Design of Photovoltaic Systems

The University of Jordan

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 Outline
• Legal Framework in Jordan
• Introduction to Solar Radiation & PV Fundamentals
• Design Steps of On-grid PV System
• Design Steps of Off-grid PV System
• Economical Evaluation of PV Projects

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Legal Framework in Jordan
GAM

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 Energy Conversion
Energy
Energy Input Conversion Energy Output
Device

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• The unit of energy is joule (J).

• Power is the energy per time and is expressed in watts (W).

• 1 watt is 1 joule per second.

• In this course we will use a more practical unit, which is

generally used to express the electrical energy,
kilowatthours (kWh)

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Net Metering vs Feed-in Tariff

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Solar Radiation & PV Fundamentals

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Azimuth Angle

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Azimuth Angle

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Elevation Angle

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Tilt Angle

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Air Mass

1
cos Ө
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Sun Path (3D Sun Path)

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Solar Cell Working Principle

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 IV-Curve & MPPT

IMPP

VMPP

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Module Circuit Design

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Shading Effect

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Bypass Diodes

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 Standard Test Conditions (STC)

1000 W/m2 25˚C Cell Temp. Air Mass 1.5

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Peak Sun Hours

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 Nominal Operating Cell Temp. (NOCT)

800 W/m2 20˚C Ambient Temp. 1 m/s

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 Types of Solar Panels

Monocrystalline Polycrystalline Thin-film

Up to 23.5% Up to 22% Up to 18%
-0.39% / ˚C -0.40% / ˚C -0.32% / ˚C
Most expensive Average Cheapest

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Types of Solar Panels

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Concentrating Photovoltaics
(CPV)

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Cell, Module (Panel), Array

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Mounting Structure

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 Types of Mounting Systems
(According to orientation type)

Fixed
Tracking

Adjustable
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 Roof Mounted

Ground Mounted

Fixed Shade Structure

BIPV
Mounting
Structure Car Port

Single Axis
Tracking &
Adjustable
Double Axis

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Roof Mounted

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Ground Mounted

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Self-Ballasted Arrays

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Direct-Mounted Arrays

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Pole-Mounted Arrays

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Shade Structure

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Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

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Car Ports

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 Temperature Effect
Mounting Type Increase in Cell Temperature [°C]

Ground Mounted and Car Ports +20

Roof Mounted +30

Facade +35

BIPV +45

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Single Axis Tracking

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Double Axis Tracking

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Key factors in Mechanical Design
and Module Layout

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Module physical characteristics.

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Thermal characteristics of modules
and effects of mounting system.

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 Weather sealing of building
penetrations and attachments.

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 Materials and hardware
compatibilities with the application
environment.

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Materials and hardware compatibilities
with the application environment.

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Aesthetics and appearance.

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Aesthetics and appearance.

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Aesthetics and appearance.

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Optimizing Array Performance

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Optimum Tilt & Azimuth

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Good Ventilation

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 Installing all modules in series
yellow area: almost no shading
source circuits in the same plane.
blue area: shaded in the mornings (left) or evenings (right)
red area: temporary shading

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The point at which the array generates
maximum electrical power

MPPT
range

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Combiner box (if necessary)

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Design of On-grid System

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 Design Steps of On-grid PV System
1. Energy Consumption 9. String Configuration
2. System Sizing (DC & AC) 10. Wires and electrical
3. Site Planning components sizing
4. Mounting Structure 11. Losses Estimation
5. Components selection 12. Energy Yield
6. Shading Analysis 13. BOQ
7. Module Layout 14. Economical Evaluation
8. Solar panel selection

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 Energy Consumption
• Calculate the yearly energy consumption in kWh, or the average monthly
consumption

• If the facility is not built yet, estimate the energy consumption for all loads
• Consumption = Wattage ✕ Operational time

• Example:
• The yearly energy consumption for a house in Amman is 16000 kWh

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 System Sizing
• Divide the yearly consumption by 1560 kWh/kWp/y or the
average monthly consumption by 130 kWh/kWp/y

• The result is the maximum AC system size in units of kW

that is allowed to be installed as specified in the regulations
of EMRC.

