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Renewable Energy Engineering

Solar PV Engineering: Rooftop, Commercial and Utility-Scale Systems

A complete engineering course covering PV physics, system design, inverters, protection, testing, maintenance and advanced topics

A full engineering-chain course covering PV cell physics, module construction, domestic and commercial rooftop systems, utility-scale solar farms, inverters and power electronics, design calculations, protection and safety standards, testing and commissioning, operation and maintenance, and advanced topics including bifacial, floating, agrivoltaic and building-integrated PV. Closed out with a 112-lesson practical reference section covering formulas, checklists and fault-finding.

Course content

Solar PV Fundamentals and System Architecture

10 lessons
▤ 1.1 — Introduction to Solar Photovoltaic Engineering 7m
▤ 1.2 — Solar Radiation, Irradiance and Energy Yield 7m
▤ 1.3 — Photovoltaic Effect and Semiconductor Physics 7m
▤ 1.4 — PV Cell Electrical Characteristics 7m
▤ 1.5 — Solar Cell Technologies 7m
▤ 1.6 — PV Module Construction 7m
▤ 1.7 — PV Module Ratings and Datasheet Interpretation 7m
▤ 1.8 — Series and Parallel Connections 7m
▤ 1.9 — DC Power Behaviour in PV Systems 7m
▤ 1.10 — Solar PV System Types 7m

Rooftop, Domestic and Commercial PV Systems

8 lessons
▤ 2.1 — Domestic Rooftop PV System Design 7m
▤ 2.2 — Commercial Rooftop PV Systems 7m
▤ 2.3 — Roof Structure and Mounting Systems 7m
▤ 2.4 — Shading Analysis and Layout Design 7m
▤ 2.5 — Building Electrical Integration 7m
▤ 2.6 — Fire Safety in Rooftop PV Systems 7m
▤ 2.7 — Domestic Battery Integration 7m
▤ 2.8 — Smart Export, Load Shifting and Energy Management 7m

Utility-Scale Solar Farms

10 lessons
▤ 3.1 — Solar Farm Architecture 7m
▤ 3.2 — Site Selection and Solar Resource Assessment 7m
▤ 3.3 — Ground-Mounted PV Structures 7m
▤ 3.4 — Fixed-Tilt vs Tracking Systems 7m
▤ 3.5 — Solar Farm Electrical Layout 7m
▤ 3.6 — DC Collection Systems 7m
▤ 3.7 — AC Collection Systems 7m
▤ 3.8 — Grid Connection for Solar Farms 7m
▤ 3.9 — Solar Farm SCADA and Monitoring 7m
▤ 3.10 — Solar Farm Construction and Commissioning 7m

Inverters, Power Electronics and Grid Interface

10 lessons
▤ 4.1 — Role of the Solar Inverter 7m
▤ 4.2 — String Inverters 7m
▤ 4.3 — Central Inverters 7m
▤ 4.4 — Microinverters 7m
▤ 4.5 — DC Optimisers 7m
▤ 4.6 — Maximum Power Point Tracking 7m
▤ 4.7 — Inverter Efficiency and Losses 7m
▤ 4.8 — Reactive Power and Grid Support 7m
▤ 4.9 — Harmonics and Power Quality 7m
▤ 4.10 — Inverter Protection Systems 7m

PV Design Calculations and Engineering Principles

10 lessons
▤ 5.1 — Solar Energy Yield Calculation 7m
▤ 5.2 — String Sizing Calculations 7m
▤ 5.3 — Current, Cable and Fuse Sizing 7m
▤ 5.4 — Temperature Effects on PV Systems 7m
▤ 5.5 — DC Cable Voltage Drop 7m
▤ 5.6 — AC Cable Voltage Drop and Voltage Rise 7m
▤ 5.7 — Inverter Sizing and DC/AC Ratio 7m
▤ 5.8 — Performance Ratio and System Losses 7m
▤ 5.9 — Capacity Factor for Solar PV 7m
▤ 5.10 — Degradation and Lifetime Energy Modelling 7m

Protection, Safety and Standards

8 lessons
▤ 6.1 — Electrical Hazards in Solar PV Systems 7m
▤ 6.2 — DC Isolation and Switching 7m
▤ 6.3 — Fuses, Breakers and Overcurrent Protection 7m
▤ 6.4 — Surge Protection and Lightning Risk 7m
▤ 6.5 — Earthing and Bonding 7m
▤ 6.6 — Arc Faults and Fire Risk 7m
▤ 6.7 — Labelling, Signage and Documentation 7m
▤ 6.8 — Safe Working Procedures 7m

