12/27/2024 3:42:05 AM	RENRG 157 Course Outline as of Fall 2019	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  RENRG 157	Title:  ADVANCED PV SYSTEMS
Full Title:  Advanced Photovoltaic Systems
Last Reviewed:2/11/2019

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	2.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	2.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	2.00			Contact Total	35.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 105.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  ELEC 157

Catalog Description:

Advanced topics in applied photovoltaic technology. Includes applying the National Electrical Code (NEC) and California Electrical Code (CEC) to photovoltaic installations, OSHA safety requirements, commercial applications, off-grid and direct coupled systems, and emerging thin-film technologies.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of ELEC 156

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Advanced topics in applied photovoltaic technology. Includes applying the National Electrical Code (NEC) and California Electrical Code (CEC) to photovoltaic installations, OSHA safety requirements, commercial applications, off-grid and direct coupled systems, and emerging thin-film technologies.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of ELEC 156
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Apply National Electrical Code (NEC) and California Electrical Code (CEC) to photovoltaic

    (PV) system installations.

2.  Work safely with photovoltaics.

3.  Design and create line diagrams for small to moderate sized photovoltaic systems.

4.  Apply photovoltaics to off-grid and direct-coupled water pumping applications.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Interpret Article 690 of the NEC and its application to photovoltaic installations.

2. Calculate system voltage drops and select correct wire types/sizes per the NEC.

3. Create a photovoltaic single line diagram to meet building permit requirements.

4. Understand sub-parts of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 Code of

    Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1926 Safety and Health Regulations relevant to

    photovoltaic installations.

5. Select appropriate personal protection equipment for photovoltaic installations.

6. Apply photovoltaics to commercial power situations.

7. Select appropriate equipment for battery based off-grid photovoltaic systems.

8. Size a solar direct water pumping system.

9. Describe alternative (non-crystalline) photovoltaic technologies.

Topics and Scope

I.  NEC Article 690

    A. Terminology

    B. Conductor ampacity

    C. Fusing

    D. System and equipment grounding

II.  Voltage Drop Calculations

III. Equipment Characteristics and Selection

    A. Modules

    B. Inverters

    C. Charge controllers

    D. Batteries

    E. Balance of system

IV. PV System Permitting Requirements

V.  Photovoltaic Line Diagrams

VI. OSHA Regulations and Safety

    A. Electrical safety

    B. Fall protections

    C. Stairways and ladders

    D. Personal protective equipment

VII.  3-Phase Power and Commercial Applications

VIII. Off-Grid System Sizing

    A. Load analysis

    B. Battery sizing

    C. Array sizing

    D. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and pulse width modulation (PWM) charge

         controllers

    E. Wiring requirements

IX. Direct-Coupled Water Pumping Systems

    A. System sizing

    B. Pump selection

    C. Array sizing

X. Current Topics in Photovoltaic Technology

    A. Amorphous and thin film photovoltaics

    B. Concentrated photovoltaics

Assignments:

1. Weekly readings

2. Weekly problem sets

3. Quizzes (5-10)

4. Midterm

5. PV system design project(s)

6. Final exam

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 0%
None
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because problem solving assessments and skill demonstrations are more appropriate for this course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 40%
Problem sets
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 50%
PV system design project(s)
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 50%
Quizzes, midterm, and final
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

NFPA 70: National Electrical Code. National Fire Protection Association. 2017

 

Photovoltaic Systems Engineering. 3rd ed. Messenger, Roger and Abtahi, Amir. CRC Press. 2017

Study Guide for Photovoltaic System Installers Version 4.2. North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. 2009 (classic)

 

Instructor prepared materials

Print PDF