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Engineering guides, worked examples and ideas from the Zenlithic team.

Practical solar PV design calculations with formulas and checklists — plus perspective on technology, business and careers.

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Solar Engineering Knowledge Base

10 step-by-step guides in reading order — string and inverter sizing, cables, energy yield, layout, irradiance, transformers and SLDs. Every calculation is worked through with stated assumptions.

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Solar String Sizing: How to Calculate Modules per String (Worked Example)
Guide 01

Solar String Sizing: How to Calculate Modules per String (Worked Example)

A complete engineering guide to PV string sizing — cold-temperature Voc, hot-temperature Vmp, MPPT window and current checks — with a fully worked 26 vs 28 module example for a 1500 V string inverter.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
DC/AC Ratio and Inverter Sizing for Solar PV Plants (Clipping, MPPT and Worked Example)
Guide 02

DC/AC Ratio and Inverter Sizing for Solar PV Plants (Clipping, MPPT and Worked Example)

A practical engineering guide to DC/AC ratio (inverter loading ratio) and inverter sizing — MPPT input limits, clipping threshold calculation, reactive-power headroom and a worked 10 MW example.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
Solar Cable Sizing and Voltage Drop Calculation (DC and AC Worked Examples)
Guide 03

Solar Cable Sizing and Voltage Drop Calculation (DC and AC Worked Examples)

How to size DC string cables and AC/HT cables for solar plants — design current, derating, voltage drop and loss formulas, short-circuit withstand, copper vs aluminium — with complete worked examples.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
Solar PR, CUF and Generation Calculation (5 MWp Worked Example)
Guide 04

Solar PR, CUF and Generation Calculation (5 MWp Worked Example)

How to calculate solar plant generation, performance ratio (PR), specific yield and CUF — with a complete 5 MWp / 4 MWac worked example, an explicit loss chain and clearly stated assumptions.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
Solar Row Spacing, Pitch and GCR Calculation (Tilt and Shadow Analysis Worked Example)
Guide 05

Solar Row Spacing, Pitch and GCR Calculation (Tilt and Shadow Analysis Worked Example)

How to calculate solar row spacing, pitch and GCR from sun position — winter-solstice shadow analysis, tilt trade-offs and land density — with a fully worked example for a fixed-tilt plant in Jaipur.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
kW vs kWp vs MW vs MWp in Solar (and kVA, kWh, MU) Explained with Examples
Guide 06

kW vs kWp vs MW vs MWp in Solar (and kVA, kWh, MU) Explained with Examples

The difference between kW, kWp, MW, MWp, kVA, kWh and MU in solar projects — what each measures, where each belongs in a proposal or tender, and a worked 5 MWp / 4 MWac example.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
GHI, DNI, DHI and POA Irradiance Explained (with a Worked Transposition Example)
Guide 07

GHI, DNI, DHI and POA Irradiance Explained (with a Worked Transposition Example)

What GHI, DNI, DHI and POA irradiance mean, how they relate, how tilted-plane irradiance is calculated from them, and which one to use in generation, PR and PVsyst — with a verified worked example.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
Strings per MPPT: How Many Solar Strings Can You Connect in Parallel? (Worked Example)
Guide 08

Strings per MPPT: How Many Solar Strings Can You Connect in Parallel? (Worked Example)

How to calculate the number of strings per MPPT and per inverter — operating current, short-circuit current, bifacial gain, string fuse requirements and orientation rules — with a verified worked example.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
Solar Transformer Sizing and Selection (kVA, Impedance, Losses — 2.5 MW Worked Example)
Guide 09

Solar Transformer Sizing and Selection (kVA, Impedance, Losses — 2.5 MW Worked Example)

How to calculate the kVA/MVA rating of a solar step-up transformer, choose impedance and vector group, estimate losses and fault levels — with a verified 2.5 MW plant example.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team
How to Prepare a Solar SLD (Single Line Diagram) — Step by Step with a 2.5 MW Example
Guide 10

How to Prepare a Solar SLD (Single Line Diagram) — Step by Step with a 2.5 MW Example

A step-by-step guide to preparing a solar plant single line diagram (SLD) — the DC, LT and HT sections, protection, metering, earthing and ratings — illustrated with a 2.5 MW plant example.

Zenlithic Solar Engineering Team

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