SBIR Phase I: Low Cost, Low Weight, and Low Profile Microinverter for Photovoltaic Solar

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目涉及光伏（PV）太阳能技术。微逆变器目前作为单独的盒子出售，这些盒子要么固定在机架上，要么固定在面板框架上，仍然需要直流电缆、连接器和接线盒。Partoe吗?Tiger 1微型逆变器是一款低成本、低重量、低规格、可直接集成到面板上的微型逆变器。，从而消除了直流电缆、连接器和接线盒，从而以更低的成本大大简化了光伏系统的安装/调试。Tiger 1采用了专有的热管理技术，以防止电子设备产生的任何热量远离背板，因为任何多余的热量（超过环境的热量）到达太阳能电池都会导致光伏效率降低。该公司已经在美国和亚洲的许多客户中验证了其产品概念。硬件原型完成。本研究的目标包括：完成算法/软件开发，并对推入公用电网的电流进行表征，对不同微逆变器工作条件下的面板背板进行热表征，以及优化Partoe？基于网状网络无线电的报告/诊断软件。如果成功，研究结果将使公司处于解决认证和生产前问题的位置。在我们对化石燃料的依赖已经被证明是相当有问题的时候，这个项目的更大影响/商业潜力是降低太阳能光伏发电的成本。Partoe的目标是85亿美元（2014年估计）的太阳能逆变器市场。完全消除直流电缆，连接器，接线盒，并使太阳能电池板产生交流电源（PVAC）从一开始，我们的区别于我们的竞争对手。另一个区别是我们的网状网络无线电技术。我们的竞争对手使用电力线通信（PLC）进行监控。PLC通常比支持网状网络的无线电技术消耗更多的功率（100兆瓦比10兆瓦）。在其他条件相同的情况下，Tiger 1的DC/AC转换效率更高。低成本太阳能发电的长期影响不仅涉及与石油有关的地缘政治问题，还涉及环境和社会问题。从长远来看，Tiger 1可以与智能电表（在美国是无线的）连接，并发送/接收指令，例如，为电压调节、微电网运行等向电网输送无功功率。这项建议的目标是迈向Partoe这些长期方向的垫脚石。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project is concerned with photovoltaic (PV) solar technology. Microinverters are presently sold as separate boxes that are bolted either onto the racking or the panel frame and still require DC cables, connectors and the junction box. Partoe?s Tiger 1 microinverter is a low cost, low weight, low profile, microinverter for direct integration onto the panel?s backsheet, thereby eliminating DC cables, connectors and the junction box and enabling a significantly simpler installation/commissioning of PV systems at lower cost. Tiger 1 deploys a proprietary thermal management technology to keep any heat generated by the electronics away from the backsheet, as any excess heat (over ambient) reaching the solar cells results in a reduction in PV efficiency. The Company has validated its product concept with a number of customers both within the US and in Asia. Hardware prototypes are completed. Objectives of this research include: Complete algorithm/software development and characterize the current pushed to the utility grid, thermal characterization of the panel backsheet, under different microinverter operating conditions, and optimization of Partoe?s mesh-network-radio-based reporting/diagnostic software. If successful, the results of the research will place the Company in a position to address certification and preproduction issues. The boarder impact/commercial potential of this project is a reduction of the cost of solar PV electricity, at a time when our dependence on fossil fuel has proven to be quite problematic. Partoe is targeting an $8.5B (2014 estimate) solar inverter market. Entirely eliminating DC cables, connectors, junction box, and enabling a solar panel that produces AC power (PVAC) from the onset, sets our differentiation from our competitors. Another differentiation is our mesh-network radio technology. Our competitors use Power Line Communication (PLC) for monitoring. PLC generally dissipates more power than a mesh-network-enabled-radio technology (100s of mW vs. 10s of mW). Everything else being equal, this results in a higher DC/AC conversion efficiency for Tiger 1. The long term impacts of low-cost solar electricity not only address oil-related geopolitical issues, but also are environmental and societal. On longer term, Tiger 1 can be interfaced with smart meters (which are radio-enabled in the US) and send/receive instructions, for example, for delivering reactive power to the grid for voltage regulation, micro-grid operations, etc. Objectives of this proposal are stepping stones toward these longer term directions for Partoe.