Overview of Enphase Energy – Company History
Enphase Energy was based in March 2006 by Raghu Belur and Martin Fornage in California, United States. Enphase was the world’s first microinverter producer, introducing the primary microinverter system in June 2008. It didn’t take Enphase lengthy to determine themselves within the solar inverter market, as by September 2011 Enphase had shipped 1 million inverters.
In 2012, Enphase entered the Australian market and launched on the NASDAQ. Enphase has a dedication to innovation, because it’s one of many firm’s core values. In 2016 Enphase opened a brand new analysis and growth facility in New Zealand. Enphase’s R&D improvements have resulted in 134 patents globally.
Enphase in June of 2018 first introduced the seventh technology of their microinverter expertise, the Enphase IQ Microinverter System. The IQ 7 vary is Enphase’s newest microinverter expertise obtainable.
Enphase’s Australian head workplace is positioned in Melbourne, Victoria.
A Brief Rundown on Solar Inverters
A solar system’s inverter is the purpose at which the DC electrical energy produced by solar panels is was grid-compatible AC electrical energy. There are 4 sorts of solar inverters, these being string inverters, hybrid inverters, microinverters, and power optimisers.
How Do Microinverters Work?
Conventional techniques have only one centralised inverter for your complete solar panel array, microinverter techniques couple a microinverter with every solar panel. Systems that use microinverters have quite a few potential benefits over standard techniques by way of system design flexibility, ease of set up, set up prices, and system power yields. Accordingly, such techniques are rising in reputation, numbers, and affordability.
Some of the final benefits of a microinverter system over a standard system embody:
-Greater system power yields, particularly in circumstances of partial shading of the solar panel array in comparison with standard techniques which have ‘strings’ of solar panels
The microinverter benefit in partially shaded circumstances. (Image through Enphase Energy.)
-Remove doubtlessly extra harmful outgoing high-voltage DC electrical energy related to standard solar photovoltaic (PV) techniques
-Individual solar panel power manufacturing will be monitored intimately–better peace of thoughts for system house owners and better ease in troubleshooting within the occasion of an issue
Microinverters may also be built-in into solar panels themselves as a substitute of connected to mounting (a “detached” association). Installation of techniques which can be comprised of those “AC solar modules” are significantly extra straight-forward than the panel + microinverter set-up.
What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?
PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) with assist from DNV GL has been independently testing Solar Panel reliability since 2014, and for the first time in 2019 have examined solar inverters. It is a voluntary check which producers should pay to be part of. The solar panel testing is taken into account internationally as a wonderful indication of solar panel high quality. It’s anticipated that the inverter testing could have the identical recognition. To learn the complete PVEL scorecard click on right here.
Enphase didn’t rank in any of those checks.
Enphase Inverters – Points of Difference
Enphase continues to show why they’re thought of because the trade’s main microinverter producer. They have achieved this via the fixed innovation of their IQ vary, creating a confirmed observe file.
The Enphase IQ 7 Series is the seventh technology of the product sequence to be launched up to now 10 years. This high-quality vary of microinverters has a low failure fee together with the trade’s highest microinverter EU Efficiency of 96.5%. The Enphase IQ 7 Series Microinverters had been proven to supply 1-3.1% extra energy than string inverters in an impartial examine carried out by PV Evolution Labs.
Enphase goals to make sure that it supplies end-users with a product that not solely guarantees the generic advantages of a microinverter system, but additionally a extra interactive and informative person expertise than most standard techniques particular to Enphase’s applied sciences.
Enphase Envoy & Enlighten
Envoy is Enphase’s home energy answer; that is the software program that connects the person to their solar system. It supplies bi-direction communication between the microinverters and the web.
Enphase Enlighten allows the person to watch their system’s well being and microinverter efficiency at a person solar module degree, via a web site platform and cellular software.
Enphase Inverter Costs
Indicative pricing
| Enphase IQ Series Micros IQ7+ 290VA Microinverter | $140 to $160 |
| Enphase IQ Series Micros IQ7 240VA Microinverter | $120 to $140 |
Keep in thoughts that inverter prices typically solely run between 10-20% of your whole system, so usually it’s value investing in a high-quality inverter given this can have a big impression on the effectivity and efficiency of your Solar Power mission.
