RENEWABLE ENERGY

ENGINEERING
EEE 3205
Solar PV Energy

Natukunda Faith
 Outline
• The Sun
• Solar Energy
• Solar Radiation
• Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
• Definition
• Configurations
• Mounting
• Applications
• Characteristics
• Advantages and disadvantages

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 • The sun is responsible for nearly all the energy available on the
Solar Radiation earth, except that attributed to;
• Radioactive material
• The earth’s residual internal heat
• Moontides.

• Solar energy, received in the form of radiation, can be converted

directly or indirectly into other forms of energy, such as heat and
electricity.
• The major draw backs of the extensive application of solar
energy are
• the intermittent and variable way it arrives at the earth’s surface and
• the large area require to collect the energy at a useful rate.

• Energy is radiated by the sun as electromagnetic waves of which

99% have wave lengths in the range of 0.2 to 4.0 micrometre.
• Solar energy reaching the top of the earth’s atmosphere consists
of about
• 8% ultraviolet radiation [short wavelength > 0.39micrometer]
• 46% visible light [0.39 to 0.78 micrometre]
• 46 % infrared [0.78 micrometer above]
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Solar Radiation

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Solar Radiation
• Irradiance
• Instantaneous quantity describing flux of solar radiation incident on a surface
(kW/sq.m)

• The density of power radiation from the sun at the outer atmosphere is 1.373
𝑘𝑊/𝑚2 , but only a peak density of 1 𝑘𝑊/𝑚2 is the final incident sunlight on
earth’s surface.
• Irradiation measures solar radiation energy received on a given surface area in a
given time. Irradiation is also called insolation
• Global radiation comprises three components;
• Direct solar radiation; Sun radiation received directly from the sun.
• Diffuse radiation scattered by the atmosphere and clouds.
• Reflected radiation from the ground.

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Measurement of Solar Radiation
• Measurements of solar
irradiance are taken using;
• A pyranometer for global
radiation

• A pyrheliometer for direct

radiation

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 Solar Radiation
• Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI)
• Total amount of shortwave radiation
received from above by a surface
horizontal to the ground.

• Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI)

• Amount of solar radiation received
per unit area by a surface that is
always held perpendicular to the
rays that come in a straight line
from the sun at its current position
in the sky.

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Solar Resource Map of Uganda
• Solar energy resource in Uganda is
high throughout the year.

• Mean solar radiation is 5.1kWh/m2 per

day, on a horizontal surface.

• Total new installed photovoltaic capacity

annually is estimated at 200 kWp for
households, institutions and commercial
use.

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Solar Constant
• The sun is a large sphere of very hot gases, the heat being generated by various kinds
of fusion reactions.
• Its diameter is 1.39 𝑋 106 𝑘𝑚 while that of earth is 1.27 𝑋 104 𝑘𝑚. The mean distance
between the two is 1.5 X 108 km.
• Although the sun is large, it subtends angle of only 32 min at the earth’s surface.
• The brightness of the sun varies from its centre to its edge. However, for calculation
purpose the brightness all over the solar disc is uniform.
• The total radiation from the sun is 5762 degrees K
• The rate at which solar energy arise at the top of the atmosphere is called the solar
constant, 𝐼𝑠𝑐 .
• This is the amount of energy received in unit time on a unit area perpendicular to the
sun’s direction at the mean distance of the earth from the sun.
• The solar constant value varies up to +/- 3% throughout the year, because the distance
between the sun and the earth varies little throughout the year.
• The earth is closest to the sun during the summer and farthest during the winter.
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Solar Constant
• This variation in distance produces sinusoidal variation in the intensity of solar radiation I that reaches the earth.
𝐼𝑆𝐶 = 1367 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠/𝑚2
360
𝐼𝑆𝐶 = 1 + 0.33 cos
365
• where n is the day of the year.
• Spectral distribution of solar radiation intensity at the outer limit of the atmosphere.
• The luminosity of the Sun is about 3.86 x 1026 watts. This is the total power radiated out into space by the Sun.
• Most of this radiation is in the visible and infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum, with less than 1 %
emitted in the radio, UV and X-ray spectral bands.
• The sun’s energy is radiated uniformly in all directions.
• Because the Sun is about 150 million kilometres from the Earth, and because the Earth is about 6300 km in
radius, only 0.000000045% of this power is intercepted by our planet. This still amounts to a massive 1.75 x
1017 watts.
• For the purposes of solar energy capture, we normally talk about the amount of power in sunlight passing
through a single square meter face-on to the sun, at the Earth's distance from the Sun.
• The power of the sun at the earth, per square meter is called the solar constant and is approximately 1370 watts
per square meter (W m-2).

