Microinverters, as the name indicate are miniaturised inverters. Enphase pioneered Microinverter technology in 2006. In micro-inverter architecture, each Solar Module is connected to one Microinverter. The micro-inverters are then connected in parallel to form AC branches . Microinverters architecture is highly efficient, reliable and safe compared to traditional inverter architecture.
To understand different Grid-Tied Inverter Architectures such as String, Optimized String and Microinverters, read our blog on different Grid-Tied Inverter Architectures here
In this blog, we will explain in detail the multiple advantages of the Enphase Microinverter System.
Fire Safe Full AC design (No high voltage DC)
Reliable Inverter with 25 years Design Life
Up to 25% more Energy Yield from the Solar Plant
Solar Module Level Data Monitoring
Modular Design with the flexibility of future extension of the Solar Plant
Future compatibility with Lithium Storage and Smart Grid
Savings in Balance of System and Installation Cost
Enphase is also the most valuable Solar Inverter Company in the world by Market Capitalization as on Jan 2021 !! The superiority of the Microinverter Technology offered by Enphase is probably one of the main reasons why the system is so popular among investors.
Safest Inverter in the World
Enphase Microinverters convert the direct current from your solar modules to grid-compliant AC before that energy ever leaves the microinverter. There is no high voltage DC running across your roof or through your attic with an Enphase system—only safe, grid compliant AC, the same that powers your other appliances. With an “old school” solar system using a string inverter, all the solar modules are connected in series to reach the very high voltage required to power the inverter. DC Arcs are a known fire hazard and are risky for customers in the long run.
Traditional DC inverter system Traditional DC systems can generate up to 1,000 volts of dangerous high-voltage DC, which must run from Solar panels through the ceiling to the central inverter located on the walls of the building. Even the smallest equipment failure, such as a damaged cable or a loose electrical connection, can cause a DC arc-fault creating a serious fire risk.
Safe Enphase microinverters Unlike traditional DC solar power inverters, the Enphase IQ microinverter system provides a complete AC solution that uses no high-voltage DC, ensuring a safe solar solution for your home. Other advantages of microinverter technology include more flexibility in system design, panel-level monitoring, and increased power production
A Solar Inverter with 25 Years Design Life
Enphase Microinverters have an unmatched product warranty of 25 years*. The reliability of the Enphase Microinverter system is attributed to its superior design and rigorous quality testing. Enphases's performance in the field under extreme climate conditions since launch in 2006 proves the reliability claim.
Accelerated life testing with > 1 million power-on hours of damp heat and thermal cycling
Enphase Inverters modest internal temperature rise due to low voltage reduces thermal cycling and component stress, a primary cause of wear-out in other solar inverters
Fully potted design means improved heat dissipation and component protection
IP67 enclosure ensures that the inverters are water-resistant, and is ideal for installation near water bodies
Enphase microinverter system has no single point of failure. A single inverter failure will only cause a loss in that solar modules power production.
*In India, Enphase inverter has a standard product warranty of 10 years, which can be extended to 25 years by paying a nominal fee of INR 400 per micro-inverter for every five-year extension beyond 10 years.
Up to 25% more Energy Yield from the Solar Plant
Before we get into details of how a microinverter can deliver more energy, we need to understand the limitations of a conventional string inverter design. In a conventional String Inverter system, solar modules are connected in series using DC cables to form DC strings of high DC voltage (up to 1000 V / 1500 V). The strings are then connected in parallel to the MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking, the circuit responsible for DC power extraction from Solar Modules) of the Inverter. In a string Inverter, a single MPPT typically manages a large number of modules.
Based on the site conditions, due to multiple factors such as shading, soiling, moving clouds, difference in module surface temperature, and irradiance, the production among Solar modules in a power plant will vary. Since the modules are connected in series, and current in a DC string is constant, a string inverter is not very efficient in handling mismatch in solar modules production. This leads to mismatch losses in a string inverter system. Based on site conditions mismatch losses will range from 5% to 25% for standard roof-top Installations. Moreover, the Mismatch losses in a system typically increase with :
Age - Due to variation in degradation factor among different Modules in a string
Temperature - Minor variations in Temperature Coefficient among the different modules
Shading or Soiling –As the difference in light intensity among different modules in a panel
In Microinverters mismatch losses are not present, as each module has dedicated solar inverter. Since Solar module functions independently, maximum energy can be harvested from each solar module irrespective of site conditions.
String Inverter vs Microinverter System
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Moreover, microinverters patented burst mode technology increases power production during low light conditions. The microinverter captures the available energy from a PV module at low light levels and bursts this energy into the grid when enough energy is available for one or more full AC cycles. Burst mode enables microinverters to wake up early in the morning, and stay awake till late evening. So an Enphase microinverters begins to produce energy earlier in the morning and later into the evening compared to a conventional inverter system.
Solar Module Level Data Monitoring
With Enphase microinverters, end customers can monitor each solar modules power production. The power production monitoring at a Solar Module level enables ease of maintenance and cleaning of Solar Modules. In string inverters, only the total power production at a string or inverter level can be monitored.
Enphase's Envoy monitoring unit and Enlighten APP enables free lifetime module-level Solar Data Monitoring for end customers. CTs can be connected to Envoy to enable Energy Consumption monitoring and Zero Export as per customer requirement.
Modular Design
Enphase Microinverters have a modular design. This gives flexibility in terms of system design as well as future expansion and maintenance.
With Enphase microinverters an end customer can expand system capacity in increments of one solar module without making big changes to the existing wiring.
In case of a module failure, and replacement, customer can replace with a new module of higher capacity (Wp rating), and get the higher capacity output with Enphase microinverters. In case of a string inverter, other modules will limit the performance of the new solar module due to mismatch in power production
Customer can orient modules in east/west or south direction in the same roof without worrying about mismatch losses due to change in power production among solar modules
Future Compatibility
Enphase IQ series microinverters are compatible with future storage technologies. Existing Enphase users can convert the system into a hybrid inverter system just by paying the incremental cost for upgrades*.
*The enphase storage systems are not launched in India till now (Jan 2021).
Savings in Balance of System and Installation Cost
Enphase Microinverter System doesn't require DC Cabling, DC Array Junction Boxes, DC SPD and DC Earthing. This leads to lower Balance of System Cost for Enphase Microinverter System Installation. The Enphase system is easy to design and commission compared to a conventional string inverter system. Moreover, the system installation time is significantly reduced with Enphase Microinverters as the system is plug and play.
At Cares Renewables, we are focused on delivering quality products to our customers and partners. Please leave a comment, if you have any queries on this blog. Cares Renewables is an authorized Distributor of Enphase Microinverter system in India. For any enquiries please visit: https://www.caresrenewables.com/solardepot
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