Title: Grid-Connected PV Inverter Reliability Considerations: A Review

Basic Idea: With fast growing application of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, its reliability is being
studied extensively. Note that the photovoltaic inverter is considered as the weakest link of a PV system.
This paper, therefore, gives a review on reliability of the grid-connected photovoltaic inverter. The
discussion mainly focus on two typical kinds of vulnerable inverter components, i.e., DC-capacitors and
insulated gate bipolar transistor switches. The intent of this review is to provide a clear picture of reliability
research in photovoltaic inverters. Finally, attempts are made to highlight the direction for future research
Introduction:
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system for residential, commercial, or industrial energy supply normally contains
an array of PV modules, one or more DC to alternating current power inverters, a tracking system that
supports the solar modules, electrical wiring and interconnections, and mounting for other components .The
goal of improving the PV system is to achieve higher transformation efficiency, lower cost, better reliability
and more secure and sustainable supply chains. Because higher efficiency and lower cost PV cells are
achieved due to the fast PV cells technology development, the cost of producing electricity from solar PV
has fallen dramatically over the last decade, leading a debate about whether it is now.

CONCLUSION
The solar PV has shown its enormous potential and benefits for society and is on the way to play a
mainstream role within the power system. PV inverter, as the weakest link of PV system, is of great
concern. In this paper, the main problems related to the reliability of PV inverter are introduced. This
discussion has been particularly focused on the short lifetime DC-capacitor and high power loss IGBT
switches. Future trends towards PV inverter reliability are also presented.
Future Aspects:
The decentralized power is characterized by generation of power nearer to the demand centers, focusing
mainly on meeting local energy needs. A decentralized power system can function either in the presence of
grid, where it can feed the surplus power generated to the grid, or as an independent/stand-alone isolated
system exclusively meeting the local demands of remote locations. Further, decentralized power is also
classified on the basis of type of energy resources used non-renewable and renewable. These classifications
along with a plethora of technological alternatives have made the whole prioritization process of
decentralized power quite complicated for decision making. Features of several technological alternatives
available for decentralized power, the studies on modeling and analysis of economic, environmental and
technological feasibilities of both grid-connected (GC) and stand-alone (SA) systems as decentralized
power options are presented.

Key points:
Decentralized planning; Grid-connected; Stand-alone; Renewable energy; Energy systems
photovoltaic inverter; reliability; DC-capacitor; insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Group: M.Haseeb Nawaz (172081)