Could Solar Inverters Moonlight As Grid Stabilizers

Susan Kraemer

All utility-scale solar farms use inverters that turn the DC power that solar panels make into the AC power that is used on our electrical grid. But, so far, these solar farms’ inverters only work days, converting each day’s sunshine into AC electricity for the grid.

But it turns out, that because we are adding so much renewable energy to the grid, there is a new job that solar inverters can do, by working nights as well as days. By moonlighting, solar inverters could actually help stabilize the renewable energy grid.

What if solar inverters on large solar farms could stay busy, and cut solar farm costs, by earning their keep working all night long as well?

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Solar Topps (Tucson, Ariz.) announced a new zero-money-down solar leasing program for residential customers that will allow homeowners to lease a 9,000 kWh system for approximately USD 60 per month, which comes with a written solar power production guarantee. This due to Solar Topps will allow residential customers to produce USD 1,200 of free solar electricity every year for the next 20 years.

Leasing a solar power array should save the average customer approximately USD 480 per year on their electricity bill. Customers can save even more money by installing a larger solar power array.

 

Using solar rebates, tax credits

Solar Topps does not collect a deposit, a down payment or make the customer jump through a bunch of financial hurdles. The only thing the customer needs to do to get started is fax their last 12 electricity bills to Solar Topps’ secure fax line.

Solar Topps utilizes APS, SRP and TEP solar rebates, Arizona’s personal solar tax credit and a federal solar tax incentive to pay for most of the system’s cost. Solar Topps allows the customer to finance the remaining costs and pay for the solar power array with the savings achieved by producing their own free clean solar electricity.

Replacing expensive dirty power generated by burning coal and natural gas, which emits poisonous air pollution, with free clean solar electricity is very beneficial for Arizona’s air quality and allows Arizona homeowners to become environmental stewards. Going solar is the right decision to make for the safety and well-being of every family in Arizona.

Solar Topps will be offering the zero money down Residential Solar Lease program to the following cities in Arizona: Ahwatukee, Apache Junction, Avondale, Bisbee, Buckeye, Bullhead City, Casa Grande, Cave Creek, Chandler, Chino Valley, Coolidge, Cornville, Cottonwood, El Mirage, Flagstaff, Florence, Ft. Huachuca, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Glendale, Golden Valley, Goodyear, Green Valley, Higley, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Laveen, Litchfield Park, Marana, Maricopa, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Payson, Peoria, Phoenix, Prescott, Queen Creek, Safford, Sahuarita, Scottsdale, Sedona, Sierra Vista, Sun City, Surprise, Tempe, Tolleson, Tucson, Vail, Yuma and other smaller Arizona cities and towns.

“Going solar not only makes Arizona a better place to breathe, but it allows families to protect themselves from future rate hikes and will save their family more than USD 9,600 over the next 20 years at today’s electricity prices. As electricity prices continue to rise, so will their family’s solar powered savings”, Solar Topps emphasizes.

Solar Topps provides a 25-year warranty on the solar panels, and the rest of the system has a 10-year warranty on all parts and labor. Solar Topps installs 100% American-made zero-power-loss (-0/+5%) solar panels and 97% efficient power inverters and uses only skilled trade labor to install the solar power array.

 

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Enphase M190 microinverter

Enphase M190 microinverter

Enphase Energy, Inc. (Petaliuma, Calif.) on June 15th, 2011 announced that it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering (IPO) of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined.

 

Semiconductor-based microinverter system

Enphase Energy pioneered an inverter technology for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry to increase energy production, simplify design and installation, improve system uptime and reliability, to reduce fire safety risk, and to provide a platform for intelligent energy management. Enphase Energy’s semiconductor-based microinverter system converts energy at the individual solar module level and brings a systems-based, high technology approach to solar energy generation.

 

Bookrunning by Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch

The bookrunning managers of the proposed offering will be Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and BofA Merrill Lynch. Jefferies & Company, Inc. will be acting as joint lead manager, and Lazard Capital Markets LLC and ThinkEquity LLC will be acting as co-managers.

This offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus, when available, may be obtained from the offices of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014, or BofA Merrill Lynch, 4 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10080, Attn: Prospectus Department.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.

 

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Sunways unveils NT 3000 solar inverter based on HERIC concept

Sunways Solar AG (Konstanz, Germany) announced a new solar PV inverter, the NT 3000, based on a novel switching concept which has won the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2011. Also on June 8th, 2011, Sunways announced that the Germany Energy and Water Association (BDEW) has awarded the company the unit certificate for its PT series inverters.

