07/05/2016 SolarSystemSizingOpenElectrical

SolarSystemSizing
FromOpenElectrical

Contents
1Introduction
1.1Whydothecalculation?
1.2Whentodothecalculation?
2CalculationMethodology
2.1Step1:EstimateSolarIrradiationattheSite
2.1.1BaselineSolarIrradiationData
2.1.2SolarIrradiationonanInclinedPlane
2.1.3SolarTrackers
2.1.4NonStandardApplications
2.2Step2:CollecttheSolarPowerSystemLoads
2.3Step3:ConstructaLoadProfile
2.4Step4:BatteryCapacitySizing
2.5Step5:EstimateaSinglePVModule'sOutput
2.5.1EffectivePVCellTemperature
2.5.2StandardRegulator
2.5.3MPPTRegulator
2.6Step6:SizethePVArray
2.6.1StandardRegulator
2.6.2MPPTController
3WorkedExample
3.1Step1:EstimateSolarIrradiationattheSite
3.2Step2and3:CollectLoadsandConstructaLoadProfile
3.3Step4:BatteryCapacitySizing
3.4Step5:EstimateaSinglePVModule'sOutput
3.5Step6:SizethePVArray
4ComputerSoftware
5WhatNext?

Introduction
Thiscalculationoutlinesthesizingofastandalonesolarphotovoltaic(PV)powersystem.StandalonePV
systemsarecommonlyusedtosupplypowertosmall,remoteinstallations(e.g.telecoms)whereitisn't
practicalorcostefficienttorunatransmissionlineorhavealternativegenerationsuchasdieselgensets.

AlthoughthiscalculationisbiasedtowardsstandalonesolarPVsystems,itcanalsobeusedforhybrid
systemsthatdrawpowerfrommixedsources(e.g.commercialPV,hybridwindPVsystems,etc).Loads
mustbeadjustedaccordingtothedesiredamountthatthesolarPVsystemwillsupply.
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ThiscalculationisbasedoncrystallinesiliconPVtechnology.
TheresultsmaynotholdforothertypesofsolarPV
technologiesandthemanufacturer'srecommendationswillneed
tobeconsulted.

Whydothecalculation?

ThiscalculationshouldbedonewheneverasolarPVpower
systemisrequiredsothatthesystemisabletoadequatelycater
forthenecessaryloads.Theresultscanbeusedtodetermine
theratingsofthesystemcomponents(e.g.PVarray,batteries,
etc).

Whentodothecalculation?

Thefollowingprerequisiteinformationisrequiredbefore
performingthecalculation:

LoadsrequiredtobesupportedbythesolarPV Figure1.SolarPVarray
system
Autonomytimeorminimumtolerabledowntime
(i.e.ifthereisnosun,howlongcanthesystembeoutofservice?)
GPScoordinatesofthesite(ormeasurementsofthesolarinsolationatthesite)
Outputvoltage(ACorDC)

CalculationMethodology
ThecalculationislooselybasedonAS/NZS4509.2(2002)
(http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store/Details.aspx?ProductID=315646)"StandalonepowersystemsSystem
designguidelines".Themethodologyhasthefollowingsixsteps:

Step1:Estimatethesolarirradiationavailableatthesite(basedonGPScoordinatesor
measurement)
Step2:Collecttheloadsthatwillbesupportedbythesystem
Step3:Constructaloadprofileandcalculatedesignloadanddesignenergy
Step4:Calculatetherequiredbatterycapacitybasedonthedesignloads
Step5:EstimatetheoutputofasinglePVmoduleattheproposedsitelocation
Step6:CalculatesizeofthePVarray

Step1:EstimateSolarIrradiationattheSite

Thefirststepistodeterminethesolarresourceavailabilityatthesite.Solarresourcesaretypically
discussedintermsofsolarradiation,whichismoreorlessthecatchalltermforsunlightshiningona
surface.Solarradiationconsistsofthreemaincomponents:

