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Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Explore the wide range of solar energy applications and learn to design a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability.

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Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

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Started Apr 4
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Starts Dec 6
Ends Mar 20, 2024
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Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Explore the wide range of solar energy applications and learn to design a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability.

Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
11 weeks
10–11 hours per week
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule
Free
Optional upgrade available

Choose your session:

33,519 already enrolled! After a course session ends, it will be archivedOpens in a new tab.
Started Apr 4
Ends Jul 4
Enroll
Starts Aug 22
Ends Nov 22
Enroll
Starts Dec 6
Ends Mar 20, 2024
Enroll
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

About this course

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In this course you will learn how to turn solar cells into full modules; and how to apply full modules to full photovoltaic systems.

The course will widely cover the design of photovoltaic systems, such as utility scale solar farms or residential scale systems (both on and off the grid). You will learn about the function and operation of various components including inverters, batteries, DC-DC converters and their interaction with both the modules and the grid.

After learning about the components, you will be able to correctly apply them during main design steps taken when planning a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability.

Through modelling, you will gain a deeper understanding of PV systems performance for different solar energy applications, and proficiency in estimating the energy yield of a client's potential system.

This course is part of the Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters Program designed to cover all physics and engineering aspects of photovoltaics: photovoltaic energy conversion, technologies and systems.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated programs:
  • Associated skills: Physics, Energy Conversion, Photovoltaic Systems, Planning, Solar Cells

What you'll learn

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How to design a PV system ranging from a residential rooftop system to a utility scale solar farm taking in to account:

  • The effects of the position of the sun and solar irradiance on PV module performance
  • Components of a PV system: PV modules, inverters, DC-DC converters, batteries, charge controllers and cables
  • The economics and impact on the grid of PV systems

Audit learners can develop their skills and knowledge in relation to the above learning objectives by having access to the video lectures, a limited number of practice exercises and discussion forums.

Verified learners are offered a number of study tools to demonstrate they have mastered the learning objectives. They will have access to all exercises: practice, graded and exams.

Learner testimonials

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"TU Delft 's Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters program is great to get a grasp of the overall science of solar energy. It provides context to the current industry trends, and at the same time gives you the tools you need to know where the industry will be in the next decade." --Bertram, The Netherlands

About the instructors

More about this course

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LICENSE

The course materials of this course are Copyright Delft University of Technology and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC-BY-NC-SA) 4.0 International License.

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

This course is part of Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters Program

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Expert instruction
5 graduate-level courses
1 year 1 month
9 - 10 hours per week

Ways to take this course

Choose your path when you enroll.
Verified Track
Audit Track

Price

$250 USD

Free

Access to course materials

Unlimited

Limited

Expires on Jun 20

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Shareable certificate upon completion

Graded assignments and exams

Read our FAQsin a new tab about frequently asked questions on these tracks.

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