Dimensioning of An Autonomous Photovoltaic Install

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Chapter
Dimensioning of an Autonomous
Photovoltaic Installation: Case
Study in Msaken, Sousse (Tunisia)
Olfa Bel Hadj Brahim Kechiche, Marwa Hamza
and Habib Sammouda
Abstract
Renewable energy production has the potential to replace traditional fossil

energy and reduce the consumption invoice. In this context, a client wants to realize
an autonomous photovoltaic installation for his house that is under construction,
located in the city of Msaken, Sousse (Tunisia), in an isolated area of the network of
the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) and will be inhabited by the
end of the year 2019. The installation autonomy must be 72 hours in case of bad
weather. Therefore, in this chapter, we will determine the technical characteristics
of each component of the installation to meet the customer’s energy needs and
ultimately provide the total price.
Keywords: autonomous PV installation, Msaken, Sousse (Tunisia), electrical need

estimation, PV field cost
1. Introduction
Among the major stakes of modern times is the electricity supply, either for
domestic consumption (of people) or for industrial consumption [1].
Tunisia is a country in the Middle East that lacks oil reserves. It depends entirely
on oil imports from neighboring countries to meet its energy needs. The continued
rise in oil prices as a result of increasing world demand and the contraction of oil
supply and regional instability put extreme pressure on the Tunisian economy,
resulting in difficulties and economic disturbances. The government has responded
quickly and actively to overcome the negative effects and deterioration of its econ-
omy by gradually reducing its support for consumer prices for electricity and
petroleum products.
For more than two decades, Tunisia has focused on the rational use of energy
and the development of renewable energies [2, 3]. Ambitious energy demand man-
agement programs have reduced the rate of growth of energy consumption and
substantially lowered energy intensity. In Tunisia, despite the great efforts and
works carried out by the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG), several
regions remain unconnected to the public electricity network. For example, outside
regions are far from cities. This is a major problem for the inhabitants of these
places.
1
Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Lighting - A Bet for the Future
In this context, a client wants to realize an autonomous photovoltaic installation

for his house which is under construction, located in the city of Msaken, Sousse
(Tunisia), in an isolated area of the network of STEG, and will be inhabited by the
end of the year 2019. The installation autonomy must be 72 hours in case of bad
weather.
Therefore, an energy efficiency expert is contacted in order to determine
the technical characteristics of each component of the installation to meet the
customer’s energy needs and ultimately provide the total price.
This chapter is divided into three sections. In the first, we will determine the
energy needs of the customer. Then, through the second chapter, we will detail the
steps of sizing the solar system and its components. Finally, we will give the total
cost of the installation.
2. Electrical need estimation
Estimating the electrical needs consists of calculating the daily electrical energy
consumed by the users. Thus, the electrical needs will be expressed in Wh/day
(or kWh/day).
The methodology is as follows [4]:
• First, we have to identify all the electrical devices that will be powered by the
autonomous photovoltaic system. For each of these devices, the rated
operating power must be identified. So, we can rely on measurements directly
on site or the indications on the data sheets/signs of the devices.
• Then, we will estimate the daily use time.
• The electrical power product (in W) by the usage time (in h) will indicate the
daily energy consumed (in Wh) of the device. In the electricity field, it is
customary to use the W and the Wh as measurement units of the power and
the electrical energy, respectively.
Devices Unit power Number Duration of Power Daily energy production

