ABB’s award winning solar inverter

At Intersolar Europe, ABB’s new PVS-175-TL string inverter, which delivers up to 185 kW active power has been recognized by industry experts as the leading PV product innovation at the 2018 Intersolar Awards.

Delivering up to 65 percent savings on installation and logistic costs for ground mounted utility scale applications, the ABB PVS-175-TL delivers the largest capacity on the market for a 1500Vdc string inverter.

The unique capabilities of ABB’s new PVS-175-TL lie in its ability to generate up to 185 kW active power and the judging panel was impressed by the high modularity of the product, which improves yields and reduces operational maintenance costs. Judges praised the string inverter as the next step in improving the overall efficiency in PV systems and recognized its high power density and operating temperature range between -20°C and up to 60°C.

Together with all the key benefits of traditional string inverters, its innovative modular design means that up to 65 percent fewer inverters are required to complete the optimal power block, without the need for AC recombiners. This delivers up to 65 percent savings on installation and logistic costs, improving Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for utility-scale installations.

The three-phase PVS-175-TL with advanced digital capabilities through ABB Ability™, ABB’s comprehensive cross-divisional digital offering, delivers up to 185 kVA at 800 Vac and ultra-high-power density of 1.3 kW/kg. This not only maximizes the ROI for ground-mounted utility-scale applications but also reduces Balance of System costs for small to large scale, free field ground mounted PV installations.

“As demand for higher voltage and higher power class ratings continues to grow, we are very excited to bring to the solar energy industry a scalable and versatile solution. We are delighted to be recognized at the highest possible level in our industry, particularly with the market shifting towards new technologies to enhance solar power generation in a reliable, safe and cost-effective manner,” commented Giovanni Frassineti, who heads up ABB’s Solar Business Unit. “This latest product not only supports higher power densities, but also improves installation with reduced commissioning time. It also benefits from advanced communication and digitalization for condition based monitoring and proactive maintenance for the operator.”

Quick and easy installation, improved accessibility and visibility, advanced digitalization monitoring through ABB Ability™, bigger PV clusters and modular combiner free design are just some of the many advantages of the PVS-175-TL.

Presented at Intersolar Europe for the first time, the PVS-175-TL is a plug-and-play inverter with easy install directly onto the existing PV modules’ mounting system, using the same process as installing a DC string combiner box.

A dedicated Installer App provides simple and quick plant installation instructions and gets all inverters employed, in a single cluster, and commissioned in less than 20 minutes.

The high performing PVS-175-TL delivers:

• High power density – largest on the market for a 1500 Vdc inverter, offering up to 65 percent savings on installation and logistics costs.
• Installer friendly, reducing OPEX costs by 30-40 percent with quicker installation as the existing PV module’s mounting systems can be used to install the inverters, with no need for other devices like DC and AC combiner boxes, saving time and cost on site preparation and hire of plant.
• Greater capacity without compromising on versatility – through its 12 MPPT input channels – the largest range available on the market – PV plant design flexibility and yields are increased in complex installations. The design friendly inverter solutions can be easily adapted for free field ground-mounted installations, ensuring that installers and developers are no longer locked into legacy systems.
• Modular and combiner free design – up to 24 strings can be directly connected to the wiring compartment which, thanks to the integrated DC disconnect and AC wiring section with optional AC disconnect, eliminates the need for separate DC combiner box and AC 1st level combiners.
• Enhanced O&M – can be achieved during the operating life of the plant through its unique Advanced Cooling Concept. The internal fans (which are not heavy-duty inverter cooling fans) can be easily removed during scheduled maintenance cycles, whilst the power module can be easily replaced without removing the wiring box. This preserves the lifetime and reliability of the product and minimizes O&M costs.
• Digitalization – featuring ABB Ability™ to deliver improved user experience, reduced time on site through remote monitoring and predictive maintenance, future proofing the system via automatic upgrades, compliance and integration with new IP protocols. Multiple data streaming and services can be run in parallel.

ABB is consistently investing in R&D with extensive testing and development of its portfolio to deliver integrated technology and service solutions which optimize performance, reliability and return on investment of any solar installation and fulfill the requirements of local markets.