Directorbeamradiationismadeupofbeamsofunscatteredandunreflectedlightreaching
thesurfaceinastraightlinedirectlyfromthesun
Diffuseradiationisscatteredlightreachingthesurfacefromthewholesky(butnotdirectly
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fromthesun)
Albedoradiationisislight
reflectedontothesurface
fromtheground

Solarradiationcanbequantitatively
measuredbyirradianceandirradiation.
Notethatthetermsaredistinct
"irradiance"referstothedensityofthe
powerthatfallsonasurface(W/m2)
and"irradiation"isthedensityofthe
energythatfallsonasurfaceoversome
periodoftimesuchasanhouroraday
Figure2.Worldsolarirradiationmap
(e.g.Wh/m2perhour/day).

Inthissection,wewillestimatethesolarradiationavailableatthesitebasedondatacollectedinthepast.
However,itneedstobestressedthatsolarradiationisstatisticallyrandominnatureandthereisinherent
uncertaintyinusingpastdatatopredictfutureirradiation.Therefore,wewillneedtobuildindesign
marginssothatthesystemisrobusttopredictionerror.

BaselineSolarIrradiationData

Theeasiestoptionistoestimatethesolarirradiation(orsolarinsolation)byinputtingtheGPScoordinates
ofthesiteintotheNASASurfaceMeteorologyandSolarResource(http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/cgi
bin/sse/sse.cgi)website.

ForanygivensetofGPScoordinates,thewebsiteprovidesfirstpassestimatesofthemonthlyminimum,
averageandmaximumsolarirradiation(inkWh/m2/day)atgroundlevelandatvarioustiltangles.Collect
thisdata,chooseanappropriatetiltangleandidentifythebestandworstmonthsoftheyearintermsof
solarirradiation.Alternatively,forUSlocationsdatafromtheNationalSolarRadiationDatabase
(http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/solar_data.html)canbeused.

Theminimum,averageandmaximumdaytimetemperaturesatthesitecanalsobedeterminedfromthe
publicdatabaseslistedabove.ThesetemperatureswillbeusedlaterwhencalculatingtheeffectivePVcell
temperature.

Actualsolarirradiationmeasurementscanalsobemadeatthesite.Providedthatthemeasurementsare
takenoveralongenoughperiod(orcrossreferenced/combinedwithpublicdata),thenthemeasurements
wouldprovideamoreaccurateestimateofthesolarirradiationatthesiteastheywouldcapturesitespecific
characteristics,e.g.anyobstructionstosolarradiationsuchaslargebuildings,trees,mountains,etc.

SolarIrradiationonanInclinedPlane

MostPVarraysareinstalledsuchthattheyfacetheequatorataninclinetothehorizontal(formaximum
solarcollection).Theamountofsolarirradiationcollectedoninclinedsurfacesisdifferenttotheamount
collectedonahorizontalsurface.Itistheoreticallypossibletoaccuratelyestimatethesolarirradiationon
anyinclinedsurfacegiventhesolarirradiationonanhorizontalplaneandthetiltangle(therearenumerous
researchpapersonthistopic,forexampletheworkdonebyLiuandJordanin1960).
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However,forthepracticalpurposeofdesigningasolarPVsystem,we'llonlylookatestimatingthesolar
irradiationattheoptimaltiltangle,whichistheinclinethatcollectsthemostsolarirradiation.Theoptimal
tiltanglelargelydependsonthelatitudeofthesite.Atgreaterlatitudes,theoptimaltiltangleishigherasit
favourssummertimeradiationcollectionoverwintertimecollection.TheHandbookofPhotovoltaicScience
andEngineering(http://www.amazon.com/HandbookPhotovoltaicScienceEngineering
Antonio/dp/0471491969)suggestsalinearapproximationtocalculatingtheoptimaltiltangle:

Where istheoptimaltiltangle(deg)

isthelatitudeofthesite(deg)

Thehandbookalsosuggestsapolynomialapproximationforthesolarirradiationattheoptimaltiltangle:

Where isthesolarirradiationonasurfaceattheoptimaltiltangle(Wh/m2)

isthesolarirradiationonthehorizontalplane(Wh/m2)
istheoptimaltiltangle(deg)

Alternatively,theestimatedirradiationdataontiltedplanescanbesourceddirectlyfromthevariouspublic
databaseslistedabove.

