This course covers the installation of PV systems that involve
advanced design concepts. It covers the electrical operation,
components and installation of microinverter systems, dc-coupled
battery backup systems and ac-coupled battery backup systems,
including commissioning (start-up) and programming of inverters and
charge controllers. Before taking this course, an introductory
level course in PV installation should be taken.
Course Goals and Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, the student should be familiar with
·
Alternate methods of shading analysis
·
How to design microinverter-based systems
·
How to design dc-connected battery backup systems
·
How to design hybrid battery backup systems
·
How to design ac-coupled battery backup systems
·
How to design large, straight grid-connect systems
·
How to incorporate system monitoring equipment
Method of Course Presentation:
Lecture, Multimedia Presentation, Demonstration and Discussion
Method of Evaluating Course
Participants:
If classroom is equipped with a “clicker system,” then each
participant can be evaluated by the response to oral questions (or
questions on a power point slide). Otherwise, questions will be
integrated into the presentation material so participants can mark
their answer sheets as the course progresses. This examination
method will maximize the amount of time that can be devoted to
presentation of class material.
Roger Messenger
is Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering at Florida
Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. He received his
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and
is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Electrical
Contractor, who enjoys working on a field installation as much as he
enjoys teaching a class or working on the design of a system or
contemplating the theory of operation of a system. His
research work has ranged from electrical noise in gas discharge
tubes to deep impurities in silicon to energy conservation. He
worked on the development and promulgation of the original Code for
Energy Efficiency in Building Construction in Florida and has
conducted extensive field studies of energy consumption and
conservation in buildings and swimming pools. He and
Jerry Ventre have published Photovoltaic Systems Engineering
(CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL) and the 2nd Edition of this engineering
textbook (2004). He has also contributed chapters on
Photovoltaics (PV) to 4 handbooks and has designed and supervised
the installation of 4 utility interactive PV systems with battery
backup.
He
has developed and taught a senior elective course on PV Power
Systems yearly since 1997. Recently he has been actively
involved with the Florida Solar Energy Center in the development of
courses, exams and study guides for voluntary certification of PV
installers worldwide and has been a consultant on battery backup
grid-connected PV systems to Sun Electronics, Miami, FL.
Register for these classes with the MDC Community Education
Department
