This project will develop an innovative controller for high performance DC-AC inverters, which is ideally suited for utility-level applications that require reactive power compensation and/or local power quality regulation. The system will allow industry standard DC-AC inverters to provide reactive power to the grid as a means of compensating for low power factor loads, while also addressing other power quality issues related to distributed generation systems tied directly to the power grid. The controller will sense both output voltage and current in order to provide voltage, current, and power regulation suitable for inverter operation. It will be able to act as a reactive power compensator, local voltage regulator, or stand-alone AC source. Phase I will demonstrate an inverter controller that regulates both voltage and power, and responds to dispatched requests for reactive power, using a 100KW inverter testbed. In Phase II, the controller will be packaged as a simple add-on that can interface to standard commercial inverters.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Distributed energy resources - such as fuel cells, wind turbines, solar photovoltaics, microturbine generators, and diesel or biodiesel generators - have the potential to provide environmentally friendly, cost-effective power in a competitive, deregulated marketplace. The accomplishment of this potential will require a DC-to-AC voltage inverter that ties a local source to the power grid. This inverter would improve overall grid power quality by providing a source of reactive power to the grid. The inverter controller to be developed in this project would enable this possibility
