Battery tests are conducted both under controlled conditions in the laboratory and in field experiments to determine capacity, cycle life, and performance as part of whole systems in various configurations. Venice lighting systems, in Venice, Florida, give researchers a better understanding of the performance of small stand-alone PV systems and the effects of charge control and other design strategies. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia, is another large area lighting demonstration. Owned and operated by the National Park Service, forty individual systems are installed over a six-acre area. FSEC tests and evaluates grid-connected systems to address major interconnection issues such as equipment protection, power quality and personnel safety.
Hybrid systems incorporate multiple energy sources.
In addition to PV, they may use a diesel generator or wind turbines to provide power for lighting, refrigeration, or communications in remote areas.