SolarTrackers

Solartrackersaremechanicaldevicesthatcantrackthepositionofthesunthroughoutthedayandorient
thePVarrayaccordingly.Theuseoftrackerscansignificantlyincreasethesolarirradiationcollectedbya
surface.Solartrackerstypicallyincreaseirradiationby1.2to1.4times(for1axistrackers)and1.3to1.5
times(for2axistrackers)comparedtoafixedsurfaceattheoptimaltiltangle.

NonStandardApplications

Asolarirradiationlossfactorshouldbeusedforapplicationswheretherearehightiltangles(e.g.vertical
PVarraysaspartofabuildingfacade)orverylowtiltangles(e.g.NorthSouthhorizontaltrackers).Thisis
becausethethesolarirradiationissignificantlyaffected(detrimentally)whentheangleofincidenceishigh
orthesolarradiationismainlydiffuse(i.e.noalbedoeffectsfromgroundreflections).Formoredetailson
thislossfactor,consultthestandardASHRAE93,"Methodsoftestingtodeterminethethermal
performanceofsolarcollectors"(http://www.techstreet.com/standards/ASHRAE/93_2010?
product_id=1703551).

Step2:CollecttheSolarPowerSystemLoads

Thenextstepistodeterminethetypeandquantityofloadsthatthesolarpowersystemneedstosupport.
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Forremoteindustrialapplications,suchasmeteringstations,theloadsarenormallyforcontrolsystemsand
instrumentationequipment.Forcommercialapplications,suchastelecommunications,theloadsarethe
telecomshardwareandpossiblysomesmallarealightingformaintenance.Forruralelectrificationand
residentialapplications,theloadsaretypicallydomesticlightingandlowpoweredapppliances,e.g.
computers,radios,smalltv's,etc.

Step3:ConstructaLoadProfile

RefertotheLoadProfileCalculationfordetailsonhowtoconstructaloadprofileandcalculatethedesign
load( )anddesignenergy( ).Typically,the"24HourProfile"methodforconstructingaloadprofile
isusedforSolarPowerSystems.

Step4:BatteryCapacitySizing

InasolarPVpowersystem,thebatteryisusedtoprovidebackupenergystorageandalsotomaintain
outputvoltagestability.RefertotheBatterySizingCalculationfordetailsonhowtosizethebatteryforthe
solarpowersystem.

Step5:EstimateaSinglePVModule'sOutput

ItisassumedthataspecificPVmoduletype(e.gSuntechSTP070S12Bb)hasbeenselectedandthe
followingparameterscollected:

Peakmodulepower, (Wp)
Nominalvoltage (Vdc)
Opencircuitvoltage (Vdc)
Optimumoperatingvoltage (Vdc)
Shortcircuitcurrent (A)
Optimumoperatingcurrent (A)
Peakpowertemperaturecoefficient (%perdegC)
Manufacturer'spoweroutputtolerance (%)

ManufacturersusuallyquotethesePVmoduleparametersbasedonStandardTestConditions(STC):an
irradianceof1,000W/m2,thestandardreferencespectralirradiancewithAirMass1.5(seetheNRELsite
(http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/am1.5/)formoredetails)andacelltemperatureof25degC.Standard
testconditionsrarelyprevailonsiteandwhenthePVmoduleareinstalledinthefield,theoutputmustbe
deratedaccordingly.

