Solar Energy Fundamentals Flashcards

Use this deck to learn about all of the solar energy aspects of a PV system installation.

1
Q

What is proportional to the energy used?

A

The length of time a load is on

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2
Q

When does the sun set in the same place on the horizon?

A

At winter solstice

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3
Q

The azimuth of solar (true) south is -24 of a magnetic compass in San Francisco, CA. Your array is aiming to the heading of what degree?

A

189 degrees

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4
Q

When the sun sets on summer solstice, which direction is the farthest that it will ever set?

A

North

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5
Q

At what point is it the same day everywhere in the world at the same time?

A

Equinox

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6
Q

In St. Paul MN, is the sun up the same amount of hours as there are sun hours per day?

A

No

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7
Q

How does the amount of sun falling on higher elevations compare to lower elevations?

A

Greater

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8
Q

If a site gets an average of 5.3 sun hours per day according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratories for a particular city and the home uses 10 kilowatt hours per day on average, what size grid-tied, net metered system would most closely offset the energy usage?

A

2.45 kw PV system

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9
Q

When is the sun farthest north?

A

Summer solstice

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10
Q

What surfaces of the earth receive the most amount of sun?

A

Surfaces at higher elevations

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11
Q

In Oakland, California, the sun will never do what?

A

Have a zenith angle of zero

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12
Q

In St. Paul MN, how many hours is the sun up, compared with the number of sun hours per day?

A

More hours

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13
Q

When irradiance increases what happens to the I-V curve?

A

The curve shifts up

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14
Q

The altitude angle is the angle of what?

A

The angle from zenith to the horizon

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15
Q

What is an example of solar irradiation?

A

5.5 sun hours per day

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16
Q

What is sinusoidal, bimodal, and indirect energy in an off-grid system?

A

Solar and wind energy

17
Q

5.5 sun hours is an example of what?

A

Solar irradiation

18
Q

What is an equinox?

A

The time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length

19
Q

Are solar power, unit area, and solar efficiency, time factors for insolation measurement?

A

No

20
Q

Every year the sun does what on the winter solstice?

A

The sun sets in the same place on the horizon

21
Q

A water pump only pumps when the sun is out, by tilting the array more than the latitude angle, what amount of water do you pump?

A

Pump the same amount of water every month during the year

22
Q

You can use what to account for colder temperatures causing higher voltage?

A

A temperature correction factor, weather trends that include record low temperatures, and/or a typical string sizing program from an inverter manufacturer found on the internet

23
Q

What is more prevalent in isolated communities?

A

Battery based systems

24
Q

In locations with what kind of latitude does the sun rise further to the north in the winter?

A

Higher latitudes

25
Q

What happens on a higher latitude?

A

The sun will rise further to the north in the winter than in lower latitudes

26
Q

If a site gets an average of 5.3 sun hours per day, about how many kilowatt hours would a 1 kw system produce?

A

1500 kwh

27
Q

In Oakland, California, how many times will the sun have a zenith angle of zero?

A

Never

28
Q

What is a condition of STC

A

100 watts per square meter of sunlight intensity, 25 degrees Celsius, and/or airmass of 1.5

29
Q

Solar energy and unit area are considered what type of measurement?

A

Insolation measurement

30
Q

A water pump only pumps when the sun is out. If you need to pump the same amount of water every month of the year, what would you do?

A

Tilt the array more than the latitude angle

31
Q

In an I-V curve, when does the curve shift up?

A

As irradiance increases

32
Q

What will happen to an I-V curve when there is more sunlight?

A

The curve rises vertically

33
Q

What factors do an insolation measurement take into account?

A

Solar energy and Unit area

34
Q

Where are battery based systems more prevalent?

A

In isolated communities

35
Q

What do you call the combination of solar and wind energy in an off-grid system?

A

Hybrid

36
Q

What factors are considered in an insolation measurement?

A

Solar energy and unit area