PV system operating under feed-in tariff

Photovoltaic panels are the main component of a PV system. It is a photovoltaic panel that generates electricity from solar radiation; the direct current output of a PV panel is later converted by an inverter into alternating current for household use. To ensure the durability and productivity of your solar power plant, it is important to choose the right PV panels. At the moment, the most common types of PV panels are monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels. Apart from manufacturing techniques, photovoltaic modules can be different in output, efficiency, size, and so on. If space is limited, it is better to choose more efficient PV modules.

The engineering and installation center “Teplocel” advises choosing only trusted manufacturers of photovoltaic panels, such as Longi Solar, Jinko Solar, Ja Solar, Panasonic, Sunpower, Hanwha, and so on.

A grid-tied inverter is one of the key components of a PV system. It is responsible for converting direct current electricity generated by PV panels into the alternating current used by a household. A grid-tied inverter only works provided there is a utility; it controls the operation of the entire solar power system. As a rule, inverters can be different in operating voltage, efficiency, a number of MPPT trackers, and so forth. They can be equipped with a real-time monitoring system or not.

Sometimes, due to the complexity of a roof, or if there is a need of using several surfaces, two or more grid-tied inverters are required. An inverter must be equipped with AC/DC protection, which will be explained below. We recommend using high-quality grid-tied inverters of leading world manufacturers, such as Fronius, Huawei, SolarEdge, SMA, Kostal and so on.

A PV system that will operate under the feed-in tariff can be mounted both on a building’s roof or front and on the ground (static or tracking type solar power systems). It also can be part of an adding to the structure – for instance, a weatherproof solar canopy. We recommend installing quality mounts and racking made of aluminum and stainless steel, because not only this affects the operation of the solar power system, but also the durability of the roof as well. Mounts and racking must be rustproof and weatherproof (resistant to strong wind, rain, hail, and so on).

To ensure a safe and lasting operation of a PV system, it is necessarily to install inverter protection equipment. Such equipment consists of AC/DC protection and ensures stable operation of the system in the event of overload, short circuits, voltage swing, overvoltage related to atmospheric electricity (lightning, electrostatic discharges).

Mandatory components of internal lightning protection are circuit breakers, fuses, and residual current devices. It is worth mentioning that according to manufacturers’ requirements, with overvoltage protection equipment selected incorrectly or installed improperly, the inverter is not subject to warranty repair in case it breaks down or fails.

Installation of PV systems is carried out by our specialists in compliance with all the electrical regulations and standards, Rules For Arrangement Of Electrical Installations (PUE), State Construction Norms (DBN), and so forth. The cost of a PV system installation is approximately 10% of the cost of equipment required for the station, and the final cost is defined after a site visit.

Installation of a solar power system that will operate under the feed-in tariff includes the following tasks:

•       Mount installation
•       PV panels installation
•       Doing electrical wiring
•       Inverter installation
•       Internal lightning protection installation
•       External lightning protection installation and grounding
•       Commissioning and start-up