AQuickGuide
toUtility-ScalePhotovoltaicPlantDesignItisnosecretthatthe,meaningthetransitiontogreenandrenewableenergysourceshasbecomeimperative.Solarphotovoltaic.Thiscomesintheformofbothresidentialandcommercialsolarsolutions,aswellasutility-scaleventures.climatecrisishasreachedatippingpoint(PV)energyisarobustandpromisinggreen,renewableenergysourceenjoyingaboominrecentyearsThisguidewillgiveanoverviewofthekeyconsiderationsfordesigningyournextutility-scalesolarPVplant.TableofContents01Whatisautility-scalephotovoltaicpowerplant?05Storagesolutions02Siteselection06Overheadpowerlines03Solarmoduleconfiguration07Getintouch04TechnologyWhatisautility-scalephotovoltaicpowerplant?Beforewetalkabouthowtodesignasolarinstallation,let’sbrieflyunderstandwhatismeantby“utility-scale.”Unfortunately,findingauniversaldescriptioniscomplicated.Awhenitcomestodecidingontheminimum.Definitionsofutility-scalepowerplantsrangefrom1MW(SolarEnergyIndustriesAssociation)to5MW(NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory)to10MWofinstalledcapacity,withsomethresholdsstartingashighas20-25MW..Thisisunlikemostresidentialandcommercialsolarinstallationswhowillusemostoftheenergytheycreate,puttinganyexcessbackintothegridtoreduceenergycosts.Inorder,whichwewillcoverinthisguide.Readontofindout.utility-scalesolarplantisusuallydefinedbyitsinstalledcapacity,buttherearevariantsOnedifferentiatingfactor,regardlessofsize,isthatutility-scaleplantstypicallyproduceenergytosupplythegridtodesignautility-scalesolarplant,somefundamentalsneedtobeconsideredSiteselectionThewhendesigningautility-scalePVplantischoosingthesitewhereitwillbelocated.Therearethatmustbeconsideredwhenselectinganoptimallocationforasolararray.are,ofcourse,key.Highlevelsofsolarirradianceareneededforsolarpanelstooperateinthemostefficientmannerpossible.Assuch,locationswithextendedsunlighthoursandthoseathigheraltitudesareidealformitigatingatmosphericdisturbances.Additionally,mustalsobetakenintoaccountwhenchoosingasite.Ifaninstallationisbuiltinalocationwithalotofsunlight,buthalfofthesiteiscoveredbytopographicalshademostoftheday,theeffectivenessoftheplantwillbedrasticallyreduced.Itiscriticaltodeterminethelevelofshadingatagivensitetoensurethatsolarenergyisgeneratedmostefficientlyandeffectively.firstconsiderationseveralfactorsWeatherconditionsshadingYoucansimplifythisprocesswithRatedPower’sHorizonImporter,whichallowsyoutoimportthehorizonprofileofyourchosensiteandmodelshadinglossesquicklyandaccurately.GoogleEarthandothersourcesofopen-sourcetopographicaldatacangiveyouaclearideaofyourinitialsolarsitedesign;however,.Thelandyouhaveearmarkedforyourplantshouldbecheckedandtestedtoorwhethertherearelayersofrockthatwouldprohibittheuseofmountingstructures.Aswellascheckingthemakeupofthesoil,.Leavingoutthisstepcouldincreasecostsdowntheline,asitmayhavetobeleveledor,evenworse,unabletobeusedatall,thusreducingtheplant’soverallcapacity.visitingthephysicalsitetogathermoreextensiveinformationisthemosteffectivewaytoensureyoursolarplantisagoerensurethesoilissuitabletocarrytheloadofsolarpanelsitisalsoessentialtoinvestigatehoweventheplotisEnergySimulationYearsofsimulationInterannualvariability(SD)Min:0,01%Max:100%PVmodulelossesFirstyeardegradationYearlydegradationModulequalityLightinduceddegration(LID)MismatchBifacialmismatchFrontfaceYearlysoilinglossesMonthlysoilinglossesBackfaceYearlysoilinglossesMon...