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Photovoltaic systems are proven, reliable and safe.They produce electricity with no emissions or pollution, and they have a life expectancy normally exceeding 25 years.

In terms of system architecture, the most common set up is to use flat PV modules mounted at a fixed angle to the horizon, generally calculated as the latitude minus 15 degrees. This tilt reduces the number of photons that hit the module at an angle and bounce off, rather than being absorbed and converted into electricity. System performance can be further enhanced by use of a tracking system. A Tracking systems is capable of following the sun on one or two axes such that the system will always accept light at an optimal angle and thus at the highest intensity possible. A two axis tracker can improve the performance of a system by up to 40%, which is especially beneficial in situations where high electricity prices or a significant feed-in tariff exist.

Concentrating Systems

An alternative to flat panels is a concentrating solar power system, which uses reflective surfaces or special lenses to focus sunlight onto a comparatively smaller quantity of higher efficiency PV cells. While these systems are relatively new, they are expected to gain significantly in popularity over the next few years. Concentrating solar power systems have also existed for many years, typically as very large, utility-scale size installations most commonly found in very sunny places. These systems use sunlight to create steam and drive a turbine or other generator to produce electricity.

Electricity

CarbonFree uses photovoltaic (PV) systems to convert sunlight into electricity. PV systems are proven, reliable and safe. They produce electricity with no emissions or pollution, and they have a life expectancy normally exceeding 25 years. PV systems mounted in a fixed position are solid state, and require little maintenance other than occasionally needing to be sprayed with water to remove any accumulated dust.

Main Components

The main components of a PV system include the modules, or panels, which are normally made from crystalline silicon – just like computer chips – but can also be made from other materials. These modules typically measure approximately three feet by five feet, and are wired together into arrays. Another main component is the racking used to hold the modules in place or to track the sun as it moves across the sky. Cabling and inverters are deployed to convert the DC output of the cells into AC electricity. In most cases some metering and monitoring hardware and software are selected to maintain the system and display energy saved as well as reductions in emissions. With remote, off-grid applications batteries are used to store energy for times when the sun is not shining.

Grid Connected

The most common PV application for commercial and industrial customers is a grid connected, “synchronous” system. The solar array is connected to an inverter that operates in synch with the local AC distribution cycle, blending the output from the PV system with the grid power. When it is sunny and the system generates more power than is required by the customer, the excess is fed to the grid for the benefit of other utility users, and the customer earns a credit. In jurisdictions with high feed-in tariffs, (such as Ontario), all of the renewable energy may be fed into the grid via a dedicated meter, with the customer’s own use measured by a separate meter.