Project Summary

TÜBİTAK MAM took part in the 1004 research program titled "Turkey Photovoltaic Technologies Research Platform" numbered 20AG002 as the executing organization responsible for the ninth sub-project numbered 20AG015 and titled "1500 VDC Array Inverter Development". TÜBİTAK MAM has successfully completed the coordination, realization and finalization of the work and activities in the relevant project within a total period of four years starting from February 2021. In the project, a 125 kW inverter was developed that can be used in modular-centralized and decentralized 1500 VDC photovoltaic applications. TÜBİTAK MAM is also a founding board member of TFTP, established under 1004.

The main motivation of this project is the development of domestic resources to meet our energy needs, a significant portion of which is imported by our country, coordination with the European Green Deal and the Green Growth Technology Roadmap targets for climate change, and ultimately the strategic objectives of developing domestic and national technologies.

In line with these objectives, the topology selection was completed by first analyzing the literature and then conducting preliminary design studies in line with the work packages targeted in the project. Following the related design and simulation studies, prototype development and functional tests were carried out for the subcomponents. In the final phase of the project, tests and design improvements for the final prototype were completed iteratively. Accordingly, in the final prototype, a THS-6 level photovoltaic inverter with a power of 125 kW at 1500 VDC photovoltaic panel input voltage level, based on multi-level inverter structures on both DA/DA and DA/AA sides and based on innovative semiconductors was developed. The R&D activities related to the DA/DA conversion part of the inverter were carried out by METU-GÜNAM, one of the 1004 project stakeholders. It is envisaged that the outputs of this project will make positive contributions to our domestic photovoltaic inverter ecosystem, to the strategic goals of our country and will be a source of inspiration for new projects.