How to design a large-scale PV power plant?

Designing a large-scale PV power plant requires infrastructure that can handle such an installation. For instance, the location must be selected carefully to avoid shading from buildings, trees, or other obstructions.

How many photovoltaic power plants should be installed?

To provide sufficient supply for the global energy consumption, a cumulative amount of 18 TW of photovoltaic power plants should be installed. This means the solar energy industry has a long way to reach to a point where at least 10% of the world energy consumption is generated by solar plants.

Should a large solar PV system be engineering?

All decisions regarding the engineering of a large solar PV power system must be carefully considered so that initial decisions made with cost savings in mind do not result in more maintenance costs and decreased performance later in the system’s lifespan.

What types of mounting systems can be used for PV power plants?

There are several different types of mounting systems that can be used for PV power plants, such as fixed-tilt support structures, single- or double-axis tracking structures, marine-grade support structures that prevent corrosion, and so forth.

How much space does a photovoltaic system need?

Photovoltaic modules installed on the ground or on a flat surface occupy an area of approximately 20 m2/kWp, avoiding shading between the rows of modules. The design of a photovoltaic system, from the public operator’s network to the photovoltaic modules, requires careful planning and compliance with local regulations.

How to design a PV array?

The PV array design will be dependent on the inverter style and the chosen system layout. Safety requirements, inverter voltage limits, federal regulations, and the maximum and a minimum number of modules per string will need to be calculated.