Large-scale solar farms face increasing competition with conventional power plants with regard to their capability and profitability. For that reason, the Swiss inverter manufacturer Sputnik Engineering presents a powerful central inverter with the new SolarMax RX (500 and/or 600kW) that can be used flexibly due to its modular design and that reduces the system cost of large utility-scale projects significantly. Together with the MaxWeb NX SPC solar plant controller, the active and reactive powers of the power plant can be controlled directly at the grid feed point, allowing for the provision of an essential contribution to grid stability. For plant monitoring, SolarMax provides the new MaxWeb NX pro data logger.
The SolarMax RX consists of four independent power units (125 and/or 150kW each) and can be operated either in single-MPP tracker mode (with partial-load optimization and error management) or with four MPP trackers (multi-MPPT). For example, the latter minimizes the power losses in the event of cloud fields drifting by or slightly differently oriented modules. The compact dimensions (width 1.95 m x height 1.95 m x depth 0.8 m), as well as the low weight (1,000 kg) ensure low logistics and installation costs. The SolarMax RX has a high input voltage and can be connected directly to a standard medium-voltage transformer. This additionally reduces the system cost. Thanks to the high efficiency of the innovative power unit, the extraordinary availability, and the easy serviceability, the RX central inverter provides an important contribution to competitive electricity production costs of large-scale solar power plants (Levelized Costs of Energy).
The integration of large-scale PV power plants into the existing grid infrastructure is often very challenging. Therefore, solar farms must meet additional requirements, such as the provision of reactive power, in order to not to overload the grid when feeding in the regenerative energy. The SolarMax RX meets all current grid connection directives and furthermore provides an essential contribution to grid stability. In combination with the MaxWeb NX SPC solar plant controller, the active and reactive powers of the power plant can be controlled directly at the grid feed point. The MaxWeb NX SPC controls the inverters of the plant so that these feed into the public power grid according to the specifications of the grid operator. The new SolarMax MaxWeb NX pro data logger can be used to additionally remotely monitor the plant in a continuous manner. The data logger records current readings, yield data, and events and automatically generates alarms if the PV power plant does not work immaculately.
"In the direct competition with conventional power plants, solar farms must be installed in a cost-optimized manner and operated with the highest efficiency. In order to implement large-scale PV projects according to these standards, the inverter, as the core of the plant, must be durable and powerful, and must meet comprehensive requirements in the field of grid management," says Beat Greber, Senior Product Manager for SolarMax central inverters. "The SolarMax RX meets these requirements and with its extraordinary efficiency and high availability it guarantees maximum energy yields."
The new SolarMax RX will be available as of the beginning of 2014, the MaxWeb NX pro data logger and the MaxWeb SPC solar plant controller will already be available as of July 2013.
All solutions will be presented at the Intersolar Europe 2013 in hall B4 / booth 110.
