SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE OF A NEW TYPE OF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE INVERTER: LABORATORY AND FIELD TEST RESULTS

In the framework of the European research and demonstration project PV2go, a new type of AC module has been developed. In this research work, safety and quality requirements for this AC module have been identified. Its performance has been evaluated for prototype inverters. In laboratory tests carried out at the K.U. Leuven, special concern was given to the subject of unintended islanding. Fur-thermore, its overall performance has been evaluated. The laboratory tests have to show whether the so-called PV2go inverter can comply with the expectations and where improvements are still necessary. Afterwards, the inverters with the photo-voltaic modules (AC modules) have been tested under typical European field con-dition. Shadowing effects have been considered in the measurements, hence, pro-viding realistic performance data for operation under non-optimum conditions.