What are the components of a grid-tied, battery-less, photovoltaic system? What are their benefits and disadvantages as compared to a battery system?
The most common photovoltaic systems being installed in the Pacific Northwest are those which are connected to the utility grid but do not have batteries. These systems are designed to displace all or a portion of the building’s electricity needs. The energy generated is first used within the building, with any surplus being “pushed” onto the utility’s wires. The main components of these systems are the photovoltaic modules, inverter and system (AC and DC) disconnects. The main benefits that battery-less systems have over battery systems is that they are simpler and cheaper to install & maintain, and that they provide higher (10 to 15%) efficiency. Their main disadvantage is that when the utility grid goes down, the inverter automatically shuts off. This results in no power, solar or otherwise, being available. This is done as a safety measure, so as to protect the linespersons who will be working on the grid. Note that when the utility grid goes down for a battery system, pre-selected