As a result of this certification, Sunways states that its solar inverters PT 30k and PT 33k, as well as outdoor versions, can be used in Germany without restriction.

 

HERIC topology to offer gains in device efficiency

The HERIC topology, which the NT 3000 inverter uses, was developed by Dr.-Ing. Heribert Schmidt from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE, Freiburg, Germany).

The company states that compared with other solutions, the new switching technology offers increased device efficiency, resulting in higher output, less waste heat, smaller heat sinks, higher reliability and longer service life.

Sunways states that the NT 3000 complements its “New Technology” series, comprising five single-phase solar inverters with output classes between 2500 and 5000 watts. Sunways inverters offer efficiencies up to 98%.

In addition to HERIC topology, the company notes that all its units feature an integrated DC load break switch and current flow management, as well as communication functionality.

 

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Petaluma, Calif. Enphase Energy today launched its most efficient and powerful technology to date, the 215-Series Microinverter, with a 25-year limited warranty. The first product in the 215-Series, the standalone M215 Microinverter, is immediately available for purchase in North America from Enphase’s authorized distributors. In addition to its new microinverter products, Enphase also launched the Engage System™, a patent-pending mechanical and electrical interconnection system for streamlining solar installations.

 

“Our new offering delivers exactly what installers have been asking for – a proven, no-compromise microinverter system that sets the bar for efficiency, is simple to install and is guaranteed for the 20 to 25 year expected lifetime of the solar system.”

“The all-inclusive third generation Microinverter System delivers a set of innovations that – coupled with now over 750,000 units shipped – clearly establishes Enphase as a trusted brand in solar,” said Paul Nahi, CEO of Enphase Energy. “Our new offering delivers exactly what installers have been asking for – a proven, no-compromise microinverter system that sets the bar for efficiency, is simple to install and is guaranteed for the 20 to 25 year expected lifetime of the solar system.”

215-Series Microinverter

All 215-Series Microinverters incorporate Enphase’s third generation technology, which was specially developed to maximize the performance of 60-cell photovoltaic modules.

  • Record Efficiency: The M215 is the only microinverter to achieve a weighted power conversion efficiency of 96% (CEC).
  • Higher Power: At 215Wac, the new microinverter has an output that is 13 percent higher than previous generations, enabling compatibility with high-power 60-cell modules.
  • 25-Year Limited Warranty: The 215-Series 25-year limited warranty ensures that system owners will recognize the full value of their solar system over its expected 20 to 25 year lifetime. The Enlighten monitoring and analysis service is now included with the Envoy communications gateway to maximize system uptime.
  • Standalone and AC Module (ACM) Models: Available in North America with CSA certification and soon in Europe with VDE certification, the 215-Series Microinverter now addresses a large and growing global solar market. The 215-Series ACM model further simplifies installation by eliminating rack mounting, a separate system ground wire and DC cable management.

Engage System™

With the new 215-Series Microinverter comes the “plug and play” Engage System, which further simplifies the Enphase microinverter installation process.

  • Engage Cable: This new size-to-fit cable comes with built-in connectors that can support an entire 4kW system on a single branch. Providing installers ultimate flexibility and requiring no special equipment or training, the Engage Cable can be cut to length and also comes with additional cable termination and splice kits to further reduce balance of systems requirements.
  • Engage Port: This ACM microinverter port replaces the standard DC junction box on a PV module, enabling PV module manufacturers to integrate Enphase’s field-proven microinverter technology seamlessly into their product portfolio, while installers continue to benefit from Enphase’s system, including Engage, Envoy and Enlighten, and its top-rated customer support.

“We’re a strong believer in Enphase microinverters for their reliability, high performance and ease of installation,” said Michael Flood, director of operations and logistics for SolarUniverse, Inc. “As one of the first installers of the new M215, we like the cabling system as it’s lightweight, quick to install and reduces cable waste with its flexible cut-to-length design.”

The M215-Series Microinverter and Engage System are now shipping in North America, with the European model available for purchase in the second half of 2011. Enphase-enabled AC modules from leading module manufacturers are expected to ship in the first half of 2012.

Visit Enphase Energy at Intersolar, Munich: On June 8-10, 2011, the new M215 European model will be on display in booth #420, Hall C3 at the Intersolar 2011 Conference and Exposition.

About Enphase Energy Inc.

