Development and implementation of a dynamic PV emulator with HMI interface for high power inverters

In this paper a 10 kVA photovoltaic emulator is presented. The system implemented generates photovoltaic V-I characteristic curves to analyse and test maximum power point tracking algorithms of real photovoltaic inverters according to the standard EN50530. The power converter used includes a three-phase ac-dc active rectifier. The power stage selected allows to minimize the harmonic current content and permits to be closed to the unity power factor with a fast response. The emulator is controlled by a digital signal processor that communicates with a human-machine-interface. It allows to emulate static and dynamic responses. Furthermore, the interface is also capable of simulating weather evolution and situations under shaded conditions.