PowerSwitch

BritDownUnder · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:17 am Post subject: UK Solar Power Record

This forum is getting very quiet these days and especially in topics relating to alternative energy but I suppose that reflects the various contributor's sentiments and possibly the slowing effects of the UK heatwave.

Anyway, apparently the UK generated more power from solar than any other form of electricity generation. I am sure it was for a few minutes on a Saturday afternoon near to the Summer Solstice and during a heatwave but I think it is a start in the right direction. How all this electricity is stored with the NIMBYism that is prevalent in the UK remains to be seen and will no doubt be an engineering and financial challenge of it own.

Interestingly this was brought up in an Australian publication. Rather smugly the publication noted that...

fuzzy · Joined: 29 Nov 2013 Posts: 867 Location: The Marches, UK

Is it guaranteed that average solar installs will cope 25 yrs with temperatures of 40+C in really sunny places? Presumably this means panels of 80+C. Inverters won't like it. Panel voltages will drop, resistances up etc. The main problems with the UK are high condensation/corrosion [esp in DC systems], and low output in winter due mainly to latitude. Panels could be winter boosted with tracking reflector mirrors but daylight is about 7 hours in the UK North winter.

adam2 · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:29 pm Post subject:

Pv modules should be fine in hot UK weather, they are used in places much hotter than the UK, and work fine.

High temperatures do reduce the output, but not by that that much, and again PV gives satisfaction in hotter places than the UK.

DC circuits are indeed vulnerable to corrosion, particularly on parts that are negative WRT earth. Modern installations are well insulated and seem OK in practice.

Inverters are potentially vulnerable to high temperatures and should IMO be kept as cool as possible subject other design constraints.
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BritDownUnder · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:54 am Post subject:

RenewableCandy · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 12654 Location: York

I record the output of Chateau Renewable's roof every week. We've had it for 7 years now and I don't think its output has begun to decline as folk say systems do.

However, the inverter blew up in April (on Friday 13th!) and the new one set us bck 500 quid. So there is that.

We get about 850 kWh/kWp/yr out of ours.
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adam2 · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2018 7:12 pm Post subject:

I would expect that the output would have declined, but only very slightly and this decline is probably swamped by natural variations in sunlight.

What did you do with the dead inverter ? they sell for £25 or more.
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"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"

RenewableCandy · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 12654 Location: York

It occurred to me to hand it over to 'RAG-BONE!' who comes along our street fttt, but in the end I just let the installer of the new one keep it. They were recommended by a firm I trust so I *hope* they took the trouble to get it sold for parts.

I almost chucked the little monitor, but that works from a signal from the wiring, so is independent of the type of inverter.

We lost 4 weeks'-worth of PV power because of being away when we could have been ringing round for a repairer. In April, Bummer.
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BritDownUnder · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:05 am Post subject:

I noticed good solar output from the UK.

Has spring sprung over there now then?

I am currently in Adelaide on a power plant project and the main thoughts of the plant manager were that the power industry in Australia is now changing every six months instead of every 5 years. At the morning conference the two variables on whether this gas peaking plant will operate are whether the afternoon temperatures will exceed 33 degrees C and whether this wind is blowing strongly.

Interestingly the grid testing company who basically decide if the plant can formally connect to the grid hate solar.
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