Solar Gardens and Solar Energy
Kalamazoo Valley Museum ‐ Sunday Series: 11 March 2018Dr. Bradley J. Bazuin,
Chair and Associate Professor,Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract• Solar energy collection and conversion to useful output power takes on
many forms. All such systems are becoming less costly, easier to purchase and construct, and more visible in the community. The presentation will discuss: solar cells, panels and arrays; solar energy conversion from cell phone chargers to home solar arrays and solar gardens; and small‐scale classroom demonstration components that can be used for middle or high school hands‐on education.
• Key Points– solar energy– solar cells, panels and arrays– solar energy system elements– small‐scale classroom demonstration components
for middle or high school hands‐on education
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Support for the generation of this material was provided by a grant from Consumers Energy.
DisclaimerThis is a technical report generated by the author as a record of personal research and activity. Western Michigan University makes no representation that the material contained in this report is correct, error free or complete in any or all respects. Thus, Western Michigan University, it’s faculty, it’s administration, or students make no recommendation for the use of said material and take no responsibility for such usage. Therefore, persons or organizations who choose to use this material do so at their own risk.
Consumers Energy Solar Garden Projects web site,https://www.consumersenergy.com/residential/renewable-energy/solar-gardens
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Energy From the Sun• Solar Spectrum Irradiance
– Various models exist to describe available spectral energy.
– The AM 1.5model is often used. – It represents an overall yearly
average for mid‐latitudes solar collection and has been selected as a reference standard.
• Total Solar Power AM 1.5– A simple estimate of available
power is …
1000 W/m2 or 93 W/ft2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_irradiance/
Wikipedia: Solar Irradiance
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US Irradiance
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/map_pv_national_hi-res_200.jpg
https://nsrdb.nrel.gov/ 5
Irradiation in Michigan• Annual average daily solar energy
in watt‐hours per square meter per day– Kalamazoo ~ 3.9 kWh/m2/day
• Average MI Home Electricity Use: ~22.2 kWh/day– US avg. range: 17.5‐41.5 kWh/day– http://www.electricitylocal.com/states/michigan/
• Commercial PV Collection is currently from 5‐20% efficient– @ 20% ~ 0.78 kWh/m2/day
Photo credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory and MSU Land Policy Institute, http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/planning_and_zoning_for_solar_energy_readiness_a_hot_proposition_part_1 6
Sunlight Available• Projection effect
– The intensity of the sun directly overhead versus at an angle differs. Distance matters.
– Latitude, day of year, and time of day all matter.
• Atmospheric Losses– Energy is being absorbed and scattered the longer it is in earths
atmosphere.– Distance light passes through atmosphere.
• Local weather – Cloud cover and moisture. More variations in absorption and
scattering.
http://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-sunlight/solar-radiation-at-earths-surface
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Nominal 5 kW Array @ WMU
0.0001.0002.0003.0004.0005.0006.0007.0008.000
0100200300400500600700800
2017 Energy ProductionSuniva‐Solar Edge Array
Monthly kWh Cum MWh
0200400600800
010203040
January 2018Suniva‐Solar Edge Array
Daily kWh Month kWh
0200400600800
010203040
July 2017Suniva‐Solar Edge Array
Daily kWh Month kWh
Nearly 6 Mega-Watt Hours in 2017Maximum: 36 kWh in a dayAverage: 24-25 kWh in June & July
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Nominal 2.7 kW Array @ WMU
Over 3.3 Mega-Watt Hours in 2017Maximum: 20.8 kWh in a dayAverage: 12-15 kWh in June & July
0100200300400500
05
10152025
January 2018SMA‐Shingle Array
Daily kWh Monthly kWh
0100200300400500
05
10152025
7/1/20
177/3/20
177/5/20
177/7/20
177/9/20
177/11
/201
77/13
/201
77/15
/201
77/17
/201
77/19
/201
77/21
/201
77/23
/201
77/25
/201
77/27
/201
77/29
/201
77/31
/201
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July 2017SMA‐Shingle Array
Daily kWh Monthly kWh
0.0000.5001.0001.5002.0002.5003.0003.5004.0004.500
0.050.0
100.0150.0200.0250.0300.0350.0400.0450.0
2017 Energy ProductionSMA‐Shingle Array
Monthly kWh Cum MWh
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Reasons to Install PV• Offset energy bill
– return‐on‐investment must be justified• Off Grid Power
– access to utilities limited or not existent• Green Energy
– reduced carbon footprint, renewable energy, energy conservation, a life style choice
• Hobbyist or Experimenter– something different and interesting with potential benefits
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U.S. Solar Photovoltaic Cost
U.S. Solar Photovoltaic System Cost Benchmark: Q1 201, Ran Fu, David Feldman, Robert Margolis, Mike Woodhouse, and Kristen Ardani, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Technical Report NREL/TP-6A20-68925 September 2017.
