The goal of the first edition of this textbook was to present a comprehensive
engineering basis for photovoltaic (PV) system design, so the engineer would
understand the what, the why and the how associated with electrical, mechanical,
economic and aesthetic aspects of PV system design. The first edition was intended
to educate the engineer in the design of PV systems so that when engineering
judgment was needed, the engineer would be able to make intelligent
decisions based upon a clear understanding of the parameters involved. This
goal differentiated this textbook from the many design and installation manuals
that are currently available that train the reader how to do it, but not why.
Widespread acceptance of the first edition, coupled with significant growth
and new ideas in the PV industry over the 3 years since its publication, along
with 3 additional years of experience with PV system design and installation for
the authors, has led to the publication of this second edition. This edition includes
updates in all chapters, including a number of new homework problems
and sections that cover contemporary system designs in significant detail. The
book is heavily design-oriented, with system examples based upon presently
available system components (2003).