Solar photovoltaic is reaching more and more homes, businesses and industries of all kinds. Its flexibility allows it to be used practically anywhere, and for this reason there is a wide variety of components and elements available to installers.
In this article we will review which of these components are the most commonly used in grid-connected photovoltaic installations.
Components of a grid-connected solar installation.
Grid-connected photovoltaic installations are the most common in homes and small businesses. This type of installation seeks to reduce the electricity bill by consuming the energy generated by the solar panels themselves, with the possibility of selling the surplus. At times when solar energy is not available, it will use energy from the grid, so they do not usually have batteries or charge regulators.
The main components of a grid-connected photovoltaic solar power system are:
- Solar panels
- Power optimizer
- Power inverter
- Electric meters
- Protection and safety devices
- Electrical wiring
- Supports
- Solar trackers (optional)
Let's take a look at each of them.
Solar panels.
Solar panels or photovoltaic panels are the main elements of a photovoltaic solar energy installation, as it could not be otherwise.
Solar panels are responsible for capturing sunlight and transforming it into direct current (DC) electricity thanks to the photoelectric properties of their cells. These cells are connected to each other to form each panel or module, which can vary in size and power, although for residential installations they usually have an approximate size of about 2 square meters and power between 200 and 400 W.
The panels in turn are connected together to form the entire electricity generation part of the installation.
Power optimizer.
Power optimizers are responsible for improving the performance of each panel so that it operates at its maximum possible power. When panels are connected in series, if one panel has an efficiency problem it can affect the performance of the other solar panels. The optimizers prevent this from happening and prevent the poor performance of one panel from affecting the rest.
These components are placed between the photovoltaic panels and the power inverter, with each solar panel connected to an optimizer that then connects to the inverter.
Power inverter.
The power inverter is another key element of any solar installation. Its main function is to transform the electricity coming from the panels (direct current) into electricity that can be used in the home (alternating current), such as the electricity we receive from the grid.
Depending on the size of the installation, the most suitable type of inverter must be selected. In the case of grid-connected inverters, it must be ensured that the alternating current they generate is identical to that of the mains (230 V and 50 Hz) so that there are no disturbances in the grid.
Electric meters.
Meters are an important part of the installation, as they are the element that allows us to measure both the energy consumed from the grid and the energy sold in the form of surplus.
To perform this task it is necessary to have a bidirectional counter, or to have several separate unidirectional counters.
Protection and safety devices.
It is important to have protection and safety elements to prevent accidents that could cause damage to people or to the installation itself.
Within this category you can find components such as blocking diodes, bypass diodes, protection fuses, circuit breakers, differential switches, varistors, grounding elements, etc.
Electrical wiring.
The wiring is divided into two types: for the direct current part and for the alternating current part. Direct current wiring is usually double insulated and has a larger cross-section than alternating current wiring, as it must withstand a higher current intensity.
Supports.
The function of the supports is important. On the one hand, they fix the solar panels to the surface where they are placed (roof, deck, ground, etc.) and prevent them from moving in situations of wind, rain or snow.
They also make it easier to achieve the optimum orientation and inclination for the panels, which is essential to take full advantage of solar radiation.
Solar trackers.
These are systems that allow the panels to be reoriented so that they can follow the movement of the sun, thus increasing the performance of the installation. Their use is more widespread in large photovoltaic plants intended for distribution rather than in self-consumption installations, but they are an option to be taken into account.
Design networked installations quickly and efficiently.
The design and configuration of an installation is one of the most important phases, since the production capacity, performance and cost (and thus the amortization period) depend on it. That is why having a system that facilitates and speeds up the design of the installation based on its actual location is a great help for installation companies.
Wattwin allows you to design a real installation in less than 3 minutes, taking into account the orientation, inclination and position of the modules in order to generate customized budgets quickly and efficiently. For more information, please contact us.
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