Method for use of static inverters in variable energy generation environments
View Patent ↗A method to collect energy from generation systems such as, for example, wind farms or solar farms with widely distributed energy-generation equipment. In some cases, static inverters are used to feed the energy directly into the power grid. In some other cases, back-to-back static inverters are used create a high-voltage DC transmission line to collect power from multiple generation sites into one feed-in site.
1. A method, comprising:
collecting electrical energy produced by one or more strings of variable energy collectors via one or more string converters managed by a first controller;
routing the electrical energy collected via the one or more string converters via a floating direct current bus to a static inverter having a fixed ratio for converting a direct current input to an alternating current output, the static invert having a plurality of switches;
converting the electrical energy from the floating direct current bus to an alternating current via the static inverter to feed a power grid;
measuring a voltage phase on the power grid; and
controlling, by the first controller,
the one or more string converters to set a voltage on the floating direct current bus to cause the static converter to output the alternating current in accordance with a voltage of the grid, and
the timing of the switches of the static inverter in accordance with the voltage phase measured on the power grid.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending data via the first controller and a network about energy being output.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating data via the first controller with a supervisory site.