Chapter 14 – Photovoltaic Converters

Publisher Summary Economics are crucial to the success of any energy utilization system, and photovoltaic converters are no exception. Because of the intermittence of sunlight, storage systems or standby power generators are frequently required, substantially increasing investment costs. Exceptions include photovoltaics used to supply peak loads that coincide with periods of maximum insolation. Photovoltaics used directly to power irrigation systems need no storage provisions. An important consideration in any type of power plant is the ratio of the average power delivered to the peak installed power. This is related to the plant utilization factor. The efficiency of photovoltaic systems is low compared with that of traditional thermal or hydroelectric plants. However, efficiency is not of primary interest in many photovoltaic installations. The cost per peak watt may be the important characteristic. At the low price of $0.20 per peak watt, it is possible that many buildings will eventually be covered with photovoltaics. In some cases, the average energy generated may well exceed the needs of the building. However, energy will be generated only on sunny days, not rainy ones, and there will not be any generation at night. Consequently, adequate storage facilities must be available, especially in residences, where demand during the day may be small while at night the requirements are higher.

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