Comparing Long Term Operation Experience Of Large PV-Systems

The aim of this work is to compare the operation experiences of large grid connected PV systems in the Megawatt class. Two systems with a total power of more than 2000 kWP are located on the roofs of the new Munich Trade Fair Centre, the two others are situated in West Saxonia near Leipzig (5000 kWp ) and Meerane (1000 kWp). In November 1997 the 1016 kWP solar roof on the new Munich Trade Fair was connected to the grid. Since then, until the end of December 2006, more than 8.900 MWh of solar electricity on the AC-side have been fed into the local 20-kV-medium-voltage-grid. The photovoltaic generator consists of 7812 modules, each one showing a nominal power of 130 WP. System voltages up to 600 V DC are applied. The cables on the DC-side show cross-sections up to 600 mm². One central inverter - three 330-kVA-units in master-slave-operation - transforms the DC energy into AC. The neighbour system, which was installed 5 years after the first PV system, shows a nominal power of 1056 kWP. Although equipped with key components such as modules and inverters from the same manufacturers as the first system, it shows some differences coming from the lessons learned from the first system. After some initial problems (over temperature in the inverter rooms, grid fluctuations causing inverter shut downs and damages, faulty isolation measurements, poor designed string fuses) the systems now operates highly reliable and at superior performance. The Saxon systems were put into operation in 2004. In both plants central inverters are used in master-slave operation. The generators of both systems are mounted on ground of former waste sites. It is the purpose of this work to compare the operation of these PV plants. First, a detailed comparison of the yields will be done. Where do the differences come from? Which are the influences of irradiation, modules and their tilt angle, inverters and their operation mode, maintenance etc? In the next step the operation experiences will be compared. Have there been any severe damages? Are there any lessons learned from initial operation? What about the long term behavior of modules, cables, boxes, inverters? As a conclusion recommendations will be given to improve the long term behavior of large PV systems.