Solar Spotlight: Driving Growth Through Efficiency

Insight

As the global energy market has shifted toward cleaner, future-proof technologies, governments and industries are now turning to renewable sources like solar to power and protect their assets.

As the global energy market shifts toward cleaner, future-proof technologies, governments and industries are turning to renewable sources like solar to power and protect their assets.

Solar power emits zero greenhouse gas emissions, helping communities meet their environmental objectives and playing a key part in any diversified energy supply portfolio. Specifically, industry experts predict that grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems will proliferate over the coming decade. As solar power becomes more popular, only operators who maximize efficiency will gain the most benefits from harnessing sunlight.

“The success of any solar project depends heavily on site conditions and infrastructure constraints,” says Matt Goss, Energy Practice Leader at CDM Smith. “There are a lot of options out there and careful evaluation can help avoid many common pitfalls.”

PV systems convert light into electricity using semiconducting materials. A typical system relies on a grid of connected solar cells that generate the electricity. Key cost drivers are the efficiency with which sunlight is converted into power and how this relationship changes over time. Financially, degradation of a PV module or system is equally important because a higher degradation rate translates directly into less power produced and, therefore, reduces future cash flows. The ability to accurately predict power delivery over the course of time is of vital importance to any potential implementation.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the energy in light directly into electrical energy through the photoelectric effect using silicon semiconductors, and diodes linked together.

Solar panels generate electricity in the form of direct current and voltage (DC power). These panels are electrically connected to achieve a higher voltage and current, respectively.

These strings of PV panels are then combined through the use of combiner boxes which result in a single feeder cable to the inverter. The inverter converts the DC power into alternating current (AC) electricity.

Cities, states, and nations are investing in clean energy production through policies and incentives, like feed-in-tariffs that provide above-market prices for producers in some European countries. Tax credits, rebates, and other incentives across the United States enable solar to compete with fossil-fuel-burning energy supplies.

Solar power has enormous potential to reduce greenhouse gasses and reduce energy costs, and the extent of their success depends heavily on optimization. Important considerations include high voltage vs. low voltage electrical distribution systems, utility integration, power systems analysis, lighting, communications, motor controls, solar power, programmable logic controller (PLC) programming and more.