A new R&D project in Germany has been formed to make breakthroughs in new innovative PV inverter concepts that will focus on cooling and packaging advancements to improve conversion efficiency, cost and service life, which are key BOS costs to PV systems.
SMA Solar Technology, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) and Phoenix Contact have formed the R&D program dubbed ‘PV Pack'.
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According to a statement, 70% of a typical (three-phase) PV inverter’s mechanical and electromechanical components support the need for cooling the system as heat is a major degradation factor of electrical components, inhibiting reliability and longevity.
PV Pack is to focus on making breakthroughs in alternative cooling technologies and materials as well as advanced packaging solutions for inverters in the 10-kW to 40-kW range.
The project was said to be backed by €1.4 million from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of its “Power Electronics for Improved Energy Efficiency (LES) Part 2: Electronics for the Energy of the Future” initiative.
SMA Solar said it was responsible for coordinating PV Pack, which is intended to retain German inverter manufacturers and component supplier’s competitive position within the highly competitive segment of the PV industry.
