With the SMA eCharger, a new generation of wallboxes for PV-optimized charging has been launched. We have now compiled your...

Renewable energy can cover a growing energy demand. However, can it also ensure system stability when conventional power plants are increasingly being shut down? Large battery storage systems with grid-forming inverters play a key role here. What was previously performed by the inertia mass of the system generators in conventional power plants, is now managed by the power electronics of inverters in the increasingly renewable energy supply.

Many small rural municipalities harbor enormous potential for the energy transition. The share of renewable energies can continue to increase if the existing infrastructure is further expanded and modernized. In these municipalities, waste heat and water can also make a bigger contribution to the energy supply.

Right in the heart of Germany there is now a beacon of hope in the form of a PV farm showcasing how cities and local communities can transition to a renewable energy supply. But what makes this project in Bundorf so unique? The PV farm is one of the largest in Germany to involve public participation. Citizens can take part in the project through an energy co-operative and thus collectively drive forward the energy transition in their region.

Electricity, heat and transportation: The citizens’ solar park is transforming Bundorf in Lower Franconia into an energy community. Delivering 125 megawatts of peak power, the photovoltaic (PV) farm is one of the biggest in Germany – and more than 30 percent of it serves as a citizens’ solar park. The primarily power-operated district heating network is unique, and the connected charging infrastructure is intended for supplying the local population with affordable solar power for their electric cars.

Wolfram Dege destroys inverters for a living – and helps to make them better in the process. To do so, he puts the devices under high stress and induces artificial aging. He really puts the inverters through the wringer, using cold, heat, moisture and high currents and voltages – ideally all at once. This gives him valuable information about service life. Read on to find out more about his life-prolonging work and his favorite test.

It's all in the mix: In the new "blended learning" format, the SMA Solar Academy is now combining digital and analog maintenance training for the Sunny Central and Sunny Central Storage central inverters. There are only two days of classroom training at the Solar Academy. Prior to that, the theory will be provided on four half days as remote training. "This is more flexible, fits better into everyday work and family life, and the participants save on accommodation costs," says Academy trainer Jan Rössler.

The safety of a PV system depends, among other things, on the design of the overall system. Modern string inverters with integrated features enable a slim system design. This avoids potential sources of error, for example through additional cabling effort when installing module electronics. In a webinar "Analyzing PV system safety and the promise of optimizers" in June 2022, Dr. Heribert Schmidt from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and SMA expert Hannes Knopf discussed the influence of different system designs on the safety of PV systems. Afterwards we received so many exciting questions on the topic, which we would like to share with you. Our colleague Hannes Knopf answered the most frequently asked questions here.

The PV industry is using high-current modules to combat rising system costs. This type of module consists of M10 or larger PV cells, which can accommodate correspondingly high MPP currents (>12 A). Read on to find out what needs to be taken into account in the choice of inverter and what kind of misconceptions can commonly be encountered, as well as the difference between short-circuit current and maximum input current.

When the inverter’s service life suddenly came to an end, low performance was threatening the profitability of Guntram Grieseler’s solar power plant. He decided to modernize his plant with innovative SMA string inverter technology. As a result, Guntram Grieseler’s plant is now producing even more energy than before. Here’s how it was done.