com Greenstream Publishing Limited 70 Olton Boulevard East Birmingham B27 7NG United Kingdom www.com Published by Greenstream Publishing Ltd, 2017. Copyright © 2009–2017 Michael Boxwell. All rights reserved. Kindle eBook edition: ISBN 978-1-907670-67-1 First Edition published April 2009 Second Edition published November 2009 Third Edition published March 2010 Fourth Edition published January 2011 Fifth Edition published October 2011 Sixth Edition published February 2012 Seventh Edition published December 2012 Eigth Edition published December 2013 Ninth Edition published January 2015 Tenth Edition published April 2016 Eleventh Edition published January 2017 Michael Boxwell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. While we have tried to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this book, the author or publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions found therein. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.com Table of Contents Table of Contents Introducing Solar Energy Who this book is aimed at The rapidly changing world of solar energy Solar electricity and solar heating The source of solar power The principles of solar electricity Understanding the terminology Setting expectations for solar electricity Why choose a solar electric system? Cost-justifying solar Solar power and wind power Fuel cells Solar electricity and the environment In conclusion Making and saving money with solar The ever rising cost of energy Installing electricity to a new building Subsidies, grants and other financial incentives In Conclusion A Brief Introduction to Electricity Don’t panic A brief introduction to electricity How to measure electricity The relationship between volts, amps, ohms, watts and watt-hours Low current and high current systems A word for non-electricians In conclusion The Four Configurations for Solar Power Stand-alone/off-grid Grid-tie Grid-tie with power backup (grid interactive) Grid fallback How grid-tie systems differ from stand-alone In conclusion Components of a Solar Electric System Solar panels Batteries Controller Inverter Electrical devices Connecting everything together www.com In conclusion The Design Process Short-cutting the design work Solar energy and emotions In conclusion Scoping the Project Designing grid-tie or grid fallback systems Fleshing out the scope Producing a power analysis When you are ready to proceed Calculating inefficiencies When do you need to use the solar system? Keeping it simple Improving the scope In conclusion Calculating Solar Energy What is solar energy? Solar panels and shade Solar array power point efficiencies The effects of temperature on solar panels Working out an approximate cost Working out dimensions In conclusion Surveying Your Site What we want to achieve First impressions Positioning the solar array Identifying the path of the sun across the sky Shading Positioning batteries, controllers and inverters Cabling Site survey for the holiday home In conclusion Understanding the Components Common components for all systems Solar panels Solar panel mountings Solar array cables Solar array connectors Fuses and isolation switches The importance of using the correct cables, connectors and isolation switches Ground fault protection Components for Grid-Tie systems Grid-tie solar panels www.com Grid-tie inverters Components for Stand-Alone Systems Calculate your optimum voltage How to calculate your current Calculating cable thicknesses Mixing and matching solar panels Batteries Solar controller Inverters Cables Plugs and sockets Appliances Reputable brand names Shopping list for the holiday home In conclusion Planning, regulations and approvals National and international standards for solar components Installation regulations Getting your electricity supplier involved In conclusion Detailed Design Safety is designed in Solar array design Batteries Specifics for a grid fallback system Circuit protection Cable sizing and selection Some sample wiring diagrams The next step Solar frame mounting Positioning batteries Planning the installation In conclusion Installation Safety Assembling your toolkit Preparing your site Testing your solar panels Installing the solar array Installing the batteries Installing the control equipment Installing a grid-tie system Commissioning the system Charging up your batteries Connecting your devices In conclusion www.com Troubleshooting Keep safe Common faults Excessive power usage Insufficient power generation Damaged wiring/ poor connections Weak battery Inverter issues Maintaining Your System Internet Support Tools available on the website Appendix A – Typical Power Requirements Household and office Garden and DIY Caravans, boats and recreational vehicles Appendix B – Living Off-Grid A solar electric system in conjunction with grid electricity Grid Fallback and Grid Failover systems A Final Word www.com Introducing Solar Energy Ninety-three million miles from Earth, our sun is 333,000 times the size of our planet.
With a diameter of 865,000 miles, a surface temperature of 5,600°C (over 10,000°F) and a core temperature of 15,000,000°C, it is a huge mass of constant nuclear activity. Directly or indirectly, our sun provides all the power we need to exist and supports all life forms. The sun drives our climate and our weather. It’s a huge energy source.
Without it, our world would be a frozen wasteland of ice-covered rock. So harnessing that power from the sun and using it to power electrical equipment is a terrific idea. There are no ongoing electricity bills, no reliance on a power socket, simply a free and everlasting source of energy that does not harm the planet! Of course, the reality is a little different from that. Yet generating electricity from sunlight alone is a powerful resource, with applications and benefits throughout the world.
