Predictive electromagnetic compatibility modeling in renewable energy devices

The proliferation of renewable energy technologies has resulted in a shift in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Power converters within renewable energy devices are switching at frequencies that are typically higher than found in current electronics. The enhanced deployment of new and increasingly efficient power electronics, along with external integration with controllers for smart grids, makes these electromagnetic interference (EMI) environments very difficult to characterize and understand. Predictive EMC modeling will provide an estimate of future EMI problems associated with renewable energy devices before they are installed and put into operation via simulation and analysis of how the device will perform. This paper discusses the general principles and application of predictive EMC modeling and examines the compliance of numerical simulation methods, hybrid modeling methods (analytical and numerical), and data-driven methods of EMC studies. Examples of EMC predictions and their impact on system performance are included, demonstrating diminished harmonics and improved converter design while going through already identified and understood grid interfaces. The study concludes predictive EMC may play a significant role in the future advancement of renewable energy technologies with regard to anticipated energy efficiency and high-performance stability.