• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.668-672
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• 2001

The utility interactive sinewave modulated inverter for the solar photovoltaic (PV) power conversion and conditioning with a new high frequency pulse modulated link is presented for domestic residential applications. As compared with the conventional full-bridge hard switching PWM inverter with a high frequency AC link, the simplest single-ended quasi-resonant soft switching sinewave modulated inverter with a duty cycle pulse control is implemented, resulting in size and weight reduction and low-cost. This paper presents a prototype circuit of the single-ended zero voltage soft switching sinewave inverter for solar power conditioner and its operating principle. In addition, this paper proposes a control system to deliver high quality output current. Major design of each component and the power loss analysis under actual power processing is also discussed from an experimental point of view. A newly developed interactive sinewave power processor which has $92.5\%$ efficiencty at 4kW output is demonstrated. It is designed 540mm-300mm-125mm in size, and 20kg in weight.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.45-53
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• 2018

For the preliminary step for estimating the performance of roof-type photovoltaic system in urban areas, we analyzed the solar radiation reduction ratio by shadow effect by buildings using DSM (Digital Surface Model) and GIS (Geographical Information System) tools. An average loss by the shadow is about 19% in Seoul. The result was related to the building density and distribution. Monthly results show that the winter season (December and January) was more affected by the shading than during the summer season (June and July). It is expected that useful empirical formulas can be made if more detailed correlation studies are performed.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2023

In this paper, a machine learning model by using a regression algorithm is proposed to estimate the power generation performance of the BIPV system. The physical model formula for estimating the generation performance and the proposed model were compared and analyzed. For the physical model formula, simple efficiency model, temperature correction model, and regressive physics model for changing an irradiance were used. As a result, when comparing the regressive physics model for changing an irradiance and the proposed model with the actual generation measured data, the respective RMSE values are 0.1497 kW, 0.0451 kW and the accuracy values are 86.44%, and 96.56%. Therefore, the proposed model implemented in this experiment can be useful in estimating power generation.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.18-22
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• 2022

Photovoltaics (PV) power generation efficiency is affected by meteorological factors such as temperature and wind speed. In general, it is known that the power generation amount decreases because photovoltaics panel temperature rises and the power generation efficiency decreases in summer. Photovoltaics Thermal (PVT) power generation has the ad-vantage of being able to produce heat together with power, as well as preventing the reduction in power generation efficien-cy and output due to the temperature rise of the panel. In this study, the amount of heat collected by season and time was calculated for photovoltaics thermal modules using the International Weather for Energy Calculations (IWEC) data provided by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Based on this, we propose a method of predicting the temperature of the photovoltaics panel using thermal analysis and then calculating the flow rate of coolant to improve power generation efficiency. As the results, the photovoltaics efficiencies versus time on January, April, July, and October in Jeju of the Republic of Korea were calculated to the range of 15.06% to 17.83%, and the maxi-mum cooling load and flow rate for the photovoltaics thermal module were calculated to 121.16 W and 45 cc/min, respec-tively. Though this study, it could be concluded that the photovoltaics thermal system can be composed of up to 53 modules with targeting the Jeju, since the maximum capacity of the coolant circulation pump of the photovoltaics thermal system applied in this study is 2,400 cc/min.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.571-575
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• 2002

Generation of electrical energy faces many problems today. Solar power converters were used to convert the electrical energy from the solar arrays to a stable and reliable power source. The object of this paper is to analyze and design DC-DC converters in a solar energy system to investigate the performance of the converters. A DC-DC converter can be commonly used to control the power flow from solar cell to load and to achieve maximum power point tracking(MPPT), DC-AC converter can also be used to modulate the DC power to AC power being applied on common utility load. A DC-DC converter is used to boost the solar cell voltage to constant 360(V) DC link and to ensure operation at the maximum power point tracking, If a wide input voltage range has to be covered a boost converter is required. In this paper, author described that simulation and experimental results of PV system contain solar modules, a DC-DC converter(boost type chopper), a DC-AC converter (3-phase inverter) and resistive loads.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.757-765
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• 2018

This paper deals with the instability and resonant phenomena in distribution systems with multiple grid-connected inverters with an LCL output filter. The penetration of roof-top and other types of small photovoltaic (PV) grid-connected systems is rapidly increasing in distribution grids due to the attractive incentives set forth by different governments. When the number of such grid-connected inverters increases, their interaction with the distribution grid may cause undesirable effects such as instability and resonance. In this paper, a grid system with several grid-connected inverters is studied. Since proportional-resonant (PR) controllers are becoming more popular, it is assumed that most inverters use this type of controller. An LCL filter is also considered at the inverters output to make the case as realistic as possible. A complete modeling of this system is presented. Consequently, it is shown that such a system is prone to instability due to the interactions of the inverter controllers. A modification of PR controllers is presented where the output capacitor is virtually decreased. As a result, the instability is avoided. Simulation results are presented and show a good agreement with the theoretical studies. Experimental results obtained on a laboratory setup show the validity of the analysis.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.163-177
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• 2010

