I-Corps: High Efficient Grid-Tie Inverter

Indiana University, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Abstract

A grid-tie inverter is a critical need to guarantee the integration of residential solar systems with the public utility grid. Installers and designers of solar systems for residential and commercial buildings are the main potential customers of the proposed grid-tie inverter. The capacity range required for installed photovoltaic (PV) systems ranges from hundreds of watts for typical residential rooftop customers to hundreds of kilowatts for commercial rooftop customers. Currently, the majority of customers that utilize PV systems face two major challenges: cost and limited surface area available to install the panels. It is expected that the proposed grid-tie inverter, with better efficiency, translates to an installer being able to use fewer solar panels to obtain the same amount of electrical power. Conversely it could be stated that it is possible to generate more power from the same number of solar panels. This project transforms a state-of-the-art power electronics technology developed in the PI's laboratory into a commercially viable grid-tie inverter. The compelling value proposition is higher efficiency, reduced semi-conducting components and implementation of active functions. The proposed grid-tie inverter has a potential impact on ways in which next-generation of grid- tie inverters can be developed. By increasing the efficiency of solar energy conversion through the proposed grid-tie inverters this product will likely impact: (a) security - reduced energy consumption would help decrease demand for foreign sources of fuel, (b) environment - more efficient energy conversion stages will conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas production, and (c) economy - increased efficiency equates to reduced material and installation costs as well as resale of surplus energy back to the utility grid. An energy conversion unit (grid-tie inverter) able to reduce a fractional amount of loss interfacing solar panels and the utility grid will save millions of dollars in wasted spending across the U.S. every year.