EMC Issues in High-Power Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Plants

This paper outlines the main electromagnetic compatibility issues frequently encountered in high-power grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems, and proposes several guidelines that allow to obtain an effective and highly efficient layout of the plant. At first, with reference to a 1-MWp PV plant of Sorgenia Solar, Italy, the paper focuses on the peculiar aspects concerning the radio-frequency behavior of a large-size PV plant: the great extent of the direct-current cabling, the capacitance toward earth of the PV source, the common-mode (CM) disturbance generated by inverters, the galvanic isolation ensured by dedicated low-voltage power transformers, and the presence of resonant circuits for CM leakage currents. The dominant electromagnetic phenomena and coupling mechanisms are pointed out by means of an equivalent circuit and through measurements. In the light of the matured experience, several guidelines are proposed and a new reliable layout is implemented on a second 1-MWp PV plant. New measurements confirm the validity of the proposed design strategy.