Herman Fourie, Power Conversion, ABB Tech Days, Cape Town, South Africa, May 2014

ABB solar inverters

Connecting large scale solar to the
South African grid
ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 1

Photovoltaic Power Systems

Solar cells produce direct current (DC) power which fluctuates with the
sunlight's intensity. For practical use this usually requires conversion to
certain desired voltages or alternating current (AC),
Through the use of inverters. Multiple solar cells are connected inside
modules. Modules are wired together to form arrays, then tied to an
inverter, which produces power at the desired voltage, and for AC, the
desired frequency/phase.
Many residential systems are connected to the grid wherever available,
especially in developed countries with large markets.
In these grid-connected PV systems, use of energy storage is optional. In
certain applications such as satellites, lighthouses, or in developing
countries, batteries or additional power generators are often added as backups
Such stand-alone power systems permit operations at night and at other
times of limited sunlight.

ABB solar inverters product portfolio

Solar inverter offering

PV application

Power plants

Commercial
and industrial

Small
commercial
and residential

Unit size (kW)

Remote monitoring portal

10

100

Solar inverter PC tools

(sizing and product selection)

Monitoring systems
(string monitoring etc.)

Solar inverter services

2000

Connecting large scale solar to the South African grid

Large scale what does that mean?

ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 4

Connecting large scale solar to the South African grid

What is large scale?

Many small systems close to consumption point

Medium sized systems at the consumption point

Which one of these or combination of all?

- whose busines?
- whose problem? Or is there any problem?

ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 5

Large systems far away from consumption

Challenges and opportunities

PV electricity cost comes down to bankability

Connecting large scale solar to the South African grid

PVS800 central inverter - highlights

ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 7

ABB central inverter, PVS800

1000 kW product example

DC input section (customer specific)

Inverter section

AC output
ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 8

DC input

Inverter modules 3 pcs

Output filter module (LCL) 3 pcs

AC output section

8 busbar inputs fuses

Overvoltage protection
Fuses
EMC filter
DC grounding (optional)

Contactor
EMC filter
Disconnector
Fuses
Output connections

Auxiliary controls section

ABB central inverter, PVS800

R8i Inverter Modules most widely used platform
Since 2003, ABB has delivered over
200.000 pieces R8i inverter modules
which are used in ABB

Frequency converters (ACS800)

Wind turbine converters (ACS800)

Solar inverters (PVS800)

R8i is the most widely used inverter

module in the world and is backed up with
ABB continuous development and life
cycle service network

ABB central inverter platform is based

on this world leader power converting
platform delivered so far over 100 GW
globally

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 9

ABB central inverter, PVS800

Modular and compact design
Inverters are made from a portfolio of
HW and SW building blocks

DC busbar
Connection

DC Bus
Capacitors

DC-AC inverter modules

L-C-L output filter modules

Standard size cabinets and other

mechanical hardware

Standard control electronics and control

SW

Any power rating can be produced by

scaling the length of the cabinet

Cooling Fan

AC Plug type
Connection

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 10

Easiness of maintenance reduced

dowtime
Reduced harmonics (L-C-L)

ABB central inverter, PVS800

Easiness of maintenance

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 11

ABB central inverter, PVS800

Extensive electrical protection included all in one
All-in-one concept
DC side:

type 2 surge protection

dc fuses

dc-contactor (always open when not modulating)

EMC filter

dc-switch - manually operated

AC side:

varistor surge protection as standard

type 1 surge protection as an option

fuses

contactor (always open when not modulating)

ac-switch - manually operated

Integrated protection and separation. Always when

not modulating, double galvanic separation between

dc and ac. Triple operational separation (ac contactor
- IGBT - dc contactor)
ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 12

ABB central inverter, PVS800

Inverter basic offering

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 13

ABB

inverter station, PVS800-IS

Highlights
Product highlights:

Compact and robust design - cost

effective transportability

Protected working interior - serviceable

and maintainable product

Standardized proven design maximized uptime

Scope and application:

1,75 and 2 MW inverter solution for

multi-megawatt power plants

Compact all ABB solution with

rapid deliveries and connectivity to
various MV components

Easy connection to a MV station - cost

effectiveness

Extendable manufacturing footprint rapid deliveries with local content

Embedded auxiliary power

distribution - flexibility to add devices cost
efficiently

Integrated double stage air prefiltering - improved reliability and

robustness

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 14
3AXD10000293113

ABB inverter station, PVS800-IS

Overview
All-in-one

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 15
3AXD10000293113

solution in 1,75 and 2 MW sizes:

Corrosion protected standard 20 foot HC sea

container based structure

Air cooled flow through system with thermally

insulated envelope

2 x PVS800 central inverters, 875 or 1000 kW

6 x R8i power and LCL filter module pairs

modularity, reliability and serviceability

Local power supply AC panel included with

container interior wiring

Walk-in service friendly container interior with

adequate space for additional accessories

Floor structure optimized for easiness of cabling

Integrated double stage air pre-filtering

Transportation and lifting with normal truck crane

Design optimised for sea transport

ABB inverter station, PVS800-IS

Design

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 16
3AXD10000293113

ABB inverter station, PVS800-IS

Layout
Air

intakes double stage G4 filtering system

Fast

on site added

F7

as an option for heavy-duty usage

weather

protection hoods
Standard

20 HC form
factor suitable for standard
trailer

C4

class surface coating

C5

as an option for near

coastal usage
Sand

removal doors

Easy

Animal

protection
Auxiliary

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 17
3AXD10000293113

power supply system to support both MV and IS stations

Over voltage / current protetions

3~ 6A feeding terminal to MV substation

6kVA embedded transformer as an option

Embedded MV substation alarm/trip load control

cabling

ABB inverter station, PVS800-IS

Layout
2

x PVS800 central
inverters

800

x1000 ( w x h) free space

reservation for post
installations (e.g. monitoring).

