Renewable Energy

Solar PV – Electrical Characteristics

Spring Semester 2019

Contact: Dr. Eduard Muljadi

Reference:
• Masters, Gilbert M.. Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems (Wiley - IEEE).
• www.nrel.gov/publications.html
 Shaded Cell
5.73A
5.73A

- 41V+ - 41V+ - 41V+ + 17V -

M Grid
+ P DC to AC
Shading
-- P Inverter
T
+ 41V - + 41V - + 41V - + 41V -
 Shaded Cell
5.73A
 Partial Shading

(I - Isc/2) Rp = Vd < 0
Diode becomes reversed bias.

V = IR Rp
+ -
V IR V IR
- +
Forward Bias Reverse Bias
Partial Shading
Partial Shading

Total voltage loss for

the entire module
5.8.2 Bypass Diodes and
Blocking Diodes
Maximum Power Point
Tracker (MPPT)

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 5.8 Maximum Power Point Trackers
(MPPT)

• Solar irradiance, ambient temperature, and shading all have

impact on the shape of PV I–V curves.
• Ideally, given the cost of PV systems, you would like to keep
your expensive PVs operating at their optimum point on
these shifting I–V curves.
• In most cases, this means incorporating a maximum power
point tracker (MPPT) as part of the system.
• For some simple applications, such as directly coupled PV
water-pumping or small-scale battery charging systems, the
extra cost and complexity of MPPTs may not be justified and
they are often omitted.

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• An actual MPPT needs some way to know how to adjust the duty cycle of
its DC-to-DC converter to keep the PV array voltage on its MPP, which
means it needs a control unit.
• A simple version of an MPPT, consisting of a DC-to-DC converter and
control system is shown below.
• The PV source may be a single module or it could be an entire array.
• The controller senses the current and voltage being delivered by the PVs
and, using any of a number of possible control approaches, adjusts the
converter to best match the desired output to the load.

FIGURE 5.54 A simple block diagram of an MPPT system.

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16
Note: The conservation of power delivered
must be maintained (assumed that DC-DC
converter is 100% efficient.
Ppv = 30V x 6A =180 Watt
Pbattery = 12V x 15A = 180 Watt

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Watch out for
local optimum!!!
 Renewable Energy

Solar Photovoltaic – PV Systems

Spring Semester 2019

Contact: Dr. Eduard Muljadi

Reference:
Masters, Gilbert M.. Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems (Wiley - IEEE).
 Renewable Energy
Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

Image from Sun Power Corp.,

PV Plant (5~850 MW)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longyangxia_Dam#Photovoltaic_power_station

23816
Rooftop PV
(1~30 kW) Image from DOE FEMP, 27638
Image by Dennis Schroeder, NREL 22192

Mobile 9-kW PV system

Bechler Meadows Ranger Station
Yellowstone National Park
 Renewable Energy

Image by Dennis Schroeder, NREL 27806

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Simplified grid-connected PV system

FIGURE 6.1 Simplified grid-connected PV system with net metering.

Principal components in a grid-connected PV

FIGURE 6.2 Principal components in a grid-connected PV

system using a single inverter and a single utility meter.
 Grid-Connected Systems
• We can have a combiner box and a single
inverter or small inverters for each panel
• Individual inverters make the system modular
• Inverter sends AC power to utility service panel
• Power conditioning unit (PCU) may include
– MPPT
– Ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)
– Circuitry to disconnect from grid if utility loses power
– Battery bank to provide back-up power
FIGURE 6.3 An alternative to having a single MPPT/inverter for
an entire array is to provide microinverters for each module.
 MPPT
MPPT

MPPT MPPT

FIGURE 6.4 Larger grid-connected systems may use an individual inverter for each string (a),
or may incorporate a large, central inverter system to provide three-phase power (b).
FIGURE 6.5 During the day, any excess power from the array is
sold to the utility; at night, power is purchased from the utility.
TABLE 6.1 TOU Energy and Dollar Calculations for an Example PV System that
Provides 100% of Electricity Demand for an Example Month in the Summer
 DC and AC Rated Power
• Estimate the AC output power under varying conditions

Pac  Pdc,STC  (Conversion Efficiency) (9.10)

• Pdc,STC - DC power of array from adding module ratings

under standard test conditions (STC) (1-sun, AM 1.5, 25˚C)
• Conversion efficiency – includes losses from inverter, dirty
collectors, mismatched modules, and differences in
ambient conditions
• These losses can derate power output by 20-40%, even in
full sun
FIGURE 6.6 A two-meter system allows a feed-in tariff to provide separate
rates for power generated by PVs and power used by customers.
FIGURE 6.7 Isolation transformers prevent fault currents from passing from
the DC side of the system onto the AC grid connection (a) Showing fault; (b)
the isolation transformer; (c) illustrating the size of the transformer.

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