Microinverters Have Experienced A Meteoric Rise, So What’s Next?
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PDFAs originally published in Solar Power World (June 2, 2013)
Microinverters have come a long way since their introduction in the 1990s. With a value proposition of maximizing energy harvest by providing panel-level monitoring, they are enjoying an industry breakthrough as the increasingly desired choice for small and medium-sized applications.
“Microinverters are likely to emerge as the default choice for inverters in residential and light-commercial applications because of their compelling energy harvest benefits in shaded situations,” says Kevin Bushby, VP of worldwide sales and marketing at Enecsys.
Bushby says that microinverters with a roadmap for AC power output increases will be even further embraced.
“Microinverters that integrate seamlessly with panels in an AC module configuration enable solar-panel manufacturers a differentiation opportunity,” Bushby says. “They can help downstream distributors and installers be more efficient by saving money along the chain.”
Microinverters convert power at more than 30% of all residential PV installation in the United States, making this market segment their most common application. However, Craig Lawrence, VP of marketing for SolarBridge Technologies, says in the last 12 months his company has seen customers grow more interested in using AC modules in commercial PV systems. In as little as a year, he expects to see some of his company’s first AC module installations in utility-scale PV plants.
“We think the main driver is reduced O&M costs due to a single point of failure in the system,” Lawrence says. “This allows maintenance to be scheduled on a predictable basis.” The microinverter industry has been largely comprised of niche companies exclusively developing and supplying these devices, but other manufacturers of string and central inverters are developing their own microinverter models.
Quality and reliability remain the single biggest problem for the inverter market. Lawrence says the market has a track record of releasing products that do not meet customer expectations for failure rates, up-time and quality.
“Our goal is to set the expectation for the industry that an inverter can and should be as reliable as a module, and that an AC module with an integrated warranty from the manufacturer is something customers can rely on for the life of their PV system,” Lawrence says.
Bushby stresses the importance of ensuring the market understands the vibrancy of the residential solar segment through continued education. He says one breakthrough that would help the industry would be harmonizing various global-certification standards to enable faster time to market for microinverter technologies. SPW