A GUIDE TO PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) and installation

CALIFORNIAENERGYCOMMISSIONAGUIDETOPHOTOVOLTAIC(PV)SYSTEMDESIGNANDINSTALLATIONJUNE2001500-01-020CONSULTANTREPORTGrayDavis,GovernorPVInstallationGuideJune2001Page1AGUIDETOPHOTOVOLTAIC(PV)SYSTEMDESIGNANDINSTALLATIONPreparedfor:CaliforniaEnergyCommissionEnergyTechnologyDevelopmentDivision1516NinthStreetSacramento,California95814Preparedby:EndeconEngineering347NorrisCourtSanRamon,California94583withRegionalEconomicResearch,Inc.1104MainStreet,Suite630Vancouver,Washington98660Version1.0June14,2001PVInstallationGuideJune2001Page2PREFACETheCaliforniaEnergyCommissionisprovidingthisguideasaninformationresourcetothoseinstallingphotovoltaic(PV)systemsundertheEmergingRenewablesBuydownProgram.Thisisthefirstpublisheddraftofthisguideandrepresentsthecurrentstate-of-the-artinPVsysteminstallation.Revisionswillbemadetothedocumentasnecessarytoaddresssuggestionsmadebyusersoftheguide.Ifanyonehassuggestionsonhowtomakethisguidemoreuseful,pleasedonothesitatetosendthosesuggestionstotheCaliforniaEnergyCommission.Wehopethatthisguideisaworthwhileadditiontotheresourcesavailableforinstallersandlookforwardtoyourconstructivecommentsforcontinuedimprovements.PVInstallationGuideJune2001Page3TABLEOFCONTENTSSECTION1:INTRODUCTION............................................................................................41.1.BasicPrinciplestoFollowWhenDesigningaQualityPVSystem.........................................41.2.BasicStepstoFollowWhenInstallingaPVSystem...............................................................4SECTION2:SYSTEMDESIGNCONSIDERATIONS........................................................52.1TypicalSystemDesignsandOptions.........................................................................................52.1.1.Grid-InteractiveOnly(NoBatteryBackup)..........................................................................52.1.2.Grid-InteractiveWithBatteryBackup..................................................................................52.2.MountingOptions........................................................................................................................62.2.1.Roofmount..........................................................................................................................62.2.2.ShadeStructure..................................................................................................................72.2.3.Building-IntegratedPVArray(BIPV)...................................................................................72.3EstimatingSystemOutput...........................................................................................................82.3.1.FactorsAffectingOutput.....................................................................................................82.3.2.EstimatingSystemEnergyOutput......................................................................................92.4.InstallationLaborEffort............................................................................................................102.5.IncentivestoReduceCosts......................................................................................................102.6.EstimatingElectricalEnergySavings.....................................................................................102.7.SupplierandSystemQualifications........................................................................................102.7.1.Pre-EngineeredSystems..................................................................................................102.7.2.Warranties.........................................................................................................................112.7.3.CompanyReputation(yearsinbusiness,previousprojects)............................................112.8.OverallProjectCoordination....................................................................................................122.8.1.UtilityConsiderations........................................................................................................122.8.2.AcceptanceofSystems(performanceevaluation)...........................................................122.8.3.SystemDocumentation.....................................................................................................122.8.4.SystemMonitoring............................................................................................................122.9.References..................................................................................................................................13SECTION3:SYSTEMINSTALLATION...........................................................................143.1.GeneralRecommendations......................................................................................................143.1.1.Materialsrecommendations..............................................................................................143.1.2.Equipmentrecommendationsandinstallationmethods........................................