EffectivePVCellTemperature

Firstly,theaverageeffectivePVcelltemperatureattheinstallationsiteneedstobecalculated(asitwillbe
usedinthesubsequentcalculations).ItcanbeestimatedforeachmonthusingAS\NZS4509.2equation
3.4.3.7:

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Where istheaverageeffectivePVcelltemperature(degC)

istheaveragedaytimeambienttemperatureatthesite(degC)

StandardRegulator

Forasolarpowersystemusingastandardswitchedchargeregulator/controller,thederatedpoweroutput
ofthePVmodulecanbecalculatedusingAS\NZS4509.2equation3.4.3.9(1):

Where isthederatedpoweroutputofthePVmoduleusingastandardswitchedchargecontroller
(W)

isthedailyaverageoperatingvoltage(Vdc)
isthemoduleoutputcurrentbasedonthedailyaverageoperatingvoltage,attheeffective
averagecelltemperatureandsolarirradianceatthesitemoreonthisbelow(A)
isthemanufacturer'spoweroutputtolerance(pu)
isthederatingfactorfordirt/soiling(Clean:1.0,Low:0.98,Med:0.97,High:0.92)

Toestimate ,youwillneedtheIVcharacteristiccurveofthePVmoduleattheeffectivecell
temperaturecalculatedabove.Foraswitchedregulator,theaveragePVmoduleoperatingvoltageis
generallyequaltotheaveragebatteryvoltagelessvoltagedropsacrossthecablesandregulator.

MPPTRegulator

ForasolarpowersystemusingaMaximumPowerPointTracking(MPPT)chargeregulator/controller,the
deratedpoweroutputofthePVmodulecanbecalculatedusingAS\NZS4509.2equation3.4.3.9(2):

Where isthederatedpoweroutputofthePVmoduleusinganMPPTchargecontroller(W)

isthenominalmodulepowerunderstandardtestconditions(W)
isthemanufacturer'spoweroutputtolerance(pu)
isthederatingfactorfordirt/soiling(Clean:1.0,Low:0.98,Med:0.97,High:0.92)
isthetemperaturederatingfactorseebelow(pu)

ThetemperaturederatingfactorisdeterminedfromAS\NZS4509.2equation3.4.3.9(1):

Where istemperaturederatingfactor(pu)

isthePowerTemperatureCoefficient(%perdegC)
istheaverageeffectivePVcelltemperature(degC)

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isthetemperatureunderstandardtestconditions(typically25degC)

Step6:SizethePVArray

ThesizingofthePVarraydescribedbelowisbasedonthemethodoutlinedinAS/NZS4509.2.Thereare
alternativesizingmethodologies,forexamplethemethodbasedonreliabilityintermsoflossofload
probability(LLP),butthesemethodswillnotbefurtherelaboratedinthisarticle.Thefactthatthereisno
commonlyacceptedsizingmethodologyreflectsthedifficultyofperformingwhatisaninherentlyuncertain
task(i.e.apredictionexercisewithmanyrandomfactorsinvolved).

StandardRegulator

ThenumberofPVmodulesrequiredforthePVarraycanbefoundbyusingAS\NZS4509.2equation
3.4.3.11(1):

Where isthenumberofPVmodulesrequired

isthederatedpoweroutputofthePVmodule(W)
isthetotaldesigndailyenergy(VAh)
istheoversupplycoefficient(pu)
isthesolarirradiationafterallfactors(e.g.tiltangle,tracking,etc)havebeencaptured
(kWh/m2/day)
isthecoulombicefficiencyofthebattery(pu)

Theoversupplycoefficient isadesigncontingencyfactortocapturetheuncertaintyindesigningsolar
powersystemswherefuturesolarirradiationisnotdeterministic.AS/NZS4509.2Table1recommends
oversupplycoefficientsofbetween1.3and2.0.

Abatterycoulombicefficiencyofapproximately95%wouldbetypicallyused.

