Huawei and TÜV Release a White Paper on Optimizer Safety

Huawei and TÜV Rheinland have released a white paper on the topic of Optimizer safety.
This document details how the adoption of the innovative “optimizer + two-stage inverter” architecture brings further safety features to PV modules.

Huawei and TÜV Rheinland have released a white paper on optimizer safety recently.
This paper shares the conclusions of the field test conducted in order to verify Huawei optimizer safety features.
This white paper details the way, adopting the new “optimizer + two-stage inverter” architecture, brings further safety features, such as module-optimization which enables PV modules to independently generate energy; module-monitoring which enables real-time intelligent O&M; and module-rapid shutdown which prevents electric shocks.

As optimizers deliver greater and faster ROI compared to traditional PV solutions, PV solutions equipped with Module-Level Power Electronics (MLPE) are gaining traction. In fact, IHS Statistics has recently shared that it predicts a significant increase in both global shipments (77GW by 2027 vs 8.2GW in 2021), and optimizers market penetration (up to 30% by 2027 compared to 7,47% in 2021).

Along with this market growth, comes the necessity to adopt comprehensive measures to reach the highest safety standards to safeguard the integrity of individuals and properties. Huawei innovative architecture helps address those challenges by offering features such as rapid shutdown technology combined with intelligent arc fault detection.
In case of a fire-related incident in a PV system, those safety features allow firefighters to carry a safe, fast and efficient interventions.
In similar situation, Traditional PV systems would only offer a perilous environment preventing any safe intervention. This would result in a prolonged fire that would cause further damages to the site.

Huawei and TÜV Rheinland conducted field tests on optimizers to verify their safety features. The test results showed that, when disconnecting the DC and AC switch, the MPPT inverter voltage has dropped to zero V, Huawei optimizer in 25s (DC) and 11s(AC), which met the requirements of the NEC 2020 690.12 standard.

Test site: Roof of a shopping mall

Alongside safety features, this innovative architecture has offered the ability to maximize the PV modules full potential hence enabling PV systems to reach higher installed capacity in challenging situations such as area with limited space or with temporary shadow.

Huawei and TÜV have conducted a test comparing PV installed energy capacity both without and with optimizers on the roof of a school. The results then demonstrated that the installed capacity has increase by 25.9% after optimizers were used.

In addition, verification was performed in the scenario where mismatch was caused by old modules. The PV energy yield of the household equipped with optimizers was 3.56% and 2.73% higher than that of the other two households with optimizers respectively.

Scenario: shading caused by the stairway enclosure, optimizers increased the energy yield by 9.47%.

Scenario: mixed usage of old and new PV modules. optimizers increased the energy yield by 7.26%.

Test site: Roof of A Clothing Factory

“Smarter and Safer, Unleashing the potential of each module”. For more details about the white paper and FusionSolar Smart Module Controller, please visit https://solar.huawei.com/en/professionals /all-products/ SUN2000-450W-P2-600W-P/support