Energy Storage Photovoltaic Professional Knowledge Question Bank

What is a photovoltaic (PV) certification study guide?

This is a study guide for individuals pursuing a Board Certification in the field of photovoltaics from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).

What is a solar Photovoltaic Certification Exam?

The document is a practice exam for solar photovoltaic certification that contains 70 multiple choice questions testing knowledge of PV system components, electrical calculations, safety procedures, and best practices.

How do I design a PV system with energy storage?

To design a PV system with energy storage according to NABCEP, you may need to refer to Article 710 Stand-Alone Systems and 706 Energy Storage Systems. Additionally, considering Article 712 for dc-microgrids and Article 705 for ac microgrids might be necessary. Article 706 specifically covers energy storage systems with voltages above 50V ac or 60V dc.

What energy storage devices are used with PV systems?

Energy storage devices used with PV systems mainly consist of batteries. However, advanced technologies like flywheels or other forms of storing electrical energy or the product, such as storing water delivered by a PV water pumping system, may also be used.

How much energy does a PV system produce?

To determine the size of a PV system needed to produce a certain amount of energy, divide the desired annual energy usage by the system's efficiency. For example, to produce 10,000kWh per year with a system that has an efficiency of 1500kWh/kWp/yr, you would need a system of approximately 6.7kW. However, this calculation does not apply to stand-alone systems, as they may produce more energy than they consume and store excess in batteries.

What is the maximum voltage of a PV system?

According to NABCEP, the maximum system voltage for a PV system is the PV array open-circuit voltage at the lowest expected ambient temperature at a site. Where other than crystalline silicon (thin-film) PV modules are used, manufacturer’s instructions must be used to calculate this value.