Integration and optimization of hardware systems for solar technology

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The proposed research project is an academic-industry partnership between the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver Renewable Energy (VREC). VREC is a Canadian company that is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company specializes in the design and installation of electrical-grid-tied solar systems. VREC is an active member of the Canadian Solar Industries Association, British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association, Canadian Workers Coop Federation, and Canada Green Building Council. VREC has seen that there is a growing demand for solar installations-as well as a technological hurdle pertaining to shading in solar systems. Solar systems are often deployed in less than ideal environments with many photovoltaic panels, and this makes it difficult to avoid shading. Furthermore, analyses have shown that shading across only small areas of the solar system can yield significant reductions in the harvested energy. For example, it has been estimated that such shading amounts to annual reductions between 5% and 10% in the harvested energy from the European Union [Jahn and Nasse, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 2004]. The proposed NSERC Engage Grant addresses the above challenge of shading in solar systems. The UBC team will carry out research on the development of an electronic optimization system (referred to as an Adaptive Photovoltaic Module) to mitigate these effects from shading. This system carries out independent and maximal power transfer from the multiple photovoltaic panels to maximize the harvested energy in the presence of shading. The benefits witnessed by this research can be significant for the growing solar industry in Canada.