Overview of Grid-Tied Photovoltaic System

Solar power’s popularity is growing.  More people are starting to understand the need for renewable energy  resources as they experience a rise in the price of fossil fuels. While conventional fuel prices rise, solar power has seen a drop in cost over the last decade which has spurred growth in the field. This field has a high demand for inspired and highly trained scientists and engineers that can bring solar power to the forefront of world energy resources. Photovoltaic systems convert sunlight directly into electricity. A PV system enables the owner to generate some or all of their daily electrical energy demand by exchanging daytime excess power for future energy needs. PV systems can also include battery backup or uninterrupted power supply.

Our design group aims to invigorate, inspire, and educate the next generation of scientists and engineers about the basic operation and properties of solar power technology. To accomplish this we plan to develop a low cost solar energy demonstration system for middle or high schools classes. The photovoltaic (PV) system we plan to develop will display voltage and current of key equipment so that students can observe equipment response to changing solar conditions like light intensity and shading. Furthermore, the DC and AC load levels will be variable so that students can observe system response to changing loads.

The basic overview of the system is depicted in the following figure:

Some of the conditions our group will be focusing on are:

• Low cost
• Minimum Storage
• Digital/Analog measurement system
• Insulated cover for safety of students
• AC/DC loads
• Mobile cart for easy movement of the entire system

We plan to develop a system such that the student has the ability to adjust the light intensity by moving the light source or the panels that absorb light. 

Some questions to keep in mind while developing the system:

• How will we measure V, I?
• How will we display the measurements?
• Do we need a light source? What kind?