Explore the wide range of solar energy applications and learn to design a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability.

In this course participants will learn how to turn solar cells into full modules; and how to apply full modules to full photovoltaic systems.

The course will widely cover the design of photovoltaic systems, such as utility scale solar farms or residential scale systems (both on and off the grid). You will learn about the function and operation of various components including inverters, batteries, DC-DC converters and their interaction with both the modules and the grid.

After learning about the components, learners will be able to correctly apply them during main design steps taken when planning a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability.

Through modelling, you will gain a deeper understanding of PV systems performance for different solar energy applications, and proficiency in estimating the energy yield of a client's potential system.

This course is part of the Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters Program designed to cover all physics and engineering aspects of photovoltaics: photovoltaic energy conversion, technologies and systems.

What you'll learn:

How to design a PV system ranging from a residential rooftop system to a utility scale solar farm taking in to account:

• Components of a PV system: PV modules, inverters, DC-DC converters, batteries, charge controllers and cables
• The economics and impact on the grid of PV systems
• The effects of the position of the sun and solar irradiance on PV module performance