| Manufacturer | Evergreen Solar |
|---|---|
| Array Rating | 4.92kW |
| PV Technology | poly-Si |
| Array Structure | Fixed: Ground Mount |
| Installed | 2010 |
View on Map Graphs Download Data
Current Output
Evergreen polycrystalline silicon array, fixed ground-mount
These polycrystalline silicon panels are manufactured with a process called StringRibbonTM that uses the science of ‘surface tension' to grow thin silicon solar cells. This avoids the waste associated with sawing conventional photovoltaic cells from silicon blocks.
The StringRibbonTM process reduces the raw materials consumed and the costs of solar panel manufacturing. This installation of the technology will demonstrate its performance in direct and scattered light and at high temperatures.
Evergreen panels are supplied in Australia by Powersmart Solar. Powersmart Solar is a renewable energy company with an active presence in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Powersmart designs and installs solar power systems and manufactures systems and components.
| Array Rating | 4.92kW |
|---|---|
| Panel Rating | 205W |
| Number Of Panels | 24 |
| Panel Type | Evergreen ES-A-205-fa3 |
| Array Area | 37.74 m² |
| Type Of Tracker | N/A |
| Inverter Size / Type | 5 kW, SMA SMC 5000A |
| Installation Completed | Mon, 15 Mar 2010 |
| Array Tilt/Azimuth | Tilt = 20, Azi = 0 (Solar North) |
Notes on the Data
-
Inverter replaced
The original SMA Site 21 Inverter has been replaced with a new Fronius unit.
-
Inverter failure
Inverter failure of the original SMA inverter at site 21. Procurement activities for a replacement are ongoing.
-
System Disconnection for Cabling Works
All arrays at the Solar Centre were disconnected from approximately 2.00pm to 3.00pm on Monday, 9 July 2018 in preparation for the cable between the main switchboard and distribution board being upgraded. Array sites #23-38 remained disconnected while the main feeder cable to these sites was replaced in subsequent days, but all systems were re-connected by early afternoon on Thursday, 12 July 2018.
-
Monitoring Interruption for UPS Battery Replacement
The disconnection and re-connection of the solar arrays and weather station equipment while a new site connection was being established prompted the already flattening UPS batteries which power the site’s energy meters to fail and require immediate replacement. Data recording was affected from approximately 2.30pm ACST, Monday 10 July to 4.00pm, Wednesday 12 July.
Affects weather data for DKASC, Alice Springs
> Answer to Spotlight Question
Onsite at the DKA Solar Centre in Alice Springs are a series of quiz-like Spotlight Questions at each array. Visit the centre and scan the QR code at each sign to test your knowledge – and check your answer here!
Q: Can you see a difference in the surface results of the different cell manufacturing processes?
A: Thin film modules have a smooth, even-toned surface because the photovoltaic material is deposited as a gas which solidifies to produce the final module. The cells of a thin film module are long and thin, and their boundaries may be seen as faint stripes across the surface. Electrical contacts are laser-etched and not visible from the module's front. Different cell chemistries and layers in the module can vary its colour from black to dark blue or purple, but invariably dark to absorb more sunlight. While crystalline modules are also dark in colour, their surface patterns are either mosaic-like in the case of polycrystalline modules, since individual crystals are distinct in each cell, or smooth in rectangular-like sections in the case of monocrystalline modules, as each cell is cut from just one crystal. The blue tinge of polycrystalline modules and black colour of monocrystalline modules are determined by the respective ways that the sliced silicon reflects light.