This extension module offers four additional digital inputs for our single-phase and three-phase blueplanet inverters of up to 20 kilowatts. By means of these interfaces, an inverter is able to execute a coded signal from a ripple control receiver. The utility companies use these in the event of grid disturbances to bring about a power limit in the PV plant. In this way, PV systems contribute to stabilising the grid.
By using the extension module it is possible to eliminate the need for comprehensive, cost-intensive data loggers.
The participation of PV plants in grid management is a requirement of the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG). It is however expected that other countries will be introducing similar legal requirements. For PV systems with a DC output of up to 30 kilowatts the EEG prescribes two alternatives:
- Output can be controlled remotely by the grid operator
- Fixed limitation of the feed-in input to 70% of the PV system’s output
System operators lose yield when they chose the fixed limitation. Just how much depends on individual cases. With our extension module, the decision to implement the remote-controlled dynamic output limitation becomes easy: grid disturbances only occur in rare cases and the costs for the module are low in comparison.