Using Commercially Available Inverters for Daylight Photoluminescence Imaging
An Australian research group has used an SMA inverter to switch the operating point of a PV array and has demonstrated
PV Magazine International 5:44 am on May 5, 2024
A research group at the University of New South Wales in Australia has demonstrated the ability to use a commercially available SMA inverter to create photoluminescence images for both rooftop and large-scale solar installations, without requiring specific electrical hardware or modifications. This technique, which can be applied to both types of systems, allows for efficient performance monitoring and quality assessment. The researchers obtained high-quality PL images by switching the PV array's operating point between open circuit and maximum power point. This method has previously only been demonstrated on a large scale using customized equipment, but this study used commercial inverters with an Indium Gallium Arsenide camera mounted on a remotely piloted aircraft to acquire images. The close-up images reveal individual cell-level defects, while overview images detect coarse module and system-level defects. This method's potential may lead inverter manufacturers to make the necessary switching capabilities more accessible.
- A research group at the University of New South Wales has demonstrated using commercially available SMA inverters for creating photoluminescence images for rooftop and large-scale solar installations.
- This technique, which can be applied to both types of systems, allows efficient performance monitoring and quality assessment without requiring specific electrical hardware or modifications.
- The researchers obtained high-quality PL images by switching the PV array's operating point between open circuit and maximum power point.
- Close-up images reveal individual cell-level defects, while overview images detect coarse module and system-level defects.
- The potential of this method may lead inverter manufacturers to make the necessary switching capabilities more accessible.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/04/29/using-commercially-available-inverters-for-daylight-photoluminescence-imaging/