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy17osti/68925.pdf 11
Estimated Costs of Installation
Photovoltaic System Pricing Trends: Historical, Recent, and Near-Term Projections 2014 Edition, SunShot, US Department of Energy, D. Feldman, G. Narbose, et al., http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/62558.pdf . 12
Solar Cells to PV‐System
By Rfassbind - Own work., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34961018
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Collecting Solar Energy• Photovoltaic Cells (from Greek light‐volt)
– Made from semiconductor materials.
• Solar Cell Efficiency– Not all of the energy is collected by a PV device. – Based on the material types and wavelengths absorbed.– Different material combinations and designs have different efficiency.
• Silicon, Gallium‐Arsenide (GaAs), Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide(CIGS), and Organic and Polymer PV (OPV).
• Performance of commercial and research PV tracked.– US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
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PV Cell Types and Efficiency
National Renewable Energy Laboratory - National Center for Photovoltaicshttps://www.nrel.gov/pv/ 15
Conventional PV Curve• A maximum output power can be
defined from the I‐V curve.– the point of maximum output
power (MPP)– the power and MPP change as
light levels change
• Impotent PV Cell Values– Voltage – open circuit (Voc)– Current – short circuit (Isc)– Voltage – MPP (Vmpp)– Current – MPP (Impp)
Cur
rent
Cur
rent
/Pow
er
Calculated Power
I-V vs. Light Intensity
Isc
Voc
Vmpp & Impp
PV Behavior
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Suniva Solar Cell Data Sheet
Suniva ARTisun® Select Data Sheets, SAMD_0044, Sept. 17 2013, Rev. 1 & April 25, 2013 17
Suniva Solar Panel
72 Series Connected Solar CellsVmpp 37.5-37.9 V, Impp 8.67-8.99 A
Suniva OPTIMUS® Solar Modules Data Sheets, SAMD_0051, Aug. 19, 2015, Rev. 6.
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“AC” Output Solar SystemGrid‐Tied or Net‐Metering
DC Voltage0 to 500 Vdc
AC Voltage @ 60 Hz110 Vac 2-phase or
208/240 Vac 3-phaseEfficient Energy Conversion is
Critical in a Solar Energy System
Protection and Conversion
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“DC” Storage Solar SystemOff‐Grid
DC Voltage0 to 500 Vdc
AC Voltage @ 60 Hz110 Vac 2-phase
Efficient Energy Conversion is Critical in all Solar Energy Systems
Protection, Conversion, and Energy Storage
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Individual Solar Systems• Solar systems can be grid‐tied or off‐grid
– Off‐grid systems act as a stand‐alone power system for a location. No external electric power grid is usually available or expected.
– Grid‐tied systems would be connected to the house/company power grid and the local utility power grid. The power may be restricted to never source energy to the utility grid or it could be sourced/sold to the utility grid .
• Net metering involves a grid‐tied system that provides “surplus power” to the utility grid and the customer is compensated at a negotiated rate with the electric utility.
• Net metering policies vary significantly from state to state and may even vary from year to year in a state.– MI LARA Net Metering Program web site
http://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/0,4639,7‐159‐16393_48212_58124‐‐‐,00.html
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Public‐Private or Utility Systems• Consumers Energy Solar Garden Subscription Program
– GVSU (3 MW) and WMU (1 MW) solar gardens– A monthly fee based on “solar blocks”.– https://www.consumersenergy.com/residential/renewable‐energy/solar‐gardens
• Community Solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA)– A model for public‐private funding of larger solar installations– Investors fund and own the power generation, while a public entity
enters a long‐term purchase agreement for the energy. – https://wmich.edu/sustainability/events/power‐purchase‐agreement
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Two Residential Scale Systems• Solar Panel Array – 4950 Watt Rating– 18 Suniva (Saginaw, Mi) Solar Panels– 275 Watts per panel– Solar Energy to AC Power Inverter
from Solar Edge (3‐phase)– Ground Area approx.
24 feet x 10.5 feet.
• Solar Shingle Array – 2700 Watt Rating– 45 Solar shingles from Luma
Resources (Rochester Hills, Mi) – 60 Watts per shingle– Solar Energy to AC Power Inverter
from SMA America (3‐phase)– Ground Area approx.
32.5 feet x 9 feet
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Inverters Shutoff Switches
Solar Edge Inverter with DC Shutoff
SMA Inverter with DC Shutoff
AC Shutoff Switches and Enclosure
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Seminars and Education Opportunities
• If you are interested in seminars, training session, or tours on solar gardens and solar energy systems, Consumers Energy has provided funding to support this work.
