SMA Solar Technology has initiated PV Pack, a joint research project that focuses on innovative inverter concepts for the PV systems.
Inverters are important components of PV system because they determine the efficiency and reliability of the entire system. Technology used in inverters must be improved.
The research will focus on developing new approaches in optimization of advanced packaging and cooling technologies. The new packaging concepts will be optimized in terms of how they interact with the power electronics used in inverter systems.
The new solutions will be used in a three-phase inverter to achieve a new, highly integrated system concept and then tested in real-world conditions. The project will result in three-phase photovoltaic inverters in the 10-kW to 40-kW range will see a marked improvement in functionality, efficiency, cost and service life. It will lead to significantly more compact PV inverters, which in turn will reduce costs, thus meeting the future demands of solar power use.
The project is backed by €1.4 million from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of its “Power Electronics for Improved Energy Efficiency (LES) Part 2: Electronics for the Energy of the Future” initiative.