Home Overview Tasks Partners Publications Imprint Contact Members Login		Together with eleven European partners the Kassel-based research institute ISET has launched the research project PV-MIPS to develop a solar module with an integrated inverter that can feed solar electricity directly into the grid. With this new product, the partners aim to reduce the total costs of a PV system to 3 Euro per Watt. A solar system achieves the highest output when every solar module is continuously operated at its maximum power point. This can be reached by using module-integrated inverters. In this case, every solar module has its own controller. Module-integrated inverters lead to higher yields especially with solar modules that are partially shaded or aligned with different angles. Other advantages are that the design of the PV system is more flexible and that it can easily be expanded; in addition, costs for DC wiring do not apply. However, as module-integrated inverters are quite expensive compared to their bigger counterparts, a breakthrough in this wiring concept has not yet been achieved. But this could change thanks to the new research project PV-MIPS (Photovoltaic Module with Integrated Power Conversion and Interconnection System). The aim of the project is to develop a low cost solar module with an integrated inverter that can feed solar electricity directly into the European grid.   Within the scope of the project, ISET and eleven partners from Germany, Austria, Greece and the Netherlands want to reduce the total costs of a PV system to 3 Euro per Watt by the end of 2009. Besides ISET, the following research institutes and companies are involved: Österreichisches Forschungs- und Prüfzentrum Arsenal GesmbH, Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland, Philips Lighting Electronics, Würth Solar GmbH & Co. KG, Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg, European Power Semiconductors GmbH, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, Heliodomi S.A., MVV Energie AG, Lafarge Roofing Benelux and Ecofys energy and environment.   Reduction of costs and components Production costs for the inverter will be reduced to 0.3 Euro per Watt. Here, the potential to save costs and components is especially high, as standard cases and heat sinks can be omitted due to the module integration. But that is not all: By using a high voltage solar module, the project partners can even abandon the transformer. This halves the costs as well as the losses. At least 800 crystalline solar cells are necessary to achieve a voltage that is sufficient for transformerless devices. Therefore, the project partners are directing their attention toward thin film technologies, as structuring the module results in smaller cells. In this case, solar modules can provide voltages of 600 Volt, which is even sufficient for a three phase approach. This technology has the advantage that continuous PV power is delivered to the grid. The size of the capacitors that buffer the current can be reduced. This method, however, not only saves material, but it also increases the lifetime of the inverter, as electrolyte capacitors are usually the most sensitive component of a PV system. Altogether, the direct coupling and the three phase approach lead to an inverter that is remarkably smaller, less expensive and more reliable.   To reach this challenging objective, the project needs an integrated approach: indeed, PV-MIPS combines the knowledge of semiconductor experts, manufacturers of solar modules and power electronics, and architecture. A separate working package deals with the regulations and standards to ensure that any utility requirements are met and that the modules with integrated inverters can be installed in all countries of the European Union. A main focus of the project is building-integrated PV, because the potential for these applications is especially high in the dense populated areas of Europe.   The project has a total budget of 10.4 million Euro. The European Union is providing funds of 4.4 million Euro. The rest of the expenses are covered by the project partners.   top
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