Photovoltaic
systems provide the ultimate in clean energy: no noise or
pollution, and no adverse effects on environmental aesthetics.
Incentives from states and utility companies have encouraged both
corporations and homeowners to take advantage of reduced paybacks. This
provides manufacturers the productive base to improve their
manufacturing efficiencies, which will hopefully drive down the cost to
the point where these products are cheap and efficient to manufacture.
CPS Engineering
developed the performance specification for this 300 kW
system for a large commercial customer. Vendors were asked to produce
cost and payback projections over a 25 year life with all numbers
brought back to present net worth values. After vendor selection, CPS
designed the interconnection point in the building electrical system,
and supervised the construction administration. Final details included
the determination of coordinated protective relay settings for the
associated circuit breakers in the electrical system.