Enphase Energy provides solar microinverter systems for residential and commercial markets. The company offers a system that includes high-efficiency power conversion, communications and web-based monitoring and analysis. The system increases energy production, improves system reliability, and simplifies design, installation and management. Founded in 2006 and based in Northern California, the company is led by veterans from the solar and high tech industries and backed by industry leaders. For more information about Enphase, please visit www.enphase.com.

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Germany’s solar photovoltaic (PV) industry now employs more workers than the steel production sector in the USA says Germany Trade and Invest. 

According to the foreign trade and inward investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany; the German solar PV industry now provides 100,000 jobs.

Approximately 75 percent of European solar panels are manufactured in the nation, along with other components such as solar inverters. Nearly half of all solar inverters produced in the world are made in Germany – home to well known brands such as SMA and Fronius.

Germany Trade and Invests says record-breaking domestic demand has been the main driver of the industry, with 7.4 GWp of PV capacity installed last year.

According to Thomas Grigoleit, renewable energies expert at the company, “Germany continues to confirm its leadership role in renewable energies as the solar photovoltaic market will soon enter the grid parity era. Political support for solar power is unwavering and industry players are already preparing for innovative new business models. Now is an excellent time to invest in Germany.”

A Wikipedia entry states the German solar PV industry installed nearly a quarter of a million individual solar power systems last year and solar panel generated electricity contributed 12 TWh (billion kilowatt-hours) of electricity in 2010.

That a nation with a fraction of the solar resources of Australia could emerge as such a powerful force in renewable energy has been mostly due to its pioneering efforts in feed in tariff incentives. The country’s PV industry has also recently received an added boost after the German government announced it would abandon nuclear power in the wake of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear crisis.

The German government had previously set a target of 66 GW of installed solar PV capacity by 2030, a target that may be revised upwards given the nation is turning its back on nuclear energy.

 

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GTM Research forecasts a $6.9B solar PV inverter market for 2011, with key technology advances increasing both project functionality and market competition.

See the full press release here.

The time is now for new solar PV inverter technologies. With inverter losses accounting for 59% of total PV project failure costs, developers, owners and financiers are beginning to focus on reliable and augmented power delivery as a key factor in improving the economics of their solar projects. This focus comes as global incentive programs begin to tighten and a new suite of next-gen inverters is offering improved power quality, unprecedented operability with the grid, and module-based products that are shifting the industry’s competitive trajectory.

At over 180 pages with more than 100 data-driven exhibits, GTM Research’s latest report, The Global PV Inverter Landscape: Technology and Market Trends, 2011-2015, covers the industry from end to end, exploring inverter technology developments for PV power delivery and profiling all the major suppliers. The report also dissects global shipments, which reached 21 GW in 2010, and presents the competitive dynamics that manufacturers will encounter as global PV demand decentralizes and regional supply influences inverter market shares.

“Advances in PV inverter technology promise to improve the commercial viability of solar power,” said GTM Research Analyst and report author MJ Shiao. “In larger systems, grid support features such as fault ride-through and reactive voltage support will make it more desirable for utilities and grid operators to integrate PV into the electric grid. With smaller-scale installations, micro-inverters and distributed power optimizers show potential to reduce installation costs and increase system performance.”

According to GTM Research, inverter manufacturers seeking to differentiate in a tightening global PV environment will drive new technology development. This group includes regional suppliers attempting to expand from their domestic base to establish a global footprint and large electrical equipment conglomerates prioritizing solar as a global growth opportunity.

“As the PV inverter industry expands out of traditional European strongholds, we will see stiff competition from regional players in emerging markets like North America and China,” said Shiao. “Establishing a combination of technology differentiation and bankability becomes a key pursuit for inverter manufacturers, especially for newcomers such as distributed optimization and micro-inverter companies, which saw shipments jump more than threefold in 2010, with the potential to reach 4.6 GW by 2015.”

FIGURE: Global PV Inverter Manufacturer Taxonomy

(Source: GTM Research)

While leading inverter incumbents SMA, Power-One, KACO New Energy, and Fronius currently account for over 61% of global PV inverter shipments, GTM Research sees an expansion of global demand engendering a new guard of U.S.- and Asia-based manufacturers. Accordingly, EU-based inverter manufacturers will have to strategically diversify and obtain new supply opportunities in new markets in order to avoid stagnant growth rates.

For more in-depth coverage of The Global PV Inverter Landscape: Technology and Market Trends, 2011-2015, visit www.gtmresearch.com/report/the-global-pv-inverter-landscape.

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