JakeBeekmannandGarrettHagen

POW3PART1:ResearchandCalculations

Youwillcompleteallyourworkinthisdocument,preferablywithapartner(1otherperson).Usenonboldtextto
answerthequestions.Insertdiagramsandexcelgraphswhereindicated.Havefunlearningaboutsolarpanels
andapplyingwhatyouknowabouttrig/mathematics!

PROBLEM:
Whatistheoptimalcombinationofazimuthandtilttomaximizesolargain(kWhperyear)froma5kW
photovoltaicsysteminLaPlataCounty,Colorado?

Restated:
Asahouseprojectyouaregivena5KWphotovoltaicsolarsystemtoputontheroofofyourhouse.Inorderforthebest
resultsoutofthesolarsystem,itsessentialthatwefindthebestpossiblelocationforthesystem.Wealsoneedtofigure
outwhattheyield(typicalkilowatthourperyearagain)willbefromthePVsystem.

RESEARCH(10pts)

DosomeresearchonphotovoltaicsystemsusingtheNRELsiteandothersitesasindicated.Listyoursources.
Define/explainthefollowingterms:YoumaydirectlyquotetheNRELsite,butpleaseindicatethisinyourdefinitions,i.e.
AccordingtoNREL,thetiltis..
Whatare
A photovoltaic cell is a specialized
semiconductor

diode

that converts visible light into direct current . Some PV

photovoltaiccells
cells can also convert infrared or ultraviolet radiation into DC electricity. Photovoltaic cells are a very necessary
(i.e.solarpanel
part of solar electric energy systems, which are becoming increasingly important as alternative sources of utility
cells)?Briefly
power.
describehowthey
work.

SOURCE FOR
ABOVE INFO:

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/solarcells/

WhatisNREL?

TheNationalrenewableenergylaboratoryitis
primarylaboratoryforrenewableenergyandenergyefficiency
researchanddevelopment.
TheyarerunoutofGoldenColoradoandistheprimeareaforrenewableenergy.

Whatisthe
PVWattsCalcuator
byNREL?What
doesitdo?

SOURCEFOR
NRELINFO:

AccordingtoNREL,thePvwattscalculatorestimatesenergyproductionandcostofenergyof
gridconnectedphotovoltaicenergysystemsthroughouttheworld.Itallowshomeowners,small
buildingowners,installersandmanufacturerstoeasilydevelopestimatesoftheperformanceof
potentialinstallations.Thisisaveryaccuratesourceformakingcalculations.
http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php

Define/explainthedifferentSYSTEMINFOsettingsforthePVWattsCalculator(15sentencesforeach,usemore
ifneededandincludediagramsifneeded):
SystemSize

The system size setting measures the power rating of the photovoltaic array in Kilowatts. This is capable of measuring
any size roof that is needed.

ModuleType

The Module type describes the photovoltaic modules in the array.

ArrayType

ThearraytypedescribeswhetherthePVmodulesinthearrayarefixed.Italsohelpsdeterminewhetherthey
movetotrackthemovementofthesunacrosstheskywithoneortwoaxesofrotation.

SystemLosses

SystemLoss
Categories(List)

Tilt*MOST
IMPORTANT!

System losses determine how much the calculator has not found over the time.
Thedefaultsystemlossespercentageisappropriateformosttypicalphotovoltaicsystems.Ifyouwantto
changethevalue,youcaneithertypeadifferentvalue,orusethesystemlossescalculatortocalculatea
valuebasedonthesystemlossespercentagecategoriesdescribedbelow.
Thetiltisthehorizontalanglethatthephotovoltaicmodulesuseinthearrayoffindingthepitch.

AzimuthWhatis
it?Howsitrelate
totrueNorth?
*MOST
IMPORTANT!

