Solar Energy

In this first course in the program Solar Energy you will be introduced to the technology that converts solar energy into electricity. The role of solar energy in both the energy transition towards a sustainable future and the improvement of the electricity access in specific regions in the world will be discussed in detail. Solar energy is the technology among all sectors with the potential to result in the largest net reduction in CO2 emissions at the lowest costs by 2030. The merits of solar energy in reference to other renewable electricity generation technologies will be analysed and we will discuss the important metrics related to performance, costs, reliability and circularity of solar energy.

You will be introduced to the solar spectrum and irradiance on earth. The physical principle of the PV energy conversion using semiconductor materials are discussed, including the light excitation of charge carriers, charge carrier transport, separation and collection. The physics of the interaction of light with matter will be covered.

The design of a solar cell is a complex interplay between the spectral utilisation, light management and electrical properties of the device. In this course you will be introduced to the optical and electrical design rules, the equivalent electrical circuit of a solar cell and parameters that determine the performance of a solar cell.

In the third course of the program Solar Energy, you will learn to design a complete photovoltaic (PV) system for any application and location, from utility scale solar farms to residential scale systems. For these scales, both grid-connected and stand-alone solutions will be examined.

The operation and design of PV modules will be taught with respect to various aspects, including shading resilience, interconnection architectures, temperature dependence, mono- versus bi-facial and recyclability.

We will also review the function and operation of common components of PV Systems, such as inverters, DC-DC converters, maximum power point trackers, charge controllers and batteries. We will focus on the interaction of these components with both the photovoltaic modules and the grid. Batteries’ parameters and the role of the charge controller within the system will be covered as well.

The selection of the right inverter among different types will be discussed along with various methods of maximal power point tracking. Considering the losses caused by the different components, the overall efficiency of energy conversion of the system will be discussed.

We will also go back to metrics introduced in the first course and discuss the techno-economic-environmental performance of PV systems: their levelized-costs of electricity, return on financial investments, energy payback time and energy return on energy investment. Environmental considerations concerning PV systems will be discussed as well.

Finally, alternative routes to convert solar energy will be explored such as solar thermal systems. The principles of solar-to-heat conversion and heat storage will be introduced.