How ACPV Works

In conventional solar  installations, solar modules are wired together in series, and their combined DC output is fed to a central, or string, inverter. The inverter, installed separately from the solar modules, converts the DC output of the solar modules to the AC power used in homes, businesses and the utility grid.

With this design, any drop in a module’s performance reduces the output of every other module in the string.  Even a small amount of shading or soiling on a module reduces its power output, and thereby drags down the power of the entire string.  Solar modules shipped from the factory with slightly varying operating characteristics can cause “mismatch” issues, which further reduce the power output from a solar installation.  Overall, these issues – shading, soiling, and mismatch – can reduce the power output of central inverter-based system from 5 to 25 percent.

A New Way to Go Solar

An ACPV system maximizes energy harvest by performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) at the module level.  This isolates the performance issues caused by passing clouds, partial shade from trees or roof obstructions, as well as module mismatch to only those modules that are directly impaired, allowing other modules in the array to perform at their full output.  With AC modules powered by SolarBridge, solar installers can qualify more sites that otherwise would be ineligible due to varied roof orientation, intermittent shading and other factors. Ongoing maintenance is simplified by an on-site monitoring system that constantly measures the output of every module.

Microinverter Installation: Simplified

With today’s standalone microinverter systems, installers must perform three installations — one for the modules, one for the microinverters, and one for the AC bus cabling. The SolarBridge Pantheon does not require separate microinverter or AC bus cabling installation at the job site. The microinverter is preinstalled on the module at the manufacturer’s factory. The installer simply lays down the system footings and racking, installs the modules, connects the modules to the work box and circuit breaker, and is done. Our unifed one-click AC cabling system eliminates the need for a separate cabling system grounded independently from the modules themselves. Integrated AC modules are truly plug and play.