FPGA-based design of a step-up photovoltaic array emulator for the test of PV grid-connected inverters

In this work, a proof of concept prototype for a photovoltaic array emulator based on a DC-DC Boost converter is presented. This design arises from the need to study in the laboratory new PV inverters based on Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices in order to evaluate their performances. The lack of space for installation of real photovoltaic panels and the high costs of the commercial emulators lead to alternative systems which allow the reproduction of the characteristic curves of the panel arrays as well as their dependence on changing environmental conditions. The control algorithm designed for the emulator prototype is implemented by means of a field programmable gate array (FPGA). Experimental results confirm the proper operation of the PV emulator which is applied to a full-bridge single phase grid-connected inverter.