(W) use (h) (W) (Ec) (kWh/day)
Incandescent lamp 75 5 4 375 1.500
Incandescent lamp 25 2 1 50 0.050
TV LED 210 1 3 210 0.630
Mini fridge 180 1 24 180 4.320
Laptop 150 1 2 150 0.300
Laptop charger 3 2 1 6 0.006
Phone 10 1 5 10 0.050
Modem 4 1 9 4 0.036
Surveillance 12 1 24 12 0.288
camera
Washing machine 250 1 1 250 0.25
Total 1247 7.43
Table 1.
Daily energy consumption.
2
Dimensioning of an Autonomous Photovoltaic Installation: Case Study in Msaken, Sousse…
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88771
• Finally, the sum of the calculated daily energies will give an overall assessment
of the building electrical needs.
The power needs and daily energy consumption are reported in Table 1.
The previous inventory allows us to draw up a balance of power and energy:
Total power: P ¼ 1247W.
Daily consumption: E ¼ 7:43 kWh=day.
3. Evaluation of the optimal PV module orientation and inclination
Latitude and longitude for Msaken: 35°430 45“ North and 10°34’50” East. This
city is located in the northern hemisphere [5].
Optimal inclination angle formula (autonomous PV system) is given by PVGIS
Software, and it is equal to 30° [6].
In Tunisia, the best orientation for a photovoltaic field is that of the south.
Indeed, it allows capturing a maximum of solar radiation throughout a day
and a year.
Solar irradiation represents the energy and the quantity of this energy depending
on the exposure of the object or the material that receives it. A horizontal surface
does not receive the same amount of solar energy as a vertical one. Thus it is
necessary to specify the configuration of the receiver.
The radiation varies along the year, and to project the system, it is necessary to
choose which irradiance to consider. Thus, in order to calculate the average value of
irradiation received by an optimally oriented and inclined surface, we use PVGIS
Software (Figure 1).
Assessing the available energy in Msaken area from PVGIS software, the follow-
ing values are obtained for an optimal inclination of 30° with annual irradiation
deficit due to shadowing (horizontal) equal to 0% (Table 2):
Figure 1.
Map of Msaken with coordinates [6].
3
Month Hh Hopt H(30) Iopt
Jan 2210 3220 3500 57
Feb 3110 4170 4380 50
Mar 4290 5070 5070 38
Apr 5330 5610 5300 23
May 6180 5950 5360 9
Jun 6760 6240 5470 2
Jul 6730 6340 5620 6
Aug 6300 6400 5910 17
Sep 4880 5560 5460 33
Oct 3720 4810 4980 47
Nov 2550 3680 3970 56
Dec 1960 5910 3180 59
Year 4510 5000 4850 30

2 2
Hh: irradiation on horizontal plane (Wh/m /day); Hopt: irradiation on optimally inclined plane (Wh/m /day); H(30): irradiation on
plane at angle: 30deg. (Wh/m2/day); Iopt: optimal inclination (deg.).
Table 2.
The calculation results using PVGIS software [6].
Total integration
Total integration is a mode which the module is
considered a roof element. This module plays the role as
a cover. As a result, ventilation on the underside is
difficult if not impossible.
Superimposed
The superimposed assembly consists of fixing the
photovoltaic modules above the cover. This type of
installation allows a simple and fast installation of
photovoltaic modules without roofing. Air can circulate
between the cover and the modules providing better
ventilation than full integration.
On chassis
The modules are usually mounted on a flat roof or
simply on the ground, this integration mode allows
maximum natural ventilation.
Table 3.
Types of PV panel integration in the building.
4
Then in Msaken, the average value of irradiation received by an optimally

oriented and inclined surface, noted Ei and calculated using PVGIS Software is
about 5 kWh=m2 =day.
4. Integration of PV modules in the building
The house is under construction, so one of three methods (described in Table 3)

can be used for integrating PV modules [7]:
Consulting the client, he told us that the PV modules will be arranged using
superimposed method.
5. Installation production
5.1 Ratio performance (RP)
The ratio performance (RP) makes possible the quantification of the intrinsic
losses of the electrical installation. The performance ratio is, therefore, a number
ranging between 0 and 1 (or 0 and 100%) [8].
The RP is specific to each installation. Nevertheless, it is possible to estimate the
RP value [9]:
• The temperature coefficient of the power KT (P) is similar from one module to
another (order of magnitude: 0.4%/°C).
• The voltage drop in the cables is limited to 3%.
• Regulator output is similar from one regulator to another (97% of order of

magnitude).
• Battery performance is about 85%.
• The inverter efficiency is similar from one inverter to another (order of

magnitude: 95%).
• Other miscellaneous losses are similar from one facility to another (2% order of
magnitude).
The only really variable parameters are the integration mode and the presence or
absence of a MPPT device. Thus, we can draw up a general summary table of the RP
value (Table 4):
Ratio Modules with very Modules with Modules with Modules with
performance little ventilation little ventilation ventilation well ventilation
(RP)
Without MPPT 0.55 0.60 0.65 0.70
With MPPT 0.60 0.65 0.70 0.75
Table 4.
Value of the ratio performance according to the breakdown of the modules.
5
In our case, PV modules are superimposed. Therefore, it will be considered that

