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- Fundamentals of Solar Power Plant Design
Fundamentals of Solar Power Plant Design
Grasp the fundamentals of solar photovoltaic energy conversion and gain insight into solar power plant design, plant components, the complexities of interconnection requirements, and other essential topics.
Practice Area: Alternative Energy
Overview
Learn the design fundamentals of photovoltaic projects. Gain knowledge and skills from engineers with real-life experience in solar energy and electrical delivery fields. You will also understand solar plant components and PV modules; DC system and AC collector design; civil and geotechnical issues; and interconnection to distribution and the bulk power grid.
Who should attend?
People new to the field of solar energy and those in need of a refresher will benefit by attending this course, including:
- Renewable energy developers
- Electric utility design or planning engineers
- Power system dispatchers
- Consulting engineers
- Project managers
- Managers of design departments
- Engineering technicians
Outline
Energy from the Sun
- Solar irradiance principles
- Measure of merit for incident solar
- What makes a location good?
- Factors affecting incident energy
- Diurnal/seasonal pattern of incident energy
Solar Power Assessment
- Solar insolation mapping
- Standards
- Uncertainty and “bankability”
- Data collection and analysis
- Reports and graphs
Electric Power Generation and Delivery Fundamentals
- Power system fundamentals
- Conversion of DC to AC
- Power flow analysis example
- Real and reactive power
- Power system operation, control and protection
Photovoltaic Basics
- Semiconductors and the photovoltaic effect
- A brief history of the development of PV cells
- Cell materials: mono- and poly-crystalline silicon, cadmium telluride,
CIGS
- Makeup of solar panels from solar cells
- Conversion efficiency
Solar Plant Components and Overview
- Plant design and optimization
- Solar panels and racks
- DC electrical connections
- Inverter block with step-up transformer
- AC collection
- Power plant controls and grid integration features
Solar Cells and Modules
- Current-irradiance and voltage-temperature relationships
- Power-current relationship and maximum power point
- Incidence angle
- Electrical effect of shading
- Hot spots and by-pass diodes
- Reliability, testing, and spectral response
DC System Design
- Panel sizing for site conditions
- Connecting panels as a string
- String planning and layout
- String DC combination levels
- DC cabling to inverter
- DC system protection
- Losses within strings
Inverter and Power Control
- The inverter as the heart of the power block
- Inverter equipment and modules
- DC connections from re-combiner
- Maximizing energy harvest through DC voltage control
- AC current regulation for real and reactive power
AC Collector System
- Collector system overview and single-line
- Collector layout and installation
- Load flow modeling and sizing of conductors
- Inverters and step-up transformers
- System grounding considerations
- Reactive power and harmonic filters
Civil and Geotechnical Issues
- Geotechnical investigations: site preparation and earthworks, foundation considerations
- Ground-mount foundation solutions, rammed posts, helicals, or ground screws; ballast systems
- Design loads: dead loads; wind, snow, and seismic zones; adfreeze considerations
- Racking assembly
- Panel installation, connections, and wiring
- Measurement of soil thermal resistivity
Interconnection of Renewable Energy Plants with the Electric Grid
- Interconnection agreements and studies
- Grid codes
- Disturbance ride-through
- Post-fault recovery
- Solar plant modeling in power system analyses
- Cloud transients, ramp rates, and the case for energy storage
Connection of Distributed PV Solar Units
- Market drivers of rooftop PV units
- Impacts of rooftop PV units on a distribution feeder: voltage considerations, harmonics, feeder ampacity limits
- Distribution feeder PV “hosting” limits
Bulk Power System Considerations
- IEEE 1547 and “Smart Inverters”
- Emerging needs for low voltage ride through: emerging needs for voltage / power factor control, status and changes in the standard
- Changing load curves due to solar variability
Earn Credit Hours
Learn more about CEU, PDH, LU, LU/HSW, GBCI CE and state licensing boards
Learn the design fundamentals of photovoltaic projects. Gain knowledge and skills from engineers with real-life experience in solar energy and electrical delivery fields. You will also understand solar plant components and PV modules; DC system and AC collector design; civil and geotechnical issues; and interconnection to distribution and the bulk power grid.
Who should attend?
People new to the field of solar energy and those in need of a refresher will benefit by attending this course, including:
- Renewable energy developers
- Electric utility design or planning engineers
- Power system dispatchers
- Consulting engineers
- Project managers
- Managers of design departments
- Engineering technicians
Outline
Energy from the Sun
- Solar irradiance principles
- Measure of merit for incident solar
- What makes a location good?