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Solar Constant
• The solar constant varies by +/- 3% because of the Earth's slightly elliptical
orbit around the Sun.
• The sun-earth distance is smaller when the Earth is at perihelion (first week
in January) and larger when the Earth is at aphelion (first week in July).
• Sometimes, when talking about the solar constant, correct for this distance
variation, and refer to the solar constant as the power per unit area received
at the average Earth-solar distance of one “Astronomical Unit” or AU which
is 149.59787066 million kilometres.
• There is also another small variation in the solar constant which is due to a
variation in the total luminosity of the Sun itself.
• This variation has been measured by radiometers aboard several satellites since
the late 1970’s.

• Most radiation data is measured for horizontal surfaces.

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Solar Radiation on tilted surfaces
• The rate of receipt of solar energy on a given surface on the ground depends on the
orientation of the surface with reference to the sun.
• A fully sun – tracking surface that always faces the sun receives the maximum possible
solar energy at the particular location.
• A surface of the same area oriented in any other direction will receive a smaller amount
of radiation because solar radiation is such a dilute form of energy, it is desirable to
capture as much as possible on a ground area.
• Most of the solar collectors or solar radiation collecting devices are tilted at an angle to
horizontal surface with Y=0 facing south for tilted surface
cos 𝜃 = sin 𝛿 sin Φ − 𝑠 + cos 𝛿 cos Φ − 𝑠
• For horizontal surfaces cos 𝜃𝑧 = sin 𝛿 sin Φ + cos 𝛿 cos Φ cos 𝜔
• Tilt factor for beam radiation
cos 𝜃
𝛾𝑏 =
cos 𝜃𝑧
1 + cos 𝑠
𝛾𝑑 =
2

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Energy from the Sun
• Solar energy is an important, clean, cheap and abundantly available renewable
energy.
• It is received on Earth in cyclic, intermittent and dilute form with very low power
density 0 to 1 kW/m2.
• Solar energy received on the ground level is affected by:
• Atmospheric clarity (cloud cover),
• Degree of latitude,
• Geographical location,
• Season of the year.

• For design purpose, the variation of available solar power, the

optimum tilt angle of solar collectors, the location and orientation of the heliostats
should be calculated.
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 Units of Solar Power & Solar Energy
• In SI units, energy is expressed in Joule.
• Other units are angley and Calorie where
1 angley = 1 Cal/cm2.day
1 Cal = 4.186 J
• For solar energy calculations, the energy is measured as an hourly or
monthly or yearly average and is expressed in terms of kJ/m2/day or
kJ/m2/hour.
• Solar power is expressed in terms of W/m2 or kW/m2

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Solar Energy
• Solar energy has been used for thousand of
years.
• Solar energy refers to the use of solar
irradiation.
• Three conversion means are often used;
• Solar photovoltaic panels to generate electricity
• Solar concentrating panels for electricity and heat
generation.
• Flat plate majorly for heating purposes.

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Solar Photovoltaic
• Photovoltaic is the direct conversion of light into electricity.
• It uses materials which absorb photons of light and release electrons.
• It can be used for making electric generators.
• The basic element of these generators is called a PV cell.

•Solar radiation consists of photons carrying energy, 𝐸𝑝ℎ

𝑐
𝐸𝑝ℎ = ℎ
𝜆
Where: ℎ - Plank’s constant, 𝑐 – velocity of light, 𝜆 - wavelength

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 Cross Section of Solar Cell
• Solar PV technologies convert
solar radiation directly into
electrical energy

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Inside a PV Cell

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Solar Cells Material

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PV Cell Materials

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 Types and Conversion Efficiency of PV
cells Conversion Efficiency of
Module

Single crystal 10 - 17%

Crystalline
Silicon Poly crystalline 10 - 13%
Semiconductor
Non-crystalline Amorphous 7 - 10%
Solar Compound
Cell Semiconductor
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) 18 - 30%

Dye-sensitized Type 7 - 8%
Organic
Semiconductor Organic Thin Layer Type 2 - 3%

Electric Energy Output

Conversion Efficiency = x 100%
Energy of Insolation on cell
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21
 Solar PV Technologies
1. Crystalline Silicon
Mono crystalline SI
▪ High purity single SI crystal (14-17% efficiency)
Mono c-si
Multi Crystalline SI
• Sawing cast silicon blocks into bars then wafered.(13-15%
efficiency)
Multi C-si
2. Thin Film
Based on semiconductor material deposited in micrometric
layers over a foreign substrate that could be rigid or
flexible.
• Amorphous Silicon (a-Si)
• Cadmium Telluride(CdTe)
Thin Film • Cooper Indium Galium diSelenium (CIGS)
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Solar PV Technologies
• Made with a layer of Titanium oxide (TiO2)
• Is based on a semiconductor formed between a
photo-sensitized anode and an electrolyt.
• It is a photo electrochemical system.
Dye sensitive

• Solar energy collected over large area is

focused on each cell having smaller area.
• The technology is still evolving, but has a
huge potential.
Concentrated PV
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Comparison of Solar Cell Technologies
• Why Silicon? Max Lab
Solar Cell Typical Cell
• Non- toxic Efficienc Si Use Cost
Technology Thickness
y
• Abundant
• Relatively cheap Mono-
• Mature infrastructure from crystalline 27.6% ~200µm High $$$
computer industry Silicon (c-Si)

Poly-
crystalline 20.4% ~200µm Moderate $$
Silicon (p-Si)

Amorphous
Silicon Thin 12.5% <1µm Low $
Film (a-Si)

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 Mounting of Solar PV Systems
• Solar PV systems can be mounted in various ways;
• Ground Mounted

• Roof Mounted

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 Solar PV Systems
• A PV system converts sunlight
into electricity.

