Design, Fabrication, and Certification of Advanced Modular PV Power Systems; Final Technical Progress Report

This report summarizes the activities performed and the goals accomplished during a two and a half year project entitled 'Design, Fabrication and Certification of Advanced Modular PV Power Systems' by the Solar Electric Specialties Company under the auspices of the PVMaT (Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology) project of the National Photovoltaic Program. The SES contract was funded under Phase4A1 of the PVMaT project, 'Product Driven System and Component Technology,' which has the goals to improve the cost-effectiveness and manufacturing efficiency of PV end-products, optimize manufacturing and packaging methods, and generally improve balance-of-systems performance, integration, and manufacturing. The period of performance of the contract was from September 8, 1995 to April 7, 1998.;; The goal of the SES contract, 'Design, Fabrication and Certification of Advanced Modular PV Power Systems,' was to reduce the installed system life cycle costs through development of certified (Underwriters Laboratories or other agencies) and standardized prototype products for two of our product lines, MAPPSTM and PhotogensetsTM. The MAPPS (Modular Autonomous PV Power Supply) systems are usedfor DC applications up to about a thousand watt-hours. The Photogensets are hybrid PV/generator systems for AC applications. The results of these product upgrades have served the bases for developing commercial product lines of standardized, certified, packaged systems.;