this configuration allows the ventilation. In addition, we choose a regulator
equipped with a MPPT device: then, the ratio performance is equal to RP ¼ 0:7.
5.2 Peak power determination of the PV field
There is a simple analytical formula to estimate the peak power of the PV field,
noted as Pc :
Ec Pi
Pc ¼ (1)
Ei RP
where Pc is the peak power of the photovoltaic field; Ec is the daily electrical
energy potentially produced by the photovoltaic system, expressed in kWh/day, in
our case Ec ¼ 7:43 kWh=day; Pi is the illumination power under standard test
conditions (STC), expressed in kW=m2 . So Pi ¼ 1 kW=m2 ; Ei is the daily solar
irradiation, expressed in kWh=m2 =day, received by the photovoltaic field, in our
case Ei ¼ 5 kWh=m2 =day; RP is the performance ratio of the photovoltaic system,
in our case RP ¼ 0:7.
Then, the peak power of the photovoltaic field Pc is equal to Pc ¼ 2:123 kWp.
Thus, to ensure customer comfort, we suggest installing a PV array power
greater than or equal to 2:123 kWp.
6. PV field dimensioning
Figure 2 shows an autonomous photovoltaic installation schematic.
6.1 Number of solar modules and characteristics
Following the electrical requirement evaluation and the solar field, here, it is
possible to size the photovoltaic field. This operation consists firstly to calculate the
installation module number (Eq. (2)) [10]:
Pc
N¼ (2)
Pr
where N is the modules number; Pc is the peak power of the photovoltaic field;
in our case Pc should be greater than or equal to 2:123 kWp; and Pr is the rated
power of a PV module.
In the international market, there are several photovoltaic solar module tech-
nologies, as described in Figure 3:
Due to reduced manufacturing costs and maturity of the technology, crystalline
modules are expected to maintain a market share of up to 80% until at least 2017
[8]. Both monocrystalline and multi-crystalline module prices have decreased
considerably in the last years.
In this study, the PV module was selected due to few reasons that are worth to
mention: its performance, warranty, and high efficiency. Thus, the “Polycrystal-
line solar panel IBC PolySol 260W (265Wc)” is chosen, so Pr ¼ 260W. The
datasheet of this module is given in [11].
Then, the installation modules number is equal to N ¼ 10.
To size the solar controller, inverter, cables, etc., the following PV characteristic
parameters in the Standard Test Conditions (STC) will be used later. We remember
that the Standard Test Conditions (STC) are [8]:
6
• Cell temperature: θ ¼ 25° ¼ T ¼ 298:16 K
• Incident radiation: G ¼ 1000 W=m2
• Spectral distribution of solar radiation: AM1:5
The electrical characteristics of the PV module in the STC:
• Rated power: Pmpp ¼ 260 W.
• Open-circuit voltage: V oc ¼ 38:07 V.
Figure 2.
Schematic of autonomous photovoltaic installation.
Figure 3.
PV technology classes [8].
7
• Maximum voltage: V mpp ¼ 30:57 V.
• Short circuit current: Isc ¼ 9:19 A.
• Maximum current: Impp ¼ 8:56 A
• Efficiency: η ¼ 15:5%
The thermal characteristics of the PV module in the STC:
• Temperature coefficient: T cPmpp ¼ 0:42%=K.
• Temperature coefficient: T cV oc ¼ 0:315%=K.
• Temperature coefficient: T cIsc ¼ 0:04%=K.
6.2 Dimensioning of the solar regulator
The solar regulator is a device that is positioned between the solar modules and
the batteries, also known as a charge controller. It is the guarantor of the energy
level stored in the batteries [12].
Its main missions are:
• To convert the output voltage of the solar panel into voltage adapted to the
charge of the batteries
• To protect the batteries by controlling their charge level. Once the batteries are
full, the regulator will cut off the park recharge. At the same time, it will stop
the power consumption of connected devices if the battery charge level falls
below a certain safety threshold (deep discharge limit)
• To avoid reverse currents and thus protect the panel
The solar regulator is therefore an indispensable control component for the

photovoltaic system. It protects the panels and batteries, thus, ensuring the system
durability.
Depending on the technologies used, current charge regulators have very good
yields, ranging from 85 to 98%.
On the market, there are two technologies of charge controller:
• PWM (pulse width modulation): This technology makes it possible to modify

the voltage of the signal coming from the panels to obtain a signal with a
voltage adapted to the charge of the batteries.
• Maximum power point tracking (MPPT): This technology, which is specific

to solar charge controllers, consists of scanning the voltage range across the
panel and determining the voltage for which the power produced will be
optimal. This allows optimizing the efficiency of the solar panels; the gain in
yield is around 10%. However, regulators equipped with MPPT technology are
more expensive than conventional regulators.
8
For most installations, a PWM regulator will be suitable. For large installations
with multiple panels, MPPT regulators will be preferred. In our case, we use a
MPPT regulator.
The solar regulator dimensioning is carried out according to three major
parameters:
• Current compatibility
• Voltage compatibility
• Power compatibility
In this study, we choose Victron energy BlueSolar charge MPPT 150/100 as a

solar regulator. Thus, we will have to check the compatibility of this regulator with
this installation based on its datasheet [13] (Figure 4):
• Current compatibility: The PV module short circuit current is equal to

