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Small and Large-Scale Solar photovoltaic systems: theory, design, components Selection, Installation, Commissioning & Maintenance

OVERVIEW

 Load shedding has been a persistent issue in South Africa, prompting some to wonder if lanterns should be used for lighting once again. However, solar energy is becoming increasingly popular and has the potential to replace fossil fuels partially. In response to government initiatives like the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, the installation of small and large-scale solar photovoltaic plants has risen significantly. Many companies and individuals are interested in installing off-grid or grid-tied solar panels, which can perform well for up to 30 years if properly designed and maintained. To meet the demand for concise and comprehensive information on designing, selecting, and installing photovoltaic system components, this technical course has been tailored to comply with solar PV standards such as SAN10142-1:2021 Section 7.12, SANS 60364-7-712:2018 edition 2, IEC 60364-7-712:2017 edition 2, SANS 61215. It includes practical examples and is a must-attend for anyone interested in PV systems.

 

 Benefits of attending

  • Solar photovoltaic theory
  • Various types of PV cell/ PV cell technologies
  • PV system components, selection and installation
  • Battery and controller selection and sizing
  • Inverter sizing
  • PV wiring and installation requirements
  • Cable selection and sizing
  • Solar site & mounting
  • PV system commissioning & maintenance

Course Details

Date:

7 and 8 May 2026
(2 Day Training)

Venue:

Online

Time:

8:30 – 16:30 Daily

CPD:

2 CPD Points- ECSA

Fees:

R8 999 

Enroll Now

Course Content

INTRODUCTION

 

  • Overview of PV system standards
  • Energy from the sun
  • How can we harness this abundant solar energy
  • Solar heating: Active and passive systems
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC THEORY
  • Mechanism of generation
  • The direction of current inside the PV cell
  • Various types of PV cell
  • Photovoltaic (PV) Hierarchy
  • External cell parameters
  • Types and Conversion Efficiency of Solar Cell
    • Single-crystal or Mono-crystalline Silicon
    • Polycrystalline or Multi-crystalline Silicon
  • Current-Voltage ( I-V) Curve
  • Estimating obtained power by I - V curve
  • I / V curve vs Insolation intensity
  • Effects of Temperature
  • Temperature and efficiency
  • Effects of Shading/Low Insolation
  • Shading on Modules
  • Maximum power point tracking
  • Exercises
SMALL-SCALE PV SYSTEM COMPONENTS, SELECTION AND INSTALLATION
  • PV System Components
    • Solar charge controller
    • Inverter,
    • Battery bank,
    • Loads (appliances).
    • circuit breakers, and
    • a mounting structure
  • Photovoltaic units
    • PV cells
    • Solar module
    • PV modules
    • Solar panel
    • Solar array
  • Calculating the correct panel size
    • Calculating total watt-hours needed from the panels each day
    • Estimating the energy output from a solar panel
    • Fudge factor
    • Panel Generation Factor
    • Adjusting the generation factor for different climates
    • Finding the number of panels needed
  • Batteries
    • Battery Basics
    • Battery Capacity
    • Batteries in Series and Parallel
    • Battery Basic terms
    • Rate of Charge or Discharge – Battery C-rate
    • Battery classification
    • Types of batteries commonly used in PV systems
    • BATTERY Sizing and selection
    • Grid-Tied System (With Batteries)
  • Charge Controllers
    • Controller Basics
    • PWM charge controller
    • MPPT charge controller
    • Additional Controller Features
    • Other Controller Considerations
    • Controller sizing
  • stations
  • Course Activities with practical examples
  • Inverters
    • Inverter Basics
    • Single-phase full-bridge inverter
    • Three-phase full-bridge inverter
    • Pulse-width modulation
    • Specifying an Inverter
    • Brands of inverters in South Africa
    • Micro-inverter
    • Synchroinverters
  • PV Wiring and installation requirements
    • Tools
    • Series Connections
    • Parallel Connections
    • Cables and Connectors
    • Cable Sizing
    • Safety Equipment
    • Overcurrent Protection
    • Grounding
  • SANS10142-1 compliance requirements
    • DC conductors and battery protection methods
    • additional requirements for PV off-grid or on-grid installations
    • Additional requirements for PV installations as an alternative to the main supply
  • Solar Site & Mounting
    • Altitude and Azimuth
    • Solar Pathfinder
    • Site Selection – Tilt Angle
    • Solar Access
    • General Considerations
    • Mounting structure
    • Basic Mounting Options
    • Pole Mount Considerations
    • Tracking Considerations
    • Passive Vs. Active
    • Roof Mount Considerations
  • Categories of PV systems
    • Autonomous / Off-Grid system
    • hybrid and
    • grid-connected / Grid-Tied system
  • Installation example
  • Exercises
LARGE-SCALE (SOLAR FARM) DESIGN
  • Selection of site
  • Solar farm design
  • PV simulation and design software
  • PV plant layout design
    • General layout
    • Tilt angle
    • PV module configuration
    • Inter-row spacing
    • Orientation
  • Technology selection
    • Modules
    • Inverters
    • Transformers
    • Mounting structures
  • DC system design
  • PV array design
    • Single string PV Array
    • Multiple parallel string PV Array
    • Module, String and Array Voltage & Current
    • SANS 60364-7-712:2018 requirements for Module, String and Array Voltage & Current
    • Worked examples and exercises
    • Maximum number of modules in a string
    • Minimum number of modules in a string
    • Maximum number of strings
    • Cable selection and sizing in accordance with SANS10142-1

Each delegate will need the following to attend:

 

  • Steady Internet connection for the duration of the training
  • Laptop / PC / Smart Phone and Power supply (Charger)
  • Zoom Meeting Software installed onto your laptop /
  • PC / Smart Phone
  • Quiet Space