Solar PV Inverters

 In grid-connected systems, the inverter is connected directly

to the PV array and converts the DC electricity coming from
the PV array into AC electricity
– The inverter latches on to the grid’s frequency and voltage
– It contains an MPP tracker, a DC-DC converter, and a DC-AC
inverter

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 Solar PV Implementation Topologies

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 Efficiency of the inverter - Definition

 This definition comprises the complete inverter unit

– Since the real inverter has many components and due to the lack
of detailed data from inverters manufacturers, some models have
been developed to describe the efficiency  These models are
based on empirical formulas
– It is important to note that the efficiency here reported is an
instantaneous value, which means that it is time-dependent

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 Efficiency of the inverter - Definition

 The inverter efficiency is not constant, but strongly depends on

the DC input voltage and the total DC input power
– It should be noted that every inverter and every manufacturer
show a different behaviour when it comes to efficiencies

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 Weighted Efficiencies
 A reliable way of expressing the inverter efficiency with a
single number is to use weighted efficiencies
– This method combines the inverter efficiencies over a wide range
of solar expositions
– Eta values like the one in the red circle denote the efficiency at a
certain percentage of nominal power of the inverter.
– Two different weighted efficiencies are commonly used
• First, the European efficiency, which represents a low
insolation climate such as in Central Europe
• second, the California Energy Commission (CEC) efficiency,
which represents the PV system performance in high insolation
regions such as in the southwest of the United Sta

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 Instantaneous Efficiencies Estimation - SNL model

 Weighted coefficients approach is a better approach compared

to the peak efficiency, it still provides an average efficiency
 More accurate representation of the instantaneous inverter
performance at every level of input power and voltage must be
developed
 Many research institutes around the world have published
extended data
– These data present efficiency curves for a large range of inverters
as a function of several characteristic parameters
– One useful database is the one provided by Sandia National
Laboratories (SNL model)

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 SNL model - Parameters
 Non-linearity between DC input and AC output
 A device working at nominal voltage Vdc zero
– The pattern changes with a lower or a higher voltage
 The AC power limit for which the inverter is designed is Pac0
and provides the nominal dc power Pdc0 when it crosses the
nominal voltage line
 Ps zero, which is the self consumption of the inverter
 C zero used to describe the non-linear nature of the inverter

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 SNL model - Inverter Efficiency with DC input
voltage

 For a different type of inverter, a higher voltage can lead to

higher efficiencies or vice versa

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 SNL model

 The SNL model provides also some empirical formulas for the
AC power output as function of different parameters

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  Pac = ac-power output from inverter based on input power and voltage, (W)
 Pdc = dc-power input to inverter, typically assumed to be equal to the PV array
maximum power, (W)
 Vd = dc-voltage input, typically assumed to be equal to the PV array maximum power
voltage, (V)
 Paco = maximum ac-power “rating” for inverter at reference or nominal operating
condition, assumed to be an upper limit value, (W)
 Pdco = dc-power level at which the ac-power rating is achieved at the reference
operating condition, (W)
 Vdco = dc-voltage level at which the ac-power rating is achieved at the reference
operating condition, (V)
 Pso = dc-power required to start the inversion process, or self-consumption by inverter,
strongly influences inverter efficiency at low power levels, (W)
 Pnt = ac-power consumed by inverter at night (night tare) to maintain circuitry required
to sense PV array voltage, (W) Co = parameter defining the curvature (parabolic) of the
relationship between ac-power and dc-power at the reference operating condition, default
value of zero gives a linear relationship, (1/W)
 C1 = empirical coefficient allowing Pdco to vary linearly with dc-voltage input, default
value is zero, (1/V)
 C2 = empirical coefficient allowing Pso to vary linearly with dc-voltage input, default
value is zero, (1/V)
 C3 = empirical coefficient allowing Co to vary linearly with dc-voltage input, default value
is zero, (1/V)

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