Isc ¼ 9:19 A under the STC conditions. The safety factor 1.25 should be applied
to the Isc , so, 1:25 9:19 ¼ 11:48 A.
Thus, in order to not exceed the regulator maximum current 30 A, the maximum
number of PV strings to be paralleled is 100=11:48 ¼ 8:7. Therefore, with this
regulator, we will be able to wire 5 strings in parallel.
• Voltage compatibility: If we use 5 strings in parallel, then each string will

consist of 2 modules in series. In this case, the open circuit voltage of the string
V ocT is 38:07 V 2 ¼ 76:14 Vunder STC conditions.
A coefficient of 20% is added to this value to account for the ambient temperature
influence, 76:14 1:2 ¼ 91:368 V. According to the regulator datasheet, the
regulator input voltage must not exceed 150 V. Therefore, the use of 2 modules in
series validates this condition.
• Power compatibility: The photovoltaic module rated power (8 modules) is

equal to: PmppTðmodulesÞ ¼ 10 Pmpp ¼ 10 260 W ¼ 2600 W. We identify,
Figure 4.
Victron energy ‘BlueSolar charge MPPT 150/100’ datasheet.
9
in Figure 4, that the rated power of the MPPT regulator is PmppT ð24 VÞ ¼
2900 W ! PmppT ðregulatorÞ ≻PmppTðmodulesÞ .
Figure 5 shows the photovoltaic module association (5 strings, each string is

composed by 2 modules in series).
6.3 Battery dimensioning
The battery capacity must be able to cover all the electrical needs (Ec).
When we size the batteries’ capacity, we apply the following dimensioning rule
[12, 14]:
• Over the duration of the reserve autonomy (NJ)
• Without any solar energy contribution
• Without ever exceeding the maximum depth of discharge (PD)
Figure 5.
Photovoltaic modules association.
10
6.3.1 Reserve autonomy
We define the notion of reserve autonomy which corresponds to the desired

day’s number during which the batteries are able to supply, without any additional
contribution from the photovoltaic field, all the electrical needs. We note NJ the
day’s number of reserve autonomy. The choice of NJ depends on the climatic
conditions of the site and more particularly the number of consecutive days without
sunshine. Usually, in Tunisia, NJ is fixed on 3 days.
6.3.2 Maximum depth of discharge
Repetition of deep discharges of the batteries should be avoided. Indeed, a too

deep discharge tends to produce lead sulfate which agglomerates at the level of the
electrodes. This phenomenon develops during the charging/discharging cycles and
amplifies all the more as the discharge is deep. Eventually, an insulating layer of
Figure 6.
SOLAR ASSAD battery datasheet.
11
lead sulfate appears and prevents chemical reactions from occurring. Then, the
accumulator becomes unusable, or at least it is able to fall dramatically.
We note PD the maximum discharge depth of a battery.
In this study, we chose “SOLAR ASSAD” as solar battery, 12 V, capacity
Cb ¼ 230 Ah. Thus, we will have to check the necessary batteries number and serial
or parallel association based on its datasheet [15] (Figure 6).
The battery capacity CT is calculated using the following expression:
CT ðAhÞ ¼ ðEc NJÞ=ðPD UT Þ (3)
where NJ is the number of days with insufficient sunshine (in our case
NJ ¼ 3 days); Ec is the daily electrical energy potentially produced by the photo-
voltaic system expressed in kWh/day, in our case Ec ¼ 7:43 kWh=day; UT is the
voltage in volt under which the battery is installed (12 V, 24 V, 48 V); in our case,
2 battery chains will be installed ➔ UT ¼ 24 V; and PD is the maximum discharge
depth of the batteries. In practice, a maximum depth of discharge of 70% is chosen.
Then, the battery capacity CT is equal to CT ¼ 1327 Ah.
When we size the capacity of the batteries, we can calculate the battery number
N b to be paralleled:
CT
Nb ¼ (4)
Cb
where CT is the batteries capacity, CT ¼ 1327Ah; and Cb is the battery capacity,