DCtoACSize
Ratio

InverterEfficiency

Theazimuthangleistheanglethatisclockwisefromtruenorthgivingthedirectionthatthearrayfaces.The
Azimuthangleof180isforasouthfacingarraysandanazimuthangleofzerodegreesisforanorthfacing
array.

TheDCtoACsizeratioistheratiooftheinverter'sACratedsizetothearray'sDCratedsize.Thisalso
increasesthecostofthearray.
The PV watts calculator, calculates the intervers hourly opperating efficency, and an efficency curve.

SYSTEMPARAMETERSTOINPUT:
DCSystemSize(kW):
5
ModuleType:
Standard
ArrayType:
FixedRoofMount
SystemLosses(%):
18
*WewillvaryTiltandAzimuthbelowandlookathowthisaffectskWhperyearoutputfromthePVsystembygraphingthe
resultswefind.*

PLAYINGWITHTILT(10pts)

o
o
o
o
o
o
Step1:Chooseanazimuthtotest:45
,90
,180
,225
,270
,315

Whichazimuthdidyouchoose:
180Degrees


Step2:Varythetiltofthesolarpanelsaccordingtothechartbelowandrecordthepoweroutputperyearinthe
tablebelow.

YOUMUSTCALCULATETHETILTUSINGTRIG.Explainyourstepstodeterminethetiltgiventhepitchbelow,
INCLUDEADIAGRAM.
Roofpitchasrise/run

Tilt(degrees)

3/12
4/12
5/12
6/12
7/12
8/12
9/12
10/12
11/12
12/12

14.0
18.4
22.6
26.5
30.2
33.6
36.8
39.8
42.5
45

Step3:

kWhperyearoutput
foragivenazimuth
8,060
8,261
8,417
8,529
8,605
8,647
8,664
8,660
8,639
8,642


Step4:Answerthisquestion.Basedonthisgraph,whatistheoptimaltilt(maxkWhperyear)forthisazimuth?

ThebesttiltfortheoptimalamountofkWhis36.8degrees.IthasakWhof8,664whichismorethananyothertilt.

PLAYINGWITHAZIMUTH(10pts)

Step1:Chooseatilttotestfromthetableabove.

TiltKeptConstantat:
36.8

Step2:Varythetiltofthesolarpanelsaccordingtothechartbelowandrecordthepoweroutputperyearinthe
tablebelow.

Azimuth
0

kWhperyearoutput
foragivenazimuth
4,274

45
90
135
180
225
270
315

5,522
7,399
8,443
8,664
8,099
6,952
5,126

CONCLUSIONS:Basedontheabovecalculations,whatdoyouthinktheoptimalcombinationofazimuthandtilt
isforoptimizingkWhperyearoutputfroma5kWPVsysteminLaPlataCounty?Howcanyoutestthis?

Basedontheabovecalculationsyouareabletotestthisbyfindingthetiltandtheazimuthoptimizing.Ibelievethat
thetiltisat14and180degreesisoptimizingKwhperyearoutputfroma5kWPVsystem.ThiswouldworkforLaPlata
County.Youareabletotestthisbypluggingallofyourdataintothecalculator,butifthisdoesnotreachtheoptimal
amountthenyouareabletoadjustthetilt.Otherthan14itwouldbeinterestingtosee.Thisistestedandworkableforla
platacountybecausethestartingtiltwas14andtheKwhoutputforitwas8,060.


CHALLENGEEXTENSIONCHOOSEONE:
1) Measurethepitchoftworooflinesonyourhouseorahouseyoucanaccess.Anddeterminetheazimuth
ofthesetworooflines.ThenusethecalculatorandtheparametersabovetocalculatethekWhperyear
outputforeachroofline.Whichroofwouldyouputthe5kWsystemon?
2) DosomeresearchonnovelPVcells.Writeaonepagesummaryofyourfindings.Citeyoursources.
3) Dosomeresearchonthecostofsolarpanels/PVsystems.Whatisthepayoffperiodforyouroptimal
system?Cite/referenceyoursources.