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Enphase Microinverter Battery Compatibility
The solely vital limitation of Enphase Microinverters is in regard to battery storage. Microinverters aren’t appropriate with the vast majority of solar batteries as they’re DC coupled, that is due to microinverters output AC power.
However, Enphase Microinverters are in a position to be utilised with the favored AC batteries, the Tesla Powerwall 2, and the sonnenBatterie hybrid 9.53. Enphase additionally provides a CEC authorised battery, the AC Battery is exclusive within the Australian market in that it is extremely small and fully modular: A single unit (weighing 23kg) shops 1.2kWh of usable energy.
The AC Battery is certainly a battery for grid-connected solar techniques: it’s not able to offering backup power within the occasion of a blackout and isn’t applicable for off-grid solar techniques.
A Full Range of Enphase Microinverters Available in Australia
All of Enphase’s Micro Inverters listed on their Australian web site are authorised by the Clean Energy Council for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program.
The 4 authorised fashions are:
Enphase IQ 7A Microinverter
Enphase IQ 7 Microinverter
Enphase IQ 7+ Microinverter
Enphase IQ 7X Microinverter
Enphase MicroInverters Pros and Cons
Pros
- Individual panel degree monitoring and fault detection
- Improves techniques resilience to shading and may enhance system efficiency by 1-3.1% in response to PV Evolution Labs
- Australian workplace in Melbourne with native assist employees
Cons
- One of the most costly inverter options in the marketplace
- Not potential to hook up with a DC battery with out a further inverter
Enphase Microinverter Specifications
| Enphase IQ 7A | Enphase IQ 7+ | Enphase IQ 7X | |
| Peak Output Power | 366VA | 295VA | 320VA |
| Maximum Continuous Output Current | 349VA | 290VA | 315VA |
| Maximum DC Voltage | 58V | 60V | 79.5V |
| EU Weighted Inverter Efficiency | 96.5% | 96.5% | 96.5% |
| Dimensions with Safety Switch/Connection Unit | 212 x 175 x 30.2 mm | 212 x 175 x 30.2 mm | 212 x 175 x 30.2 mm |
| Weight | 1.08kg | 1.08kg | 1.08kg |
| Warranty | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Operational Temperature Range | -40°C to 60°C
|
-40°C to 65°C
|
-40°C to 60°C
|
| Made in | North America/Asia | North America/Asia | North America/Asia |
Example of an Enphase Commercial Solar Project
This industrial mission noticed a solar system put in on the Richmond Football Club’s headquarters and coaching facility; the ME Bank Centre which is positioned in Melbourne. The system put in by Metro Solar totaled 100kW in measurement. The system used Enphase M215 Microinverters and Yingli 250W Solar Modules.
Utilising Enphase expertise, Metro Solar was in a position to design a system to seize most harvest and improve efficiency for the ability’s extraordinarily giant baseload, most of which is consumed throughout the day. The microinverters additionally enable further technology within the morning and at nightfall to extend general financial savings for the Richmond Football Club.
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Reviews from Australians who’ve put in Enphase Inverters
Rated 5.00 from 5 critiques
eleventh February 2022
Rosh
NSW – 2154
6kW system
seventeenth August 2021
Regina
–
10kW system
Can’t beat the Enphase for high quality and security
tenth June 2021
Geoff
QLD – 4075
10-15kW system
So far so good. Reporting app is fairly good.
1st April 2021
Denis
VIC – 3150
8kW system
Seem to be working effectively. Went with microinverters on every panel to optimize system efficiency.
twenty fourth February 2021
Anthony
NSW – 2285
6kW system
Chose Enphase micro-inverters IQ7A as a consequence of roof shading in late afternoon, with Envoy-S metering and monitoring. Allows each consumption and manufacturing monitoring. Very pleased with efficiency, with all microinverters producing power from about 20 minutes after dawn till simply earlier than sundown. The first totally sunny day produced 40.2 kWh (in late February 2021).
