one-day course solar electricity

venue: Centre of the Earth, Birmingham

This course is for anyone wanting to install their own system in their home, vehicle or boat, or to understand a system that someone else installs for you.

There are two parts to a solar electric system:

1. collecting energy from the sun and turning it into electricity or storing it
2. putting this energy to use, by using it as direct current electricity (DC) or converting it to 'mains'-style alternating current (AC)
   

The course includes theory:

• understanding the relationship between voltage, current and power
• understanding the appropriateness of different types of panels for different circumstances
• understanding different types of inverters
• understanding different methods of storage / batteries
• grid-connect and off-grid systems
• special consideration for mobile / vehicle systems
• ROCs & the upcoming 'feed-in tariff' - how to make money from an on-grid system
• clarifying your own power needs before you start spending or building
• planning for system growth; budgeting; adding to your system

and practical sessions:

• understanding what to expect from panels, and measuring it
• wiring and connecting systems, including panels, batteries, inverters etc.
• connecting a system and measuring the electricity produced
• understanding how to optimise and protect your system - charge controllers and circuit breakers

dates: see 'book online' below

more on solar electricity

measuring the output from a solar panel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pv panels installed on a mobile home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

many parts of the world could bypass the dirty technologies of the West and move straight to solar