The ultimate SOLAR ENERGY course (ONSITE EXPERIENCES) - 2026

Revise the basics to refresh essential solar energy concepts for returning students, helping you retain information before tackling more complicated topics; take notes and move at a steady pace.

Discover how a grid-tied solar pv system converts sunlight to electricity via modules and a dc-ac inverter; bidirectional meter exports surplus to the grid, with panel placement affected by hemisphere.

Understand how a solar cell converts sunlight into dc electricity using silicon, doping to create n-type and p-type regions, and a pn junction electric field that drives current and power.

Compare the energy production curve of a solar PV system with a typical household consumption curve over a 24-hour day, illustrating grid export and solar independence.

Determine peak sun hours for any location to size a solar system by annual average, using an Excel sheet and a website; Davis, California shows 5.1 hours.

Explore how grid-connected pv systems interact with transmission and distribution networks, covering base load, peak, and renewable generators, plus ac electricity concepts and the power triangle.

Get an overview of reliable solar design, including matching array and inverter parameters, adjusting PV module variables for climate, and determining stringing configurations for maximum performance.

Select the correct inverter by sizing the solar array to the system type (residential, commercial, utility) and choosing model-worthy inverters from Fronius, SMA, or Solaredge.

Match the array to the inverter by calculating the maximum number of panels allowed by the inverter’s dc input power, using the pv array rating and mppt concepts.

Learn how climatological conditions influence solar design by using Climate data.org to find city-specific average maximum and minimum temperatures, then apply these values to determine panel string limits.

Adjust panel voltage by temperature to accurately design pv arrays and string configurations, and match inverter capacity, factoring climatological conditions for professional solar design.

Learn how multi-mppt inverters use maximum power point tracking to connect four independent DC strings and regulate the solar array voltage to match the inverter. Enable easier installation and maintenance.

Learn how to determine a solar array stringing configuration using mppt limits in an inverter. The lecture demonstrates two configurations that yield 23 modules.

Demonstrate a stringing configuration for a 23 kW solar system using a free spec sheets resource and a spreadsheet to determine panels per string, total strings, and inverter mppt safety.

Take a break to celebrate reaching this point and recognize your resilience as you work toward becoming a solar designer. Keep going; more topics await in this solar energy course.

Learn to protect solar systems with DC breakers, isolators, and overcurrent protection; size, select, and install disconnecting devices for DC and AC circuits, plus earthing and lightning protection.

Explore the overview of solar system protection with a focus on DC protection, site-specific design, and how to select overcurrent protection for rooftop, inverter, AC switch, and main supply board.

Explore why DC isolators protect shaded solar strings and how to size them using the short-circuit current times strings minus one versus the module’s max fuse rating.

Apply the dc overcurrent protection sizing method to five-string pv array, comparing isc to reverse current to decide protection need and determine a suitable trip current and dc disconnect rating.

Apply protective earthing and equipotential bonding to prevent shocks from PV system parts. Identify earth lugs, mounting racking, module frames, and cable sizing for ELV and higher voltages.

Calculate string currents from the PV panels, determine DC breaker size between 10.8 and 17.3 amps, and install isolators for two MPPTs to ensure safe streaming protection and isolation.

Discover cable sizing calculations for solar systems from a designer's perspective, covering current carrying capacity (ampacity), voltage drop and cable cross-section, routes, and lengths, with a practical example.

Assess the current carrying capacity, or ampacity, of cables by examining cross-section area, insulation temperature limits, and the surrounding environment to avoid overheating and fires.

Optimize cable routes and minimize cable lengths to reduce resistance and voltage drops between solar panels and the inverter, boosting overall system efficiency.

Identify sources of efficiency loss in pv systems including shading, orientation, tilt, temperature effects, soiling, tolerance, voltage drops, and inverter losses to calculate energy yield.

Combine the energy yield formula with site irradiation and system losses to estimate the PV system's output. Calculate irradiation, apply losses, and size the array to meet daily energy needs.

Apply the performance ratio to compare solar system performance across locations and temperatures. Compute annual energy yield versus theoretical maximum yield for 5 kW systems in Alice Springs and Melbourne.

Assess roof structures for commercial solar by capturing on-site data on purlin, rafter, and roof sheet configurations, bridging and lapping details, and prepare a report for structural engineers.

Learn how rooftop DC isolators are installed for solar strings, pass panel cables through a corrugated conduit, seal with glue, and terminate into the isolator before wiring to the inverter.