Course

Written assignment, quiz

Recognize the principal electrical safety hazards associated with PV systems, including electrical shock and arc flash

Describe basic electrical parameters including electrical charge, current, voltage, power and resistance

Relate basic electrical parameters to their hydraulic analogies (volume, flow, pressure, hydraulic power and friction)

Explain the difference between electrical power (rate of work performed) and energy (total work performed)

Identify basic electrical test equipment and its purpose, including voltmeters, ammeters, ohmmeters and watt-hour meters

Apply Ohm’s Law in analyzing simple electrical circuits, and to calculate voltage, current, resistance or power given any other two parameters

Determine how PV modules are configured in series and parallel to build voltage, current and power output for interfacing with inverters, charge controllers, batteries and other equipment

Written assignment, quiz

Explore solar radiation fundamentals

Define basic terminology, including solar radiation, solar irradiance, solar irradiation, solar insolation, solar constant, air mass, ecliptic plane, equatorial plane, pyranometer, solar declination, solstice, equinox, solar time, solar altitude angle, solar azimuth angle, solar window, array tilt angle, array azimuth angle, and solar incidence angle

Differentiate between solar irradiance (power), solar irradiation (energy)

Determine factors involved in energy production of a given location (peak sun, peak sun hours, and insolation)

Determine consequences of array shading and best practices for minimizing shading and preserving array output

Written assignment, quiz

Explain how a solar cell converts sunlight into electrical power

Distinguish between PV cells, modules, panels and arrays

Identify the five key electrical output parameters for PV modules using manufacturers’ literature (Voc, Isc, Vmp, Imp and Pmp)

Label output parameters on a current-voltage (I-V) curve

Analyze the effects of varying incident solar irradiance and cell temperature on PV module electrical output

Illustrate results of changing solar irradiance and cell temperature on an I-V curve and indicate changes in current, voltage and power

Illustrate the effects of connecting similar and dissimilar PV modules in series and in parallel on electrical output using I-V curves

Define various performance rating and measurement conditions for PV modules and arrays, including STC, SOC, NOCT, and PTC

Compare components and the construction for a typical flat-plate PV module made from crystalline silicon solar cells to thin-film modules

Written assignment, quiz

Describe the purpose and principles of operation for major PV system components, including PV modules and arrays, inverters and chargers, charge controllers, energy storage and other sources

Describe the types of PV system balance of system components, their functions and specifications, including conductors, conduit and raceway systems, overcurrent protection, switchgear, junction and combiner boxes, terminations and connectors

Identify the primary types, functions, features, specifications, settings and performance indicators associated with PV system power processing equipment, including inverters, chargers, charge controllers, and maximum power point trackers

Identify basic types of PV systems, their major subsystems and components, and the electrical and mechanical BOS components required