The paper presents a comprehensive experimental study of the effects of environmental factors on both the efficiency and the electrical power output of a 160-arrays photovoltaic power system. Direct normal (DN) isolation, ambient temperature and wind speed are considered as the key environmental parameters in this study. These environmental factors are location dependent and their effects vary accordingly.

Factors Affecting the Performance of a Photovoltaic Power System (PVPS)

Availability of cheap power is an index of technological advancement and standard of living of a country. Conversion of solar energy into mechanical power or electrical power has been a subject of research for nearly last three centuries. Most of the early research conducted on solar mechanical power generation was for small power generation and was abandoned not due to technological reasons but more due to economically more viable and cost-effective power options. It is hoped that solar generated power will play a significant role by the end of this century.

Solar Thermo-Mechanical Power

An investigation of the modelling of the photovoltaic power system performance is described. Analysis of the experimental results is carried out to obtain an empirical model for the photovoltaic power system performance. The model equations and curves have been tested and compared with the experimental results to add validity to the model.

An Empirical Model for the Performance of a Photovoltaic Power System (PVPS)

Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in energy resources especially in Solar Energy. On an average, the 2 million square kilometers of mostly desert lands of Saudi Arabia receive 5000 Kcal/m2 every day of solar energy. If this enormous amount of energy is economically and efficiently utilized it will be considered then as a major source of useable energy. However, Saudi Arabia is planning to develop the solar technology for the best utilization of solar radiation. This paper will discuss the available solar energy collected in Saudi Arabia as well as their potential uses. Conventional utilization of solar energy such as water heaters, room heaters, agriculture, drying and desalination will be mentioned together with recent solar energy uses in electrical power and hydrogen production from water. The current fundamental researches in the country will also be discussed.

Possible utilization of solar energy in saudi arabia

An empirical model for the performance of a concentrator photovoltaic power system

The performance characteristics of the Saudi Solar Village Project, one of several projects sponsored by the Saudi Arabian-United States Program for Cooperation in the Field of Solar Energy (SOLERAS), a five-year jointly-funded $100M program, are presented in this paper. It is original and far reaching with respect to the scope and variety of solar technologies involved as well as the unique joint and cooperative manner in which the technology involved is developed and transferred. One of the program's objectives is to enhance the quality of life in rural areas within traditional ways of life. The Saudi Solar Village Project thus seeks to determine the feasibility of utilizing solar power to generate electricity in remote areas not served by existing electric power grid facilities. Details of the design of the 350 kW photovoltaic power system and its various subsystems are presented and the performance of the system and subsystems during initial acceptance testing of the system are discussed in this paper...

Bakr H. Khoshaim

Papers

Performance Characteristics of 350 kW Photovoltaic Power System for Saudi Arabian Villages