Basics of Photovoltaic Systems for Grid-Tied Applications

Spring 2013
These links are provided as information only and are not in any way to be considered a comprehensive listing or as an
endorsement by PG&E. All links were current at time of list creation. An electronic version of this list is available at
www.pge.com/energyclasses/

Related Online Resources:

General Information on PV

Find Solar
Find Solar has a searchable directory of solar professionals. Enter your zip code to find professionals in your
area. Also available are solar calculators for generating a rough estimate of the amount of solar available in your
area, solar tools, interactive solar maps, and many other useful solar resources.
http://www.findsolar.com

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC). Solar Electricity

The FSECs Solar Electricity section includes an illustrated primer that discusses the history of PV, how PV cells
and systems work, plus a glossary of solar electricity terminology.
http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/solar_electricity/index.htm

IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme

Participants in this International Energy Agency collaborative program conduct joint projects in the application of
photovoltaics. The Web site contains PV news, statistics, program information, publications, and project results.
Presentations from recent workshops and previews from PV Trends 2011 are included on the site.
http://www.iea-pvps.org/

PV FAQs: What is the Energy Payback for PV?

A brief fact sheet on energy payback, produced by the staff of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/37322.pdf

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA)

SEPA members include utilities, manufacturers, installers, and researchers. SEPA holds the annual Solar Power
Conference at various locations in California. This site has a PV fact sheet, basic information on solar power, and
a resource library of papers and articles on a variety of solar-related topic.
http://www.solarelectricpower.org

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

SEIA is a solar industry trade association that promotes expansion of solar energy adoption. This site includes a
member directory, information about the associations activities, and information about federal policy issues that
affect the solar industry.
http://www.seia.org

"PG&E" refers to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. 2013 Pacific Gas and Electric Company. All rights
reserved.
Solarbuzz
Solarbuzz provides international solar industry news, market information, and statistics. A vendor directory,
calendar of upcoming events, overviews of several PV markets, and analysts insights are among the resources
available on this site.
http://www.solarbuzz.com

SunShot Initiative. Solar Energy Technologies Program. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
The DOEs SunShot Initiative is a national effort to make solar energy cost competitive with other forms of energy
by the end of the decade. The Initiative seeks to reduce the costs of solar technology and solar grid integration.
It also aims to accelerate deployment by removing market barriers. Details about the program and projects that
have been awarded funding are provided here. The site includes links to financial opportunities and information
resources
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/sunshot/index.html

General Information on PV California

California Energy Commission Reports

The 2002 and 2003 reports A Guide to Photovoltaic (PV) System Design and Installation and Buying a
Photovoltaic Solar Electric System: A Consumers Guide can be downloaded from the CECs Web site.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2001-09-04_500-01-020.PDF
http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2003-03-11_500-03-014F.PDF

California Solar Center

The California Solar Center is a collection of news, solar history, upcoming events, publications, tax information,
financial incentives, solar facts, and resources related to photovoltaics and solar energy in California.
http://www.californiasolarcenter.org

Northern California Solar Energy Association (NCSEA)

NCSEA is a chapter of the American Solar Energy Society. The Web site features solar news, event information,
training opportunities, a glossary, FAQs, as well as, guides to tools, equipment manufacturers, and solar
resources. Information about the latest edition of the Solar Energy Resource Guide is also provided.
http://www.norcalsolar.org

Incentives for PV / Group Purchase Info

California Solar Initiative (CSI)

Learn about the California Solar Initiative program here. The site includes the CSI Newsletter, detailed information
about CSI Program Components, recent news, and useful Program Tools.
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Solar/

DSIRE. Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

DSIRE provides information about financial incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects
throughout the United States. Information is provided on state, local, utility, and federal tax incentive programs
and is organized by state. Color coded maps and summary tables provide an overview of incentives and policies
that promoted renewable energy. Click on the state of California to view information about its available
incentives.
http://www.dsireusa.org

Go Solar California
This is Californias gateway to solar electricity information for both residential and non-residential buildings.
Information about the California Solar Initiative, solar technology, eligible equipment, financial incentives, vendors,
contractors, installers, California Solar Statistics, and other solar programs can be accessed here.
http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov

Energy Efficiency Class Resources Page 2 of 7

New Solar Homes Partnership
Learn about Californias New Solar Homes Partnership at this Go Solar California Web site. The New Solar
Homes Partnership Guidebook is available for download. The site also includes FAQs, application instructions,
documents and NSHP forms, the latest version of the PV Calculator, eligible PV equipment and information about
tax credits.
http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/about/nshp.php

One Block Off The Grid (1BOG)

This organization helps individuals and communities form purchasing groups to take advantage of potential
discounts for solar products and services.
http://www.1bog.org/

PV for Residential Applications

High-Performance Home Technologies: Solar Thermal & Photovoltaic Systems

Volume 6 of the Building America Best Practices Series contains overviews, technology details, and case studies
of solar thermal and photovoltaic systems for homes. The publication concludes with a PV system installation
checklist.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/building_america/41085.pdf

