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Figure 1a: Daily Production Profile Figure 1b: Daily Production Profile
Power Limiting Day Non-Power Limiting Day
Why Should You Oversize yield typically results in array-to-inverter utility systems alike are exploring the effects
Just a few short years ago, the main driver ratios ranging from 1:10 to 1:25, depending of reducing module tilt angle, decreasing
of system design was the high cost of PV on project location and DC derating factors. inter-row separation and reducing module-
modules. The goal of designers was to With lower PV module prices, the cleaning schedules, all factors that result in
ensure maximum energy harvest from each incremental cost of adding additional DC non-optimal specific yield — with the aim of
module in the system. By doing so, designers capacity to a system has greatly decreased. gaining increased annual production — with
ensured the optimal use of this high-cost Since a larger array feeding a fixed size the same fixed-cost structure.
system component. Best design practices inverter will result in greater system To quantify the effects of oversizing,
were to place modules to avoid shading from annual production, the increased annual system designers perform an oversizing
obstructions and between racking rows, and energy harvest is spread across the system’s analysis using a PV system simulation
to size the array to the largest capacity so fixed/semi-fixed costs, which include program such as PVsyst, PV*SOL or SAM.
the inverter spent little to no time power inverters, AC collection system, permitting, To be suitable for oversizing analysis, the
limiting. Power limiting is an inverter interconnection fees, engineering and simulation program must be capable of
function that occurs when the available overhead. As a result, project financials have modeling the power-limiting behavior of
power from the array is greater than the shifted in favor of increased Array-to-Inverter the inverter. Additionally, the program must
inverter’s rated input power. Power limiting ratios. The scales tip even further in favor be able to provide hourly data values when
is often called “clipping” due to the flattening of oversizing when considering time-of-use financial models are built on a time-of-use rate
effect on the system’s daily production (TOU) utility rate structures, which place the structures. In most cases, oversizing analysis
profile, as shown in Figure 1a and 1b. greatest monetary value for energy delivery is performed through successive simulations
During power limiting, the inverter in the afternoon during summer months. where the inverter size is kept constant while
controls the input power from the array by Through oversizing, systems produce greater the array size is varied. The project team may
shifting the array’s operating point to a higher- energy when energy has the greatest value. also look at the effects of keeping the array
voltage and lower-current operating point Oversizing due to fixed vs. incremental size constant while varying the inverter kW
along the array’s current-voltage (I-V) curve, cost effect and the TOU effect has manifested rating. The end result is a dataset that shows
thereby deviating from the maximum power itself in different ways throughout the the effects of array-to-inverter ratios on hourly
point of the array. This is shown in Figure 2. industry. Increased oversizing is now being and annual production.
By maximizing production per module, seen in large-scale utility projects in the The production values from the analysis
designers achieve the optimal specific yield desert Southwest, with oversizing ratios are then fed into the financial model of the
of the system. Specific yield is the system’s more than 1:5, as well as in space constrained project to determine the optimal array-to-
annual energy harvest per kW of installed DC commercial rooftop installations, where inverter ratio. The details of financial models
capacity. Specific yield is expressed in units designers have begun encroaching into will vary, but most have the same overall goal of
of annual kWh/kW. Optimizing specific shaded regions of the roof. Commercial and optimizing a financial metric such as Levelized
Cost of Energy (LCOE), Net Present Value fed by a DC source equal to twice the inverter-
(NPV), or Internal Rate of Return (IRR). An rated input current.
example oversizing financial analysis is shown Although the inverter has the ability to
in Figure 3 (see next page). The analysis shows control the current from the array during
that oversizing improves the economics of normal power-conversion operation, during
a project up to a certain point; beyond that a DC-side fault, the inverter’s capability
point, however, the project begins experiencing to control the current from the array is
diminishing returns. through interruption at best. The scenario
that subjects the inverter to the highest
What Factors Limit Oversizing short-circuit current is a low-impedance
Oversizing exposes the inverter to the fault (“bolted fault”) within the inverter’s
following: DC section between the ungrounded and
grounded circuitry, or between ungrounded
• Increased available power from the array circuitry and ground. During these scenarios,
• Increased available short-circuit current the inverter is exposed to the full short-
from the array circuit current of the array. The inverter’s DC
• Slightly increased full-power input voltage side components, including bus bars, cables
during power limiting and switches, must be rated to carry and
• Increased operational hours at full power interrupt (in the case of electromechanical
switches) the array’s available short-circuit
Discussions up to this point have assumed current. The weakest link in this circuit
that the inverter has power-limiting capability, dictates the maximum short-circuit current
which is true of UL1741-listed inverters. As that the inverter is rated to handle. Based
part of listing to UL1741, an “Output Overload upon the desired string count and string size,
Test” is performed to confirm the inverter’s the maximum Array-to-Inverter ratio can
ability to maintain rated output power when then be determined.
Effect Of Oversizing On Inverter Life What About The Warranty? Michael Zuercher-Martinson is one of the four
Designers, developers and system owners Discussions of inverter life and MTBF founding partners of Solectria Renewables,
should view the effects of oversizing on lead to perhaps the biggest question from and a distinguished electrical drive and power
inverter life and Mean-Time-Between designers, developers and EPCs regarding conversion innovator.
Failure (MTBF) through practical lenses. oversizing: “How will oversizing affect my
Jon Fiorelli is an applications engineer for
Large array-to-inverter ratios cause the inverter warranty?” It is recommended to Solectria Renewables. He has been involved in
inverter to work harder for longer hours. work closely with your inverter provider to all phases of commercial PV design, installation,
In addition, most commercial three-phase understand how oversizing effects warranty commissioning, and O&M.
inverters operate less efficiently when and related offerings, such as preventative
operating above the maximum power point maintenance plans and uptime-guarantees.
voltage, resulting in greater internal-heat
rejection. Common sense tells us that this What’s Best — And What’s Next
can cause some of the temperature-sensitive What is the best oversizing ratio? The answer
components to age faster compared to a should now be apparent: It depends. Factors
lightly-loaded scenario. to consider include project location, design
The good news is that inverters have specifics, project-cost structure, financial Discuss This
thermal-management architectures to model and other project goals. and other Solar issues at
www.engineeringexchange.com
control internal temperatures to protect How will oversizing practices change in
the inverter during prolonged periods of the future? With the continued downward
full-power operations. These measures also trend of module prices and the potential
act to help preserve the life of temperature for an increasing number of utilities Share this online
sensitive components. Inverters sense transitioning to time-of-use rate structures, Email, Post, or Share on your
temperatures of critical components and combined with future technology to capture favorite social network
have programmed set points that trigger energy lost during power limiting or to
increased blower fan speed and power temporarily overdrive inverters for grid
limiting as means of regulating internal support, indications are that the practice of Figure 3: Example Oversizing
temperature. oversizing only stands to continue. SPW Financial Analysis
In addition, inverters have critical
temperature limits that, once reached,
result in inverter shutdown. Inverters also
include one or more temperature switches
as a backup safety mechanisms in the event
of an uncontrolled temperature increase
due to failures in the inverter’s thermal-
management-control systems. System
designers should understand the inverter’s
maximum ambient operating temperature
for full-rated power and consider other
factors that affect the inverter’s operating
temperature and cooling ability, including
inverter shading, elevation and mounting
location (indoor/outdoor, ventilated/
conditioned). Designers are encouraged to
use good engineering judgment and attempt
to promote optimal cooling of the inverter
to ensure the longest life of the equipment.
System owners should perform regularly
scheduled maintenance of any air intake
filters and cooling system.