Evaluation method for harmonic distortion and power losses of photovoltaic systems using LabVIEW software

The use of photovoltaic power generation systems is increasing all around the world. However, photovoltaic systems use inverters and other electronics to convert and control DC power from panels to AC power. This may lead to increased power losses, decreased efficiency and power factor, overheating due to higher parasitic currents, and possible damages of the devices designed to work with smoother waveforms. In this paper, we used LabVIEW software to assess harmonic impact of such systems according to their specifications. Evaluation and calculation techniques were applied in order to accurately determine the level of distortion and other related power quality parameters.