Photovoltaic Engineering; the Other Sciences

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses photovoltaic engineering and other sciences. The chapter illustrates that, while progress in photovoltaics depends on research and development to achieve more efficient and less costly semi-conductors, essential attention to other sciences can enhance the performance and reliability of solar generators, whether stand-alone or grid-connected. Spherical Trigonometry or Astro Navigation, Geography, Topography, Meteorolgy, Climatology, Light and Heat, all of which have a greater or lesser bearing on the performance of each installation. Photovoltaic cells can only deliver their potential when exposed directly to the sun. Sites selected for PV arrays must therefore offer maximum exposure at that site. As the PV manufacturing industry enlarges its scope and capacity, this particular problem can be overcome by increasing the number of cells in series in a module. In a 12 Volt Nominal stand-alone system, with monocrystalline modules, increasing cell numbers from 36 to 40 can achieve this.