How efficient is a solar inverter?

The inverter runs at 98.4% efficiency and can be installed in a modular interconnection of multiple inverter stacks, which makes it ideal, according to its creators, for the deployment of systems at megawatt scale.

Does a sic inverter need a 50 Hz transformer?

Compared to a standard PV inverter with silicon transistors, the creators of this SiC device claim it eliminates the need for a 50 Hz transformer when PV installations are linked to medium-voltage networks. The inverter was built with 3.3-kV SiC transistors that have lower power losses than standard silicon transistors.

Can a 16 kHz inverter be used as a switching frequency?

“This makes it possible to operate the inverter stack with a switching frequency of 16 kHz,” the Fraunhofer scientists specified. “With state-of-the-art silicon transistors, only about 10 times lower switching frequencies are possible in this voltage class.”

What is a silicon-carbide inverter?

Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) has developed a 250-kW silicon-carbide (SiC) inverter that can be used in utility-scale PV projects connected to a medium-voltage grid.

What is a high-blocking sic inverter?

These inverters, which the scientists define as “ high-blocking SiC devices,” can have a wide range of applications in the medium-voltage range. “Especially for large photovoltaic power plants, the trend is towards higher and higher voltages,” affirmed Andreas Hensel, Head of Team Medium Voltage Power Electronics at Fraunhofer ISE.

What is a silicon carbide based inverter?

Silicon carbide-based inverters are known for providing higher power density and having less need for cooling, which results in lower overall system costs than traditional inverters based on silicon transistors.