This module aims at providing knowledge about the wide area of technology that is needed for persons working in the solar PV energy industry. It covers all aspects of solar farms including layout and types of solar farms. The student will learn how to determine the ideal location for a solar farm and the purpose of environmental impact assessments. This module also introduces the student to collector substations, switchgear, and collector feeders. The basic principles of SCADA systems are described along with an introduction to alarms. The fundamentals of alarm management are presented along with an overview of the alarm management lifecycle.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:
Define the term solar farm
Differentiate between community and utility-scale solar
Describe the purpose of environmental impact assessments
List the three main requirements of solar farm grounding
Explain the basic principle of solar farm layout
Describe the operation of a collector substation
Compare overcurrent protection and overload protection
Explain the purpose of switchgear and collector feeders
Name two types of ground fault protection devices
Describe the purpose of an ICN and list its sub-networks
Define the term Open Platform Communication
Describe the basic function of a SCADA system
List four examples of SCADA systems
Explain the benefits of SCADA systems in solar farms