MPPTController

ThenumberofPVmodulesrequiredforthePVarraycanbefoundbyusingAS\NZS4509.2equation
3.4.3.11(2):

Where isthenumberofPVmodulesrequired

isthederatedpoweroutputofthePVmodule(W)
isthetotaldesigndailyenergy(VAh)
istheoversupplycoefficient(pu)

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isthesolarirradiationafterallfactors(e.g.tiltangle,tracking,etc)havebeencaptured
(kWh/m2/day)
istheefficiencyofthePVsubsystem(pu)

Theoversupplycoefficient isadesigncontingencyfactortocapturetheuncertaintyindesigningsolar
powersystemswherefuturesolarirradiationisnotdeterministic.AS/NZS4509.2Table1recommends
oversupplycoefficientsofbetween1.3and2.0.

TheefficiencyofthePVsubsystem isthecombinedefficienciesofthechargeregulator/controller,
batteryandtransmissionthroughthecablebetweenthePVarrayandthebattery.Thiswilldependon
specificcircumstances(forexample,thePVarrayalargedistancefromthebattery),thoughanefficiencyof
around90%wouldbetypicallyused.

WorkedExample
Asmallstandalonesolarpowersystemwillbedesignedforatelecommunicationsoutpostlocatedinthe
desert.

Step1:EstimateSolarIrradiationattheSite

Fromsitemeasurements,thesolarirradiationatthesiteduringtheworstmonthattheoptimaltitleangleis
4.05kWh/m2/day.

Step2and3:CollectLoadsandConstructaLoadProfile

Forthisexample,weshallusethesame
loadsandloadprofiledetailedinthe
EnergyLoadProfileCalculationexample.
Theloadprofileisshowninthefigure
rightandthefollowingquantitieswere
calculated:

DesignloadSd=768VA
DesignenergydemandEd=
3,216VAh

Step4:BatteryCapacitySizing

Forthisexample,weshallusethesame
batterysizescalculatedintheBattery
SizingCalculation]workedexample.The
selectednumberofcellsinseriesis62 Figure3.Loadprofileforthisexample
cellsandtheminimumbatterycapacityis
44.4Ah.

Step5:EstimateaSinglePVModule'sOutput
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APVmodulewiththefollowingcharacteristicsischosen:

Peakmodulepower, Wp
Nominalvoltage Vdc
Peakpowertemperaturecoefficient %perdegC
Manufacturer'spoweroutputtolerance %

Supposetheaveragedaytimeambienttemperatureis40C.TheeffectivePVcelltemperatureis:

degC

AnMPPTcontrollerwillbeused.Thetemperaturederatingfactoristherefore:

Givenamediumdirtderatingfactorof0.97,thederatedpoweroutputofthePVmoduleis:

Step6:SizethePVArray

Givenanoversupplycoefficientof1.1andaPVsubsystemefficiencyof85%,thenumberofPVmodules
requiredforthePVarrayforaMPPTregulatoris:

10.9588modules

ForthisPVarray,12modulesareselected.

ComputerSoftware
ItisrecommendedthatthesolarPVsystemsizedinthiscalculationissimulatedwithcomputersoftware.
Forexample,HOMER(http://www.homerenergy.com/)isapopularsoftwarepackageforsimulatingand
optimisingadistributedgeneration(DG)systemoriginallydevelopedbytheNationalRenewableEnergy
Laboratory(NREL).

ScreenshotsfromHOMERsoftware

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PVOutput BatteryOutput

WhatNext?
Withthesizingcalculationcompleted,thesolarPVequipment(PVarray,batteries,chargecontrollers,etc)
canbespecifiedandacostestimateorbudgetenquiry/requisitionpackageissued.Theapproximate
dimensionsoftheequipment(especiallythePVarrayandbatteries)canalsobeestimatedandadesign
layoutcanbeproduced.

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Thispagewaslastmodifiedon7April2013,at09:34.

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