I don't think there are requirements for max voltage drop. There are recommendations from many sources. Typically for AC, 5% max from Source to load is accepted. Hence the stated 2% for MCC bus feeder and 3% for bus to Motor...I know mathematically, this is really 4.94%.

The other thing to consider is your regulated source. For AC this could be the grid, or a Generator voltage regulator or a Load Tap Changer. I would assume the grid and voltage regulator to be digital with fast response, whereas a LTC is much slower to respond to voltage fluctuations. For DC, the Power supply could be your voltage regulator or maybe it is your battery charger.

n a off grid PV system the main power comes from batteries and the solar panels all they have to do is recharge the batteries before the sun goes down. We never discharge a bank of batteries below 20% thus the batteries last sometimes up to 15 years. This is dependent on keeping the batteries full and away from heat. But it has been working since 1968. These systems have been working every day and night for the last 42. Off Grid Solar Systems operate without water, fuel or mechanical devices. Solar PV is more expensive than solar thermal. But show me one other way to produce electric power that is as reliable and sustainable.

Now for solar PV. In a solar PV system first there are no moving parts to break, or rust. Solar PV can produce electric power directly without the use of fuels or water.Solar PV and hydro have energy storage unlike wind or solar thermal.
Solar PV has a very low cost to maintain over any other form of generating electric power. Solar PV can be is the only product that can be off grid and energy independent for a sustainable future. Solar PV has a 25 year warranty and most other technology has months.

AC modules (which I think are truly awesome) would also be more acceptable to mainstream America if a dominant industry standard existed. With dominant standards, the potential disadvantages of AC panels (high tare loss and micro inverter replacement requires uninstalling the array back to the point of failure) would be quickly overlooked.

Although PV systems will soon be purchased at Home Depot or WalMart. Akeena Solar is now selling their AC modules (with Enphase micro inverters) through Lowe's Hardware. This allows the consumer to buy from someone they already know, which makes solar appear to be less risky. And that's a GREAT product intangible.

In the solar industry, there are few if any risk-lowering product intangibles and the compelling "mainstream" application hasn't been identified yet. So when the cost of solar reaches grid parity, you'll essentially get the same thing you already get from a utility…electric power for the same price. There's no quantum leap in capability or extraordinary advantage above what a utility already offers. Plus, there's no need to install a bunch of complex equipment when power comes from the grid.

A better approach, other than the Infinia system, would be a CPV system with high efficiency cells. Solfocus, Emcore and Delta all make systems that should work for the application you describe. With a small pad for the tracker mast and a utility shack for the inverter, you'd have a fairly easily installed/deinstalled system. Same could be said for a tracked non-concentrating PV system, but you'll get better yield per footprint with CPV. Similar cost per kWh, but better kWh yield per square meter, so you'd generate more revenue off smaller sites.

At the end of the day, the current limiting factor is in converting the heat to electricity. I checked out the Infinia system you quoted, and it's just what I was talking about as a finished product... the frustrating part is I can't get one! (because, as you pointed out, they don't want to talk to anyone with less than a 1MW project... I suppose if I could afford 333 of them I could get them).

Nevertheless, taking Infinia at their word that their installed cost is competitive, I could envision packaging these units into transportable 12kW systems, (complete with synchronizing inverters and smart meters) that can be erected in a couple of hours each.

So, I do think that, especially for small scale applications, if you look at the electrical output for PV versus the electrical output for a heat engine idea, PV has very clear advantages. If you want to talk about concentration of solar power for high delta-T heat engines, then you can get performance on par with that of CPV, and possibly at a lower cost per kWe with further development of the manufacturing of solar heat engines, but then, just like with CPV, you are dependent on the direct normal radiation and the quality of your tracking and concentrating.

Alternatively get down the reliable solar panels which are low in price $1 to $2/Wp and assemble your own way with necessary connection charge controllers Battery and inverters. Have your own local good consultants. This will give you the lowest price like $3000/kWatt installed.

As you are close to China and Honk Kong you could find people from there to assist you, Australia is also doing good work on solar projects.

It is better to listen to people with experience in this field of Generation with Solar. Now that India is planning for 2GW of solar power. China has signed MOU with First solar for 2GW of solar PV power.

The cost of solar panels for US is very high as the country needs many conditions to get the Federal rebates etc. This will not be so difficult in China and India. China will offer almost 50% rebate on installed cost now to meet its goal of reaching 20% renewable by 2020 same type of goal is there with India. US has to soon learn from these projects.
The US standards are very high. But this will not be the case for developing countries. It is the oil people who prevent the expansion of renewable.

There are two components to a solar power plant cost. Module price and the rest of it classified under balance of system (BOS). Module prices are around $1.5-1.8/W for thin film and around $1.7-2/W for c-Si. There are some reports of c-Si selling around $1.5/W (below cost) in strategic moves to capture markets. Range of price is for efficiency variations. Balance of system consists of inverters, cables, mounting structure. For a large solar farm (and not residential rooftops), it hovers around $2/W, but can be brought down to $1.5/W.

Total installed cost of around $3/W. Thin film will be a lower cost solution for solar farms as you are not constrained by area like a residential rooftop.

Reflect on the conclusion of previous chapter have a sense of humor and now wiser look up to the sky during day time. You will see the Sun. Realize that it is by far the most regular thing in existence of planet earth. So can you bank on it?
"Yes but so boring and unexciting?"
Don't worry take Late Stock Buffs best Ponzi returns and average them and mutiply it by 2.5 just to make it look legal.
Compare it with much lower real rate of return.
There are some solar energy applications that have return similar to that of your Late friend multiplied by 2.5.
If done intelligently you may not even need to mutiply by 2.5 times.