM) (RM)
1 PV modules ( 120 Wp each) 3,225.60 27 87,091.20
2 Inverter 18,553.05 1 18,553.05
3 Installation, testing, and 47000 1 47000
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ASSIGNMENT 2

commissioning charges
System Price ( 1.5kWp) 152,644.25
Price per kWp `1,010.80