Foreign standards for energy storage inverters

What standards govern inverters?

Currently the main standards which govern inverters in the IEEE 1547 “Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems” and UL 1741 “Standard for Safety for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use with Distributed Energy Resources.”

Are distributed energy resource inverters safe?

In compliance with standards developed by Standard Development Organizations (SDOs), Distributed Energy Resource (DER) inverters are designed, manufactured and tested to provide reliable and safe functionalities.

Can an inverter be coupled with an energy storage device?

In either case, an inverter may be coupled with an energy storage device, such as a battery, and retain power generated for later use, thus mitigating intermittency of the generating device and improving response to power demands.

Does industry need energy storage standards?

As cited in the DOE OE ES Program Plan, “Industry requires specifications of standards for characterizing the performance of energy storage under grid conditions and for modeling behavior. Discussions with industry professionals indicate a significant need for standards ” [1, p. 30].

Do inverters provide local voltage regulation?

Large, international inverter manufacturers tend to supply utilities with models with the ability to provide local voltage regulation, but these functions are disabled per IEEE 1547 and UL 1741. This essentially inhibits the adoption of many of the advanced functionalities of inverters.

Are inverters required to comply with UL 1741 requirements?

This essentially inhibits the adoption of many of the advanced functionalities of inverters. However, it should be noted that the utilities are not required to comply with UL 1741 requirements and many do not, instead adding additional protective equipment along with their inverters.