Solar, Wind & Storage Technologies Flashcards
7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Solar, Wind & Storage Technologies flashcards as text
What is 'levelized cost of energy' (LCOE), and why is it a standard metric for comparing generation technologies?
Answer: Total lifetime costs divided by total lifetime energy output; allows fair comparison across technologies with different cost structures
LCOE divides all discounted lifetime costs (capital, O&M, fuel) by total lifetime energy production, enabling consistent comparison between technologies with very different cost timing and output profiles.
Which wind resource characteristic does 'Weibull distribution' help model?
Answer: Probability distribution of wind speeds at a site over time
The Weibull distribution is a two-parameter statistical model widely used to describe the probability distribution of wind speeds at a potential wind farm site.
What is 'degradation rate' in solar PV, and what is a typical annual value for crystalline silicon panels?
Answer: Annual decline in panel power output due to material aging; typically 0.5–0.7% per year
Solar panel degradation rate describes the annual decline in maximum power output due to UV exposure and thermal cycling; crystalline silicon panels typically degrade at 0.5–0.7% per year.
In a hybrid renewable energy system combining solar PV with battery storage, what operational strategy is called 'peak shaving'?
Answer: Storing excess solar generation during midday and discharging it during evening demand peaks to flatten the load profile
Peak shaving uses stored energy to reduce demand charges by flattening consumption spikes, lowering electricity costs for commercial and industrial customers.
What is the key advantage of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) over lithium-ion batteries for long-duration grid storage?
Answer: Energy capacity can be scaled independently of power capacity by increasing electrolyte volume
In VRFBs, energy is stored in the electrolyte tanks (separate from the power conversion stack), so capacity can be expanded simply by adding more electrolyte at lower marginal cost.
What environmental concern is most associated with large-scale solar farm development on undisturbed land?
Answer: Habitat loss and fragmentation for wildlife in natural ecosystems
Utility-scale solar farms on undisturbed land can displace native vegetation and wildlife habitat, making site selection, land-use compatibility studies, and biodiversity mitigation plans essential.
What is 'grid parity' for solar or wind energy, and why is it a significant milestone?
Answer: When the LCOE of renewables equals or falls below the cost of electricity from conventional power plants without subsidies
Grid parity occurs when a renewable energy source can generate electricity at a cost equal to or less than conventional alternatives without subsidies, making deployment economically self-sustaining.