Description of the PV Array with Microinverters component in Schematic Editor.
The PV Array with Microinverters component, shown in Table 1, is a Schematic Editor library component from the Residential Energy library. It is capable of modeling the aggregate behavior of numerous solar panels connected to microinverters. It models the independent behavior of various PV panels and inverters in signal processing, then models the cumulative inverter behavior at its terminals.
Component | Component dialog window | Component parameters |
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PV Array with Microinverters internal structure
The internal structure of the PV Array with Microinverters component is shown in Figure 1.

PV model
The PV panels in the PV Array with Microinverters component are modeled using a signal processing based PV model. The IV curve is simulated at the execution rate of the signal processing components, defined by the Execution rate property. The IV curve is modeled using an EN50530 compatible PV model.
The PV panels each operate from the same panel definition, but can experience independently-varying irradiances. Individual irradiance values can be set from the SCADA Input components inside of the illumination subsystem. The inputs for the PV panel definition are provided in Table 2
SCADA Input | Description |
---|---|
(name).illumination.PVi |
Irradiance of panel i in an array of n panels [W/m^2]. |
(name).temperature |
PV panel temperature [°C]. |
(name).iscSTC |
Short circuit current under standard test conditions. |
(name).vocSTC |
Open circuit voltage under standard test conditions. |
(name).negCurrent |
Flag indicating whether negative current values should be allowed. |
(name).FFu |
Ratio of FFu maximum power point to open circuit voltage. |
(name).FFi |
Ratio of FFi maximum power point to short circuit current. |
(name).Cg |
Cg correction factor [W/m^2]. |
(name).Cv |
Cv correction factor. |
(name).Cr |
Cr correction factor [m^2/W]. |
(name).alpha |
Coefficient describing how short-circuit current changes with temperature [%/°C]. |
(name).beta |
Coefficient describing how open-circuit voltage changes with temperature [%/°C]. |
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)
MPPT is conducted using a perturb and observe algorithm, configurable from the Controller tab of the component mask. MPPT is conducted independently for each of the panels, allowing the panel models to operate independently at different irradiance values.
Inverter model
Inverter behavior is modeled in an average value manner at the terminals of the PV Array with Microinverters component. The output of the MPPT stage is the aggregate power of the independent panels being modeled. This aggregated power value represents the combined output of the various microinverters. This value is provided to an inverter controller that monitors the grid interconnection and produces an appropriate voltage waveform at the voltage source VspA as defined by the combined PV output power and a reference value for reactive power.
The list of measurements available in the PV Array with Microinverters component is shown in Internal analog measurements of the PV Array with Microinverters component.
Internal analog measurements of the PV Array with Microinverters component
Analog output variable name | Description |
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(name).Vpv[i] |
Voltage of PV panel i. |
(name).ipv[i] |
Current of PV panel i. |
(name).MPPT.Ppv[i] |
Output power of PV panel i. |
(name).MPPT.Ptotal |
Combined output power of all PV panels. |