Distributed maximum power point tracking and internal fault detection technologies for solar PV-powered roadways

该联盟项目旨在开发太阳能光伏组件级分布式最大功率点跟踪(MPPT)功率优化器和智能内部故障监测单元，以提高太阳能道路用光伏阵列的太阳能发电量和可靠性。该项目将与加拿大工业合作伙伴Solar Earth Technologies(SET)合作进行，SET是一家总部位于不列颠哥伦比亚省温哥华的高科技太阳能解决方案公司。该公司专注于太阳能道路系统的开发和营销，将混凝土和沥青道路改造成分布式太阳能能源，为电动汽车和电网供电。 该公司希望解决的两大技术挑战是子模块规模的分布式最大功率点跟踪以及PV子模块内部短路和开路故障的检测和保护。这将提高太阳能系统中因环境因素(如云层、污秽、积雪、电池板老化和路面污染)而导致的部分遮阳条件下的太阳能发电效率。由于电缆绝缘劣化、机械磨损和潮湿环境，它还将提高PV子模块的可靠性。 该联盟项目的目标是利用实验测试数据来表征SET光伏组件，以便准确地对光伏组件进行建模，并开发分布式MPPT控制和内部故障监控策略。MPPT控制和内部故障监测策略将在一个高效率、紧凑型DC-DC转换器和低成本模拟控制平台中实现。该研究项目将有助于加拿大清洁能源技术的发展，以提高效率和降低能源成本，实现大规模的太阳能发电、转换和利用。

This Alliance project aims to develop solar PV submodule level distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) power optimizer and smart internal fault monitoring unit to improve solar power yield and reliability of PV arrays for solar powered roadways. The project will be conducted in collaboration with Canadian industrial partner, Solar Earth Technologies (SET), a high-tech solar energy solution company based in Vancouver, BC. The company focuses on the development and marketing of solar-powered roadway systems to transform concrete and asphalt pathways into distributed solar energy sources that will supply power to electric vehicles and power grids. Two major technology challenges that the company would like to tackle are submodule scale distributed maximal power point tracking and the detection and protection of the PV submodule internal short-circuit and open-circuit faults. This will improve the solar energy yield efficiency for partial shading condition in solar systems due to environmental factors, e.g. clouds, dirtiness, snow, panel aging, and road surface pollutions. It will also enhance the PV submodule reliability due to the degradation of cable insulation, mechanical wearing-out, and moisture environment. The objective of this Alliance project is to characterize SET PV sub-modules using experimental test data for accurate modeling of the PV sub-modules and to develop the distributed MPPT control and internal fault monitoring strategies. The MPPT control and internal fault monitoring strategies will be implemented into a high efficiency compact DC-DC converter and low cost analogue control platform. The research project will contribute to Canadian clean energy technology development to enable large-scale solar energy generation, conversion and utilization with increased efficiency and reduced energy cost.