THIS PROJECT HAS TWO-FOLD PURPOSES. ONE IS TO COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF OTHER THREE CONCERTED ACTION PROJECTS (PV ARRAY, POWER CONDITIONING, AND BATTERY/COMPUTER MODELLING). THE OTHER INVOLVES SPECIFIC WORK ON DATA/PLANT MONITORING, ARRAY STRUCTURES, AND SOCIAL EFFECTS.
Guidelines useful to current and future photovoltaic (PV) power plants have been produced. Specific development subtasks in data and plant monitoring and array structures were directed toward improving the reliability of the equipment combined with cost reduction goals.
Key results and accomplishments are as follows:
Lessons learned from the selected pilot plant, and other PV projects were defined and analysed in the areas of plant monitoring, array structures and social effects.
Recalibration of solar irradiance sensors at several plants was made on site, a key technical achievement being that a simple in situ calibration method was demonstrated to be possible by the on site local operators without special skills or test equipment.
Substantially better data analysis and presentation techniques and monitoring equipment have been defined, developed and implemented.
New improved array structure concepts were developed, both types having a good potential to further reduce the cost of array structures.
Nontechnical issues and benefits to users, owners and designers were identified.
A COMMON AIM OF THE SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO PRODUCE GUIDELINES USEFUL TO THE CURRENT AND FUTURE POWER PLANTS. SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT SUB-TASKS IN DATA/PLANT MONITORING AND ARRAY STRUCTURES ARE DIRECTED TOWARD IMPROVING THE RELIABILITY OF THE EQUIPMENT COMBINED WITH COST REDUCTION GOALS. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS OF DECEMBER 1988 ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) COMPLETED A SURVEY OF LESSONS LEARNED, 2) AN ASSESSMENT OF PILOT PLANT PERFORMANCE THROUGH 1987 WAS DONE, 3) RELIABLE LOW COST DATA COLLECTION EQUIPMENT WERE IDENTIFIED AND PROCURED, AND LONG-TERM EVALUATION OF THESE EQUIPMENT OF THESE EQUIPMENT AND SENSORS WAS INITIATED AT WIP, 4) SOLAR IRRADIANCE SENSORS AT SEVERAL PLANTS WERE RE-CALIBRATED IN SITU, 5) FOUR LOW COST ARRAY STRUCTURE ALTERNATIVES WERE DEFINED: LOW-INCLINATION ROOF-TOP DESIGN, CABLE-MOUNTED PV MODULE STRUCTURES, IMPROVEMENT OF KYTHNOS ARRAY STRUCTURE CONFIGURATION, AND INTEGRATED STRUCTURES FOR LOW-POWER ARRAYS, AND 6) SOCIAL EFFECTS ANALYSES WERE COMPLETED ON TWO PV PLANT LOCATIONS IN GREECE AND PV HOUSES IN SPAIN. IN ADDITION, A HANDBOOK ON EC PV SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, COVERING DESIGN PRACTICES AND GUIDELINES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PILOT PLANT AND OTHER R&D PV SYSTEMS IS BEING FINALIZED.