A MICROINVERTER IS A SOLAR INVERTER TECHNOLOGY THAT IS MOUNTED ON EACH INDIVIDUAL SOLAR PANEL

TTE INTERNATIONAL LDA is a company specialized in the development of international business and the internationalization of companies through a network of collaborators. We help potential clients expand their business to target markets. With offices in Portugal, Spain, Brazil and Turkey, representatives in Africa, Asia, North, South, Central and North America, to combine local and global experience, TTE INTERNATIONAL LDA is always at the right place at the right time to help its customers to expand their business to new geographic areas. The Managers of TTE INTERNATIONAL LDA have been involved in the Industrial and Energy Sector for over 40 years. TTE also has contacts in ancillary industries that supply directly to major contractors such as engineering companies, electrical equipment manufacturers, installation, and maintenance companies.

TTE INTERNATIONAL LDA distributes BENY New Energy products. BENY is a trusted manufacturer of protective components for photovoltaic systems across the globe. Their experience of working in the electrical industry for more than 30 years allows them to create solar DC components that comply with the latest DC standards. Through the focus on solar DC protection design, production, and marketing, BENY can bring brand-building PV protection solutions. Quality is the primary goal among each of the companies workshops since this leads to the best performance and safety for any Solar, Storage, and EV charging system. BENY’s commitment to quality increased brand awareness for your company. To achieve the goal, BENY’s factory and products comply with UL, SAA, CB, CE, TUV, ISO, and RoHS standards

WHAT IS A MICRO-INVERTER?

A micro-inverter is device that connects to a single solar panel, converting DC (direct current) from the panel into AC (alternating current), which can power household appliances or be sent into the grid for energy credits. Unlike string inverters, micro-inverters control the output of a single panel. This article outlines the pros and cons of using micro-inverters in your solar power system. In solar power systems, the inverter is like the brain of the system. It takes the DC (direct current) electricity produced by solar panels and converts it into AC (alternating current), a format that can be used to power your appliances and sent into the utility grid.

Traditional inverters, called string inverters, are designed to manage groups (or series strings) of panels plugged into an input on the inverter. For example, you might wire 24 solar panels into an inverter in two strings. But micro-inverters are different. In a micro-inverter system, each micro-inverter is paired to its own panel. So in the same 24-panel system, you would have 24 micro-inverters installed—one on each panel.

On a per-panel basis, micro-inverters cost a bit more than basic string inverters. But micro-inverters come with features that can optimize the overall output of your system, providing a boost in efficiency that offsets the higher up-front cost. In this article, we’ll explain what a micro-inverter is, then outline the pros and cons of micro-inverters to help you decide whether you should consider them for your solar project.

ADVANTAGES OF MICRO-INVERTERS

Due to the way they’re configured, micro-inverters have a few key advantages compared to string inverters that justify the higher price tag. Power Optimization: In order to explain the problem micro-inverters are built to solve, we first need a bit of background context about how string inverters work. With a traditional string inverter, groups of panels are wired in series. If you have 8 panels in a string, all 8 panels are part of the same circuit, which means they are subject to the same electrical characteristics. If the output of a single panel drops, the whole circuit drops to match the reduced output of the under-performing panel. You might have a string of 350W panels, but if one panel falls to 300W output, every panel in the string is restricted to that 300W mark.

The net result is that micro-inverters allow you to produce more power out of the same panels. In areas where trees or other obstructions will cast shade on your panels, micro-inverters are well worth the investment. Isolated Equipment Failure: Similar to the above point, if a piece of equipment fails completely, the rest of the array won’t be affected. Let’s say a panel malfunctions due to faulty wiring and stops producing power. With micro-inverters, that panel is isolated, so the rest of the array keeps producing power. The other panels will continue to work, so you are not stuck without a working system while you file a warranty claim and get it replaced. With a traditional string inverter, the entire string could be affected to the point where the inverter wouldn’t produce power. You could potentially be left in the dark until you replace the faulty panel.

Ease of Installation Micro-inverters use standard AC wiring, like what is used throughout your house. They are also plug-and-play, with each unit plugging into the next. As a result, micro-inverters are extremely easy to install and connect because they use standard AC wiring, and it only takes a few seconds to plug in each unit. Expandable Design: What if you want to start small and expand your system later? Maybe you don’t have the budget to offset 100% of your energy usage, but you want to get into a smaller system so you can start reaping the benefits of solar. Or maybe you want a self-contained array to power your shed as a “test run” to see if it makes sense to power the rest of your home with solar. Due to their 1-to-1 nature, systems with micro-inverters can essentially be as small or as large as you want them. If you want, you can start with a single panel+micro-inverter pairing. Adding more panels later isn’t a problem because none of the existing equipment needs to be moved or re-wired to facilitate the addition.

The same isn’t possible with string inverters, which have minimum string size requirements because the panels need to supply enough voltage to the inverter to power it on. In the linked example, the system is limited to 7-10 panels per string. Outside that range, the inverter may not function properly. Which means that if you have any future plans for expansion, micro-inverters are the way to go. You can start with a small system now and add on to it later without hassle.

