Converter efficiency and grid compliance testing

NERC DES-Lab provides a flexible testing environment for small to medium size converters including PV inverters and EV Battery chargers and Hybrid converters. Technical support for test planning, set-ups and execution is provided by experienced NERC team.

What?

Functionality and performances of converters up to 50 kW can be tested with real or emulated energy sources, energy storage and/or low voltage AC or DC distribution grid. For P-HIL simulation-based tests, duty cycles and working conditions of PV installations, batteries or grid can be programmed with a dedicated real time target. High accuracy Power Analysers and data loggers allows efficiency mapping tests and pre-compliance test to grid codes.

Why?

Grid codes compliance is mandatory for active in-feed converters like PV inverters or bi-directional battery converters. Efficiency performances at different working conditions are not always available, despite the importance of efficiency in renewable or energy saving applications. Both type of tests requires very specific test and measuring equipment’s as well as competences not available in most of SME active in the energy transition.

Pre-compliance test for standards, non-exhaustive list:

EN 50530: Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverter.

EN 50549-10: Requirements for generating plants to be connected in parallel with distribution networks – Part 10: Tests for conformity assessment of generating units.

IEC 61000-3-2: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 3-2: Limits – Limits for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current ≤16 A per phase)