Core partner

Case Study - Photovoltaics

Angelo Baggini*, Franco Bua**, Francesco Buratti***

* angelo.baggini@unibg.it - Università degli Studi
di Bergamo
** franco.bua@ecd.it – ECD, Pavia, Italy
*** francesco.buratti@ecd.it – ECD, Pavia, Italy

Webinar - 9 May 2008

Index

 Site
 Design criteria
 PV system components
 Tests and inspections
 Bill of materials
 Investment analysis
 Summary
Site > Where
Site > Global horizontal irradiation (kWh/m2 year)

1300 kWh/m2 per year

Source: PVGIS © European Communities, 2001-2007

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/
Site > Electricity from PV systems

(1100 kWh/kWp year)

Source: PVGIS © European Communities, 2001-2007

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/
Site > The house
Site > The house
Area: 356 m2

Electricity
consumption:
5.500 kWh/year
Site > The house
Orientation
Roof area
(South): 95 m2
Site > Area for installation
Orientation: South
Area: 45 m2
Slope: 19°
Design criteria

 Available surface

 Feed-in tariff maximization

– 2005 – Ministerial Decree referred to in Art. 7, para. 1 of
Legislative Decree no. 387 of 29 Dec. 2003. Criteria for
incentivising electricity generation by photovoltaic solar
plants
– 2005 - AEEG - electricity & gas regulator adopted its
Decision 188/05, which identifies GRTN (now GSE) as
“implementing body” in charge of granting incentivising
tariffs
– 2006 - second decree on photovoltaic solar generation,
extending and supplementing the Ministerial Decree of
2005, was enacted
– Incentive scheme applies to photovoltaic (PV) solar plants
or systems which have a capacity of 1 to 1,000 kW and
which have become operational after 30 Sept. 2005
Design criteria > Incentivising tariffs

PV System
Incentivising Tariffs (€/kWh)
Capacity (kWp)
Not Partially
Integrat
integrat integrat
ed
ed ed
1 kW ≤ P ≤ 3
0,4 0,44 0,49
kW
3 kW < P ≤ 20
0,38 0,42 0,46
kW
P > 20 kW 0,36 0,4 0,44
Design criteria > Contract Type and Energy usage

Contract
PV energy
Type

Complete sale
Energy sale
Partial sale

No sale Net Metering

Design criteria > Contract Type and Rated Power

PV system

≤ 20kW > 20kW

Net metering Sale contract

Design criteria > Contract Type and PV energy value

PV energy

0,4 €/kWh

Net metering Sale contract

Energy Energy
Used To grid Used To grid
0,12-0,18 €/kWh 0 €/kWh 0,12-0,18 €/kWh 0,1 €/kWh
Design criteria > PV System size

2,94 kWp
PV system components (PV SC)

 PV Generator
 Inverter
 DC & AC Cables
 AC & DC disconnecting switch
 AC & DC overcurrent protection
 Metering
 Earthing
 Overvoltage protection
 Grid connection
PV SC > System overview
Grid

Energy
measurement

Coupling point
Main Switch

Int. Protection Interface

PV energy measurement
Load

PV System
switch

Inverter

PV modules
PV SC > PV Generator, module features
PV SC > PV Generator, module features

MIN
TCELL =TaMIN
G 
MAX
TCELL = TaMAX + (NOCT − 20 ) × MAX 
 800 

VMAX
OC =V STD
OC +
dV
dT
(
× TCELL
MIN
. − TaSTD )

VMIN
MPP =V STD
MPP +
dV
dT
× TCELL
MAX
(. − TaSTD )
VMAX
MPP =V STD
MPP +
dV
dT
(
× TCELL
MIN
. − TaSTD )
PV SC > PV Generator

Modules 14
Arrays 1
System rated peak
Diode Module 2940
power (W)
562,9
Voc, max @ Ta, min (V)
4
407,4
Vmpp @ STC (V)
0
Vmpp, min @ Ta, max 344,7
(V) 3
Vmpp, max @ Ta, min 460,7
(V) 4
Isc, max (A) 9,91
PV SC > PV Generator > constructive aspects

Orientation: -5° (South

0, East -90, West 90)
Slope: 19°

Tiles
PV module

Roof underlay
PV SC > PV Generator > Final result
PV SC > Inverter, MPPT

I
MPPT ≥
IMAX IMAX
MPP,PV
Inverter
PV generator

MPP MPP

T cell, max

T cell, min
MAX
VINV ≥VOC
MAX
,PV

V
MIN
VMPPT ≤VMPP
MIN
,PV
MAX
VMPPT ≥VMPP
MAX
,PV
PV SC > Inverter, efficiency

MPPT adjustment efficiency

Inverter n. 1 Inverter n. 2

Source: Photon International

www.photon-magazine.com
PV SC > Inverter, efficiency

Overall efficiency

Inverter n. 1 Inverter n. 2

Source: Photon International

www.photon-magazine.com
PV SC > Inverter
PV SC > DC & AC Cables

 Uo/U 0,6/1 kV

 Section
– Capacity Cross section: 4, 6 mm2
– Voltage drop Formation: 1X

IZ = K i × I0 Ka =
(θs −θa )
(θs −θo )
PV SC > DC & AC Cables

 Type
– External
installation
– Anti-Fraud
PV SC > AC & DC disconnecting switch
& overcurrent protection
Grid
QP1

