Micro-inverters — Promising solutions in solar photovoltaics

Micro-inverter technology is an upcoming area of research in the field of photovoltaic (PV) as it enables solar arrays to work as plug and play devices. Most of the papers in this field are based on the arrangement of different DC–DC converters and inverters. The effort is mostly towards attaining greater stability, lesser complexity and better performance. Our literature survey revealed that most micro-inverters are designed with two stage power conversion techniques. Much less work is seen with single stage power conversion designs. The literature survey also notes that most micro-inverters are designed in the power range of 100–250 W with power conversion efficiencies above 90%. There are a variety of applications where the use of micro inverters can be very effective. The room for research of single stage micro-inverter is a potential opportunity for researchers working in the field of solar PV. The review of micro-inverter research work forms the bottom line for future research work.

► A new solution micro-inverter in solar PV harvesting is reviewed.
► Literature survey along with the commercial and patented work is presented.
► Single stage micro-inverter has wide room for research and practical applications.
► Most micro-inverters have a power rating between 100 and 250 W.
► They have high power conversion efficiency mostly above 90%.