600

x 1300 (w x h) free space

for additional post installations
(e.g. for UPS)
Power

supply and earthing

points ready installed.

Safety

exit door

Proper
Optional

air cooler for

extreme hot temperatures
(project specific option)

interior

Cabling

tunnel for
post assembled cables

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 18
3AXD10000293113

working

Connecting large scale solar to the South African grid

Inverter features grid support

ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 19

Inverter features grid support

Grid supervision

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 20

PVS800 SW has the grid

supervision function
included. No external
relay needed.

Two stage voltage and

frequency limits with
separate time delay.

>>U, <<U, >>f, <<f

>U, <U, >f, <f

Each trip level with own

trip delay value

Inverter features grid support

Anti-islanding
Conventionally solar inverters must stop
operation in case of grid malfunction. This
is secured by grid monitoring with

Allowed grid voltage and frequency

windows with certain time limits

In case of weak grid the standard ranges

might have to be widened

Anti-islanding (mixture of active+passive):

passive methods:

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 21

Voltage phase deviation detection

3rd harmonics voltage detection

Frequency rate of change detection

active methods:

Frequency shift

Active Current detection

Reactive current detection

Load deviations

Inverter features grid support

Grid support functions
New regulations are required gradually
due to high penetration of renewable
energy in the distribution networks.
Inverters must be able to support voltage
and frequency to sustain network stability.
The new functionalities supporting this
include among other ones the following:

LV ride through supports network

during a disturbance

LV ride through with current feeding

dynamically supports network during a
disturbance

Reactive power control supports

network voltage

Active power control supports network

frequency control

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 22

Inverter features grid support

Grid support functions - LV ride through
LV ride through
supports network during a
disturbance:

Inverter does not trip

even under serious
grid faults

Below the blue line inverters

May 29, 2014

do not
have to stay connected

Requires a robust and

dynamic controller to deal
with transients and voltage
distortion

Back-up power for the

inverter control circuits
against loss of control
power supply but also
against transients

Note: U means the lowest of the three line-to-line voltages

Limit 1: Above Limit 1 no instability allowed nor disconnection

Borderlines of voltage profile at network connection

point (allowed lower limits).
ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 23

Inverter features grid support

Grid support functions - LVRT with current feeding

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 24

LV ride through with current feeding

dynamically supports network
during a disturbance

Full reactive current is fed in couple

of milliseconds after voltage dip to
support network voltage

Requires a robust and dynamic

controller to deal with transients
and voltage distortions

Back-up power for the inverter

control circuits against loss of
control power supply but also
against transients

Inverter features grid support

Grid support functions - Reactive power control
Reactive power control - supports network
voltage (capacitive or inductive reactive power)

Reduces grid infrastructure (i.e. capacitor

banks)

Maximum reactive power limited to 80%, short

term maximum is 100%

For reactive power provision will be specified

either

a fixed target value or

a target value variably adjustable by remote

utility control

Control can be done during operation by utility

command or automatically with voltage
measurement within adjustable range and
functions (rate of change, etc)

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 25

adjustable as %, kVAr, phi or Cosphi

Inverter features grid support

Grid support functions - Active power control
Active power control - prevent domino
effect of PV plants shutting down during
high voltage or high frequency scenarios
or in case of grid unstability

E.g. The plant must be able to reduce

the active power at steps of 10% of
nominal connection power to target
preset values (e.g. 100%, 60%, 30%
and 0%).

Utility is responsible for control

signalling

Active power control levels as

function of frequency

ABB Group
May 29, 2014 | Slide 26

Automatic possible also with

parameterized characteristic curve

Connecting large scale solar to the South African grid

Solar inverter example cases

ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 27

World-class solar inverter technology

Global coverage totally appr. 1500 MW sold
Germany, 19,5 MWp
Power plant

Romania, 7,5 MWp

Power plant

Finland, 181 kWp

Industrial building

China, 10 MW
Power plant

Bulgaria, 50,6 MWp

Power plant
UK, 4.99 MWp
Power plant
Japan, 2 MW
Power plant

Italy, 3 MWp
Power plant
Greece, 5,9 MWp
Power plant

Taiwan, 475 kWp

Commercial building

Mexico, 1,2 MW
Industrial building
Argentina, 26 kW
Commercial building

South Africa, 31 MWp

Power plant

ABB

29

May 2014 | Slide 28

India, 17 MW
Power plant

Thailand, 5 MWp
Commercial PV system

Australia, 266 kWp

Commercial building

ABB Solar inverters

Summary

Grid parity is close share of solar power increases

Solar modules are becoming commodity price pressure on Balance of

System Components

Higher share of intermittent power and especially smaller systems

inverters need to become smart and part of the power production network

ABB has complete offering for PV systems supported by local presence,

experience and service ABB is your solar partner

ABB
29 May 2014 | Slide 29