Photovoltaic Systems for Homes

NREL provides links to general information resources and evaluation tools for homeowners considering the
installation of a PV system.
http://www.nrel.gov/learning/ho_photovoltaics.html

Guidelines and Tools for PV Design and Installation

San Francisco Energy Map

Enter your address in the search box to find the estimated solar PV potential, electricity production, electricity
savings, and carbon savings for a photovoltaic installation at your San Francisco location. The solar map also
illustrates the location of existing solar installations throughout the City.
http://sfenergymap.org/

Solar Maps. National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NRELs solar maps provide monthly average total solar resource information on grid cells that are approximately
40 km by 40 km in size. Map types include US Solar Atlas, PVWATTS (energy produced by a PV system), PV
Solar Radiation, and Direct Normal Solar Radiation.
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html

Solar Radiation Data Manual for Flat-Plate and Concentrating Collectors

This Renewable Resource Data Center publication contains solar radiation values for over 200 stations in the
U.S. and its territories. Additional climatic conditions, such as average daily minimum temperature are also
included.
http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/pubs/redbook/

Tool Lending Library at the Pacific Energy Center (TLL)

The Tool Lending Library contains images and descriptions for over 400 data collecting devices from over 100
vendors. Select Site Analysis/Surveying when searching the Tool Lending Catalog for a list of tools that are
useful for evaluating a site. An online tool request form and contact information are also provided.
http://www.pge.com/pec/tll

Energy Efficiency Class Resources Page 3 of 7

Calculators

California Solar Initiative Incentive Calculators. Expected Performance Based Buydown Calculator
This CSI Incentive calculator provides an estimate of appropriate incentive level and expected PV system
performance based on site and equipment specifications entered by the user.
http://www.csi-epbb.com/

PVWATTS
PVWATTS was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It calculates electrical energy
produced by a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system. PVWATTS has two versions that permit users to select
location and system specifications for the performance calculation.
http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/pvwatts/

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics for Commercial and Institutional Structures: A Sourcebook for

Architects. Patrina Eiffert and Gregory J. Kiss
This Department of Energy publication contains design briefs for 16 photovoltaic projects, basic information about
BIPV and a glossary. It can be downloaded for free from the NREL Web site.
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/25272.pdf

Energy Design Resources. Design Brief: Building Integrated Photovoltaics

This Design Brief provides strategies for designing with BIPV and details applications, system components,
integration and costs.
http://www.energydesignresources.com/resources/publications/design-briefs/design-brief-building-integrated-
photovoltaics.aspx

Whole Building Design Guide: Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

This article by Steven Strong presents an overview of BIPV systems, their components, steps to their design, and
applications in commercial buildings. The article concludes with a list of resources for additional information.
http://www.wbdg.org/resources/bipv.php

Continuing Education

Community Colleges
Many community colleges and universities have green jobs programs, including solar PV and solar thermal.
Many are available for a very modest cost, so check at the institution most convenient for you.

Workforce Training
These are usually grant-funded and can provide very low-cost training for people who qualify.
http://cleantechinstitute.org/
http://cetweb.org/

Professional Courses
Other organizations offer more concentrated courses with a specific focus, such as PV installer. These will
typically be more expensive than the community colleges. Here are samples of such companies:
http://www.solarliving.org/
http://www.solarenergy.org/index.html
http://www.cleanedison.com/

Sales Training
http://pvsolarsalestraining.com/

Energy Efficiency Class Resources Page 4 of 7

Career/Employment Resources

Job listing sites:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/

http://www.eco.org/

http://www.ecojobs.com/

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/

http://www.getintoenergy.com/

http://www.greenjobs.net/

https://homepower.com/jobs

http://www.linkedin.com/

http://www.ongrid.net/dreamjobresources.html

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/careers

http://www.seia.org/cs/about_seia/jobs_in_the_solar_industry

http://www.simplyhired.com/

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/greendreamjobs.main

Individual companies usually have their own websites with job postings. PV Solar Report
(http://www.pvsolarreport.com/) is an e-newsletter (free trial) which will give you the top 10 installers for each
week. This is a good place to start looking for employers that are hiring.

PG&E Resources:

Business Tools
PG&E Business Tools include Energy Usage, Billing History and Rate Comparison Tools.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/myaccount/analysis/

Demand Response Incentives

Information on the various Demand Response incentives offered by PG&E can be found here.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/demandresponse/

Energy Use Audit Services

PG&Es energy audit services help you understand your energy use and gauge the performance of your facility.
Services include an Online Energy Analyzer, phone-assisted audit, or on-site audit.
http://www.pge.com/audit

Money-Back Solutions for your Business by Industry

Here you will find information about cash rebates and incentives for replacing existing equipment with new energy
efficient technologies or purchasing new equipment. Design assistance for a new facility and system process is
also available.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/incentivesbyindustry/

Energy Efficiency Class Resources Page 5 of 7

Money-Back Tool
Use the Money-Back Tool to instantly get a list of rebates that fit your needsand see how much you could be
saving each year.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/moneybacksolutions/moneybacktool/index.html

