Integrated Microinverters for Enabling True ACPV Modules

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This project, led by SolarBridge Technologies, is developing an innovative alternating-current photovoltaic (ACPV) module that consists of an integrated "Universal PV-Dock" and a high-reliability, low-cost, high-efficiency microinverter to substantially reduce balance of system (BOS) costs in residential and commercial PV systems. In 2011, the Universal PV Interface (UPVI) Alliance was formed as an open, membership-based, not-for-profit industry association to develop, certify, and promote a standard interface between PV modules and various forms of module-level electronic devices, including power optimizers, microinverters, and junction boxes.

APPROACH
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OUTCOMES

Project Poster (click to expand)

SolarBridge Technologies and its partners propose to develop an innovative photovoltaic (PV) module with integrated electronics to substantially reduce balance of system (BOS) costs in residential and commercial PV power systems.

The project will consist of three major tasks:

The first is to substantially reduce the cost of solar microinverters to $0.10 per watt, consistent with the SunShot Initiative's 2020 goals.
The second task is to develop a novel integration scheme for coupling PV modules to the new microinverter products. This will be developed to set an industry standard for coupling power electronics to PV modules.
In the final task, field demonstration will be accomplished. This will begin with testing at SolarBridge’s own facilities, progress to external test sites, and finally to actual beta sites. The field demonstration will require new product introduction, meaning pilot quantities of ACPV modules.

At the end of the project, the product will be fully qualified and ready for volume manufacturing.

The proposed system consists of a PV module with an integrated “Universal PV-Dock” and a high-reliability, low-cost, high-efficiency microinverter. The collective system forms an ACPV module that simultaneously increases energy harvest and reduces balance of systems (BOS) cost. The proposed system also addresses many practical aspects of the PV installation cost, such as supply-chain and inventory management, late (or field) adaptation of products, and communications for data collection and performance monitoring. In these ways, the proposed system also reduces the overhead associated with installation and operation of PV installations, thereby yielding a substantially lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE).