Critical Power: Renewable energy systems

Electrical engineers have several items to consider when interconnecting renewable energy production systems.

Whether designing a renewable energy production system to connect into an existing building’s electrical system, or designing a solar-ready facility where only a means to interconnect a future renewable energy production system is provided, the details of the interconnection can have a major impact on the design, cost, and schedule of a renewable energy production system project.

The design of an electrical utility grid-connected renewable energy production system, whether it be photovoltaic (PV), wind or alternative technology, can be broken into two parts:

• The energy system itself, including production equipment, conversion equipment and any other balance of system components
• The electrical interconnection to the grid.

Learning objectives:

• Learn which renewable energy production system is viable in a particular geographic location.
• Understand the guidelines engineers and designers should use when designing renewable systems.
• Explain the basics of connecting a renewable energy production system to a building’s electrical system.
• Help system designers, integrators and owners consider the implications of different interconnection options and requirements for utility interactive renewable energy production systems.