Testing, Commissioning and Fault Finding

10 lessons
▤ 7.1 — PV Commissioning Process 7m
▤ 7.2 — I-V Curve Testing 7m
▤ 7.3 — Insulation Resistance Testing 7m
▤ 7.4 — Polarity and Continuity Testing 7m
▤ 7.5 — Thermal Imaging of PV Systems 7m
▤ 7.6 — Common PV Faults 7m
▤ 7.7 — Inverter Fault Diagnosis 7m
▤ 7.8 — Solar Farm Fault Finding 7m
▤ 7.9 — Performance Monitoring and Analytics 7m
▤ 7.10 — Handover and Operational Documentation 7m

Operation, Maintenance and Asset Management

8 lessons
▤ 8.1 — Solar PV Maintenance Strategy 7m
▤ 8.2 — Module Cleaning and Soiling Management 7m
▤ 8.3 — Vegetation and Ground Management 7m
▤ 8.4 — Inverter Maintenance 7m
▤ 8.5 — Tracker Maintenance 7m
▤ 8.6 — Module Degradation Mechanisms 7m
▤ 8.7 — Repowering and Module Replacement 7m
▤ 8.8 — Asset Performance and Financial Yield 7m

Advanced Solar PV Engineering

10 lessons
▤ 9.1 — Bifacial PV Systems 7m
▤ 9.2 — Agrivoltaics 7m
▤ 9.3 — Floating Solar PV 7m
▤ 9.4 — Building-Integrated Photovoltaics 7m
▤ 9.5 — Hybrid Solar and Battery Plants 7m
▤ 9.6 — Solar, Wind and Storage Hybrid Sites 7m
▤ 9.7 — Grid Forming and Inverter-Based Resources 7m
▤ 9.8 — Recycling and End-of-Life Management 7m
▤ 9.9 — Future PV Technologies 7m
▤ 9.10 — Engineering Review and System Design Case Study 7m

Professional Reference, Checklists and Final Review

28 lessons
▤ 10.1 — Solar PV Industry Glossary and Technical Reference 7m
▤ 10.2 — Solar PV Formula Reference and Worked Examples 7m
▤ 10.3 — Solar PV Calculations Explained in Practical Terms 7m
▤ 10.4 — Solar PV Component Identification Guide 7m
▤ 10.5 — Solar PV Fault-Finding Quick Reference 7m
▤ 10.6 — Solar PV Commissioning Checklist Reference 7m
▤ 10.7 — Solar PV Maintenance Checklist Reference 7m
▤ 10.8 — Solar PV System Design Review Checklist 7m
▤ 10.9 — Solar PV Datasheet and Drawing Interpretation Guide 7m
▤ 10.10 — Solar PV Inspection, Testing and Acceptance Criteria 7m
▤ 10.11 — Solar PV Operational Performance Review 7m
▤ 10.12 — Solar PV Project Handover and Owner Information Pack 7m
▤ 10.13 — Solar PV System Modification, Expansion and Repowering Guide 7m
▤ 10.14 — Solar PV Quality Assurance and Installation Defect Prevention 7m
▤ 10.15 — Solar PV Risk Management and Common Failure Modes 7m
▤ 10.16 — Solar PV Procurement, Supply Chain and Product Selection 7m
▤ 10.17 — Solar PV Construction, Site Management and Installation Sequencing 7m
▤ 10.18 — Solar PV Final Reference Summary and Learning Review 7m
▤ 10.19 — Solar PV System Thinking: Bringing Engineering, Operation and Value Together 7m
▤ 10.20 — The Future of Solar PV Engineering 7m
▤ 10.21 — Practical Solar PV Case Study: From Site Idea to Operating Asset 7m
▤ 10.22 — Solar PV Engineering Review: Technical Design Checks Before Approval 7m
▤ 10.23 — Solar PV Advanced Fault Scenarios and Diagnostic Reasoning 7m
▤ 10.24 — Solar PV Engineering Calculations: Worked Technical Examples 7m
▤ 10.25 — Solar PV Technical Drawings and Documentation Examples 7m
▤ 10.26 — Final Solar PV Professional Reference and Closing Review 7m
▤ 10.27 — Solar PV Design Basis and Technical Specification Writing 7m
▤ 10.28 — Solar PV Grid Integration and Power System Behaviour 7m