eSOLAR

The residential Photovoltaic (PV) Distributed Generation (DG) of energy is expected to grow further in the following years due to the evolution of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) and Building Integrated PV (BIPV) systems. In such PV systems, the DC/AC inverter is the central component, since it interfaces the DC energy produced by the PV array into the AC electrical grid and the local AC loads of the consumer.

In the eSOLAR project, a new type of smart low-cost single-phase PV inverter with high efficiency, high power density, high reliability and Internet of Things (IoT) interconnectivity has been developed for use in residential PV applications. The proposed PV inverter comprises a novel circuit topology, as well as new control and dynamic optimization techniques, which were developed within the framework of the eSOLAR project. The IoT‑based operational analysis system and user-interface, which were developed, provide a continuous remote monitoring capability, enabling to reduce the cost of maintenance of the proposed PV inverter, as well as to reduce the energy losses of residential PV systems due to undetected malfunctions. A fully-functional experimental prototype of the proposed PV inverter has been developed and tested in a real PV system.

Webpage of the eSOLAR project: https://esolar.tuc.gr/

The project “eSOLAR: Principle and control of high-efficiency Buck-Boost type Photovoltaic inverter” has been supported by the program “Bilateral and Multilateral Research & Technology Co-operation between Greece and China”, funded in Greece by the Operational Program “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation 2014-2020” (co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund) and managed by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation under the project eSOLAR/T7ΔKI-00066. This support is gratefully acknowledged.