Performance assessment of grid-connected photovoltaic inverters based on field monitoring in India

Most grid-connected photovoltaic inverters in the Indian market are designed based on European standards and have not been tested in the Indian climate. In this paper, the performances of eight photovoltaic inverters from three different manufacturers connected to a 40 kW grid-connected solar plant are assessed. Four photovoltaic topologies namely mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline, copper indium gallium diselenide and amorphous silicon, each installed on both fixed and tracking structures, were considered. DC to AC conversion efficiency, Maximum Power Point Tracking efficiency and harmonic emission were chosen as the criteria for performance evaluation. Results showed that although the inverters analysed met the Indian standards in terms of harmonic emission, they underperformed in comparison to the rated efficiency at the experimental location indicating the impact of the Indian climatic conditions.