• Example:

!
• Max. AC System size = = 10.25 kWp
"
#.!
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 System Sizing
• Selected inverter is: SMA STP 10000-TL kW

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 System Sizing
• Max. DC System size = 10.2 kWp
• This is according to manufacturers specifications

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 DC / AC Ratio
• PV designer may choose to oversize the inverter in order to
maximize the power production, due to the following:

1. Actual PV module power vs. module nominal power

2. Financial considerations

• DC / AC ratio depends greatly on the location!

• Recommended DC / AC ratio in Jordan is 1.05 – 1.15

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DC / AC Ratio

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 Site Planning
• Suitable roof for switchboards
mounting? • Coordinates of the project
• Solar access for the site? • Pictures for the location
• Shading objects (location • Available area
and dimensions)
• Horizon shading
• Orientation and tilt of the
roof • Connection voltage
• Suggested location of the • CB data
inverter • Elec. Room pictures
• Location of AC
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Suitable roof for mounting?

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Solar access for the site?

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Orientation and tilt of the roof

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Location of AC switchboards

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Coordinates of the project

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 Connection voltage
Single Phase or 3-Phase?

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CB data

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 Mounting Structure

Fixed? Steel?
Tracking? Aluminum?

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 Components selection

• Select the manufacturers for:

• Solar panels
• Mounting structure
• DC & AC cables
• Protection devices

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Shading Analysis
h
θ

D = 2h

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 Shading Analysis

D’ = h / tan(ɑ)
D’ = Maximum shadow length
h = height of obstruction
α = solar altitude angle (at 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM in 21th December)
α = 23.5˚ in Amman at 9:00 in 21th December

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 Shading Analysis

D = D’ x cos(180 – ψ)
• D = Minimum array row spacing
• ψ = solar azimuth angle (at 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM)
• Ψ = 141˚ in Amman at 9:00 AM 82
 Shading Analysis

• Example:
• If the solar panels mounted in landscape (x=1m) layout and 30˚ tilt
angle
• h = 1 x sin(30) = 0.5m
• D’ = 0.5/ tan (23.5) = 1.15 m
• D = 1.15 x Cos(180 - 141) = 0.9m

• These equation can be applied for any shading object

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 ‫‪Module Layout‬‬

‫• ﺑﻌﺽ ﺗﻌﻠﻳﻣﺎﺕ ﺗﺭﻛﻳﺏ ﺍﻟﻭﺍﺡ ﺍﻟﺧﻼﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺷﻣﺳﻳﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺃﺳﻁﺢ ﺍﻟﻣﺑﺎﻧﻲ ﺣﺳﺏ ﺍﻟﻘﺭﺍﺭ ﺭﻗﻡ ‪19‬‬
‫ﺍﻟﺻﺎﺩﺭ ﻋﻥ ﻣﺟﻠﺱ ﺍﻷﻣﺎﻧﺔ ﺑﺗﺎﺭﻳﺦ ‪2015-2-25‬‬

‫ﻳﺗﻡ ﻣﺭﺍﻋﺎﺓ ﺗﺄﺛﻳﺭ‬

‫• ‪ 1-5‬ﺇﻥ ﻳﺗﻡ ﺗﺭﻛﻳﺏ ﻭﺣﺩﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺧﻼﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺷﻣﺳﻳﺔ ﺑﻁﺭﻳﻘﺔ ﻣﺣﻛﻣﺔ ﻭﺍﻥ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺭﻳﺎﺡ ﻭﺍﻟﺛﻠﻭﺝ ﻋﻠﻳﻬﺎ‪.‬‬
‫• ‪ 2-5‬ﻣﺭﺍﻋﺎﺓ ﺗﺄﺛﻳﺭ ﻭﺯﻥ ﻧﻅﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﺧﻼﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺷﻣﺳﻳﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻷﺳﻁﺢ‪.‬‬
‫• ‪ 3-5‬ﻣﺭﺍﻋﺎﺓ ﻋﺩﻡ ﺗﻐﻁﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﻣﻧﺎﻭﺭ ﺃﻭ ﺇﻏﻼﻕ ﻟﻠﻣﻣﺭﺍﺕ‪.‬‬
‫• ‪ 7-5‬ﻋﺩﻡ ﺍﺳﺗﻐﻼﻝ ﺍﻟﻣﺳﺎﺣﺎﺕ ﺗﺣﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﻭﺍﻋﺩ ﻭ ﺍﻷﻟﻭﺍﺡ ﺍﻟﺷﻣﺳﻳﺔ ﻷﻏﺭﺍﺽ ﺃﺧﺭﻯ‬
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 Solar panel selection
• 32 solar panels can installed on the roof

