ABSTRACT
Design of a stand-alone PV system centres on the selection and sizing of appropriate components to meet the requirements of a particular load. Component costs and efficiencies are required, in addition to load characteristics. Trade-offs can usually be made between components to meet budget constraints, although system reliability and life expectancy are likely to be compromised (Durand, 1994). Some information or estimate of the solar insolation characteristics at the site is required, as is an indication of the criticality of the power supply. Different design approaches are outlined in this chapter.
