Availability Is the Key - SMA Quality Guarantees Successful PV Projects

Availability is the Key

SMA Quality guarantees successful PV Projects

PV power plants are long-term capital investments.
Operators and investors must be able to rely on their availability.

SMA’s solutions have availability rates of up to 99.98 percent, * ensuring a project’s success throughout its entire lifetime.

* Plant under SMA service contract

SMA’s solutions have availability rates of up to 99.98 percent, ensuring a project’s success throughout its entire lifetime.

BU: Assumptions: PPA rate: 5.5 Euro cents, kWh/kWp: 1300, plant service contract term: 20 years, DC/AC ratio: 130%, plant size: 100 MWac

 

How SMA ensures maximum quality

Demanding tests for outstanding solutions

At SMA, every individual component and finished device are subjected to intensive qualification and test procedures. In a unique test center equipped with seven test chambers, one test area and twelve system and development stations, state-of-the-art measurement techniques and test procedures covering a variety of different areas are used.

  • Grid compatibility
  • Ambient conditions
  • Inverter performance
  • Accelerated ageing
  • Compliance with standards
  • 100 percent first article inspection in the series end test

Innovative concepts and unique stack design

With more than 35 years of experience and a total installed capacity of over 55 gigawatts worldwide, SMA has unique experience in the development, design and engineering of inverters and complete solutions for every requirement and need.

SMA has developed the intelligent cooling system OptiCool, which allows SMA inverters to be installed outdoors in all climatic conditions. For 1,500 V central inverters, SMA uses a stack topology with a 38 percent design reserve to ensure maximum reliability.

Pioneering production processes

In SMA’s production facilities, we produce inverters and solutions in accordance with future-oriented standards and using state-of-the-art production methods. Our long-term documentation of individual production steps ensures that the high quality of the individual components and the complete devices remains transparent at all times.

  • The trend-setting worker information system (WIS) ensures relevant option codes
  • Intelligent electronic screw system for all HV connections to ensure maximum safety
  • A series of test procedures during production prevent faults
  • Modern series test systems for DC modules and stacks

Diverse test procedures ensure project success

From the component to the finished device – at SMA, sophisticated test procedures are conducted in every step of production.

Stack Tests

At SMA, the stacks are tested before they are installed – in the same position in which they will later be installed in the inverter. This allows us to derive information about the component’s subsequent function in advance.

Test conditions:

  • 100% power
  • Electronic documentation of stack behavior
  • Individual test chambers for 1000-volt and 1500-volt AC modules

Three-part series end test

Every finished Sunny Central inverter is intensively tested to ensure full and fault-free functionality. Tests meet all standards and certifications

  • Test for specific customer requirements and special versions
  • Full grid function tests
  • All documentation is recorded and provided electronically

Performance end tests in the V-loop procedure

Two inverters alternate between inverter and rectifier operation – at full power. The temperature behavior is assessed and information derived regarding their later behavior in the field.

Global O&M services guarantee yield and investment

Global O&M services guarantee yield and investment

As one of the top 5 operations and maintenance providers, SMA offers a range of services to ensure the long-term efficiency and profitability of large PV power plants. This ensures optimal and reliable system performance with maximum yields for over 25 years and beyond.

SMA solutions from DC to AC

Our portfolio for maximum availability and quality encompasses solutions from the DC side to the grid connection. For decentralized and central PV power plants and for all regions worldwide.

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