A solar photovoltaic (PV) system, mounted on the roof of a building, is an electrical installation that converts solar energy into electricity. This can be used to meet the building’s own energy consumption requirements or, in certain situations, fed back into the electrical grid.
Rooftop solar PV systems are distributed electricity generation options,
which help to meet a building’s energy needs, or provide electricity
within an existing distribution network.
The size of the installation can vary dramatically, and is dependent on
the size of the building, the amount of electricity required, the funding
available for the project, and the grid operator’s willingness to accept
excess capacity.
Core system components include PV modules, their accompanying
mounting structure and an inverter.
However, other components can also be incorporated into the system,
depending on its size and complexity. These include:
• string boxes;
• batteries;
• generators;
• transformers; and
• meters