AN INTRODUCTION TO

SOLAR PV & CASE STUDIES FROM

CUMBRIA (& elsewhere!)

A presentation to Barrow Renewables Workshop

11 June 2008

by Andy Mason, Projects Development Manager

Sundog Energy Ltd

Clean energy solutionsfor a brighter future

Designers and Installers of:

>> Photovoltaics (PV)

>> Small Wind Turbines

throughout the UK!

Clean energy solutionsfor a brighter future

• Govt Accredited

• Framework Supplier

• Established since1995

• Over 500 installations

• Public Sector Specialists

The Sundog Pedigree

Martin Cotterell:- Founder, owner and MD

Started Sundog Energy in 1995

Major author of several DTI and Energy Savings Trust guides to

standards of installation for solar PV and wind turbines

Represents the UK on the IEC committee for international standards

on solar PV

Serves on several industry committees and advisory bodies re.

standards within the industry (e.g. REAL)

A small selection of our clients....

• Blackpool Town Council

• Bryant Homes

• CDS Housing (Liverpool)

• Cheshire County Council

• Countryside properties

• Hull City Council

• Lancashire Education Partnership

• Lambeth Borough Council

• Leicester Housing Association

• Leicester City Council

• Lincolnshire Rural Housing

Association

• London & Quadrant Housing

• London Fire Brigade

• London Transport Museum

(Covent Garden)

• Manchester City Council

• Miller Homes

• Persimmon Homes

• Progress Housing Association

• South Ayrshire Council

• Stocksbridge Future Partnership

• Stroud Co-Housing

• Wrexham Borough Council

• Taylor Wimpey

..and here in Cumbria...

Already completed....

• Rural Enterprise Centre, Penrith

• Keswick School

• Grayrigg Coronation Hall

• Arnside Educational Institute

• Cross Canonby Village Hall

• Netherhall School, Maryport

• Co-op Retail Society, Penrith

• Cockermouth Eco-Centre

• Kendal Sandgate School

And on order (or close) ....

• Askam Primary School• Queen Katherines’s School,

Kendal• Lowick Village Hall

• PV Basics

• Types of PV system

• What to use where

• How to specify

• Costs – and Benefits

• Pros & Cons

• Problems & Solutions

• Grants

TOPICS FOR TODAYS TALK

First things first…

“A Solar PV system is NOT a

thermal or hot water system”

A “PV” System

What’s involved….?• Solar Cells

• ..in Solar Modules (Panels)

• ..forming a Solar Array

• ..connected in series

• ..generating Direct Current

• .. along cables to….

• ..an Inverter - DC to AC

• Switches & meters

• Connected to the mains (usually!)

Typical domestic PV system

ACisolator

Main isolator(double pole)

securable in off position only

DISPLAY UNIT

00123 kW0123 kWh0123 CO2

data

Main Consumer Unit

DNO supply

utility meter

0123 kWh

Generation meter

0123 kWh

0 I

PV array.Series connected

Single string

DC disconnect

Inverter 0 I

Installation on roof

Installation in loft

Existing house AC installation

New AC installation

Example domestic system

- Single inverter- Single PV string- Connected into dedicated protective device in existing consumer unit

LABEL

LABEL

LABEL

LABEL + SCHEMATIC

LABEL LABEL

Typical commercial PV system

Installation on roof Installation in plant room

Example larger system

- Two PV strings for each inverter- Three inverters (split across three-phase supply)- Connected via G59/1 relay protection to 3 phase MCB in main distribution unit

N EL1

PV distribution board

L2 L3

Feed to 3 pole MCB in main distribution board

Main isolator(4 pole)

securable inoff position only

kWh

4 pole contactor

G59 relay

protection

sense AC Supply

data

Remote display unit Installation in main plant room

AC Supply

Existing installation

0 I

LABEL

DISPLAY UNIT

00123 kW0123 kWh0123 CO2

LABEL + SCHEMATIC

ACisolator

DC disconnect

0 IInverter

LABEL

LABELLABEL LABEL

ACisolator

DC disconnect

0 IInverter

LABEL

LABELLABEL LABEL

ACisolator

DC disconnect

0 IInverter

LABEL

LABELLABEL LABEL

LABEL + SCHEMATIC

A Typical small inverter

Different PV Systems

• Above Roof (“On-Top”) Flat or Pitched

• In Roof (Semi Integrated)