• It consists of different
components;
• Cells
• Electrical connections
• Mechanical mounting
• Power conditioning

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Components of a Solar System
• Electricity generated
can be kept in;
• Standalone system
• Stored in batteries
• Fed into the electricity
grid

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Components of a Solar System

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 Solar Household System
• Standalone system

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Grid Connected Solar PV System

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 Applications of Solar PV
• Hybrid System

• Solar Lamp Solar Pump

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Current Versus Voltage ▪ Open circuit voltage and short
circuit current are two parameters
Characteristic widely used for describing the
cell electrical performance.
▪ The short circuit current 𝐼𝑠𝑐 is
measured by shorting the output
terminals.
▪ It is the current at zero voltage
(𝑉𝑝𝑣 = 0).
▪ The open circuit voltage 𝑉𝑜𝑐 is the
voltage at zero current (𝐼𝑝𝑣 = 0).
▪ The values of 𝐼𝑠𝑐 and 𝑉𝑜𝑐
obtained in standard conditions
are named 𝐼𝑠𝑐−𝑟𝑒𝑓 and 𝑉𝑜𝑐−𝑟𝑒𝑓 .
▪ Those values are given in the
datasheet of the cell or module.

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Maximum Power ▪ The power supplied by a
Point photovoltaic generator is
𝑃𝑝𝑣 = 𝑉𝑝𝑣 𝐼𝑝𝑣
▪ This power is positive for the part of
the 𝐼𝑝𝑣 - 𝑉𝑝𝑣 curve included between
the open-circuit point and the short-
circuit point, thus for values of 𝑉𝑝𝑣
satisfying the condition
0 < 𝑉𝑝𝑣 < 𝑉𝑜𝑐
▪ Outside the interval defined by the
equation of power, the power 𝑃𝑝𝑣 is
negative: the PV device receives
the power from the external electric
circuit. This case is not considered
here.
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 ▪ The power 𝑃𝑝𝑣 is null when 𝑉𝑝𝑣 = 0 (short-circuit
point).
Maximum Power ▪ Similarly, the power 𝑃𝑝𝑣 is null when 𝑉𝑝𝑣 = 𝑉𝑜𝑐
(open-circuit point) since, then 𝐼𝑝𝑣 = 0 and thus,
Point 𝑃𝑝𝑣 is also null.
▪ 𝑃𝑝𝑣 reaches a maximum value at a point named
Maximum Power Point (MPP).
▪ The corresponding values of 𝑉𝑝𝑣 and 𝐼𝑝𝑣 are
named respectively 𝑉𝑀𝑃𝑃 and 𝐼𝑀𝑃𝑃 .
▪ At that point P(𝑉𝑀𝑃𝑃 , 𝐼𝑀𝑃𝑃 ), the power 𝑃𝑝𝑣
supplied by the photovoltaic generator is
maximum and denoted 𝑃𝑀𝑃𝑃 . We have:
𝑃𝑀𝑃𝑃 = 𝑉𝑀𝑃𝑃 𝐼𝑀𝑃𝑃
▪ In standard conditions, the quantities 𝑃𝑀𝑃𝑃 , 𝑉𝑀𝑃𝑃
and 𝐼𝑀𝑃𝑃 take respectively the values 𝑃𝑀𝑃𝑃−𝑟𝑒𝑓 ,
𝐼𝑀𝑃𝑃−𝑟𝑒𝑓 and 𝑉𝑀𝑃𝑃−𝑟𝑒𝑓 .
▪ The MPP is reached when
𝜕𝑃𝑝𝑣
0=
𝜕𝑉𝑝𝑣
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 Advantages
▪ The sun is existent and free
▪ The technology is mature.
▪ Good energy conversion efficiency. Why?
▪ Decreased carbon emissions
▪ Applicable for use in remote locations
▪ Standalone systems
▪ Systems with battery storage

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 Disadvantages
▪ The sun is intermittently available.
▪ Requires storage in standalone systems.
▪ System costs are still considerably high especially
where storage is inclusive. Storage costs are as high
as 50% the total capital cost.
▪ Disposal of waste panels poses and environmental
challenge.

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Designing a Solar PV system
▪ As we discussed in class.

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THANK YOU