• Rated power of each panel = 10.2 / 32 ≈ 0.315 kWp

• Selected module: Trina Solar – TALLMAX315 Multi

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Jehad Adeeb & Alaa Farhan 92
Jehad Adeeb & Alaa Farhan 93
Jehad Adeeb & Alaa Farhan 94
Jehad Adeeb & Alaa Farhan 95
Jehad Adeeb & Alaa Farhan 96
Jehad Adeeb & Alaa Farhan 97
String Configuration

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String Configuration

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String Configuration

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 String Configuration
Mounting Type Increase in Cell Temperature [°C]

Ground Mounted and Car Ports +20

Roof Mounted +30

Facade +35

BIPV +45

Max. temp in Amman = 40˚C

Min temp. in Amman = -4 ˚C
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 String Configuration
• Max. number of modules per each string =

• Max. MPP Voltage / Max. Module Voltage (Voc (STC) @ -4˚C)

• Voc (STC) @ -4˚C = (45.6 + |-4 – 25|x 0.0032 x 45.6) = 49.8 V

• 800 / 50 = 16.1

• Max. number of modules per each string = 16 module

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 String Configuration
• Min. number of modules per each string =

• Min. MPP Voltage / Min. Module Voltage (Vmp (STC) @ 70˚C)

• Vmp (STC) @ 70˚C = (37.1 - ((70 – 25) x 0.0032 x 37.1) = 31.8 V

• 320 / 31.8 = 10.1

• Min. number of modules per each string = 11 module

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 String Configuration
11 Module
+ -

1 6 Module
+

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 String Configuration
• String configuration:
• Input A: 1 x 16 Module
• Input B: 1 x 16 Module

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 Wires and electrical
components sizing
• DC cables (Module’s Isc x 1.56 ) = 9 x 1.56 = 14 A

• AC cables (Inverter’s max. output current x 1.25) = 33 x 1.25 = 41.25 A

• NOTE: Voltage drop across DC & AC cables is recommended to be less

than 2-3% (Voltage drop = I x R x L)

• Circuit breaker size (Ampacity) > Max. AC Current

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 Losses Estimation
• Shading losses ≈ 3%
• Soiling losses ≈ 3% (with continuous cleaning)
• Voltage drop ≈ 2%

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 Energy Yield
Optimum PV System Energy Yield in Amman, kWh/kWp/year
• Energy yield = Optimum energy yield – Total Losses
20˚ SE 15˚ SE 10˚ SE 5˚ SE 0˚ 5˚ SW 10˚ SW 15˚ SW 20˚ SW
10˚ -4.9% -4.7% -4.6% -4.5% -4.5% -4.5% -4.6% -4.7% -4.8%
15˚ -3.0% -2.8% -2.6% -2.5% -2.4% -2.5% -2.6% -2.7% -3.0%
20˚ -1.7% -1.4 -1.2% -1.1% -1.0% -1.0% -1.2% -1.3% -1.6%
25˚ -0.9% -0.6% -0.4% -0.3% -0.2% -0.2% -0.3% -0.5% -0.8%
30˚ -0.8% -0.4% -0.2% -0.1% 1820 -0.0% -0.1% -0.3% -0.7%
35˚ -1.3% -0.9% -0.6% -0.5% -0.4% -0.5% -0.6% -0.8% -1.2%
40˚ -2.3% -2.0% -1.7% -1.5% -1.5% -1.5% -1.6% -1.9% -2.2%
45˚ -4.0% -3.6% -3.4% -3.2% -3.1% -3.2% -3.3% -3.5% -3.8%
50˚ -6.2 -5.9% -5.6% -5.5% -5.4% -5.5% -5.5% -5.7% -6.0%
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 Economical Evaluation
• Simple Payback Period
• Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)

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 Simple Payback Period
2 3 4
Simple Payback Period
5 6 768

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 CAPEX
• PV Modules
• Inverter
• Mounting Structure
• DC & AC Cables
• Installation
• Permissions

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Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)

2 3 4: 3 4
92
;< 6 5 =

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