QS 2 Inverter QS 1

Meter

Existing
electrical
installation
PV modules

To load
PV SC > AC & DC disconnecting switch
& overcurrent protection
Grid
QP1

QS 2 Inverter QS 1

Meter

Existing
electrical
installation
PV modules

To load
PV SC > AC & DC disconnecting switch
& overcurrent protection

QP1 QS2 QS 1

Rated current C
16 32 25
Cur
Termical release type Cve
Cur
Magnetic release type ve

Breaking capacity 6

Residual current type B

Rated residual current 0,3

PV SC > Metering

 PV system energy
– Produced On way meter
– To grid
Two way meter
– From grid
 Measurement system
– Installation and maintenance
– Recording
– Transmission
 Location Near the inverter
 Type of connection
– Direct
– Indirect
– Semi-direct
PV SC > Earthing

 All exposed conductive parts and the whole

electrical system

 A PV system can be connected to earth only if a

transformer separates it from the grid

 Without separation, PV system is considered as

part of the grid, which already has an earthing
connection. PV system is then connected to earth
through the grid.
PV SC > Overvoltage protection

Direct lightning
Building
strike

N
LPS ? o
Ye
s Risk assessment
Ye PV system increases N
s strike frequency? o

Ye
Class 1 LPS s

N
o
New risk assessment LPS integration
PV SC > Overvoltage protection

Indirect lightning
strike

PV System

SPD SPD

SPD
Tests and Inspections

 On site (acceptance and periodic) inspections

– Shadows
– Equipment

 Tests
– DC side
– AC side
– At acceptance:
• Array voltage and current
• Circuit insulation
• Equipotential bonding
Tests and Inspections > On site inspections
Type Acceptanc Periodic
Module installation
e
Yes
inspection
Yes
Module damage Yes Yes
Frame corrosion No Yes
Earthing conductors damage Yes Yes
Modules
Boxes damage No Yes
Plate damage Yes Yes
Cables type and installation Yes No
Mechanical and fault stresses No Yes Cables
Circuit identification Yes Yes
Rack proper installation Yes No
Terminal installation Yes Yes
Water/corrosion No Yes
Rack
Fuses No Yes
Earthing conductors damage Yes Yes
Plate damage Yes Yes
Inverter proper installation Yes No
Operation and alarm signalling Yes Yes
Connections Yes Yes Inverter
Fan Yes Yes
Plate damage Yes Yes
Bill of materials

Modules: 14.200€
Inverter: 1.900€
Other (cables, accessories, etc…): 7.081€
Total: 23.181€

Specific cost: 7.884 €/kW

Investment analysis > Energy cost

Electric energy (€/kWh)

Year
(VAT excluded)
1 0,19
20 0,29
Calculation made on the basis of variation average index for domestic energy
cost calculated for 2000-2006 (source Eurostat)

Average: +0,26% / year

Environment and energy. 2006. (epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu)

Investment analysis > Cash Flows
 
Year
0 1st 12th 20th
Incomes        
€ - € - € -
Energy sale €
€ 760,4 €
Energy savings € 676,80 € 7 € 796,77
1.524, 1.356 1.234,
Incentives € 15 € ,50 € 57
2.200, 2.116 2.031,
Total 96 ,97 33
Costs     -€
   
-€ 100,0 -€
Operative 100,00 -€ 0 100,00
€ - 2.781 € -
Maintenance ,76
€ - € - € -
-€ -€
Insurance
23.181 -€ 2.881 -€
Total ,31 € 100,00 -€ ,76 € 100,00
2.100, 764,7 1.931,
-€ -€ -€ €
Balance 96 9 33
23.181 21.080 1.220 14.543
Cash flows ,31 ,36 ,01 ,93
+7684,4
Discount rate 2% NPV €
Rate of return 5,4%
Investment analysis > Cash Flows

€ 20.000,00

€ 15.000,00

€ 10.000,00

€ 5.000,00

€ 0,00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
-€ 5.000,00

-€ 10.000,00

-€ 15.000,00

-€ 20.000,00

-€ 25.000,00

-€ 30.000,00
Summary

 Site location: Northern Italy

 Irradiation: 1058 kWh/kWp
 System power capacity: 2,94 kW
 System installation: roof integrated
 Investment cost: approx. 23.000€
 Specific cost: 7.884 €/kW
 Incentive: 0,49€/kWh
 Investment rate of return: 5,4%
 Energy savings: ~ 3000 kWh/year
 Emissions savings: 2350 kg CO2/year