| Contents |
Energy and environment. Emissions of carbon dioxide. Renewable sources of energy – review, technologies, and statistics. Solar energy as one of the most promising renewable energy sources. The Sun as a generator of energy. Laws of radiation. Extraterrestrial radiation. Effect of Earth atmosphere. Standard solar spectrum. The position of the Sun as seen from the Earth. Solar angles. Day length. Solar time vs. civil clock time. Sun path diagrams. Shading analysis. Radiation striking a collector. Direct beam radiation. Diffuse radiation. Reflected radiation. Total clear day insolation. Effects of cloudiness and clearness index. Tracking options. Solar radiation measurements. Solar potential maps and databases. Photovoltaic materials and electrical characteristics. Basic semiconductor physics. Photovoltaic conversion. Conversion efficiency analysis. Photovoltaic cell. Equivalent circuit and I–V curve of a photovoltaic cell. PV modules and arrays. The PV I–V curve under standard test conditions (STC). Impacts of temperature and insolation on I–V curves. Shading impacts on I–V curves. Bypass and blocking diodes. Photovoltaic systems. Major photovoltaic system types. Current–voltage curves for loads. Maximum power point tracking. Grid-Connected Systems. Conceptual design of a commercial PV plant. Design software available online. Introduction to grid-connected system economics. |