The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has achieved a breakthrough milestone by developing and successfully implementing the world’s first medium-voltage string inverter designed specifically for large power plants. This achievement marks a significant advance in photovoltaic (PV) technology and demonstrates the technical feasibility of operating at higher voltage levels in photovoltaic systems.
The MS-LeiKra project team, in collaboration with Siemens and Sumida and with financial support from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change, has created an inverter capable of increasing the output voltage to the medium voltage range of 1500 V AC at a temperature of 250 °C. . Kilovolt-ampere This innovation is achieved through the use of silicon carbide semiconductors, known for their higher cut-off voltage, and a more efficient cooling concept using heat pipes, which reduces the need for aluminum.
One of the significant benefits of this advancement is the significant cost and resource savings that can be achieved in photovoltaic systems, especially in terms of passive components and cables. For example, higher voltage levels allow the use of thinner cables, which significantly reduces copper consumption. With today’s 800 VAC output voltage, a 250 kVA string inverter requires a 120 mm² cable. However, by increasing the voltage to 1500 VAC, the cable cross-section can be reduced to 35 mm², thereby saving approximately 700 kg of copper per kilometer of cable.
This development has wider implications not only for photovoltaic systems, but also extends to applications such as wind turbines, electric vehicles and industrial networks, where high power systems require large cross-section cables. The success of the MS-LeiCra project opens the door to a new system concept that promises to revolutionize the next generation of large-scale photovoltaic power plants and has the potential for cross-industry applications. The project team is currently looking for partners to test this innovative power plant concept.
Post time: Oct-27-2023