Solar Power World

Utility-scale inverter ready in 1.0 and 1.5-MW modules

ISIS uses a modular suite of 1.0 and 1.5 MW solar-inversion platforms and 15 and 38 kV utility interconnection platforms. The Integrated Solar Inversion Station ( ISIS) is for utility grade solar projects of 1 MW and more. It uses a modular suite of 1.0 and 1.5 MW solar-inversion platforms and 15 and 38 kV utility interconnection platforms. The company says it works with solar-project developers, financers, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms, and utilities... Read More

Transformerless grid-tied inverters

Illinois-based manufacturer of PV inverters Carlo Gavazzi offers a new line of grid-tied PV models. The company says the ISGA Series features a transformerless design, which does not incorporate a cooling fan. Naturally, cooling fans have moving components which ultimately will fail, therefore their exclusion in the design leads to a longer, maintenance-free product life span. This is a strong reason why the PV inverters are available with a warranty of up to 10 years, Carlo Gavazzi... Read More

Solar inverter meets stringent specifications

Newly commissioned grid-coupled inverters equipped with a direct medium-voltage connection in Germany must demonstrate their compliance with the directive “Generator plants on the medium-voltage network” by means of a unit certificate of the BDEW (German Association of Energy and Water Industries). For example, the BDEW directive requests that photovoltaic inverters must no longer shut down in the event of a short-term failure of the mains network, but must support the mains... Read More

8-kW residential inverter with commercial performance

A solar inverter manufacturer has a new line for residential use. Danfoss Solar says its TripleLynx series performs as well as commercial grade inverters. The TripleLynx 8-kW Series features three phase output, with 1000V DC and 8000W power output for 97.8% maximum power. Allan The company also says the line offers up to 99.9% MPP tracking efficiency via two independent trackers and two DC inputs. Furthermore, the TripleLynx series, at just 35Kg, can easily transport and install.... Read More

250-kW, grid-tied PV inverter to come out this summer

The PCS-2506 has a MPP of 300-500 VDC, and maximum power output of 250 kW. It also features forced convection cooling, is 97% efficient, and is designed to meet UL 1741 standards. An Illinois-based manufacturer will release its first in a line of grid-tied PV inverters this summer. Basler Electric’s PCS-250 is manufactured in the USA and includes options for 5, 10, 15, or 20-year warranties. The inverter features: -High-efficiency transformers and inductor -Advanced communications... Read More

Significantly smaller power inductors

Alpha-Core inductors are box shaped and fully encapsulated in black epoxy resin. Electrical product manufacturer Alpha-Core ( a division of Bridgeport Magnetics Group Inc.) has a new line of high-power inductors for high-frequency applications, such as on-grid solar power systems. The inductors are at least 30% smaller and lighter, because of using high-performance gapped amorphous ribbon cores instead of conventional cores of silicon steel or powdered iron. The Connecticut-based... Read More

A little more on MPPT

Here’s a little about Maximum Power Point Tracking  from solar inverter manufacturer Danfoss. To increase the output energy of a PV system, it is important to have an efficient Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT). The conversion efficiency of the inverter and the focus on reducing losses in cables have little effect if the inverter is not able to use all the energy the PV panels are able to supply. The Maximum Power Point (MPP) of a PV system depends on the solar irradiation... Read More

Inverters are looking sunny

Sunny Central CP inverters are also available with an industry-best 99% uptime guarantee and optional extended warranties up to 20 years. PV inverter manufacturer SMA America has released a new line of solar inverters, the Sunny Central Compact Power (CP) line. This outdoor-rated line includes the Sunny Central 500CP, 630CP, 720CP, 760CP and 800CP, which won the Intersolar Award 2010 in the photovoltaics category. These inverters join the Sunny Central High Efficiency (HE) line... Read More

Transformerless inverters and more

Here’s an inverter that’s designed just for the utility PV power market. SMA Solar’s Sunny Central 800CP central inverter includes grid-management functions that have already been field-proven in Europe. The manufacturer says it’s one of the first outdoor-rated, single devices with a nominal capacity of 800 kVA. Its peak continuous power is 880 kVA at temperatures below 77 degrees F. The inverter is part of SMA’s utility-scale lineup, which consists of... Read More

A little from a company that does a lot

As a manufacturer of electrical equipment including inverters, combiner boxes, disconnect switches, and meter beakers, Eaton Corp. showed what they had to offer the solar industry at the SPI show earlier in October. The company provides turnkey services to design, build, and support solar power systems, as well as arc flash hazard analysis, power reliability studies, and LEED-certified audits. Eaton offers electrical balance of system for residential installations. The company... Read More

Company brings its inverters to North American market

Italian-based Power-One Inc showed off a range of power inverters at the Solar Power International show earlier in October. As a manufacturer of power conversion and power management products the company offers inverters for the residential and commercial markets that have already deployed worldwide and are now available for the North American solar market. Products on display were part of the company’s Aurora product line and include:PVI-3.8 and PVI-4.6 OUTD Isolated... Read More

The heart of the inverter

Danfoss manufactures inverters for commercial, residential, and power plant applications. Power modules improve inverter reliability by placing the highly sensitive power semiconductors in a thermally well defined environment. Additionally they aid in reducing size as it is one of the most compact solutions available for mounting power semiconductors. High-performance power modules are the core of Danfoss inverters. They integrate all power semiconductors into 8-cm long components.... Read More

Inverter business is booming

To meet increased demand in residential and commercial PV markets for grid-connected inverters, manufacturer of solar inverters Danfoss has increased production capacity. Production is set to reach 1.5 GW by the end of 2010, and 3.5 GW in 2011. Production and logistics will be moved to facilities at the company’s headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark to accommodate the increase. The company manufactures inverters for residential, commercial, and power plant purposes. Danfoss offers... Read More

High PV Inverter Demand Leaving Shortages Worldwide

With the PV inverter market growing so rapidly, product shortages are becoming increasingly acute around the world, especially in Europe. A new report from IMS Research highlights the numbers behind that growth: the PV inverter market shipped 8.3 GW of devices in 2009, totaling $2.8 billion in revenue. IMS Research’s new report, “The World Market for PV Inverters – 2010,” has revealed that huge demand for PV inverters, fueled by uncertainty around several European... Read More

How To Choose The Right PV Power Inverter

For those new to photovoltaic systems, the various components that make up a system may be confusing. Inverters are one of those components that some may know they need, without knowing why. This guide will help to clear up some confusion about inverters. What is an inverter? Inverters are devices that convert direct current (DC) voltage from photovoltaic cells into alternating current (AC) voltage. Why do you need an inverter? Inverters are necessary components of any photovoltaic... Read More