DISADVANTAGES OF MICRO-INVERTERS

More Expensive Up Front Of course, the flexibility and added features of micro-inverters make them more expensive than traditional string inverters. A system will cost around 15-20% more per panel than an equivalent string inverter. That higher initial investment is well worth it if you live in harsh climates, where inclement weather can put a damper on production. It also makes sense if your site is shaded by trees or other obstructions. In these cases, micro-inverters will salvage production that would have otherwise been lost, easily offsetting their higher price tag. But if your system will be built in a location with full sun exposure, a standard string inverter is a perfectly good option. If shading isn’t a concern, the latter will perform comparably to a micro-inverter system at a much lower price point. Higher Odds of Equipment Failure: In the “pros” section, we mentioned that adding a micro-inverter to each panel can isolate equipment failures. Even if a panel malfunctions, the output from the rest of the array won’t be affected. The flip side is that micro-inverters introduce more potential failure points. If your system has 24 micro-inverters, the odds that a piece of equipment will malfunction go up compared to a system with a single string inverter.

Another point is that micro-inverters may be more challenging to replace for rooftop installations. Since they are attached to your panels, it may be a pain to climb on the roof and replace one in the middle of an array. By comparison, string inverters are always installed at ground level, making them much easier to replace if necessary.

WHEN ARE MICRO-INVERTERS THE RIGHT CHOICE?

Micro-inverters are the best option if you need to build your system under less-than-ideal circumstances. If your panels will be shaded, or part of the array will face East/West due to the configuration of your roof, micro-inverters ensure your system produces as much power as possible. If you have plenty of space to build your array in full exposure to sunlight, a traditional string inverter may be the better bet, as it can perform the same job for 15-20% less money up front.

RELIABLE SOLAR MICROINVERTERS

A device used with solar arrays to convert the energy that is generated (Direct Current) to usable electricity for a home (Alternating Current). Each micro-inverter is connected to a single solar panel for maximum control and reliability. Microinverters can achieve maximum power point tracking (MPPT) at the module level, which has advantages over centralized inverters. This allows the overall output power to be maximized by optimizing the output power of each module.

BENY microinverters offer many advantages, such as rapid shutdown, flexibility in panel layout, and module-level monitoring and diagnostics. You can get more from your installation with BENY microinverters. Ultra-high output  & ultra-high efficiency The world’s first mature micro inverter applying GaN, the third-generation semiconductor technology. Up to 97.5% peak efficiency the peak efficiency of most microinverters on the market is around 96%.

REMOTELY MONITORED

Communicating with BENY microinverters through PLCC/Zigbee enables users to manage the systems in a smart digital way. Thereby isolating a problem much faster than other inverters. BENY’s newly developed microinverter has a Peak Efficiency of 97.5% and a European Efficiency of 97%. Higher efficiency allows you to convert more DC power from solar panels to AC power, allowing you to get more from your installation.

EASILY EXPANDABLE

Due to BENY microinverters’ modularity, a solar system can be easily expandable from a single panel to multiple panels independent of each other. You can use BENY BYPO-2 to Parallel Optimizer to connect PV modules in parallel to increase the output current of the PV array, thereby obtaining greater output power. It has the characteristics of ultra-low voltage drop and ultra-low loss, which can solve the problem that the current backflow reduces the life of PV modules or damages PV modules in parallel, and can improve the MPPT efficiency of PV modules in parallel.

UP TO 25 YEARS WARRANTY

String inverters typically come with only a five-year limited warranty and must be replaced at least once during the 25-year life of the solar PV system. BENY microinverter offers a warranty of up to 25 years, with a life expectancy that matches that of the solar module under real-world conditions, making it more economical.

SAFETY: Low starting voltage. QUALITY: Components selected from world-class brands. OPTIMIZATION: Individual MPPT for each module. PARALLEL INPUT: 20A continuous input. FLEXIBILITY: Adapts to any system size and optimizes space. PLUG & PLAY: Hand-in-hand design. Fewer add-ons. SMART: Module-level online smart monitoring.25 YEARS Up to 25 years warranty.

BENY MICRO INVERTER

BENY BYM500/BYM550/BYM600 microinverter connect to 1 panel and enable module-level maintenance and management of the PV station by monitoring power generation of each module. Module-level data can be uploaded to the monitoring platform via BENY data transfer units through PLCC/Zigbee. The products are fully designed, with real materials, the main control chips, power devices, magnetic components and resistance components are all selected from the top international manufacturers, MTBF> 25 years. The structure and heat dissipation design are fully designed to ensure that it can still work at full load when the ambient temperature is 55℃.

BYPO-2 is a PV parallel optimizer. Users can use BYPO-2 to connect PV modules in parallel to increase the output current of the PV array, thereby obtaining greater output power. It has the characteristics of ultra-low voltage drop and ultra-low loss, which can solve the problem that the current backflow reduces the life of PV modules or damages PV modules in parallel, and can improve the MPPT efficiency of PV modules in parallel.

This article was compiled by AJRG using information supplied by BENY New Energy