Join us as we cover the major components and related reliability challenges in a typical Solar electric system including the different types of PV panels as well as associated power electronic modules (inverters). We will discuss the environment PV inverters are subjected to as well as the leading causes of failures in these components as well as how physics of failure can be used to predict and improve the failure rate of these inverters.
The renewable energy market has seen unprecedented growth recently owing to the global energy crisis, geopolitical events and spurred by government incentives. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) the world will add as much renewable power in the next five years as it did in the last 20.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations will grow significantly for commercial and residential usage.
Many residential solar installations are just PV equipment connected to the grid, but increasingly, homeowners are installing battery storage to augment their PV systems. Battery storage can power the home during grid power outages, but battery storage can power the house during peak utility rates.
With the increase in the popularity of solar systems comes an increasing need for the reliability of the systems. As the costs of PV modules decrease, the cost of power electronics becomes more critical. Power electronics comprise 8-12% of the total lifetime PV costs. Understanding and reducing inverter costs is becoming increasingly urgent. PV module failures accounted for around 5% of total energy losses, whereas inverters accounted for 36% of lost energy in the same period. Inverter subsystems also received the most significant service calls for operation and maintenance. Part of reducing the inverter costs is improving the reliability of these components.
