Choosing The Correct Solar Inverter (micro inverters)
Posted by Spencer Garner on Mon, Jan 24, 2011 @ 11:28 AM
Solar Inverters
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What is a solar inverter?
A grid tied solar electric system, or grid tied PV system as it's commonly known, is directly connected to the utility's electrical grid and the main distribution panel of your building. When the sun hits the solar panels the energy that is being created is harvested in DC (Direct Current). The solar energy inverter inverts this unusable electricity to AC (Alternating Current). |
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Why Is Choosing the right inverter so important?
During the day you are saving money by not having to pay the additional `peak` charges added onto your normal kWh consumption. `Peak` charges are added to the price of the energy consumed by your building during the busiest times of the day. These peak rates are determined by your utility company to offset the high demand for electricity from their grid at certain times of the day. Any excess energy produced by your solar system is fed back into the grid and bought by the utility company at peak rates. Choosing the right inverter also can increase the amount of RECs (Renewable Energy Credits) you earn.
There are many variables that can effect the efficiency of a solar energy inverter. Not all inverters are created equal and not all manufacturers are reliable. With every manufacturer building inverters with different MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) ranges, enclosures and temperature variances, monitoring abilities, and the like; you need to consult with a very competent company that can pair an inverter configuration to your specific situation and maximize your electricity production.
Choosing the correct inverter to pair with the rest of the components used in your investment is crucial to achieving maximum ROI.
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Micro Inverters
What is a micro inverter?
As the name suggests, a micro inverter is simply a smaller version of a typical string inverter. String inverters connect multiple solar panels in a series. Most inverters available on the market today do their jobs exceptionally well with typical efficiencies above 85% and come with a 10 year standard warranty. The Enphase Micro inverter Warranty is 15 years. Preferred Micro inverter Manufactures
What Are The Benefits Of Using Micro inverters?
- Greater energy production and less DC line loss or deration.
- Each solar panel in a micro inverter PV system is independent of the next and is installed directly to the underneath side of each panel.
- The entire system is less affected by shading, soiling, temperature, and other factors that can limit solar power harvesting.
- Installing the inverter so close to the panels also reduces safety hazards created by DC electricity. Because micro inverters typically operate at a lower voltage than traditional string inverters there is a lowered risk of electric shock and fire.
- Micro inverter PV systems can typically yield 5-25% more power than string inverters throughout its useful life. Micro inverters require less maintenance, and can operate in a more extreme temperature range, ensuring a longer warranted useful life.
- Micro inverter Warranty Information
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The use of micro inverters improves reliability through redundancy. Due to the facts that multiple units are employed, there is no single source of failure. If an inverter is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced, the cost of replacing a micro inverter is significantly lower than having to replace a string inverter.
How Micro inverters Work
Flexibility in design & expansion.
Unlike string inverter PV systems where all solar modules must be of similar voltages. Or in other words, all the panels must be the same. Micro inverters can be used with almost any solar panel due to the one solar panel to one solar inverter relationship.
Solar Panel Manufactures
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Performance Monitoring.
Finally, a more detailed level of production monitoring is available. All professionally installed commercial scale solar arrays should include production monitoring. Enphase Energy truly has a competitive advantage. The performance of each solar panel can be tracked in real time using the Enphase Enlighten Monitoring system.
A picture is worth a thousand words. View Syndicated Solar’s installation and Enphase Energy monitoring platform for Andy’s Liquors.
Choosing The Right Solar Company
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Special thanks to Scott Wegs - VP of Business Development, for contributing the expertise needed to complete this informative post. Scott may be contacted directly via mobile: (970)-250-5343 Office: 1-866-813-3581 or email Scott@SyndicatedSolar.com