Since the global oil crisis of the 1970s, solar photovoltaic power generation technology has attracted great attention from all countries. The photovoltaic industry has developed rapidly around the world. After years of research and technological development, the price of solar photovoltaic modules has dropped significantly, and the solar energy conversion efficiency has also been improved, making the commercial development and application of solar photovoltaic power generation a reality.
A photovoltaic inverter is a power electronic device that connects solar photovoltaic panels to the power grid. It is one of the key devices in the entire photovoltaic power generation system. It mainly converts the direct current generated by the solar panels into alternating current that can be connected to the grid through power modules. It is the "heart" of the photovoltaic power generation system. The inverter also undertakes important functions such as detecting the operating status of components, power grid and cables, communicating with the outside world, and managing system safety.
In recent years, the photovoltaic industry has been booming; with the continuous growth of photovoltaic installations, the demand for IGBTs has also risen rapidly; as an important component of photovoltaic inverters, IGBTs are widely used in photovoltaic and other fields.
By the end of 2021, China's grid-connected photovoltaic power generation capacity reached 306 million kilowatts, exceeding the 300 million kilowatt mark and maintaining its position as the world's largest photovoltaic power generation sector for seven consecutive years. The industry has experienced rapid development, and the photovoltaic industry has officially entered the era of grid parity.
According to data from the Ministry of Energy, China's newly installed photovoltaic capacity reached 54.9 GW in 2021. Among them, the newly installed capacity of distributed generation continued to grow, accounting for more than 50% for the first time in 2021, with an installed capacity of 29.3 GW. The photovoltaic absorption rate in Xinjiang, Tibet and other regions has improved significantly.
The raw materials for photovoltaic inverters mainly consist of structural components (27.6%), inductors (14.2%), and semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices and integrated circuit materials are mainly IGBT components and IC semiconductors. Among them, semiconductor devices, mainly IGBTs, account for about 11.8% of the inverter cost.
As a power device, IGBT plays a role in power conversion and energy transmission in inverters, and is the heart of the inverter.
The core applications of IGBTs in photovoltaic inverters are reflected in four aspects: drive protection, overcurrent/short circuit protection, overtemperature protection, and mechanical fault protection.
Previously, the IGBTs used in photovoltaic inverters were almost all imported brands. However, due to widespread shortages of overseas suppliers, photovoltaic inverter manufacturers faced severe production constraints and turned to domestic suppliers with strong capabilities.
