C2000 Solar Development Kits

Texas Instruments has sponsored the following story

Given the size of global energy consumption, there is no question that as soon as solar technology is mature enough, it will become a major energy contributor. The Texas Instruments' (TI's) C2000 Solar Micro Inverter Development kit is one step in the direction towards cheap, mature solar power.

There are many applications where solar power is already the best energy solution. From mobile outbreak treatment centers in Africa, to the lone cabin in the woods, green power, like solar generators, can be a great contributor to relieve energy problems.

TI is Solving Solar Power Limitations

For engineers, there are two major concerns with solar power: rendering economically viable output, and successfully integrating the power into the distribution infrastructure.

TI's C2000 Solar Micro Inverter kit addresses these crucial issues. The kit is a digitally-controlled, grid-tied, solar micro inverter with maximum power point tracking (MPPT). With MPPT the kit will help to improve the energy output of the solar capturing system.

A power inverter is a device that changes power from a DC source into AC allowing for grid connection. Solar micro inverters are an emerging segment of the solar power industry. Rather than linking solar panels in series at high voltages into a central inverter, solar micro inverter-based installations link smaller inverters to each solar panel individually.

Connecting inverters to individual panels will improve the safety of the system, increase efficiency/scalability, avoid shading effects and reduce the risk of power arcing.

TI's Solar Micro Inverter kit is controlled by a C2000 Piccolo TMS320F28035 microcontroller (MCU). This MCU controls the power stage, maintains the PV panel at the maximum power point and synchronizes to the grid to feed a clean current. The power conversion stages include:

Active clamp fly-back DC/DC converter with a secondary voltage multiplier
Grid-tied, DC/AC inverter

TI's kit design is able to achieve 93% peak efficiency with less than 4% total harmonic distortion. This will increase the power output per solar panel as well as reduce damage to the panel due to heat dissipation.

Challenges Connecting Solar Panels to the Grid

Perhaps the greatest challenge for controlling a solar array is seamlessly integrating it into the larger power grid. To do this, it is necessary that the AC phase of the inverter current is identical to the grid.

Each of these challenges can be controlled and monitored by the TI C2000 MCU Solar Micro Inverter kit .

Implementing the C2000 Solar Inverter Kit

The usual Texas Instruments design engineering accommodations are present for the solar micro inverter kit. For instance, TI supplies solar power software libraries, a fully functional evaluation board , step-by-step documentation, product version options , and solar energy information guides .

Watch the video below to see how TI's C2000 software can assess the gain margin and phase margin without external network analyzers.

"Micro-grids may provide critically important capabilities to strengthen electric grid resiliency following significant...events," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy, Dan Ton . It is therefore easy to assume that solar panels equipped with TI's Micro Inverter Development Kit are a strong step towards energy independence and our ability to better survive catastrophes.

Texas Instruments has sponsored promotion of their C2000 solar development kits on ENGINEERING.com. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Arnie Peskin

C2000 Solar Development Kits

Want More Electronics Design News For Engineers?

Sign up today to get weekly updates on the guts behind the gadgets