• In Roof (Integrated – “Tiles”)

• Facades

• PV Glazing (Powerglaz or “Glass-Glass)

• Ground Mounted

• Tracking Systems

• On-Grid or Off-Grid

PHOTOVOLTAICS

“ON TOP” SYSTEMS

Arnside Educational Institute

BARLEY VILLAGE HALL (Burnley)– a typical “On Top” pitched roof system

Mounting options: flat roof

Products such as the ConSole

are ideal for mounting PV arrays

on a flat roof

• No roof penetrations are

required to secure to the roof (held

by ballast placed inside unit).

• Easy to install and quick to

remove for any subsequent roof

work repairs.

• Roof must be strong enough to

withstand additional weight loading

Bolton – Queensbridge School

Project type – Newbuild

Size – 20.4kWp

PV array – BP Solar (BP7175)

Client – Bolton Council

Notes :

• PV fitted to standing seam roof

• Display meter – designed by school

children

Issues:

• Delay due to (old) grant process

Typical “Above Roof “ installation on social housing – Troon, Ayrshire

Solar PV – “On Top” Summary

Pros:

• Uses “standard” modules

• Cheapest PV

Cons:

•Aesthetics – Planning Issues

•Roof Penetration issues

•Wind Loadings – not if properly installed !

Solar PV – Tile Systems

PV “Tile” Systems

Redland Systems:

• PV800 – retains tile coursing

• PV80 – larger panels – flat “Velux”

Redland solar roofing systems from Lafarge

PV 800

PV 800

PV 80

Spring Gardens, Lancs. 22 houses, 24.64kWp

For New Progress Housing

Redland PV800

Solar PV – Tile Systems

PV800 - Eco Houses Cliburn, Penrith 2.8kWp each

Manchester – Baytree Estate

Project type – Renovation scheme

Size – 60 Houses, each with a

1kWp array

PV array - Redland PV800 PV tiles

Client – Manchester City Council

Notes :

Site roofers trained to install PV

tiles

Project duration – 6 months

Issues:

Access difficulties slowed

installation

Complex array shapes needed to

avoid shade & obstructions

Newcastle Great

Park 10 houses, 14kWp

For Bryant Homes

and

Persimmon

Homes.

Redland PV800

Redland PV80

Roof tile system

PV80 INSTALLATION: 42 x SRT80 tiles (3.36kWp) - Keswick School

Roof Integrated – PV80

PV80 on Pantile Roof

Walsingham Church, Norfolk 10.56 kWp

Solar PV – Tile Systems Summary

Pros:

•Aesthetic (Planning friendly)

•Can be fitted by roofer

during the build

•Ideal on New Build

•Weatherproof guarantee

Cons:

•More expensive

•Tricky on Retro Fit

•Some systems only fit

with certain tiles

PHOTOVOLTAICS

- PV GLAZING SYSTEMS

PV glazing systems

• Can replace glass in any part of a building

• Bespoke modules – full control over design

• Creates systems with high visual impact

• Most expensive option

Blackpool – Solarium

Project type – Renovation

Size – 17kWp PV / 12kW Wind

PV array – Bespoke glass-glass

Client – Blackpool Borough Council

Notes :

• Double glazed modules

• Cell spacing optimised for balance of daylight and shading

Issues:

• Relatively low pitch – requires cleaning regime due to salt spray

Harrowside

Solarium

Blackpool

Glass – Glass PV

For Blackpool

Borough Council

Powerglaz PV Glazing

PV Glazing: Lockerbie School

SPECIFYINGPHOTOVOLTAICS

Two key questions ...

>> How much do I need?

>> Where can I put it?

Specifying PV - Sizing

SPECIFY:

• By OUTPUT:– “Optimally Oriented”

Each kWp generates 750 - 900 kWh p.a.

