Development of Standardized, Low-Cost AC PV Systems: Phase I Annual Report, 7 September 1995 - 7 November 1996

The following work was accomplished by Solar Design Associates, Inc., during the first-year Phase I of this subcontract. Researchers completed a system-level review of present practice in PV systems design and components with input from utilities active in PV; completed a detailed review of building-code requirements on PV module mounting systems and developed generic design criteria to addressthese requirements; completed design of standardized PV system mounting systems for sloped roof, flat roof, and ground mounting; built and evaluated prototypes of the three mounting systems; defined and selected a hard-wiring system and a quick- connect system for the AC module electrical connection; successfully completed mechanical loading tests on a frameless Solarex MSX-240 module; completedthe advanced digital micro-inverter design and prototyping; completed the advanced digital micro- inverter initial testing and qualification; completed an initial production run of enhanced digital micro-inverters; completed initial discussions with Underwood Laboratories (UL) for UL listing of the digital micro-inverter; completed discussions with UL and agreed on test program for UL listing ofMSX-240 module in the mounting systems designed for this program; developed a qualification test sequence for the advanced digital micro-inverter; completed the design and prototyping of advanced digital micro-inverters for Europe and Japan; delivered two AC PV modules, each comprising a Solarex 240-Wp, large-area PV module and an Advanced Energy Systems, Inc., digital micro-inverter for testingand evaluation: one to NREL and one to Sandia.