according to Figure 5, Cb ¼ 230 Ah.
Then, the battery number to be paralleled is equal to N b ¼ 6.
So the total battery number is equal to N bT ¼ 12: 2 battery chains (to obtain
24 V) on 6 parallel (to obtain capacity of 1327 Ah) (Figure 7).
6.4 Autonomous or off-grid inverter dimensioning
The off-grid inverter is the essential electronic device that converts DC low
voltage from a battery or other power source to 100–120 V or 220–240 V AC
voltage. Off-grid inverter produces a voltage wave, with an independent frequency
from the grid. Not only does the inverter convert DC to AC power, but it may also
regulate the PV system if correctly dimensioned according to the battery voltage
levels [12, 14].
Table 5 summarizes the recommended international standards for inverters
intended for photovoltaic applications. Each country adapts them to the specificities
of national functioning and regulation. Manufacturers are therefore slightly
modifying the final design of their products to meet the requirements of each
country [16].
In our case, the solar inverter is used to convert a 24 V battery DC voltage into
230 V AC voltage identical to that of the building electricity grid.
The off-grid inverter choice is based on three criteria:
• Part DC: On the DC side, the inverter must be adapted to the system voltage
imposed by the battery bank. In our case, the battery output voltage is equal
to 24 V.
• Part AC: On the AC side, the inverter will impose an output signal adapted to
the devices it feeds. In our case, the frequency voltage is equal to 50 Hz, and
the effective voltage value is equal to 230 V.
12
Figure 7.
Batteries association.
• Rated power: The inverter rated power should cover the sum of the all user
powers. A sizing margin of 20–30% is recommended to ensure that the inverter
operates at an ambient temperature of 25°C. In this study, the user powers are
equal to 2123 Wp, so the inverter rated power should be greater than
2123 1:3 ¼ 2760 W.
In this study, we chose P3000–482 Off-grid DC to AC pure sine wave 24 V–

220 V solar inverter (Figure 8). Thus, we will have to check the compatibility of
this inverter with this installation based on its datasheet [17] (Figure 9):
In the next study, it is necessary to:
13
• Determine the cables sections that cause the least possible drop in voltage
between the modules and battery-regulator-inverter and also between the
inverter and loads.
• Dimension the protection components such as fuses, switch, etc.
6.5 Dimensioning of the DC and AC cable
6.5.1 DC cable
The solar cables must comply with several regulatory constraints summarized in
the guide of the ETU C32–502 [18, 19].
These are specific cables subject to particular operating conditions. They must be
designed to operate with ambient temperatures between 35 and +70°C.
Thus, it is expected that:
• The maximum permissible core temperature at steady state is 90°C.
Table 5.
A summary of typical international codes and standards for PV applications.
Figure 8.
P3000-482 Off-grid DC to AC pure sine wave 24–220 V solar inverter.
14
Figure 9.
Solar inverter datasheet [17].
• The maximum permissible core temperature in the overload condition is 120°C.
The cable section choice of the installation is made according to two major
criteria:
• Tolerated voltage drop
• The maximum current allowed in the cables
6.5.2 Determination of the conductor section between the panels and the regulator
The conductors section between the panels and the regulator can be calculated
using (Eq. (5)):
ρL
S¼ (5)
Rmax
where
1. ρ is the substance conductivity:

Copper: ρcopper ¼ 1:7 10 8 Ω m
8
Aluminum: ρAluminum ¼ 2:8 10 Ω:m
15
Both values are calculated at 27°C. At higher temperatures, the material

resistance increases and the conductivity decreases.
In our case, the used conductors are copper.
2. The distance between the solar PV panels and the regulator is L ¼ 16 m

(outgoing and incoming cable).
3. The UTE C15-712 guide for PV installations indicates that the DC voltage drop
must be less than 3% and ideally 1%. In our case, it’s fixed at σ=1%. Then, at a
current of IscT ¼ 9:19 5 ¼ 45:95 A, the maximum resistance of the cable can
be calculated using (Eq. (6)):
V ocT σ 38:07 2 0:01

Rmax ¼ ¼ ) Rmax ¼ 0:0165 Ω (6)
IscT 45:95
Then, the conductor section is equal to:
ρ L 1:7 10 8 16
S¼ ¼ ¼ 16:48 mm2
Rmax 0:0165
A cable cross-section of 16 mm2 is sufficient to maintain the loss below 1%.
6.5.3 Determination of the conductor section between the regulator and the batteries
Calculating the output current of a panels at its rated power:
Pc 2600
I¼ ¼ ) I ¼ 108:33 A (7)
UT 24
The distance between the regulator and the batteries is L ¼ 3 m (outgoing and
incoming cable).
Then the conductor section is equal to:
ρ L I 1:7 10 8 3 108:33
S¼ ¼ ¼ 23 mm2
σ UT 0:01 24
A cable cross-section of 25 mm2 is sufficient to maintain the loss below 1%.
6.5.4 AC cable
The AC cable section formula is as follows:
ðρ b L I b Þ
S¼ (8)
ðε V n Þ
where S is the conductors section (m2); b is the coefficient which is 1 in three-

phase and 2 in single-phase; V n is the nominal voltage: V n ¼ 230 V in single-phase
or V n ¼ 380 V in three-phase; Ib is the maximum current;
Ib ¼ VPcn ¼ 2123
230 ) I ¼ 9:23 A; ρ is the material resistivity (Ω m); in our case, the
used conductors are copper; and L is the conductor length (m). The distance
between the inverter and the loads is 30 m; ε is the AC voltage drop; and in our
case, it’s fixed at 1%.
16
Figure 10.
The calculation results using "Sigma Tec" online calculator.
Then,
1:7 10 8 2 30 9:23

S¼ ¼ 4:09 mm2
ð0:01 230Þ
AC cable cross-section of 6 mm2 is sufficient to maintain the loss below 1%.

