Photovoltaic Systems

Module 5 — PV Power Conversion

Interfacing PV inverters
with the grid
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Requirements of the grid operator

• PV inverters must follow certain technical

requirements - before they are permitted to feed
into the power supply grid

• These requirements are necessary to maintain the

stability of the electrical power grid

• Published as standards and grid codes

• These are developed by national and international

standardization bodies
– IEEE used in USA
– VDE in Germany
– IEC in Switzerland
– ENTSO-E prescribed by the European Union
Image used under license from Shutterstock.com

• These requirements can vary in different countries in

regions

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Requirements of the grid operator

• The main PV inverter grid code requirements cover:

– Tolerance to grid deviations and
response to abnormal grid conditions

– Power quality requirements

– Prevention of stand-alone operation

Image used under license from Shutterstock.com

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 Grid requirements – Tolerance to grid voltage and
frequency deviations
• A PV plant must be able to withstand frequency and
voltage deviations at the Point of Connection (POC)
– under normal and abnormal operating conditions Normal production
during min. 30 min
while not reducing the active power

• Example: requirements normal operating

85% of
conditions for PV plants under 11 kWp in Denmark : normal
Normal
– normal operating voltage: production
Production
𝑈 during min
85% < < 110% 30 min
𝑈𝑁
– normal operating frequency range:
49 𝐻𝑧 < 𝑓 < 51 𝐻𝑧 PV plant must
stay connected
for min 10 sec
• Different voltage and frequency tolerances are
specified for larger PV plants and in other
countries
Requirements for PV plants under 11 kWp in Denmark

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 Interfacing with the electric grid – Basic concepts

• The Point of Connection (POC) is the point in the

public electricity supply grid, where the plant is or can
be connected Demand
POC
PCC1
• The Point of Common Coupling (PCC) is the point PGC
in the public electricity supply grid, where consumers
are or can be connected. PCC2

• The PCC and POC may coincide electrically.

• The PCC is always located farthest into the public

electricity supply grid, i.e. farthest away from the
plant. POC
PGC1 PGC2 PGC3

PCC3
• The Point of Generator Connection (PGC) is the
point in the plant infrastructure, where the
terminals/generator terminals for the electricity-
generating unit are located

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 Grid requirements – Response to abnormal
operating conditions
• In case of abnormal voltage or frequency operating
conditions, the PV plant must disconnect from the grid
200 ms
only after a set period (trip time)
– to allow the grid fault to clear itself
– to avoid further destabilizing the grid 60 s

• The trip time stated is the measuring period during which

the trip condition must constantly be fulfilled in order for 200 ms Normal operation range 200 ms
the protective function to release a trip signal.

• Automatic (re)-connection of the PV plant can at the

earliest take place three minutes after the voltage and 10..60 s
frequency have come within the normal operating range
100 ms

• Different requirements are specified for larger PV

plants and in other countries

Requirements for PV plants under 11 kWp in Denmark

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 Grid requirements – Power quality

• DC current injection in the utility grid

– can saturate the distribution transformers, leading to
overheating and trips
– Problem for transformerless inverters
– Example: Regulations for DK: the DC content of the
supplied current at the POC may not exceed 0.5% of the
nominal current

• Harmonic distortion
– PV inverters can generate current harmonics if not properly
filtered, that can damage other equipment connected to the
utility system

• All PV plants must limit harmonic distortions at the POC

according to DS/EN 61000-3-2 (for DK)

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 Grid requirements – Prevention of stand-alone
operation Residential PV system

• Unwanted stand alone operation of grid connected

inverters – islanding

• Occurs when the PV inverter does not switch off after

the grid is disconnected/tripped,i.e. it is continuing to
operate with local load. Local loads

• If the generation matches the local load, the grid

voltage does not drop to zero – hard to detect the
islanding
Islanded residential PV system
• The grid disconnection can occur due to a local
equipment failure or intentional disconnection for
servicing

• PV inverter Islanding
– can be dangerous to utility workers, who may not
realize that a circuit is still powered Local loads

– it may prevent automatic re-connection of devices

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 Grid requirements – Prevention of stand-alone
operation
• PV inverters must implement anti-islanding
measures
– Passive methods SCADA based anti-islanding
• detect a change of a power system
parameter (typically voltage, frequency,
phase or harmonics) caused by the
power mismatch after the loss of grid
Energy
meter/
– Active methods SCADA

• injecting small signals into the grid and

Local loads
analyze the response (grid impedance)

– Utility methods
• Use sensors to detect grid failure and
send an alarm through SCADA to the PV
inverter

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Summary

– PV inverters must follow certain technical requirements - before they are permitted to
feed into the power supply grid, called grid codes

– Grid tie PV inverters most tolerate certain grid voltage and frequency variations, to
avoid frequent disconnection and maintain grid stability

– PV inverters must generate AC sine wave current and voltages with certain minimal
quality aspects to avoid damage to electrical grid components and consumers

– Grid tie inverters must automatically switch off when the grid is disconnected or tripped
to avoid safety hazards

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