Solar electric systems for Africa : a guide for planning and installing solar electric systems in rural Africa / Mark Hankins

Contents

chapter 1: Fundamentals of solar energy
-The solar resource
-Converting solar energy
-Solar radiation principles

chapter 2: Solar energy principles and non solar electric application
-Common uses of solar thermal energy
-Concentrating solar energy
-Trapping solar energy, etc

chapter 3: An overview of solar electric technology
-Common uses of photovoltaics
-Advantages and disadvantages of solar electricity
-Basic low voltage electric concepts, etc

chapter 4: Solar cell modules
-Solar cells and the photo electric effect
-Solar cell technology
-Solar cell modules and arrays, etc

chapter 5: Batteries
-Energy storage
-General points about batteries
-Battery principles and operations, etc

chapter 6: Charge controllers and load management
-Why charge controller
-The charge controller
-System connections, etc

chapter 7: Lamps and appliances
-Lighting principles
-Incandescent and halogen lamps
-Fluorescent and halogen lamps, etc

chapter 8: Wiring and fittings
-House wiring cable
-Switches, sockets and fuses
-Making connections, etc

chapter 9: Planning a small solar electric system
-Introduction to the design process
-Planning considerations
-Worksheet 1: Total daily system energy requirement, etc

chapter 10: Installing a solar electric system
-Installation tips
-Tools and methods
-Safety, etc

chapter 11: Maintaining and servicing solar electric systems
-Routine maintenance
-System records and manuals
-Trouble-shooting

chapter 12: Cost effective applications and uses of solar electricity
-Deciding on the solar electricity
-Comparing the costs
-Practices that reduce the cost of solar electric systems, etc

chapter 13: Resources for solar energy technicians and planners in east and southern Africa
-The need for solar infrastructure
-What can be done to build a solar infrastructure?
-Opportunities in the solar energy industry, etc

Includes Glossary