To validate this calculation, we can use “SigmaTec” which is an online calculator
of cable sections [20]. Figure 10 shows an example of calculation.
6.6 Dimensioning of DC protection components
Every PV installation requires an AC protection box and a DC protection box.

These AC/DC electrical boxes protect the photovoltaic system on the DC part as
well as on the AC part.
The protection component characteristics will be chosen based on the following
standards and guides [18, 19]:
Standards:
1. IEC 60364–7-712: Rules for installations and locations special—photovoltaic

power supplies
2. Solar (PV) NF C 15–100: Low-voltage electrical installations and regulations
Guides:
1. Guide UTE C 15–712-1: Practical guide, installation of solar photovoltaic (PV)

generators.
2. UTEC guide 61,740–51 (2009): It concerns the tests of surge arresters for DC
application only. These tests are based on AC surge arrester standards but
differentiate for “end of life tests.”
17
6.6.1 DC fuses
According to the UTE C15–712-1, the presence of fuse is always obligatory for
each of the photovoltaic chains, in order to protect the photovoltaic modules and
the cables of the currents being able to flow from the park of batteries toward the
panels (in particular in the dark period when the battery is able to discharge
through the photovoltaic field), in the case where the regulator’s nonreturn device is
inoperative.
In our case, we need five fuses on each of the two extremities of PV panels
(Figure 11).
6.6.1.1 Calibration of fuses
On the DC side, overcurrent occurs as back current. Above certain intensity, the
return currents can damage the photovoltaic modules.
In general, photovoltaic modules can support a maximum return current that
depends on the number of branches in parallel presented in Table 6:
Figure 11.
Fuses location in the PV system.
18
Number of parallel chain Maximum value of the return current in a chain
Nc = 1 0
Nc = 2 1.25 Isc
Nc = 3 2 1.25 Isc
Nc ≥ 1 (Nc 1) 1.25 Isc
Table 6.
Fuses choice.
The use of fuses also allows the shutdown of a single photovoltaic chain in the
event of maintenance activities, thus avoiding the shutdown of the entire
installation.
The rated current IN of the fuses must, in accordance with the guide of the UTE
C15 712-1, comply with the following condition, (Eq. (9)):
1:1 Isc, max 1:25Isc ≤ IN ≤ IRM 2Isc (9)
with IN being the rated current of the fuse or rated current of the fuse and IRM
being the maximum return current that can support a module without being
damaged
1:1 1:25 Isc ≤ IN ≤ 2 Isc

Then, 1:1 1:25 9:19 ≤ IN ≤ 2 9:19
12:6362A ≤ IN ≤ 18:38 A
In addition, the fuses used must have the following characteristics:
• Being specific to a DC application
• “Fast-melting”
• Being independent of the flow direction
• Having the gPV mark
By consulting the marketed product catalogs, the choice was set for gPV fuses
of 15 A caliber and 50 kA breaking capacities. Table 7 shows the fuse
characteristics [21]:
6.6.2 DC lightning protection
A lightning protection is required to protect the installations from high transient

voltages. Placed between the fuse of the panels and the batteries, it will be
Number 2
Rated current 15 A
Rated voltage DC 1000 V
Breaking capacity 50 kA
Table 7.
Fuse characteristics.
19
connected to the ground in order to evacuate the lightning potentially attracted by

the metallic structure of the modules (itself connected to the ground) [22].
Lightning protection can contain different internal components such as spark
gaps or clipping diodes. These components are intended to quickly limit the volt-
ages appearing at their terminals.
The choice between type 1 and type 2 lightning protections is determined from
Table 8.
The keraunic level of a site NK defines the number of thunderstorms per year in
a given place. It is determined by the map given by the weather Tunisia [23].
The Sousse keraunic level equals to 47, so in our case, NK ≥ 25; and so, the type
of surge arrester is type 2.
• The recommended minimum discharge current In is 5 kA. A higher value will

give a longer life.
• The voltage U c of a lightning protection must be greater than or equal to