- Factors affecting incident energy
- Diurnal/seasonal pattern of incident energy
Solar Power Assessment
- Solar insolation mapping
- Standards
- Uncertainty and “bankability”
- Data collection and analysis
- Reports and graphs
Electric Power Generation and Delivery Fundamentals
- Power system fundamentals
- Conversion of DC to AC
- Power flow analysis example
- Real and reactive power
- Power system operation, control and protection
Photovoltaic Basics
- Semiconductors and the photovoltaic effect
- A brief history of the development of PV cells
- Cell materials: mono- and poly-crystalline silicon, cadmium telluride,
CIGS
- Makeup of solar panels from solar cells
- Conversion efficiency
Solar Plant Components and Overview
- Plant design and optimization
- Solar panels and racks
- DC electrical connections
- Inverter block with step-up transformer
- AC collection
- Power plant controls and grid integration features
Solar Cells and Modules
- Current-irradiance and voltage-temperature relationships
- Power-current relationship and maximum power point
- Incidence angle
- Electrical effect of shading
- Hot spots and by-pass diodes
- Reliability, testing, and spectral response
DC System Design
- Panel sizing for site conditions
- Connecting panels as a string
- String planning and layout
- String DC combination levels
- DC cabling to inverter
- DC system protection
- Losses within strings
Inverter and Power Control
- The inverter as the heart of the power block
- Inverter equipment and modules
- DC connections from re-combiner
- Maximizing energy harvest through DC voltage control
- AC current regulation for real and reactive power
AC Collector System
- Collector system overview and single-line
- Collector layout and installation
- Load flow modeling and sizing of conductors
- Inverters and step-up transformers
- System grounding considerations
- Reactive power and harmonic filters
Civil and Geotechnical Issues
- Geotechnical investigations: site preparation and earthworks, foundation considerations
- Ground-mount foundation solutions, rammed posts, helicals, or ground screws; ballast systems
- Design loads: dead loads; wind, snow, and seismic zones; adfreeze considerations
- Racking assembly
- Panel installation, connections, and wiring
- Measurement of soil thermal resistivity
Interconnection of Renewable Energy Plants with the Electric Grid
- Interconnection agreements and studies
- Grid codes
- Disturbance ride-through
- Post-fault recovery
- Solar plant modeling in power system analyses
- Cloud transients, ramp rates, and the case for energy storage
Connection of Distributed PV Solar Units
- Market drivers of rooftop PV units
- Impacts of rooftop PV units on a distribution feeder: voltage considerations, harmonics, feeder ampacity limits
- Distribution feeder PV “hosting” limits
Bulk Power System Considerations
- IEEE 1547 and “Smart Inverters”
- Emerging needs for low voltage ride through: emerging needs for voltage / power factor control, status and changes in the standard
- Changing load curves due to solar variability
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this course you will earn:
Learn more about CEU, PDH, LU, LU/HSW, GBCI CE and state licensing boards
Have Questions?
We have collected answers to common questions in our FAQs. You can also contact Customer Service via email or by calling 800-462-0876 and asking for the Program Director below.
Bulent Sarlioglu, PhD
Associate Professor
Email
Would you like to take this course when it’s offered next?
More Alternative Energy Courses
Interconnection of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) to Utility Systems
Have Questions?
We have collected answers to common questions in our FAQs. You can also contact Customer Service via email or by calling 800-462-0876 and asking for the Program Director below.
Bulent Sarlioglu, PhD
Associate Professor
Email
Past Dates
Course No.
#RA01404-T268
Date
July 17-19, 2018
Fee
$1795
Fee covers morning and afternoon breaks, scheduled lunches, and course materials
Instructor(s)
Bulent Sarlioglu
Mahesh Morjaria
Nick Strevel
James Niemira
James Tinjum
Location
Pyle Center
702 Langdon Street
Madison, WI 53706
Course No.
#RA01404-T790
Date
July 24-26, 2019
Fee
$1795
Fee covers morning and afternoon breaks, scheduled lunches, and course materials
Instructor(s)
James Tinjum
James Niemira
Bulent Sarlioglu
Mahesh Morjaria
Nick Strevel
Keith Beisner
Mike Arnold
Location
Pyle Center
702 Langdon Street
Madison, WI 53706