Povilas Norkevicius

The implementation of a dual electric system that is capable of operating with either constant current and variable voltage, or constant voltage and variable current appliances, is one of the possible options to solve low-intensity stochastic energy utilization problems from renewable energy sources. This research paper analyzes the potential benefit of a novel three-phase dual system power inverter over the conventional inverter used in a solar power plant. The concept of such a power inverter is explained, and the digital twin model is created in a MATLAB Simulink environment. The efficiency characteristic of the simulated inverter is compared to the efficiency characteristic of a real conventional inverter. A standalone data logging system and an additional data acquisition system were used to collect and process data from the real inverter. Comparison of the digital twin inverter and the real conventional inverter shows the potential benefit of this novel inverter technology. It is shown that the novel inverter can operate in a wider range of DC input power. The potential economic benefit is also presented and discussed in the paper.

Renewable energy sources generate stochastic electric power that depends on factors that vary widely. The average wind speed throughout Lithuania varies from 3.1–6.1 m/s at a height of 50 m. Low, stochastic wind energy dominates in the European Union and Lithuania. In Lithuania, the recorded hydro energy potential of 472 small rivers is approximately 585 MW of power. Range of runoff highly varies of Lithuanian small rivers. These are huge wind and hydro energy resources that low energy potential is poorly utilised because of the very complex structures of power converter systems and their low quality of converted power. The application of a dual electric system that can operate with either I = constant and U = variable or U = constant and I = variable appliance is one of the possibilities to solve renewable energy sources low‐intensity stochastic energy utilisation problems. This research article presents the features of a dual electric system and the simulation schemes, research results, aspects of practical applications of the inverter – three‐phase dual electric system converter with the simple control system that confirms highly effective power extraction in low and high‐intensity stochastic energy.