• Please contact Dr. Brad Bazuin for details– [email protected]
• For more information, visit:http://homepages.wmich.edu/~bazuinb/SolarGardenWebSite/MainPage.html
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Solar Energy Generation and Demonstration Systems
• This project has provided educational materials and hands‐on laboratory stations for solar energy and solar energy powered electronics. With a focus on high school education and community demonstrations.– Senior Design Spring 2017: Bradley Beerman, Jonathan Kellogg, and Caleb Martin
– Senior Design Fall 2017: Dustin Thomas Bremer, Andrew James Cabush, and Kyle Michael Christianson
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Voltage, Current & Power• An energy source provides voltage and current.– Voltage describes a potential that can do work.
– Current is a flow of electrons that do work.
– Power is the amount of work being done.
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Measuring Current and Voltage• We can measure them with Digital Multi‐Meters (DMM)
• Voltage is across the source or load
• Current passes through the load and meter
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Power & Energy Conversion• Power from energy sources are almost always converted to more useful voltage levels and types!
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DC to DC Converter• SUNKEE DC‐DC Converter
Module Step up and down – Input 3.5‐28V – Output 1.25‐26V Adjustable
• USB Cell Phone Charger– Basic ‐ 5V USB Boost @ 1000mA from 1.8V+
https://www.amazon.com/SUNKEE-Converter-3-5-28V-1-25-26V-Adjustable/dp/B008ATU2X8
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2030
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• The Raspberry Pi 3 is a small computer.
– A 1.2GHz 64‐bit quad‐core ARMv8 CPU, 1GB RAM, 4 USB ports, HDMI port, Ethernet port
• Sense Hat – 8×8 RGB LED matrix, a five‐
button joystick and includes a Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Temperature, Barometric pressure, and Humidity https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/sense-hat/
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b/
Raspberry Pi “Computer”and Sense Hat Plug in Board
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Hot Wheels Battery Power Track• Hot Wheels Battery‐Operated
Slot Track:– Battery pack modified to take
solar inputs. Multiple solar panels provide additional power needs.
– Hot Wheels slot track accommodates 2 competitors includes 2 vehicles with 2 controllers.
– Track comes in lovely, hot orange color
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Thank you for your attendance!Solar Gardens and Solar EnergyKalamazoo Valley Museum ‐ Sunday Series: 11 March 2018
https://www.kalamazoomuseum.org/
Any Question?Please come see the demonstration material.
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Dr. Bradley J. Bazuin, Chair and Associate Professor,
Electrical and Computer [email protected]
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~bazuinb/(269) 276‐3141
PV Safety for FirefightersYou Tube Video on Solar Photovoltaic System Firefighter Safety• Training video by Capt. Matt Paiss, of the San Jose, Calif., Fire Department,
offering further understanding of the how solar electric systems work and tips on how to stay safe. March 1, 2011.
– Note: California codes and regulations differ from Michigan.– Useful visual references and precautions when encountered.
• Residential System Example– Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1GXF8iQnyY , 8:06 min.
• Roof Mounted Commercial System Example, Summary and more examples.– Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJsvkZj0scQ , 8:22 min.
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Additional Web Resources• UL Free on‐line course, “Firefighter Safety and PV Course”
– http://lms.ulknowledgeservices.com/catalog/display.resource.aspx?resourceid=352901
• You Tube Video: “Solar Photovoltaic Systems & Firefighter Safety”– A n expansion on previous videos from Captain Matt Paiss of the San Jose Fire
Department. May 18, 2012– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2EWQUPiXKc , 17:23 min.
• You Tube Video: “Solar Panel Safety for First Responders‐ Part 1 & 2”– Another set of videos from Captain Matt Paiss of the San Jose Fire Department. Nov. 28,
2012.– Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldzJIf4j8do , 22:39 min.– Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaPadE2SIcI , 5:10 min.
• You Tube Video: “NFPA's Safety Information for Photovoltaic Panels”– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_3TtswrUkw , 3:37 min.
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US Government Solar Information• Solar | Department of Energy
– https://energy.gov/science‐innovation/energy‐sources/renewable‐energy/solar
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory– http://www.nrel.gov/
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory ‐ Solar– https://www.nrel.gov/solar/
• US DOE SunShot Initiative– https://energy.gov/eere/sunshot/sunshot‐initiative
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PVEducation.org
• There are a number of on‐line resources with excellent graphical representations of how devices operate. See the following:
– 4.1 Light Generated Current– 4.2 IV Curve– 4.2 Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) & Short Circuit Current (Isc)– 4.4 Impact of Both Series and Shunt Resistance– 4.4 Effect of Light Intensity
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SunPower Solar Panel
96 Series Connected Solar CellsVmpp 54.7 V, Impp 5.86-5.98 A
SunPower E-Series Residential Solar Panels | E20-327, Data Sheet, SunPower Corp., March 2016. 43