I-Corps: High Efficient Grid-Tie Inverter

电网并网逆变器是保证住宅太阳能系统与公用事业电网集成的关键需求。住宅和商业建筑太阳能系统的安装商和设计师是拟议中的并网逆变器的主要潜在客户。安装的光伏(PV)系统所需的容量范围从典型住宅屋顶客户的数百瓦到商业屋顶客户的数百千瓦不等。目前，大多数使用光伏系统的客户面临两大挑战：成本和可用于安装太阳能电池板的面积有限。预计拟议的并网逆变器具有更高的效率，从而使安装人员能够使用更少的太阳能电池板来获得相同数量的电力。相反，可以说，同样数量的太阳能电池板可以产生更多的电力。这个项目将PI实验室开发的最先进的电力电子技术转变为商业上可行的并网逆变器。令人信服的价值主张是更高的效率、更少的半导体元件和实现有源功能。所提出的并网逆变器对下一代并网逆变器的开发具有潜在的影响。通过拟议的并网逆变器提高太阳能转换效率，该产品可能会影响：(A)安全-降低能源消耗将有助于减少对外国燃料来源的需求，(B)环境-更高效的能源转换阶段将节约能源并减少温室气体排放，(C)经济-提高效率相当于降低材料和安装成本，以及将剩余能源重新出售给公用电网。一个能量转换单元(并网逆变器)能够减少连接太阳能电池板和公用电网的少量损失，每年将在美国各地节省数百万美元的浪费支出。

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.