SiC MW PV Inverter

Abstract:
With utility-scale PV installations being built at an accelerated pace the need for highly efficient inverters is increasing. A critical step in enabling such solution is the introduction of SiC power devices which are now capable of handling megawatt-scale loads while operating at higher frequencies with significantly reduced losses. This results in a simple two-level air-cooled inverter design with improved system reliability in harsh desert conditions (typical to such large PV farm installations). In this paper, the design and demonstration of the world’s most efficient megawatt-scale solar inverter built on GE’s advanced SiC MOSFET technology is presented. Experimental results shown here were obtained from a fully operational, field deployed pilot megawatt-scale SiC inverter system.