We put together a list of the most important items and processes to consider when deciding on what solar panel solutions suit your needs.
Different Forms of Renewable Energy:
- Biomass
- Biomass is typically wood, biofuels such as ethanol, or municipal solid waste such as garbage.
- Geothermal
- Geothermal energy is a central heating and/or cooling system that transfers heat to or from the ground.
- Wind
- Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power.
- Hydropower
- Hydroelectric power plants use a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which activates a generator to produce electricity.
- Solar
- Solar thermal technology uses the sun’s energy, rather than fossil fuels, to generate low-cost, environmentally friendly thermal energy.
- Photovoltaic System supplies usable solar power through photovoltaics. It uses solar panels to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity, a solar inverter to change the electric current from DC to AC, as well as mounting, cabling and other electrical accessories to set up a working system.
Why Use Solar Photovoltaic System (PV):
A Solar Photovoltaic System is ideal for residential applications. It is one of the most cost-effective solutions amongst renewable energy options for residential use. PV systems require limited maintenance and allow users to become energy independent. With little to no moving parts, it requires less monitoring and completely silent.
Solar Panels:
Solar panels convert energy into DC power. Typically, solar panels come with 60 to 72 cells. Modern advancements have made solar panels more cost effective, efficient and aesthetically appealing. Different types of solar panels include:
- Monocrystalline
- Monocrystalline solar panels are made with silicon that is formed into bars and cut into wafers to make solar cells. They are called “monocrystalline” to indicate that the silicon used is single-crystal silicon. When a cell is composed of a single crystal, electrons that generate a flow of electricity have more room to move. This makes monocrystalline panels more efficient than their polycrystalline counterparts.
- Polycrystalline
- Polycrystalline solar panels are fragments of silicon that have been melted together to form the wafers for a panel. Polycrystalline solar panels are also referred to as “multi-crystalline,” or many-crystal silicon. Many crystals in each cell creates less freedom for electrons to move. This makes polycrystalline solar panels less efficient than monocrystalline panels.
- Amorphous (Thin Film)
- Thin-film solar cells are made by depositing one or more thin layers, or thin film (TF) of photovoltaic material on a substrate, such as glass, plastic or metal.
- Double Sided
- Bifacial, or double-sided, solar cells generate energy from direct sunlight on their front side and from reflected light on their rear side. They work in either a vertical or horizontal installation.
- Multi-junction
- Phys.org shows that new multi-junction solar cell design has three sub-cells that each have different band gaps to absorb different parts of the solar spectrum. The scientists focused on improving the current match and the lattice match among the sub-cells to achieve the highest simulated efficiency for this type of solar cell to date.
Solar Racking:
Solar racking is one of the most overlooked costs that go along with solar panel installation. Different types of solar racking include: roof mounts, ground/Ballast mounts, single axis tracking and multi axis tracking.
Charge Controller:
Charge controllers are used to avoid overcharging batteries. Two different types include:
- Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)
- It is a circuit employed in the majority of modern photovoltaic inverters. MPPTs maximizes energy available from the connected solar module arrays during its operation.
- Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
- PWM is a system for getting analog results with digital means. Digital control is used to create a square wave, a signal switched between on and off.
Battery:
Batteries store energy from solar panels. Different types of batteries include:
- Flooded Lead Acid (FLA)
- Lead acid batteries require regular use, maintenance, and ventilation. They are a great choice for full-time off-grid homesteads, but should not be used for occasional or emergency backup power.
- Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)
- Absorbed Glass Mat batteries are constructed differently than the traditional flooded battery. They are not right for all applications as they are expensive compared to flooded batteries. However, their safety and design features make them the battery of choice for many applications.
- Lithium Iron Phosphate
- The lithium iron phosphate battery, also called LFP. It is a type of rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Inverter:
Inverters convert DC power obtained through the solar panels to AC power. Different types include: on-grid, off-grid and hybrid.
Misc. Components:
Below are miscellaneous components that you are often overlooked but necessary to set up equipment.
- Properly gauged wire for DC and AC connections
- Solar Panel Combiner Box
- AC and DC Surge Protectors
- Solar Panel Connectors
- DC Disconnect
Space and Layout Considerations:
- Panels should face the equator
- Panels should be installed at the latitude of the location
- Panels should be properly spaced to avoid shading or any sun blocking obstruction to the panels
- Panel weight should be considered during installation
- Panels should be out of reach of wildlife
- Panel Racking should be designed to sustain local climate patterns
- Total footprint should be considered
Planning and Design Process:
Step 1: Determine amount of energy needed
Step 2: Determine how many solar panels will be required to satisfy the energy requirement
Must determine how much power each solar panel will generate
Must take into consideration the amount of direct sunlight in the desired location
Must take into account the change of direct sunlight per season
Step 3: Choose desired racking system
Consider space and positioning
Consider installation/mounting options
Step 4: Choose an inverter based off maximum power need
Ensure the inverter is rated to handle both the max surge current and max continuous current
Step 5: Determine how much energy storage is required
Must take into consideration amount of rainy and cloudy days
Step 6: Design the battery system to accommodate the amount of storage needed to satisfy the voltage requirement for the inverter
Step 7: Choose a charge controller that satisfies the battery system voltage and current needs
Step 8: Acquire system and have it professionally installed according to all local electrical and building codes
Risk of Improper Installation:
Improper installation can lead to serious bodily harm due to not using proper electrical and building procedures. Damage to equipment occurs when it is not properly spec’d according to needs or improperly installed. Diminished results occur when components are not installed to the maximum efficiency requirements.
Alternative Installation Options:
Option 1: Place “bit and piece” together various solar technologies. For example, purchasing a small solar cooler, solar lamp, and a solar phone charger for the solar solutions. The disadvantage is that your equipment will likely require additional energy from another source for devices that do not have solar technology included.
Option 2: Hire consulting/services company to engineer, design and install a full power solution. Cost is a major thing to consider when reviewing this option. You will be that the “mercy” of the contractors. It will also require a disclosure of location and loss of privacy.
Option 3: Identify pre-designed “plug and play” systems
Aldelano Solar Cold Chain Solutions:
All Aldelano Solar Cold Chain Solutions products are competitively priced and exceed ISO standards. Our off-grid solutions are customizable and detail-driven to ensure reliable performance engineering of the highest quality. We are your choice for durable, reliable and sustainable off-grid solutions.
We specialize in high-end, industrial-sized solutions that will bring life-saving refrigeration, freezing, electricity and water to areas that are in need of disaster relief and off-grid resources. Our Solar Cold Chain Solutions are especially useful in barren, desolate or impoverished regions of the world. Learn More