• By AREA available (8.5 m2 = 1kWp)

– so for 5kWp you need 43 sq.m.

• By BUDGET !!A “typical” 3 bed family house uses 3,500 – 4,000 kWh p.a.

“background” electricity – so 1kWp can provide roughly

20% of the need – or alternatively you need a 5kWp

system.

PV systems are “sized” in kWp (kilowatt peak) – i.e a

1 kWp system will generate 1kW under “peak” conditions

Some “Typical” Sizes & Costs

• “Minimum” for a single house: 0.8kWp ( £5 -10K)

• “Larger house: 2.5kWp ( £13 - 20K)

• “Primary School: 3.3kWp ( £15 - 25K)

• Secondary School: 10kWp (£42 – 60K)

• Large Community Centre/Office: 20kWp

Specifying by Carbon Saved

Each kW hr generated saves either

0.43 (BRE) or 0.568 kg CO2 (Part L)

E.g. a 3 kWp system “optimally oriented” would save

3 x 750 x 0.43 = 968 kg (nearly 1 Tonne) per year (BRE)

Or under Part L

3 x 750 x 0.568 = 1,278 kg (nearly 1.3 Tonne) per year

Or on the South Coast !

3 x 900 x 0.568 = 1,534 kg (nearly 1.3 Tonne) per year

Specifying PV - Orientation

Vert. 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Horiz.

WEST 56 63 69 74 78 82 86 87 89 90

255° 60 68 74 79 84 86 89 90 91 90

240° 64 72 78 84 88 90 93 93 92 90

SW 67 75 82 87 92 95 96 96 94 90

210° 69 77 85 90 95 97 98 97 95 90

195° 71 79 86 91 96 99 99 98 95 90

SOUTH 71 80 87 93 97 100 100 98 96 90

165° 71 80 87 93 97 99 100 98 95 90

150° 71 79 86 92 96 98 98 97 95 90

SE 69 77 84 89 93 96 96 96 94 90

120° 65 74 80 86 89 92 94 94 93 90

105° 62 69 76 81 85 88 90 91 91 90

EAST 58 65 70 76 80 84 86 88 90 90

Specifying PV - Shade

• Cells & Modules in Series

• Part shade affects total array

• Guide – 8 hours shade free (main summer)

• 100% “shade free” for 70% of the time is much

better than 70% “shade free” 100% of the time!

Solar PV – Grid Connection

• Can be “Off Grid” but preferably on grid wherever possible

• Matching output with demand – nominal rather than actual

• Selling Your Surplus – “Exporting” Electricity

• Selling your ROC’s (Renewable Obligation Certificates)

Specifying Solar PV – a

Summary

• Identify the Need

• Determine the Output

• Identify the Location

• Check Orientation & Pitch

• Check Space Required

• Check Shade Issues

• Select the System

- Planning

- Roof Type

SO WHY FIT PV? :

Two Basic Reasons ...

1. Compliance

2. Market Pull

COMPLIANCE

• Building Regs (Part L)

• Merton Rules

• Code for Sustainable Homes

• Energy Certificates

Solar PV – Benefits

• Adaptable / Flexible

• Min. Maintenance

• Long Lifetime – 25

years “guarantee”

• High Carbon Saving –Electricity !!!

• What it Says About You !!• Exemplars – Community

Motivation

• “Fixes” price at 2008!!• Exporting Energy – above

purchase prices!• ROC’s – 4.5p per unit

now.. but the future???

• Education benefits

Key Applications

• Schools

• Social Housing

• Public Amenities

• Community Halls

• Waste Facilities

GRANTS

WWW.LOWCARBONBUILDINGS.ORG.UK

• Domestic – limit £2,500

• Business – Sorry – Nothing Available!!

• Public & Charitable – Phase 2 – up to 50%

• CSEP – Community Sustainability also to 50%

providing renewable energy

systems since 1995

Over 12 years experience from

hundreds of wind and solar

installations

Thank You

Any Questions?

www.sundog-energy.co.uk

Tel. 017684 82282