CHAPTER 1:

Introduction to
Solar Energy

Prepared by:
Engr. Patrick Joseph N. Baliwag, ME
INTRODUCTION

Solar energy is the energy obtained by

capturing heat and light from the Sun. Energy from

the Sun is referred to as solar energy. Technology

has provided a number of ways to utilize this

abundant resource. It is considered a green

technology because it does not emit greenhouse

gases. Solar energy is abundantly available and

has been utilized since long both as electricity and

as a source of heat.
 The human consumption comes from fossil fuel, nuclear energy from uranium, and geo
heat. Any forms of energy are converted to heat and ultimately to radiation. Till now, there is no
appreciable direct conversion path from the solar radiation to the human consumption.

This is because:
❑ There is no efficient conversion machine until now,
❑ The solar radiation has a low density,
❑ The solar power is not constant. It varies daily,
from season to season, and also from place
to place on the earth.
Solar technology can be broadly classified as −

Active Solar − Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar

power and solar water heating to harness the energy. Active solar is directly consumed in activities

such as drying clothes and warming of air.

Passive Solar − Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials

with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate

air.
 Watch this Video!

Solar power 101： How does solar energy work？.mp4

Source of Solar Energy

The main energy source in our earth is the sun radiation. The solar radiation
amounts to 1.7 x 1017 W;

stored in water Consume by wind

vapor water waves

converted to heat 23% 1% Consume by

directly plants
42%
0.023%

reflected back
34%
Conversion of Solar Energy

The solar energy is the energy obtained by capturing heat and

light from the Sun. The method of obtaining electricity from sunlight
is referred to as the Photovoltaic method. This is achieved using a
semiconductor material. The other form of obtaining solar energy is
through thermal technologies, which give two forms of energy
tapping methods.

• The first is solar concentration, which focuses solar energy to

drive thermal turbines.
• The second method is heating and cooling systems used in
solar water heating and air conditioning respectively.
The process of converting solar energy into electricity so as to
utilize its energy in day-to-day activities is given below −

• Absorption of energy carrying particles in Sun’s rays called

photons.
• Photovoltaic conversion, inside the solar cells.
• Combination of current from several cells. This step is
necessary since a single cell has a voltage of less than 0.5 V.
• Conversion of the resultant DC to AC.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Power Energy

Advantages

1. Solar Is a Renewable Energy Source

2. Solar Energy is Immensely Abundant

3. Solar Technologies Are Getting More Efficient

4. Solar Panels Are Getting Cheaper

5. Solar Life Cycle Generates Minimal Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Disadvantages

1. Solar Energy is Still Expensive for Households

2. Solar Energy is Weather Dependent

3. Solar Power Plants Are Not the Most Environmentally Friendly

Option
Top 5 largest solar power plants in the world

1. Bhadla Solar Park, India

Location: Rajasthan, India
Installed Capacity: 2245 MW, 14000 acres

2. Huanghe Hydropower Hainan Solar Park- China

Location: Qinghai province, China
Installed Capacity: 2200 MW, 1390 acres

3. Pavagada Solar Park, India

Location: Karnataka, India
Installed Capacity: 2050 MW, 13000 acres

4. Benban Solar Park, Egypt

Location: Aswan Governorate, Egypt
Installed Capacity: 1650 MW, 9190 acres

5. Tengger Desert Solar Park, China

Location: Ningxia, China
Installed Capacity: 1547 MW, 10625 acres
 Watch This Video

How do solar panels work？ - Richard Komp.mp4

GENERAL PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM

The photovoltaic (PV) system converts solar radiation into

electricity directly. A photovoltaic system is made up of several photovoltaic

solar cells. An individual small PV cell is capable of generating about 1 or 2

W of power approximately depends of the type of material used. For higher

power output, PV cells can be connected together to form higher power

modules. In the market the maximum power capacity of the module is 1 kW,

even though higher capacity is possible to manufacture, it will become

cumbersome to handle more than 1 kW module. Depending upon the power

plant capacity or based on the power generation, group of modules can be

connected together to form an array.

The block diagram of a general PV system is shown in

FIGURE 1.1. The general photovoltaic system

It consists of the following building blocks:

1. The PV array: Its function is the conversion of solar radiation into electricity. It is the major unit in the
system.
2. Battery storage: To be available at the absence of the solar radiation, the electric energy produced by the
array must be partly stored, normally using batteries. So, the second main unit is the battery storage.
3. Power conditioning circuits: According to the nature of the load, the generated electric power must be
conditioned using DC/DC converters and DC/AC inverters.
Types of PV Systems

Based on the electric energy production, PV modules can be arranged into arrays to

increase electric output. Solar PV systems are generally classified based on their functional and

operational requirements, their component configurations. It can be classified into grid-connected

and stand-alone systems.