PG&E PowerPathway
PowerPathway offers a Portfolio of programs aimed at building capacity within the state of California to produce
the skilled workers needed by PG&E and the energy and utility industry. The PowerPathway Portfolio includes
four separate but interconnected efforts: Career preparation, Industry workforce challenges, Education, and
Green communities.
http://www.pge.com/about/careers/powerpathway/

Partners and Trade Professionals

PG&E program partners, local contractors and trade professionals offer special assistance in implementing
energy efficiency measures for your business.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/partnersandtradepros/

Rebates, Incentives, and Resources

Information about current rebates, incentives, money-back programs and resources.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/rebatesincentives/

Self-Generation Incentive Program at Pacific Gas and Electric

Financial incentive information, description of eligible technologies, forms, resources, and program contact
information can all be accessed here.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/energysavingsrebates/selfgenerationincentive/

Solar Analysis Tool. Clean Power Estimator

This tool takes a variety of user inputs and makes some assumptions to provide an estimate of the benefits of
installing a solar system.
http://pge.cleanpowerestimator.com/sites/pge/pge.aspx

Solar Energy
PG&E provides information on how a photovoltaic system works; steps to take before installing solar in your home
or business; solar schools; and requirements and applications for the California Solar Initiative Program.
http://www.pge.com/solar/

Tariff Book
This site contains all current gas and electric rate schedules.
http://www.pge.com/tariffs/

Third Party Incentive Programs and Fact Sheets

PG&E has partnered with energy efficiency specialists in order to extend the reach and effectiveness of energy
efficiency, demand response, renewable energy, and self-generation programs. A fact sheet describing all of the
specialists and their energy efficiency programs can be downloaded here. Use the search function to find
information about all of the programs that are available for your market segment.
http://www.pge.com/thirdparty/

Understanding Your Bill

Sample business class bills with explanations for each bill item.
http://www.pge.com/mybusiness/myaccount/explanationofbill/smallbiz/index.shtml

Energy Efficiency Class Resources Page 6 of 7

Print Resources Available in the PECs Resource Center:
Designing with Solar Power: A Sourcebook for Building Integrated Photovoltaics. Deo Prasad and Mark
Snow, editors. Earthscan Publications, 2005
The New Solar Electric Home: The Complete Guide to Photovoltaics for your Home. Joel Davidson.
aatec Publications, 2008
nd
Photovoltaic Systems, 2 ed. James P. Dunlop. American Technical Publishers, 2009
Photovoltaics and Architecture. Randall Thomas. Taylor & Francis, Inc. 2001
Photovoltaics Design and Installation Manual. Solar Energy International. New Society, 2007
Photovoltaics in Buildings: A Design Handbook for Architects and Engineers. Frederich Sick. James &
James Science Publishers, 1996
Photovoltaics in the Built Environment: A Design Guide for Architects and Engineers. National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1997
nd
Planning and Installing Photovoltaic Systems: A Guide for Installers, Architects, and Engineers, 2 ed.
Deutsche Gesellshaft fr Sonnenenergie. Earthscan Publications, LTD, 2008
Solar Design: Photovoltaics for Old Buildings, Urban Space, Landscapes. Ingrid Hermannsdorfer. Jovis,
2006
The Solar Electric House: Energy for the environmentally responsive energy-independent home. Steven
Strong. Sustainability Press, 1993
th
Solar Electricity Handbook 2011 Edition, 4 revised edition. Michael Boxwell. Greenstream Publishing,
2011
th
Solar Energy Resource Guide, 9 edition. Northern California Solar Energy Association, 2012
Solar Heating Systems for Houses: a Design Handbook for Solar Combisystems. Werner Weiss. James
& James, 2003

Journals:

Home Power Magazine

Northern California Sun. Newsletter of the NCSEA
Photon International: The Photovoltaic Magazine
REFOCUS: The International Renewable Energy Magazine
Solar Today Magazine

Other Print Resources:

rd
Electricity from Solar Cells, 3 ed. Richard J. Komp. aatec Publications, 2002
Grid-Connected Solar Electric Systems. Geoff Stapelton and Susan Neil. Routledge, 2012
Large-Scale Solar Power System Design: An Engineering Guide for Grid-Connected Solar Power
Generation. Peter Gevorkian. McGraw-Hill, 2011
rd
Photovoltaic Systems Engineering, 3 edition. Roger A. Messenger and Jerry Ventre. CRC Press, 2010
Practical Handbook of Photovoltaics: Fundamentals and Applications. Tom Markvart. Elsevier Science,
2003
rd
Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells, 3 ed. Richard J. Komp. aatec Publications, 1995
th
Real Goods Solar Living Source Book, 30 Anniversary Edition. John Schaeffer. New Society
Publishers, 2007
Solar Cells: Materials, Manufacture, and Operation. Tom Markvart & Luis Castaner. Elsevier Science,
2005
nd
Solar Electricity, 2 ed. Tomas Markvart. John Wiley & Sons, 2000
Solar Electricity Handbook 2012 Edition: A Simple Practical Guide to Solar Energy. Michael Boxwell.
Greenstrem Publishing, 2012.

Energy Efficiency Class Resources Page 7 of 7