Sunpower Corporation

Robert Johnson

Lars Johnson

Carl J S Lenox

Matt Campbell

Adrianne Kimber

William B Peter

A photovoltaic system includes solar cells and photovoltaic inverters configured to convert direct current generated by the solar cells to alternating current. Grid voltage at the point of interconnection (POI) of the photovoltaic system and the power grid is measured and compared to a setpoint. A control signal is generated based on the measured grid voltage. The control signal is provided to the photovoltaic inverters. The control signal is adjusted to cause the photovoltaic inverters to generate or absorb reactive power to respond to transient grid voltage changes.

Automatic voltage regulation for photovoltaic systems

A photovoltaic power plant with master-slave control architecture. The photovoltaic power plant includes slave plant controllers, with each slave plant controller controlling operation of photovoltaic inverters that convert direct current generated by solar cells to alternating current suitable for delivery to a utility power grid at a point of interconnection (POI). A master plant controller controls and coordinates the operation of the slave plant controllers. The master plant controller generates a global inverter real or reactive power setpoint, which is provided to each slave plant controller. In each slave plant controller, the global set point is processed to generate individual inverter real or reactive power setpoints that are provided to corresponding photovoltaic inverters controlled by that slave plant controller. A photovoltaic inverter generates an output based on received individual inverter setpoint to achieve a desired real power, voltage or power factor.

Master-slave architecture for controlling operation of photovoltaic power plants

Photovoltaic systems with managed output and methods for managing variability of output from photovoltaic systems are described. A system includes a photovoltaic module configured to receive and convert solar energy to DC power. The system also includes a sensor configured to detect a future change in solar energy to be received by the photovoltaic module. The system further includes a power conditioning unit coupled with the photovoltaic module and the sensor.

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Mill Valley, CA, United States of America

Robert Johnson