Record Efficiency Solar Inverter Could Mean 30% Cheaper Solar
Posted by bobodod on 7 March, 2008
You read that right. Nevermind attempts to improve the solar panels in a photovoltaic power generation setup – this new inverter could mean 30% cheaper solar. Amazing what’s possible when scientists stop to focus some time on the little things often lost in development of complex, cutting-edge technologies.
(This advancement impacts any sort of electrical array where an inverter is used, but I gear this post toward photovoltaics because in my opinion they’re currently by far the best option for alternative energy production. I lost the love for wind turbines when I learned they kill thousands of bats a year. Which warrants a separate post…)
A new inverter developed by engineers at the Fraunhofer Institute achieved an efficiency rating of 98.5 percent. The more efficient the inverter, the less energy is lost in the conversion.
“Fraunhofer researchers succeeded in reducing the power dissipation of conventional inverters by 30 to 50 percent when compared with results obtained with traditional silicon-based transistors.”
So, while increasing the efficiency of the photovoltaic material itself is probably the more exciting direction for improving efficiency, inverters that lose less of the energy as it is usefully delivered are also a development that will help.
(Source: EcoGeek)
