With climate change being a huge environmental issue worldwide, clean energy to power communities is needed. Solar can help lower our carbon footprint and can make a huge contribution to the environment's health.

 

For the reliable, long-term supply of power to off-grid users, electrical workers involved with these systems fully understand the operating theory and safety requirements in order to design and install safe and effective systems, as well as adequately manage customer expectations.

 

This course builds upon the basic knowledge provided in Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems and expands upon that in Grid-Connected Battery Systems.

 

Course Structure

The delivery of this course is designed for busy tradespeople who do not have the time to attend lengthy face-to-face courses. The online component is fully flexible to allow students to complete the theory in their own time.

 

Pre-course learning: Online self-directed learning at your own pace, with tutor support (100 hours)

 

Three day course at WITT’s Infrastructure Training Park, New Plymouth (24 hrs)

 

Post-course assignment (16 hrs)

 

With successful completion of the course, the applicant achieves the following NZQA framework registered micro-credential: Stand Alone Power Systems: Design & Installation

 

What you will learn

At the end of the course, participants will have the knowledge to:

• Assess a site’s suitability for a Stand Alone Power System and calculate an estimated energy yield at each month of the year for the client.

• Assess a client’s energy consumption, create a load vs renewable energy resource profile and estimate renewable energy % vs fuel generator energy %

• Determine best battery technology for a given scenario based on a variety of factors.

• Determine best mix of energy resources for a given site.

• Select appropriate components and assess their suitability.

• Design and Install a Stand-Alone Power System

• Commission and Fault-Find Stand-Alone Power Systems.

• Optimise Stand Alone Power Systems.

• Stand Alone Power Systems: Design & Installation

 

Topics include:

• Commonly used off-grid battery chemistries and their characteristics

• Battery charging, PWM regulators and MPPT charge controllers

• Battery Inverters, Inverter/Chargers, hardware differences between hybrid inverters and specifically designed off-grid capable inverters.

• AC and DC coupled battery inverter architectures

• Cable sizing, fault level calculations and selection of protective devices.

• Balance of System components

• Site suitablility and Load assessment

• System Design and Yield calculations

• Backup generators

• Integration of muliple energy sources.

• Wind and Micro-Hydro generation (introductory info only)

• Applicable Regulations, Standards – in particular AS/NZS5033, AS/NZS4509.1 and AS/NZS4509.2, various battery standards including a look at the new AS/NZS5139 (not yet cited in Regs) and examples of lines company connection requirements in New Zealand

• Installation, testing, commissioning and fault-finding of Stand-Alone Power Systems

• Hazards associated with batteries and Stand-Alone Power Systems

• Energy consumption assessment, detailed load profiling and optimisation strategies.

 

• Multiple scenarios where Stand-Alone Power Systems can be of use:
  - Remote Monitoring and Control
  - Baches and Tiny Houses
  - Off-grid homes
  - Off-grid workshops and industry
  - Remote village electrification