Solar and Battery Design

The Site Survey for Grid‑Connected PV and Battery Systems course is a short course designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to conduct effective solar site surveys for grid‑connected photovoltaic (PV) and battery systems. The course covers the key principles and practices of site surveying specific to these systems. This includes solar irradiance assessment, shading analysis, system sizing, orientation optimisation, and considerations for battery integration in the survey process.

In the Site Survey for Grid‑Connected PV and Battery Systems course, site survey reports are included as part of the assessment requirements for grid‑connected photovoltaic and battery storage systems. The course includes both the online learning and the site survey reports that students must complete as part of their assessment tasks. These reports require participants to apply the site survey principles they have learned by documenting site conditions, shading, solar access and other factors relevant to PV and battery system planning.

This course focuses on identifying and managing site-specific hazards associated with solar PV and battery energy storage installations. It provides a structured approach to hazard identification and risk mitigation at the design stage. The safety and design principles covered align with internationally recognised approaches reflected in IEC 62548-1 (PV array design) and the broader IEC 60364 (low-voltage electrical installations) series.

In this course you will learn about:
- Electrical, mechanical, fire, chemical, and environmental hazards relevant to solar and battery systems
- How to assess site-specific risks and apply appropriate control measures during
system design

The design of a grid-connected PV system must ensure that the proposed solar array matches the capabilities of the chosen inverter, in particular the voltage, current and power ratings. There are specific, extensive calculations that must be performed to determine which array configurations are suitable for connection to the proposed inverter. These calculations are critical to prevent damage to the inverter and maximise the system yield. This course will teach you how to:

- Select an inverter
- Calculate the minimum and maximum number of modules in a string, using voltage and temperature
- Calculate the maximum number of parallel strings, using current and temperature
- Calculate the maximum number of modules in an array, using power
- Identify appropriate configurations for the system

All electrical systems require that forms of circuit protection be applied wherever necessary and when it is best practice to do so. Properly designed circuit protection safeguards electrical equipment and people against a fault, for example when carrying out any work on the system, such as troubleshooting. Relevant local and international standards, local service rules and the network operator’s regulations should provide the basis for the system’s overall protection design. This course will teach you how to:

- Calculate the DC overcurrent protection sizing requirements
- Select appropriate DC disconnection devices
- Determine the AC overcurrent and disconnection devices required
- Identify system earthing, lightning protection, and RCD requirements to protect equipment

Balance of System (commonly abbreviated as BoS) equipment of a PV system refers to the additional equipment and components of the system, other than the pv modules, inverter and mounting frame. BoS equipment is related to WHS quidelines as well as to the performance of the system. The BoS equipment must be designed and installed correctly so that the system will operate as expected and safely. This course will teach you how to:

- Identify the types of cables required and their respective locations, including DC, AC, and earthing
- Describe the importance of electrical protection devices to ensure that the system is safely operating
- Explain the use of string and array combiner boxes
- Utilise metering and monitoring devices to obtain information about the operation and performance of the system

This topic introduces participants to the initial planning stage for grid‑connected PV and battery systems. It focuses on the principles and methodology for designing a system before detailed component selection, including considerations for solar resource, site constraints, and battery integration. Preliminary System Design is positioned as a foundation for all subsequent system layout and sizing activities.

System Layout covers the arrangement of PV arrays, inverters, and battery components on site to optimize performance, ensure safety, and comply with standards. Participants learn about the spatial positioning, orientation, shading considerations, and wiring routes necessary to produce an effective, compliant design. This stage follows preliminary design and directly informs equipment selection and installation planning.

This topic focuses on choosing the correct components for the system based on design requirements. It includes sizing PV arrays, inverters, and battery storage to meet expected energy demand and performance targets, while also considering manufacturer specifications, efficiency, and compatibility. Equipment Selection ensures that the designed system can achieve predicted outputs safely and reliably under real-world conditions

A grid-connected PV system is a financial investment, including upfront and ongoing costs and also financial benefits. This course will aim to help you gain a deeper understanding of the economics of PV systems such as the payback period of the system using simple financial models. Exercise questions will also test your knowledge and are important when determining the ongoing benefit and risk-reward benefit of a PV system.This course will teach you how to:

- Perform a lifecycle analysis of the PV system
- Calculate the ongoing cost of the PV system
- Calculate the ongoing benefit of the PV system
- Determining the payback period of the PV system

This course develops competency in designing solar and battery systems that meet performance objectives while considering economic outcomes and documentation requirements. It examines system configurations, energy flows, and operating strategies used in modern installations.

The design and documentation concepts align with internationally recognised methodologies referenced in IEC 62548-1 (PV array design).
In this course you will learn about:
Solar and battery system configurations and energy flow principles
How to assess system performance, evaluate economic outcomes, and prepare technical system documentation