Renewable Energy Installer February 2014 | Page 20

Knowledge: PV
Less is more
Microinverter technology is ideally-suited to the UK market and local climatic
conditions, says Enphase’s UK regional sales director Simon Baggaley
013 was another record year for solar PV, with
considerable growth all over the world. After a few
turbulent years the UK is fi rmly on track to achieving the
government’s informal target of 20GW by 2020. What’s
more, the public is on side with popularity ratings typically
over the 70 percent mark. In the past few months the consumer has
taken centre stage in the energy debate and this will undoubtedly
continue throughout 2014. Reducing the cost of installation and
making solar PV more accessible and visible will build on recent
successes and reaffi rm that this is a rapidly developing technology
which will provide an increasing proportion of the nation’s energy mix.
Solar panels are increasingly popping up on roof-tops across the
UK and gradually becoming ubiquitous. As energy bills soar, people
are warming to the idea of taking production into their own hands; but
for too long issues around cost – infl ated by traditional news outlets –
presented an obstacle. Enphase is keen to capitalise on the opportunity
presented to solar PV by a nation that is thinking differently about
energy, and this is not only spurred on by costs, as clean energy is in
itself attractive.
Enphase’s announcements last month of an expansion of new
hardware and software products that lower solar PV system installation
and operations costs for solar PV professionals will therefore be
welcomed news. New hardware includes a Wi-Fi option for the Envoy
Communications Gateway for faster and more fl exible installs. In
addition, new Enlighten software products, Enlighten Manager and
MyEnlighten, are now available. Enlighten Manager, designed for the
solar professional, streamlines operations and maintenance processes
and enables effi cient management of multiple Enphase systems,
while MyEnlighten connects system owners to their solar experience
through an interface that displays energy production, system health,
and environmental benefi ts. What is important, after all, is to make the
technology more consumer-friendly if it is to be adopted more broadly.
This technology is underpinned by microinverter technology
and represents Enphase’s pioneering work in marrying hardware,
communications and software to overcome issues of cost and
reliability. Ill-informed public opinion can too readily ridicule the notion
of solar PV generation of power in a destination such as the UK. Yet,
on this front too, microinverters are changing perceptions as they are
well suited to the UK’s fl uctuating weather since they generate power
through rainy climates and operate even in the low light conditions of
the notorious British overcast skies. What’s more, microinverters are
built to withstand the freakish weather we have recently seen in the
UK as they are IP67 rated, underscoring the level of protection that the
enclosure provides against the ingress of water.
Our technology enables a totally different way to design, install
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Cutting edge:
Enphase is
working to
overcome
installation
issues of cost
and reliability
through its
recent product
innovations,
says UK
regional sales
director Simon
Baggaley
and maintain solar PV installations, with the result of a completely
networked solar PV system that increases and maximises the benefi ts
of solar PV. This translates into higher energy production, safety,
increased reliability and a high level of intelligence of the system. For
those who install Enphase this means an easy solution. For consumers
this means clean, reliable, cost-effi cient power at a time when
alternatives matter most. 2014 will be the year for solar PV to take
the initiative and convert its gains in 2013 to further rewards. Here at
Enphase, we wish you all a successful year.
Enphase is keen to capitalise on the
opportunity presented to solar PV by a
nation that is thinking differently about
energy