A review of 1500 Vdc systems

A review of 1500 Vdc systems

Introduction

To reduce the costs and to increase the efficiency has always been the effort of an electrical engineer. Among them, the role of technological innovation is the key parameter. The 1500Vdc system was first proposed in 2012. In 2016, the first domestic 1500Vdc demonstration project was officially connected to the grid for power generation.

Why 1500V DC systems?

Using 1500Vdc simplifies the design of PV system circuits and reduces the cost of system manufacturing and maintenance eventually enhancing comprehensive benefits of PV power generation from the system itself. This power supply also provides multiple protection functions that improve system safety when a breakdown occurs and further enhance the safety of the power supply and its load.

The advantages of 1500Vdc:

· Decreased cable losses in transmission: By increasing the voltage of the system, the current flowing through the cable decreases to the corresponding power value thereby decreasing the losses in transmission

· Reduced strings of solar modules: The advantage of this reduction is that we need less DC combiner boxes and thus maintenance and hence the fault detection of such system becomes much easier the cable length required for interconnection will decrease with decreasing number of strings.

· Reduced capital cost This can be attributed to multiple facts like:

§ Reduction in number of strings which leads to reduction in number of Module Mounting Structure

§ Reduction in array cable length

§ Reduction in number of DC combiner boxes/ junction boxes

The disadvantages of 1500Vdc:

· Potential Induced Degradation (PID): Higher system voltages accelerates the PID of solar modules. However now, PID resistant raw material have become commercially available and can be utilized to mitigate the effects in the long run.

· Higher safety requirements: Since, the voltage is increased to 1500Vdc, the chances of an electrical breakdown is also increased, thereby improving insulation protection and electrical clearance becomes prime consideration at the time of design; which may increase the equipment size.

Conclusion

How to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency becomes what counts most. The 1500Vdc PV power system takes the place of 1000Vdc; lowering the cost from design. At Avi Solar Energy Pvt Ltd the expertise team can handle systems of any potential efficiently and effectively. The expertise site teams are further lead by a group of elite managers who have worked in various abnormalities of a PV Power Plant. The continuous inputs to managers from various sites across India with many years of site experience of each manager is what drives confidence of the site teams.