This study analyzes the economies of photovoltaic systems in an apartment complex of 1,185 households, in cases of feed-in tariff and subsidy for solar home program of the government. When including the revenue only from electricity sales, NPVs of subsidy and that of feed-in tariff are -560 million KRW and -87 million KRW respectively. With the avoided social cost included without the revenues from CERs, NPVs of subsidy and feed-in tariff are -556 million KRW and -84 million KRW respectively. With the revenues from CERs, NPV of subsidy is -526 million KRW and NPV of feed-in tariff is -54 million KRW. As results of sensitivity analysis based on the changes in capital costs and discount rates, while all scenarios with subsidy including the revenues from CERs are not commercially viable, all scenarios with feed-in tariff exclusive of the revenues from CERs are commercially viable when discount rate is less than 7.2% or capital cost is less than 6,840 thousand KRW/kW. In the cases that include the avoided social cost, while all scenarios with subsidy including the avoided social cost as well as the revenues from CERs are not commercially viable, all scenarios with feed-in tariff are commercially viable without the revenues from CERs when discount rate is less than 7.2% or capital cost is less than 6,856 thousand KRW/KW. The results indicate that the changes in discount rates do not influence the revenues from CERs, but the revenues from electricity sale. Considering that the number of apartment complex and the positive environmental and social benefits from PV system, government needs to promote its diffusion.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2016

ESS(Energy Storage System) is an important source that keeps power supply stable and utilizes electricity efficiently. For example, ESS contributes to resolve power supply imbalance, stabilize new renewable energy output and regulate frequency. ESS is predicted to be expanded to 55.9GWh of installed capacity by 2023, which is 30 times more than that of 2014. To raise competitiveness of domestic ESS industry in this increasing world market, we have disseminated load-shift ESS for continuous power supply imbalance with FR ESS, and also necessity to secure domestic track record is required. However in case of FR ESS, utility of installing thermal power plant is generally generated within 5% range of rated capacity, so that scalability of domestic market is low without dramatic increase of thermal power plant. Necessity of load-shift ESS dissemination is also decreasing effected by surplus backup power securement policy, raising demand for new dissemination model. New dissemination model is promising for $CO_2$ reduction effect in spite of intermittent output. By stabilizing new renewable energy output in connection with new renewable energy, and regulating system input timing of new renewable energy generation rate, it is prospected model for 'post-2020' regime and energy industry. This research presents a policy alternatives of REC multiplier calculation method to induce investment after outlining PV-connected ESS charge/discharge mode to reduce GHG emission, This alternative is projected to utilize GHG emission reduction methodology for 'Post-2020' regime, big issue of new energy policy.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.35-45
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• 2020

Photovoltaic (PV) power system prices have been steadily dropping in recent years due to their mass production and advances in relevant technology. Crystalline silicon (c-Si wafers) account for the largest share of the price of solar cells; reducing the thickness of these wafers is an essential part of increasing the price competitiveness of PV power systems. However, reducing the thickness of c-Si wafers is challenging; typically, phenomena such as bowing and cracking are encountered. While several approaches to address the bowing phenomenon of the c-Si solar cells exist, the only method to study the crack phenomenon (related to the strength of the c-Si solar cells) is the bending test method. Moreover, studies on determining the strength properties of the solar cells have focused largely on c-Si wafers, while those on the strength properties of front and rear-side electrodes and SiNx, the other components of c-Si solar cells, are scarce. In this study, we analyzed the strength characteristics of each layer of c-Si solar cells. The strength characteristics of the sawing mark direction produced during the production of c-Si wafers were also tested. Experiments were conducted using a 4bending tester for a specially manufactured c-Si solar cell. The results indicate that the back side electrode is the main component that experienced bowing, while the front electrode was the primary component regulating the strength of the c-Si solar cell.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.222-231
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• 2017

In this paper, a new architecture for a cost-effective power conditioning systems (PCS) using a single-sourced asymmetric cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (MLI) for photovoltaic (PV) applications is proposed. The asymmetric MLI topology has a reduced number of parts compared to the symmetrical type for the same number of voltage level. However, the modulation index threshold related to the drop in the number of levels of the inverter output is higher than that of the symmetrical MLI. This problem results in a modulation index limitation which is relatively higher than that of the symmetrical MLI. Hence, an extra voltage pre-regulator becomes a necessary component in the PCS under a wide operating bias variation. In addition to pre-stage voltage regulation for the constant MLI dc-links, another auxiliary pre-regulator should provide isolation and voltage balance among the multiple H-bridge cells in the asymmetrical MLI as well as the symmetrical ones. The proposed PCS uses a single-ended DC-DC converter topology with a coupled inductor and charge-pump circuit to satisfy all of the aforementioned requirements. Since the proposed integrated-type voltage pre-regulator circuit uses only a single MOSFET switch and a single magnetic component, the size and cost of the PCS is an optimal trade-off. In addition, the voltage balance between the separate H-bridge cells is automatically maintained by the number of turns in the coupled inductor transformer regardless of the duty cycle, which eliminates the need for an extra voltage regulator for the auxiliary H-bridge in MLIs. The voltage balance is also maintained under the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). Thus, the PCS is also operational during light load conditions. The proposed architecture can apply the module-integrated converter (MIC) concept to perform distributed MPPT. The proposed architecture is analyzed and verified for a 7-level asymmetric MLI, using simulation results and a hardware implementation.