Ward Bower's plenary presentation from SPIE Optics + Photonics 2011.
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An overview of the activities and progress made in the US DOE Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems (SEGIS) program is provided. The SEGIS Program has progressed since 2008 from the "Conceptual Designs and Market Analysis" through "Prototype Development" and is now in "Toward Commercialization. Prototypes spanned system sizes from micro-inverters (200W)
through modular commercial sizes of 100kW. This SEGIS R&D has opened pathways for connecting PV systems to emerging intelligent utility grids and micro-grids. In addition to new grid-interconnection capabilities and "value added" features. The new hardware designs result in smaller, less material-intensive, and higher reliability products that can be considered by interconnected utilities as generation resources rather than as unpredictable negative loads. The solutions and "value added" will enable the "advanced integrated system" concepts and "smart grid" evolutionary processes forward in a faster and more focused manner. Advanced integrated inverters/controllers are incorporating energy management functionality, intelligent electrical grid support features and a multiplicity of communication technologies. This SEGIS work focuses on grid-integrated systems, but stand-alone energy management controls enable implementation of micro-grid functionality. Portals for energy flow and two-way communications are implemented. SEGIS hardware is being developed for the utility grid of today, which was designed for one-way power flow, for intermediate grid scenarios, AND for the grid of tomorrow, which will seamlessly accommodate two-way power flows as required by wide-scale deployment of solar and other distributed resources. SEGIS hardware and control developed today meets existing standards and codes AND provide for future operations and transitions to a smart grid mode that enables utility control and optimized performance.
Biography: Ward Bower has been with Sandia National Laboratories for 47 years and has led PV inverter, controller and balance-of- system R&D work since 1978. He currently is technical lead for the US Department of Energy Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems (SEGIS) Program where the 3-stage program focuses on development of advanced PV systems for higher penetration applications into a more intelligent electrical utility grid. He is a voting member of Code Making Panel #4 for the National Electrical Code(r) and is Chairman of the PV Industry Forum for Article 690, "Solar Photovoltaic Systems". He is a member of the Underwriter Laboratories Standards Review Committee for UL1741. He has authored more than 75 papers for PV systems, inverters and balance-of-system components.