1:2 V oc of PV generator; we obtain U c ≥ 1:2 38:07 ¼ 45:68 V.
Table 9 shows the following lightning protection characteristics.
6.6.3 DC switch disconnector
An electrical distribution from solar energy requires the same protections as for
a conventional network. However, the DC side protections are special because
direct current is difficult to interrupt if an arc occurs.
In a photovoltaic installation, it is essential to be able to cut off the power, for
example, to carry out maintenance operations.
The switch disconnector choice must take into account the following criteria:
In ≥ 5 1:25 Isc ) In ≥ 57:43 A

U e ≥ 2 Voc ) U e ≥ 76:14 V
where In is the rated current of the switch disconnector (A) and U e is the rated
voltage of the switch disconnector (V).
Installation characteristics NK ≤ 25 NK ≥ 25
DC side AC side DC side AC side
Building or structure equipped with a lightning rod Type 2 Type 1 Type 2 Type 1
Medium voltage supply by a line wholly or partly overhead Type 2 Type 2 Type 2 Type 2
Medium voltage supply via a completely underground line Type 2 Type 2 Type 2 Type 2
Table 8.
Lightning protection type choice [23].
Type 2
Rated voltage DC 1000 V
Nominal discharge current In (8/20) μs 15 kA
Maximum discharge current I total (8/20) μs 20 kA
Table 9.
Lightning protection characteristic.
20
Rated voltage 230/400VAC-50 Hz
Rated current 15 A
Table 10.
Switch disconnector characteristic.
6.7 Dimensioning of AC protection components
6.7.1 AC switch disconnector
The voltage at the inverter output is 230 V. In fact, the disconnector voltage
must be better than:
V e ≥ 230 1:14 ¼ 262:2 V
The inverter output current is equal to 10A. So the disconnector current is given by:
In ≥ 1:25 10 ¼ 12:5 A
Table 10 shows the characteristics of the switch disconnector.
6.7.2 Differential circuit breaker
The electrical installation is generally considered the occurrence seat of abnormally

high currents such as short circuit, overload, and indirect contacts. To guard against
the pervious defects, it is preferable to install a differential circuit breaker to cut the
installation if necessary. On the AC side of a photovoltaic installation, a differential
magnetothermic circuit breaker upstream of each inverter must be installed.
6.7.3 AC lightning protection
On the AC side of a photovoltaic installation, we will install a lightning protec-

tion in order to protect the entire installation.
7. Results and discussion
This study throws light on the following points:
1. In Msaken, the solar irradiation varies between a minimum of 3.22 kWh/m2/day

and a maximum of 6.4 kWh/m2/day, while mean value remained as
5 kWh/m2/day.
2. The energy need of the customer was identified at 7.43 kWh/day which
corresponds to a photovoltaic field peak power Pc equal to Pc ¼ 2:123 kWp.
3. The proposed solution is to install 10 PV modules of total power 2600 W,

while the necessary power is 2123Wp. Thus, the customer can supply another
electrical device without the need to modify the PV installation.
4. It is recommended to improve the energy efficiency of the building by

studying the characteristics of each load and by proposing to the customer to
replace the existing loads by others that are more economic.
21
Components Quantity Unit price Total price

(Euro) (Euro)
Solar panel polycrystalline IBC PolySol 260 W 10 253 2530
Victron energy e BlueSolar charge MPPT 150/100 1 816 816
Solar battery ASSAD 12 202,617 2431,404
P3000-482 Off-grid DC to AC pure sine wave 24– 1 305 305

220 V
Differential circuit breaker 1 26 26
AC/DC lightning protection 2 88.96 177.92
DC fuses 5 12 72
AC switch disconnector 1 36 36
DC switch disconnector 1 170 170
DC cables 25 mm2 3m 9.9 29.7
DC cables 16 mm2 16 m 2.6 41.6
AC cables 6 mm2 30 m 1.32 39.6
Structure 5 30 150
Maintenance and operational costs (Euro/year) 31.5
Total 6856.724
Table 11.
PV field installation cost.
7.1 Cost analysis
The PV field installation cost is reported in Table 11.
8. Conclusion and prospects
The objective of this chapter was to design and present a photovoltaic system, in
the form of an autonomous power supply system for a future house located in an
isolated area in Msaken, Sousse (Tunisia). An energy need analysis of the customer
was carried out in order to properly size the various components of the installation.
The autonomous system presented in this chapter leads to a continuous lighting
supply of the load for 72 hours. In comparison, a system connected to the network
in Tunisia would lead to occasional power outages, affecting the entire installation.
To obtain a robust solar system, the photovoltaic panels must be supplemented
by a charge controller, a group of batteries, and an inverter. The recommended
panel assembly consists of 10 polycrystalline 260 W photovoltaic modules. The
installation must be installed at an angle of 30° south. A charge controller regulates
the charge of 12 batteries “SOLAR ASSAD” of 230 Ah. An inverter is used to supply
loads with alternating current. The total investment cost of the system is
6856.724Euro.
Although the results obtained in the calculations can be considered valid, some
improvements can be made to the calculation method to obtain more accurate
results. Thus, as short-term prospects, it will be necessary to:
22
• Obtain more accurate meteorological data for optimized sizing of plant

