Practice Test Geeks(REP) Certified Renewable Energy Professional Practice Test
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Solar Energy Systems Flashcards

7 cards from real REP 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 Energy Systems flashcards as text

  1. Which type of solar concentrating technology uses a parabolic dish to focus sunlight onto a Stirling engine at the focal point?

    Answer: Dish-Stirling system

    Dish-Stirling systems use a parabolic dish concentrator to focus sunlight onto a Stirling heat engine mounted at the focal point for electricity generation.

  2. What is the main advantage of a microinverter over a string inverter in a residential PV installation?

    Answer: Module-level MPPT that reduces shading and mismatch losses

    Microinverters perform MPPT at each individual panel, so shading or soiling on one panel does not significantly reduce the output of other panels.

  3. In NEC Article 690, what is the significance of the 'maximum system voltage' rating for PV equipment?

    Answer: Equipment must be rated for voltages at or above the highest voltage that can appear in the system under any conditions

    NEC 690 requires that all PV system components be rated for the maximum system voltage, which includes the open-circuit voltage corrected for the lowest expected temperature.

  4. A 10 kW PV system produces 14,000 kWh annually at a site with 1,750 peak sun hours per year. What is the system's capacity factor?

    Answer: 16%

    Capacity factor = actual output ÷ (rated capacity × 8,760 h) = 14,000 ÷ (10 × 8,760) ≈ 16%.

  5. What is the primary purpose of grounding the DC negative conductor in a transformerless PV inverter system?

    Answer: Prevent potential-induced degradation (PID) in the modules

    Grounding the negative rail in a transformerless system reduces the potential difference between the module frame and cells, mitigating potential-induced degradation.

  6. Which solar thermal collector type is best suited for high-temperature industrial process heat applications (above 150°C)?

    Answer: Parabolic trough collector

    Parabolic trough collectors concentrate sunlight onto an absorber tube, achieving fluid temperatures above 150°C, making them suitable for industrial process heat and power generation.

  7. What does 'specific yield' (kWh/kWp) measure in a solar PV project?

    Answer: Annual energy output per kilowatt of installed peak capacity

    Specific yield normalizes annual energy production by installed capacity, allowing fair comparison of PV system performance across different locations and sizes.