Guest Editorial Joint Special Section on Power Conversion & Control in Photovoltaic Power Plants

The papers in this special section focus on power conversion and control in photovoltaic power plants. The power grid is undergoing significant changes with the rapid adoption of renewable energy. Solar power generation, and photovoltaics (PV) in particular, has been one of the fastest growing sectors in the power industry and has now reached price parity with conventional generation in many jurisdictions. Despite recent trends in reduced costs, several technical challenges remain. This includes but is not limited to the following research needs: i) novel converter designs for medium-voltage energy conversion and enhanced efficiency, ii) grid-support functions and fault-detection schemes that ensure reliable system operation, iii) comprehensive modeling strategies for analyzing system stability, iv) modeling techniques which capture complex system interactions, and v) strategies for system planning, siting, and operations.