Chinese power transformer manufacturer TBEA has unveiled a 500 kW string inverter for utility-scale solar bases and integrated solar-plus-storage projects.
The company said the TS500KTL-HV-C1 inverter is designed around standardised 5 MW and 5.5 MW PV sub-arrays and aims to reduce balance-of-system (BOS) costs while improving grid support capabilities.
The new inverter uses a high-voltage architecture of up to 1,600 Vdc and 1,000 Vac, a configuration intended to reduce cable use, lower line losses, and decrease equipment count compared with more conventional 330 kW-class solutions.
TBEA said this approach can reduce upfront plant investment and simplify deployment in large ground-mounted projects, where component count and construction efficiency have become increasingly important.
At the device level, the TS500KTL-HV-C1 uses third-generation silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors. According to the company’s published specifications, the inverter offers a maximum efficiency of 99.0% and a European efficiency of 98.8%, while also increasing power density and maintaining a compact footprint.
The product is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -40 C to 70 C and, according to TBEA, can run at altitudes of up to 5,000 metres without derating.
One of the product’s main design targets is grid interaction. TBEA said the inverter uses voltage-source control and can respond within 20 milliseconds, while also providing reactive power compensation and active voltage and frequency support. This gives the unit a role beyond simple power conversion, particularly in weak-grid regions and power systems with high shares of variable renewable generation.
The company is also positioning the inverter for solar-plus-storage hybrid plants, where it can work alongside grid-forming power conversion systems to improve system stability and increase renewable energy utilization.
Beyond large desert solar plants, TBEA said the model is suitable for high-altitude, cold-climate, coastal, and high-salt-mist environments, as well as large commercial and industrial PV installations.
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