1. Grid-Connected Solar PV System

The primary component of grid-connected PV systems is power conditioning unit

(PCU). The PCU converts the DC power produced by the PV array into AC power as per the

voltage and power quality requirements of the utility grid. A bi-directional interface is made

between the PV system AC output circuits and the electric utility network, typically at an on-site

distribution panel or service entrance. This allows the AC power produced by the PV system to

either supply on-site electrical loads or to back-feed the grid when the PV system output is greater

than the on-site load demand. This safety feature is required in all grid-connected PV systems,

and ensures that the PV system will not continue to operate and feed back into the utility grid when

the grid is down for maintenance or during grid failure state

Basic Components

• Solar Panels - a device that converts light from the sun, which is composed of particles of
energy called "photons", into electricity that can be used to power electrical loads. Solar panels
are comprised of several individual solar cells which are themselves composed of layers of
silicon, phosphorous (which provides the negative charge), and boron (which provides the
positive charge). Solar panels absorb the photons and in doing so initiate an electric current.
• Inverter – The inverter is the most important part of any
grid connected system. The inverter extracts as much DC
(direct current) electricity as possible from the PV array
and converts it into clean mains AC (alternating current)
electricity at the right voltage and frequency for feeding
into the grid or for supplying domestic loads.
• There are two main types of inverters: string inverters
and microinverters. If one central string inverter is used,
shade on one panel will affect electricity output for the
entire system. In a microinverter system, however, shade Example of Low frequency Solar Inverter

on one panel will only affect that singular panel, so there

is much less impact on the system’s overall performance.
• Electricity Meter – The electricity meter also called a
Kilowatt hour (kWh) meter is used to record the flow of
electricity to and from the grid. Twin kWh meters can be
used, one to indicate the electrical energy being consumed
and the other to record the solar electricity being sent to the
grid.

Types:

▪ Standard service meters are odometer-type counting wheels that record

power consumption at a service point by means of a rotating disc, which is
connected to the counting mechanism.

▪ Digital electric meters make use of digital electronic technology that

registers power measurement by solid-state current and voltage sensing
devices that convert analog measured values into binary values that are
displayed on the meter using liquid crystal display (LCD) readouts.
• AC Breaker Panel and Fuses – The breaker panel or fuse box is the normal type of fuse
box provided with a domestic electricity supply and installation with the exception of
additional breakers for inverter and/or filter connections.
• Safety Switches and Cabling – A photovoltaic array will always produce a voltage output
in sunlight so it must be possible to disconnect it from the inverter for maintenance or
testing. Isolator switches rated for the maximum DC voltage and current of the array and
inverter safety switches must be provided separately with easy access to disconnect the
system.
2. Stand-Alone / Off- grid Solar PV System

Stand-alone PV systems or direct coupled PV systems are designed and sized to

supply DC and/or AC electrical loads. It is called direct coupled systems because, the DC
output of a PV module or array is directly connected to a DC load. There is no electrical energy
storage (batteries) in direct-coupled systems as because of that, the load only operates during
sunlight hours

Directly Coupled PV system without battery Storage

Stand-alone PV system with battery storage

 Additional Components:

• Batteries – Also known as Battery bank are an important

element in any stand alone PV system but can be optional
depending upon the design. Batteries are used to store the
solar-produced electricity for night time or emergency use
during the day. Depending upon the solar array
configuration, battery banks can be of 12V, 24V or 48V
and many hundreds of amperes in total. Battery bank
sizing depends on a number of factors, such as the Note: When designing a solar PV system with a
duration of an uninterrupted power supply to the load battery backup, the designer must determine
the appropriate location for the battery racks
when there is less or no radiation from the sun. The and room ventilation.

battery bank produces a 20–30 % power loss due to heat

• Charge Controller – regulates and controls the output
from the solar array to prevent the batteries from being
over charged (or over discharged) by dissipating the
excess power into a load resistance. Charge
controllers within a stand alone PV system are optional
but it is a good idea to have one for safety reasons.
During the sunshine hours, the load is supplied with
DC power while simultaneously charging the battery.
The controller will ensure that the DC power output
from the PV arrays should be adequate to sustain the
connected load while sizing the batteries. It also
monitors the battery voltage to slow the current flow as
the battery approaches full charge.
3. PV-Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems generally refers to the combination of any two input sources, here solar PV

can be integrated with Diesel Generator, Wind Turbines, Bio-mass or any other renewable on

non-renewable energy sources. Solar PV systems will generally use battery bank to store energy

output from the panels to accommodate a pre-defined period of insufficient sunshine, there may

still be exceptional periods of poor weather when an alternative source is required to guarantee

power production.
Additional Components:

• Solar rectifier system is powered by a rectifier AC source and generally converts this power
into a low voltage DC. The solar rectifier features low maintenance, lightweight design, and
optional remote monitoring. Used in two different ways with or without a transformer
4. Grid-Tied Solar Systems With A Battery Backup

Grid-tied solar power systems can be an ideal solution for those who either don’t have

the space or finances available to install solar energy equipment large enough to completely

provide the energy necessary to run their home or business.

A grid-tied solar system with a battery backup (also known as a hybrid solar

system) also provides home battery storage you can use during power outages. These systems

can cost more to install than a typical grid-tied solar system due to the additional expense of a

battery bank. However, the added benefit of accessible power during an outage makes these

systems worth considering.

THANK YOU
References:
1. Yahyaoui, I. (2018). Advances in Renewable Energies and Power Technologies Volume 1
Solar and Wind Energies. Elsevier Inc.

2. Kiameh, P. (2012). Power Generation Handbook (2nd ed.). The

McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

3. Quaschning, V. (2005). Understanding Renewable Energy

Systems. Carl Hanser Verlag GMBH & Co. KG

4. Links:
https://earth.org/what-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-solar-energy/
YT: How do solar panels work? –Richard Komp URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKxrkht7CpY
Solar power 101： How does solar energy work？URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzQmo_Wd2Sw
https://ornatesolar.com/blog/the-5-largest-solar-power-plants-in-the-world
https://www.solarsquare.in/blog/grid-connected-pv-system/
https://advancedsolarllc.com/systems/grid-tied-with-battery-backup/