Photovoltaic power conditioning: Status and needs

Technical Report · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5652731

Steitz, P ^[1]

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1. Steitz and Associates, Sun Prairie, WI (USA)

This report presents the results of an Electric Power Research Institute and Sandia National Laboratories joint study of the power electronic equipment requirements for photovoltaic power stations. The objective of the study was to assess the state of the art and define a critical path for evolving next-generation power conditioners and other power electronic equipment that are suitably reliable, efficient, and economical for large-scale commercialization of photovoltaics. The study results indicate that the performance of well-built and well-designed power conditioning units (PCU's) in existing photovoltaic power stations is technically adequate for future installations. Substantial reductions in the cost as well as improvements in the efficiency, reliability and maintainability of PCU's are needed to help make photovoltaics economically competitive with other power supply options available to utilities. Opportunities for the advancement of power conditioning exist in the areas of power semiconductor devices, power electronic circuits, control and protection systems, and packaging. Benefits can also be derived by making power conditioning designs more integral to overall photovoltaic station designs. The primary need identified is for information that can help utilities procure and evaluate the performance of PCU's and that can help the power electronics industry evolve suitable PCU designs for future applications. The study concludes that the technology advancement process already in place in the power electronics industry should be sufficient to ensure the availability of a suitable next-generation PCU technology when required. However, this process may need nurturing in the form of selected collaborative efforts and other support. A list of desirable follow-up activities is presented, and the key elements of the critical path for evolving a suitable PCU technology for next generation photovoltaic power stations are identified. 42 refs., 22 figs., 19 tabs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Steitz and Associates, Sun Prairie, WI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5652731
• Report Number(s): EPRI-GS-7230
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600* -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
240201 -- Power System Networks
Transmission & Distribution-- AC Systems-- (1990-)
42 ENGINEERING
420200 -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
426000 -- Engineering-- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits-- (1990-)
AC SYSTEMS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FAILURES
MAINTENANCE
MARKETING
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS
POWER CONDITIONING CIRCUITS
POWER PLANTS
POWER SYSTEMS
POWER TRANSMISSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT