Solar Agile Delivery of Electrical Power Technology
Program Description:
Innovation Need:
Only a small percentage of the sunlight that reaches a PV system is converted into useful electricity. This inefficiency is due in part to the inefficient and failure-prone electrical components used in most PV systems today. Improving the performance and lowering the cost of electrical components, such as semiconductors and transformers, would go a long way towards improving the performance of PV systems. Better performing PV systems would, in turn, help make solar energy cost competitive with conventional forms of electricity generation. A PV system component called an inverter takes electric current from a PV cell and converts it into the type and amount of electricity that is compatible with the power grid. Power conversion is a critical part of the process because electrons in the PV cell create a direct current, or DC power, but electrical power grids that provide electricity to homes and other buildings require alternating current, or AC power.
Potential Impact:
If successful, the Solar ADEPT projects would improve the efficiency of several steps involved in the process of converting solar energy to useable electricity—reducing the cost of utility-scale PV systems by up to 50% and residential or small-scale systems by up to 80%.
Security:
Lowering the cost of PV systems would help increase the use of solar energy, which in turn would decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and improve U.S. energy security.
Environment:
Solar energy systems create zero harmful emissions while providing energy to homes and businesses, so their widespread use would significantly improve air quality.
Economy:
Solar ADEPT project innovations could help position the U.S. as a leader in the solar electronics industry.
Contact
Project Listing
• Cree - Utility-Scale Solar Power Converter
• Ideal Power - Lightweight PV Inverters
• Rutgers University SiCLAB - New Switches for Utility Scale Inverters
• SolarBridge Technologies - Efficient Power Converters for PV Arrays
• Transphorm - Efficient Switches for Solar Power Conversion
• University of Colorado, Boulder (CU-Boulder) - Integrated Solar Power Converters