Certification Training Course

SESSION -1: PV Technologies

1. Introduction
2. Solar Fundamentals
3. PV Technologies
4. PV Modules
5. Inverters
6. Benefits of the PV
 Solar Fundamentals

Objective
• The objective of this session is to review the
theory and tools of solar engineering in order
to have the knowledge for proper installation of
solar PV panels.
 Solar Fundamentals

The sun as an energy source

Solar energy is produced inside sun by fusion, where hydrogen
atoms are combined to make helium (He). Part of the mass is
converted into energy according to Einstein equation of energy.

Outer Cube:
Renewable energy amount per year.

Inner Cube:
Technical recoverable amounts of
energy per year.

However, Solar radiation is:

distributed (needs large collection surfaces),
discontinuous (seasons, day/night, weather conditions), and
partially recoverable (according to present technologies)

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 Solar Fundamentals
The sun as an energy source

•Earth rotation refers to the spinning of

Earth on its axis. One rotation takes
24 hrs & is called a solar day
•Earth revolution refers to the orbit of
Earth around the sun, which takes
takes 365 1/4 days to complete one
cycle
•The Earth's orbit around the sun is
elliptical, thus the Earth's distance
from the sun varies at different times
of the year

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 Solar Fundamentals

The sun as an energy source

Out the earth atmosphere, the solar irradiance has an average value
of 1367 W/m2 (±3%)

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 Solar Fundamentals

The solar
radiation

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 Solar Fundamentals
The sun as an energy source
An effect of the earth atmosphere is that:
• P ortion of s ola r e ne rgy a rrive s dire ctly to the ground
• P ortion is diffus e d
• The re ma ining portion is los t by re fle ction a nd a bs orption.

He nce , the s ola r e ne rgy ca n thus be divide d into:

• Dire ct fra ction (dire ct ra dia tion)
• Diffus e fra ction (diffus e ra dia tion)
• Re fle cte d fra ction (re fle cte d ra dia tion)

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 Solar Fundamentals

The solar radiation

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 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on a tilted and oriented plane

The Globa l Irra dia nce (G) on a tilte d a nd orie nte d pla ne (P V module )
ta ke s into a ccount the following compone nts :
• Dire ct Irra dia nce (B) me a s ure d on a pla ne norma l to s unra ys
• Diffus e d Irra dia nce (D) me a s ure d on a horizonta l pla ne
• Re fle cte d Irra dia nce or Albe do (R) me a s ure d on a horizonta l pla ne

1 + cos β 1 − cos β
G = B ⋅ cos θ + D ⋅ + R⋅
2 2
Where, θ is the incide nt a ngle on the tilte d pla ne , a nd β is the tilt
a ngle of the pla ne .
• Units of S ola r Irra dia nce is us ua lly W/m 2 or kW/m 2
• Units of S ola r Irra dia tion (Ra dia tion) is us ua lly kWh/m 2 or MJ /m 2

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 Solar Fundamentals

The solar radiation

It is important to consider the path in the atmosphere crossed by sunrays in terms of

its thickne s s :
• AM0 = No crossing
• AM1 = Crossed 1 times
• AM1.5 = crossed 1.5 times

(or)
Elevation angle = 42o

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 Solar Fundamentals

Air Mass Values at different Cities

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 Solar Fundamentals

The solar radiation

• The Standard Test Conditions (STC) refer to AM1.5
• The electromagnetic spectrum of the solar radiation at STC is shown below.

Generally, the wavelength of visible (and near infrared

and ultraviolet) light can be converted into electricity
using the photovoltaic effect of PV solar cells.

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 Solar Fundamentals
The solar radiation

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 TERMINOLOGIES OF SOLAR ENERGY

Solar Radiation Peak Sun Hours

The Solar Irradiance The number of hours
received per square meter needed to receive the
over a period of time same amount of Solar
(usually 1 hour). Its unit is Insolation if the sun
Watt hours per square shines at 1000 W/m²
meter (Wh/m²) Solar Insolation irradiance
Solar Irradiance The total amount of
The instantaneous Solar Radiation received
power received per at a particular location
unit area. Its unit is during a specified time
Watts per square period (usually one day).
meter (W/m²) Its unit is kWh/m²-day

Wh/m2.day
W/m2 Wh/m2 Wh/m2.day

Equal Area
1kW/
P (Watt) Energy m2
Power Energy
Energy

m2 5 kWh/m2 5 kWh/m2

t 1 hour 1 day 5 Peak sun hours

 Solar Fundamentals

Databases of
solar radiation

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 Solar Fundamentals
Databases of Solar Radiations
There are several databases on solar radiation and climate data that cover all the
world or s pe cific re gions

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 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on
a tilted and
oriented plane

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 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on a tilted and oriented plane

The most important ge ome trica l fa ctors

which a ffe ct ca lcula tions of s ola r
ra dia tion a re :
• La titude (Φ)
• Longitude (λ)
• S ola r de clina tion (δ)
• Tilt (β)
• Azimuth (γ)

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 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on a tilted and oriented plane

The Latitude (Φ) of a point on the
Ea rth's s urfa ce is the a ngle
be twe e n the e qua toria l pla ne a nd
the s tra ight line tha t joins tha t
point with the ce ntre of the Ea rth
(cons ide re d s phe rica l)

Longitude (λ)

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 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on a tilted and oriented plane

• The Solar Declination (δ) is the e ve r cha nging a ngle be twe e n the
e a rth e qua toria l pla ne a nd the s un ra ys (or a ls o La titude a t which
the s un ra ys hit the Ea rth s urfa ce ve rtica lly in a give n da y of the
ye a r)
• The De clina tion ra nge s from -23.45° to +23.45° de pe nding on the
da y of the ye a r

 284 + n 
δ = 23,45 ⋅ sin  360 ⋅ 
 365 

n = 1 ÷ 365

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 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on a tilted and oriented plane

The Tilt (β) is the a ngle be twe e n the horizonta l pla ne a nd the pla ne of
the P V module s urfa ce

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 PV ARRAY ORIENTATION

600
Facing
South
300

300
Facing
North
600
 Solar Fundamentals

Solar radiation on a tilted and oriented plane

The Azimuth (γ) or Orie nta tion a ngle is the a ngle be twe e n a s tra ight line from
the proje ction pos ition of the s un to the point of obs e rva tion a nd a horizonta l
line norma l to the e qua tor (norma lly S outh).
Us ua lly, ne ga tive a zimuth va lue s indica te a n e a s te rn orie nta tion a nd pos itive
va lue s , a we s te rn orie nta tion

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