Solar PV Balance of System and System Design

This activity, provided by the Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education Resource Center (CREATE), provides an introduction to the balance of system equipment and system design for solar photovoltaic panels. During the activity students will learn:How solar PV systems can be engineered to meet different situations and goals.What equipment--beyond solar PV panels--is needed to make various systems work.In general, what each piece of Balance of System equipment does. The activity includes a student guide as well as Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and National Energy Literacy Standards (ELS) this lesson may fulfill. All resources are provided in PDF format.The 12-page student guide is divided into the following topics: PV Direct, DC Stand-Alone, Grid-Connected, and Grid-Tied With Battery Backup. Each topic includes an introductory narrative and a matching activity where students copy the correct components for the given system into a flowchart. The activity concludes with six short answer questions that require additional research.Â