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Power Electronics and Control Tech-
nology for Renewable Energies
The Power Electronics Department at
Fraunhofer ISE is specialized on the
development of highly efficient DC/DC
converters and inverters up to the mega-
watt range. Our fields of work extend from
analog and digital circuit design through
layout up to digital control technology. The
department is organized in four groups,
which are focused on the following topics:
Module-Integrated Electronics and
Future Devices
We develop reliable and longlived
module-integrated electronics for harsh
environments. The potential for develop-
ing conventional transistors of silicon is
now largely exhausted. To progress our
developments further, we use the latest
power electronic components of silicon
carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).
These components enable significantly
higher switching frequencies as well as
higher inverter efficiency.
String Inverters, Off-Grid Inverters
and Power Electronics for Energy
Storage
We develop power electronics, control
software and MPP-Trackers for string
inverters which meet the continually grow-
ing market demands and standards. The
rapid expansion of renewable energy re-
quires the integration of large-scale energy
storage units into the grid. We are develop-
ing innovative power electronics for this
purpose. We also offer our expertise for
off-grid power supply ranging from the
development of high-performance charge
controllers through highly efficient stand-
alone inverters to complex control technol-
ogy for photovoltaic hybrid systems.
Central Inverters and Solar Power
Plants
With the equipment in our megawatt lab-
oratory and our 5 MW outdoor test field,
we are able to develop, operate and test
central inverters up to a power of 1 MW.
Extremely accurate measurement tech-
nology and special test equipment (e.g.
a »low voltage ride through« test facility)
enable us to test inverters according to the
currently valid specifications. Improving
efficiency and reliability, reducing costs
and weight, and the demands of new
feed-in regulations for photovoltaic
power plants are the major topics for our
research and development activities.
Grid Integration and E-Mobility
We develop solutions and control algo-
rithms to integrate large proportions
of fluctuating power generated from re-
newable energy sources, and implement
grid-supporting and grid-forming func-
tions in inverters.
For plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric
vehicles we develop cable-based
bidirectional stationary rapid chargers
and on-board chargers as well as induc-
tive chargers. With the integration of ad-
ditional functions like compensation of
harmonics, provision of reactive power,
grid support and low voltage ride
through (LVRT) capability, the chargers
are even able to improve the grid quality.
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
Highly compact three-phase PV-inverter with SiC-transistors
