A DC-DC power converter for PV module characterization

In this paper, a standard-compliant electronic load setup for PV module curve detection which features high accuracy, low cost and components count is proposed. The proposed device is based on a DC-DC power converter in open-loop configuration. The proposed system is designed according to regulation constraints in order to achieve high performances in curve detection. Design criteria are discussed. The model is implemented in PSIM environment. Simulation based on data input of a commercial PV Conergy E215P module are carried out under several environmental conditions to show the accuracy of the proposed electronic load. Simulation results are reported.