components.
• Reconfigure the PV modules taking into account the optimal spacing between
the rows, and optimize the shading losses.
• Validate the sizing performed using specific software such as PVsyst and
Archelios™.
• Study in more detail the future requirements of the customer such as external
lighting systems with auxiliary energy saving and efficiency systems such as
LEDs, voltage stabilizers, etc., and calculate whether the PV system designed
meets these requirements.
• Conduct a more in-depth study on the costs associated with the PV installation
analyzed. Try to obtain the cost of the components/services of a photovoltaic
project located in Tunisia.
• Include an environmental analysis of the PV project.
• Try to apply the calculation method developed with other photovoltaic

modules, regulators, batteries, and inverters, with a different tracking system
or located on another site, and check if the results are consistent with the
results previously obtained.
Acknowledgements
This project was supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research under Grant LabEM—ESSTHSousse—LR11ES34.
Likewise, the authors would like to thank SOS ENERGY Company for the
technical information.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
23
Author details
Olfa Bel Hadj Brahim Kechiche*, Marwa Hamza and Habib Sammouda
High School of Sciences and Technology of Hammam Sousse, Laboratory of Energy
and Materials (LR11ES34), Sousse University, Hammam Sousse, Tunisia
*Address all correspondence to: Olfa.Belhadjbrahimkechiche@essths.rnu.tn;

belhajbrahimolfa@yahoo.fr
© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. Distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution - NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and reproduction for
non-commercial purposes, provided the original is properly cited. –NC
24
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Renewable energy production has the potential to replace traditional fossil

Keywords: autonomous PV installation, Msaken, Sousse (Tunisia), electrical need

In this context, a client wants to realize an autonomous photovoltaic installation

2. Electrical need estimation

• Then, we will estimate the daily use time.

Devices Unit power Number Duration of Power Daily energy production

Incandescent lamp 75 5 4 375 1.500

Incandescent lamp 25 2 1 50 0.050

TV LED 210 1 3 210 0.630

Mini fridge 180 1 24 180 4.320

Laptop 150 1 2 150 0.300

Laptop charger 3 2 1 6 0.006

Washing machine 250 1 1 250 0.25

Total 1247 7.43

3. Evaluation of the optimal PV module orientation and inclination

Month Hh Hopt H(30) Iopt

Jan 2210 3220 3500 57

Feb 3110 4170 4380 50

Mar 4290 5070 5070 38

Apr 5330 5610 5300 23

May 6180 5950 5360 9

Jun 6760 6240 5470 2

Jul 6730 6340 5620 6

Aug 6300 6400 5910 17

Sep 4880 5560 5460 33

Oct 3720 4810 4980 47

Nov 2550 3680 3970 56

Dec 1960 5910 3180 59

Year 4510 5000 4850 30

Then in Msaken, the average value of irradiation received by an optimally

4. Integration of PV modules in the building

The house is under construction, so one of three methods (described in Table 3)

5.1 Ratio performance (RP)

• The voltage drop in the cables is limited to 3%.

• Regulator output is similar from one regulator to another (97% of order of

• Battery performance is about 85%.

• The inverter efficiency is similar from one inverter to another (order of

Without MPPT 0.55 0.60 0.65 0.70

With MPPT 0.60 0.65 0.70 0.75

In our case, PV modules are superimposed. Therefore, it will be considered that

5.2 Peak power determination of the PV field

Figure 2 shows an autonomous photovoltaic installation schematic.

6.1 Number of solar modules and characteristics

• Cell temperature: θ ¼ 25° ¼ T ¼ 298:16 K

• Incident radiation: G ¼ 1000 W=m2

• Spectral distribution of solar radiation: AM1:5

The electrical characteristics of the PV module in the STC:

• Rated power: Pmpp ¼ 260 W.

• Open-circuit voltage: V oc ¼ 38:07 V.

• Maximum voltage: V mpp ¼ 30:57 V.

• Short circuit current: Isc ¼ 9:19 A.

• Maximum current: Impp ¼ 8:56 A

The thermal characteristics of the PV module in the STC:

• Temperature coefficient: T cPmpp ¼ 0:42%=K.