Methodology to Define an Overall Efficiency of Photovoltaic Inverters Considering Static and Dynamic Tests

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18618/REP.2005.1.071079

Keywords:

Photovoltaic System Efficiency, Natural Solar Dynamics, Renewable Energies, Global Efficiency, Static Efficiency, Dynamic Efficiency

Abstract

Efficiency indices for inverters have been developed with the increasing adoption of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The European and Californian efficiencies are widely recognized, focusing on static inverter operation. Standards such as EN50530 and IEC 62891 introduced dynamic efficiency tests considering irradiance variations, but without a methodology to weigh the efficiencies within a single index. To address this gap, our study proposes a methodology to define an overall efficiency considering both static and dynamic inverter operation. Irradiance data with sub-minute sampling is classified into irradiance and irradiance derivative ranges. Then, weights for static and dynamic efficiency tests are obtained, and less significant ones are discarded. The results were applied to three PV inverters tested in the laboratory. By eliminating the less significant tests, the number of dynamic tests was reduced from 30 to 10. In two of the inverters, the inclusion of dynamic tests resulted in a 2\% reduction in overall efficiency compared to the static. An overall efficiency index is relevant for better comparing different PV inverters, especially when considering dynamic behaviors. This index may be significant for the PV market, governmental energy efficiency programs, and inverter manufacturers, providing guidelines to enhance the efficiency of their products.

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Author Biographies

Henrique Horst Figueira, SEG Automotive Germany GmbH, Engineering hardware department, Stuttgart - BW, Germany

received his B.Sc. (2013), M.Sc. (2016), and Ph.D. (2020) degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). From 2016 to 2021, he worked as Metrologist, Technical Manager and Commercial Manager at the Photovoltaic Inverters Testing Laboratory in the Smart Grids Institute (INRI-UFSM). Since 2021, he has been working as Hardware Development Engineer at SEG Automotive Germany GmbH, focusing traction inverters for hybrid and electrical vehicles. His main research interests include traction inverters, renewable energy and power electronics.

Fernando S. Scherer, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

received his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, in 2020. Currently, he is a Master's student at the Federal University of Santa Maria in the Power Electronics and Control Group. His areas of interest include power electronics, control systems, and electric power processing.

Ricardo J. F. Bortolini, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

received the B.Sc. in Control and Automation Engineering by Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) in 2015, M. Sc. and Dr. in Electrical Engineering from UFSM in 2018 and 2023 respectively. He worked as Technical Manager at the Photovoltaic Inverters Testing Laboratory in the Smart Grids Institute (INRI-UFSM), from 2017 to 2023. Since 2023, he is R$\&$D$\&$I Project Manager at the INRI-UFSM Embrapii unit (Brazilian Company of Research and Industrial Innovation). Besides, he is a researcher at GEPOC and a member of SOBRAEP and IEC. Your main research interests include renewable energy, power electronics, system testing and validation and hardware-in-the-loop.

Lucas Vizzotto Bellinaso, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

received his B.S., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), in 2012, 2014 and 2017, respectively. Since 2015, he has been with the Power Electronics and Control Group, where he is currently Professor. His research interests include PV systems, power electronics and control applied to renewable energy systems, and safety of PV systems. Additionally, he is currently National Secretary of ABNT/CB-003/CE 003 082, the Brazilian mirror committee of IEC TC 82.

Leandro Michels, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

(S'97 M'08) received the B.S and Ph.D. degrees from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil, in 2002 and 2006, respectively, both in electrical engineering. Since 2009 he has been with the Power Electronics and Control Research Group (GEPOC) at UFSM, where he is currently an Associate Professor. He was director of Smart Grids Institute (INRI/UFSM) and of the Unit on Energy and Mobility of Brazilian Company of Research and Industrial Innovation (Embrapii). Dr. Michels is Research Productivity Grant level DT-1A of CNPq. He has works in the field of photovoltaic systems as manager of the laboratory of PV inverters, in working groups to develop of IEC and Brazilian photovoltaic standards, as well as in R$\&$D projects with industry.

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Published

2024-07-16

How to Cite

[1]
H. H. Figueira, F. S. Scherer, R. J. F. Bortolini, L. V. Bellinaso, and L. Michels, “Methodology to Define an Overall Efficiency of Photovoltaic Inverters Considering Static and Dynamic Tests”, Eletrônica de Potência, vol. 29, p. e202419, Jul. 2024.

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Original Papers