Superior Performance, Superior ROI
In a central inverter-based solar system, the lowest performing module can bottleneck the performance of hundreds of its neighbors, harming the performance of your solar investment.
Microinverters eliminate the possibility of bottlenecked performance. Each module operates independently, maximizing the performance of the system and increasing the system's lifetime energy production by 5-25%.
Better Reliability, Better Warranty
A typical central inverter unit processes the power of hundreds, or even thousands, of solar modules. Though this seems like a convenient way to operate large solar system, it creates a single point of system failure that can decrease the uptime of the solar system.
As a result, central inverters typically require regular maintenance and specialized service and warranty packages in order to achieve an uptime above 95%. Not only do these service packages add cost and complexity, but they raise uptime by less than three percent.
Microinverters eliminate the single point of system failure that is present in central inverter-based systems. Because each module operates independently, the risk and cost associated with an inverter failure is dramatically reduced. In fact, microinverter-based systems achieve an uptime of more than 99.8%, without specialized warranties or service packages.
In addition, all Enphase Microinverters are backed by a
15-year warranty. This is 5-10 years longer than the standard warranties for central inverter units.
Intelligent Solar for Business Intelligence
Enphase Microinverter Systems are the only inverter technology able to track the energy production of individual solar modules. This data is transmitted to our servers so it can be easily viewed and analyzed in various forms.
In addition,
Enphase Enlighten automatically alerts system owners and managers to any potential problems in the array. This ensures maximum performance and allows problems to be easily addressed during routine maintenance (like module cleaning) or at the installer's convenience.
Safety and Security
Central inverter-based solar systems have a wide distribution of high-voltage DC wires. This increases the risk of fire and electrocution for systems owners and installers. In fact, the 2011 National Electric Code requires special equipment to detect fire-causing arc faults in these systems.
Microinverter-based systems do not have high-voltage DC wiring, and thus dramatically reduce the risks of fire and injury.
Pad-mounted central inverters can also pose security risks if located in a high-traffic area. Any ground-based equipment exposes the solar system to tampering, vandalism or damage, if extensive security measures aren't in place.
Enphase Microinverters are installed directly under solar modules on the rooftop, so they do not require vulnerable ground-based equipment.
