Supercapacitor‐assisted LED (SCALED) technique for renewable energy systems: a very low frequency design approach with short‐term DC‐UPS capability eliminating battery banks
Dilini Jayananda, Nihal Kularatna, D. Alistair Steyn‐Ross
Abstract
The fluctuating nature of solar energy necessitates suitable energy storage systems. Compared to typical battery banks, supercapacitors offer longer cycle life eliminating the need to replace them regularly. However, compared to a typical maximum power point tracking controller, where the battery bank and resistive load fed by a switch‐mode DC–DC converter allows impedance matching for maximum power transfer, a supercapacitor bank's significantly large capacitive load does not permit the typical impedance matching for maximum power transfer. This study compares the theoretical difference between battery versus supercapacitor energy storage, and highlights of the supercapacitor‐assisted LED converter technique in achieving high‐efficiency renewable energy‐based DC‐microgrid systems.