Utility interface design for distributed renewable energy sources

Date

2000-12

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Texas Tech University

Abstract

The basic idea of the project is to design and build single-phase inverters, and use them to interface distributed renewable energy sources to the utility grid. Photovoltaic elements can be used on rooftops to capture solar energy, which are used to generate DC voltage. It is proposed to exploit this energy to create AC power, which is then fed into the utility. Besides, this energy could also be used to independently power some low-rated installations (a sixty-Watt light bulb is being used in our case).

The project revolves around the design of the power electronics circuit topology and the requisite controls. Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) are used in the form of an H-Bridge to form the single-phase inverter, the output of which would be subject to Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to produce a sinusoidal wave, to be synchronized to the utility. A micro-controller (Motorola's HC12) is being used for the purpose. The magnitude and phase angle of this synthetically generated voltage are adjusted with respect to the utility voltage, thus achieving total control over the real and reactive power.

Description

Keywords

Electric inverters -- Design and construction, Renewable energy sources

Citation