Managing a solar sensor array project: Analyzing insolation & motivation

The renewable power industry is rapidly growing today and is in need of much data to augment the advancement of the field. Photovoltaic technology, while making substantial improvement over the last 60 years, still has some significant hurdles to overcome. When shading, dust, or damaged cells reduce the power output of one panel, the traditional series-parallel configurations make it so every panel in series with that lower current panel, will also have its current lowered; this lowers the overall power output of the array significantly. Advancements in configurations and converters could change this phenomenon and dramatically increase a solar array\u27s ability to produce power. The arrangement discussed in this thesis incorporates the author project managing a team of electrical engineers endeavoring to help resolve this dilemma by designing and deploying a sensor array, collecting data, and sharing this data with fellow graduate researchers whose other works explore ways to alleviate these hurtles. This author\u27s work combines this technical interest with an appetite for behavioral research as the project team members are introduced to a Maslovian approach to project management. This approach combines Maslow\u27s needs hierarchy with prosocial behavior theory to encourage team members to motivate themselves and build self-confidence. The experience and conclusions made from this work will hopefully have a positive impact on photovoltaic technologies, project management approaches to team motivation, and the humanistic community as a whole --Abstract, page iv