Sandy Atkins, Technical & Compliance Specialist at the Clean Energy Council (CEC), recently reviewed the new GSES training manual Grid-Connected PV Systems with Battery Storage for the CEC’s installer newsletter. Here is his article in full:

“Grid-Connected PV Systems with Battery Storage” by GSES

Review by Sandy Atkins

Are you accredited for grid-connect and stand-alone? Have you been asked to design and install a grid-connect PV with battery back-up system for a customer? If you have, then you will have probably have some questions, like: What size battery bank is required? Which type of system is the most efficient – DC coupled or AC coupled? What is the customer trying to achieve (minimal export, minimising peak load, reducing impact of grid interruptions)?

The latest book from GSES, “Grid-Connected PV Systems with Battery Storage” is a practical, comprehensive and easy to follow guide to grid-connect PV with battery storage and is definitely worth a look. Not only does the book cover a range of ways that a grid-connect system with battery storage can be configured, it also contains a simple flow chart of the different ways the systems may be utilised. The book covers in great detail all aspects of the design of grid-connect PV battery storage systems, including different system configurations, a large variety of battery technologies (not just wet and sealed lead acid), sizing loads, controllers, programming inverters and install details.

Good, clear graphics and diagrams make it easy to read, and worked examples throughout the text help ensure you understand the theory. The layout of the book makes it an excellent reference manual to be pulled out to cross-check or ensure you have covered everything when designing your system.