Study on Energy Efficiency and Harmonic Emission of Photovoltaic Inverters

Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Łukasz Topolski, Aleks Piszczek, Tomasz Rodziewicz and Zbigniew Hanzelka
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Krzysztof Chmielowiec: Department of Power Electronics and Energy Control Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Łukasz Topolski: Department of Power Electronics and Energy Control Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Aleks Piszczek: Department of Power Electronics and Energy Control Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Tomasz Rodziewicz: TAURON Dystrybucja S.A., 31-035 Kraków, Poland
Zbigniew Hanzelka: Department of Power Electronics and Energy Control Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-23

Abstract: The paper presents the results of an experimental study of 26 brand new photovoltaic (PV) inverters widely available for sale on the EU market; the study was conducted in 2021 by researchers at the AGH University of Science and Technology and Tauron Dystrybucja (Polish DSO). The purpose of the study was to compare and assess PV inverter performances in terms of their DC/AC conversion efficiencies, MPPT efficiencies, and harmonic current emissions. To examine the PV inverters, a laboratory test stand was prepared according to the standard EN 50530 and the technical report IEC/TR 61000-3-15. It was composed of a photovoltaic array simulator, a programmable regenerative AC voltage source, and a power analyzer. Each PV inverter was tested in various operating states determined by the DC voltage levels and the volume of active power generation. The results allowed for a benchmark assessment of PV inverters available on the market. The results showed how various energy efficiency indicators of individual PV inverters changed depending on their operating points. The results also revealed that, based on the performed harmonic emission tests, individual harmonics were within the normative requirements; however, in the case of several PV inverters, attention was drawn to the presence of relatively high switching frequency-related components exceeding permissible levels.

Keywords: photovoltaic inverters; electrical efficency; MPPT tracking; harmonic current emission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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