So how does it work? For what is it suitable? What are the limitations? How much does it cost? How do you install it? This book answers all these questions and shows you how to use the power of the sun to generate electricity yourself. Along the way, I will also expose a few myths about some of the wilder claims made about solar energy and I will show you where solar power may only be part of the solution. I will keep the descriptions as straightforward as possible. There is some simple mathematics and science involved.
This is essential to allow you to plan a solar electric installation successfully. However, none of it is complicated and there are plenty of short-cuts and online calculators at www.com available to keep things simple. The book includes a number of example projects to show how you can use solar electricity. Some of these are very straightforward, such as providing electrical light for a shed or garage, for example, or fitting a solar panel to the roof of a caravan or boat.
Others are more complicated, such as installing photovoltaic solar panels to a house. I also show some rather more unusual examples, such as the possibilities for solar electric motorbikes and cars. These are examples of what can be achieved using solar power alone, along with a little ingenuity and determination. I have used one main example throughout the book: providing solar-generated electricity for a holiday home which does not have access to an electricity supply from the grid.
I have created this example to show the issues and pitfalls that you may encounter along the way, based on real life issues and practical experience. A website accompanies this book. It has lots of useful information, along with a suite of online solar energy calculators that will simplify the cost analysis and design processes.com The website is at www. Who this book is aimed at If you simply want to gain an understanding about how solar electricity works, then this handbook will provide you with everything you need to know.
If you are planning to install your own stand-alone solar power system, this handbook is a comprehensive source of information that will help you understand solar and guide you in the design and installation of your own solar electric system. Solar has a big application for integrating into electrical products such as mobile phones, laptop computers and portable radios. Even light electric cars can use solar energy to provide some or all of their power requirements, depending on the application. If you are a designer, looking to see how you can integrate solar into your product, this book will give you a grounding in the technology that you will need to get you started.
If you are specifically looking to install a grid-tie system, i. a solar energy system that will feed electricity back into your local power grid, this book will provide you with a good foundation and will allow you to carry out the design of your system. You will still need to check the local planning laws and any other local legislation surrounding the installation of solar energy systems, and you will have to understand the building of electrical systems. In some countries, you need to be certified in order to carry out the physical installation of a grid-tie system.
If you are planning to install larger, commercial–size systems, or hoping to install grid- tie solar systems professionally, then this book will serve as a good introduction, but you will need to grow your knowledge further. This book gives you the foundations you need to get started, but there are special skills required when designing and implementing larger scale solar systems that go far beyond what is required for smaller systems and are beyond the scope of this book. If you are planning your own solar installation, it will help if you have some DIY skills. Whilst I include a chapter that explains the basics of electricity, a familiarity with wiring is also of benefit for smaller projects and you will require a thorough understanding of electrical systems if you are planning a larger project such as powering a house with solar.
The rapidly changing world of solar energy I implemented my first solar energy system in 1997. Back then, the largest panels I could buy were 100Wp panels. Each panel was around 9% efficient. The cost for the ten panels I needed to create my 1kWp array was almost £10,000 (around $13,000).
Today, solar panels can be up to 24% efficient. They have a far higher capacity, a longer life expectancy and they are far cheaper. If I were to recreate my first 1kWp array today www.com using larger, modern solar panels, the panel price would be around £400 ($530). Ignoring twenty years of inflation, that is a 96% drop in the ticket price for a solar panel! Of course, there is more to the installation cost than just the solar panels alone.
Cabling, inverters, batteries, mounting brackets and time all cost money, and most of those prices have increased in the past twenty years, but the fact remains that solar has been transformed from an obscure niche product to mainstream energy generation because of incredible leaps in the technology that has made solar more efficient and more affordable. I wrote the first edition of this book early in 2009. This 2017 issue is the eleventh edition. Most editions have included significant rewrites in order to keep up with the rapid pace of change, and this edition is no exception.
The rapid improvement in the technology and the freefall in costs since early 2009 have transformed the industry. Systems that were completely unaffordable or impractical just two or three years ago are now cost-effective and achievable. Solar panels available today are smaller, more robust and better value for money than ever before. Battery storage has become more reliable and far cheaper.
For many more applications, solar is now the most cost-effective way to generate electricity. Government incentives to promote renewable energy sources have also changed why people install solar. In countries like Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and in the southern states of the United States, residential solar is becoming a common sight. Solar is making a big impact in the way that countries generate electricity.
In the past two years, solar panels have produced over 50% of the nations electricity during peak production periods in summer. The United Kingdom is not far behind, with over 35% of the nations electricity coming from solar power on sunny days in summer.