In answering the following questions, include the calculations you make.
1. In this assignment, you are asked to design a PV system that has a nameplate (peak) power of 5.0 KW. (The peak power is the power output of a PV panel under optimal (peak) conditions and that is the power designated by a manufacturer.)
a. Go shopping for PV panels. Check the catalogs (Ref 11), or some other online catalog, to find the cost of solar PV panels. Specify the manufacturer and model number of the panel that you have selected, the power output of the panel, the area (in sq.ft.) of the panel and the price of the panel. Determine the unit cost of the power (in units of dollars per watt ($/W)), the number of panels required to provide 5.0 kW and the total cost of the panels for the project. (Cite the source of your information.)
b. Add $3,000 for the cost of additional hardware. Add $1/W to the cost of the project for licensing and other non-hardware installation expenses of the system. Then add the cost of the panels and hardware to the installation expenses to obtain the total cost of your project? (By the way, the DOE is sponsoring a competition for a group that will succeed in meeting the installation cost of $1/W for a solar PV system. There will be cash awards (each of several million dollars) to the 3 top winners. For details, see my notes and references in Session 6. This added note is just to inform you that the installation cost suggested in this part of the question is almost achievable.)
c. What is the total area of the solar panels needed for the project?
d. Assume that the average power generation of a solar panel— including day and night, rain and shine, or other adverse conditions—is 20% of the peak power generation. That is, assume that the panels generate an average power of 1.0 kW. Estimate the “break-even” time for your system by comparing the cost of your system to the cost of buying the electricity from the utility company at a price of $0.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). To do this, multiply the power (1.0 kW) by the number of hours (H) and then by $0.20/kWh. Then, equate this product to the cost of your solar system. Now solve for H, the break-even time in hours. Convert your answer to years or months.
e. Would you recommend installing the system or would you prefer to pay the utility for the power? Explain your answer.
f. How can the power generated by the panels be stored for use at night or during unfavorable weather conditions?
2.
a. Briefly describe solar concentration.
b. List two methods of achieving solar concentration.
c. How does a solar concentrator increase the efficiency of the solar energy capture and lower the cost of the solar collector?