Researchers at San Jose State University Develop Solar Panels that Capture 30% More Energy than Traditional Technologies

Researchers at San Jose State University developed a prototype power converter for PV panels that captures more than 30% more energy than conventional technologies. Delta, a power and thermal management solutions company, provided the funding for the research in an effort to advance renewable energy research and talent. The project met several milestones, including the production of a demonstration-scale micro integrated converter that utilizes a magnetically coupled architecture to reduce the size, weight, and cost of each converter. In the prototype, each micro integrated converter was paired with an individual PV panel that was part of a larger string. By structuring the system in this fashion, each converter was able to maximize the energy output of its panel by processing only a fraction of its generated power. Consequently, the overall system efficiency increased significantly. Results showed that captured energy spiked by more than 30% in shaded environments.