Re:DC Grids
by algo_trader on Friday August 25, 2023 @04:56PM
(#37266931)
> but this is actually my day job.
You are probably more knowledgable than me. I am just here for the cake.
However, AFAIK the most fault prone components in PV are inverters and (where applicable) transformers.
> 5-10x more than what was mentioned.
This was my mistake. I started with 5c/W and missed a decimal place.
None of this addresses the key issue - you mentioned 10% loss for a simple DC converter, and the next commenter [1] mentioned the newer generation of far superior alternatives.
Do you have a source for the reliability claim? There are so many good old transformers deployed around the world. Many of them working for 10s of years without a replacement. I'd be suspicious that a buck converter will have longer MTBF than oil submerged transformer.
Also, I don't see why it is mentioned here but NREL estimates the cost of grid scale inverters (for installations of 100 MW) to be 5-10x more than what was mentioned. [1]
[1] https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/83586.pdf