Microinverters or string? PV system designers fall into two camps, some favoring big inverters and others moving toward the powerful little boxes that meet each module where the real action is: on the roof.
Knowing the limitations of string inverters may tell you just why the Module Level Power Electronics segment – microinverters – is on the rise.
Not made in the shade:
A PV array only works as well as the lowest-performing module. That means intermittent shading from trees, flagpoles – even fallen leaves – can cripple a string of modules as even minor shadows pass across the array throughout the day.
By offering independent, module-level inversion, a microinverter installation can outperform a conventional string array by up 20 percent. You’ll get the most out of every module, every hour of the day.
Want to add modules? Too bad:
A string inverter that’s right-sized for an array today may be too small if you want to add more modules tomorrow. That means buying a bigger inverter, too. Ouch.
Microinverters are the forward-thinking choice, letting you add on to your array at any time, easily and cost effectively.
Better value in the long run:
Startup costs of a string system might be lower on a per-watt basis, but what you save up front, you’ll lose over time in lower performance.
The key metric of Levelized Cost of Energy – that is, system cost measured over its lifetime – favors microinverters. The microinverters start generating power at lower light levels than string inverters, so the power curve raises and peaks earlier in the day and extends further into the afternoon and evening.
Thanks to module-level inversion at these lower light levels, microinverters enjoy a superior output and higher rate of energy production.
Don’t forget safety:
Every module in a string adds more to the DC current flowing across the rooftop – quite a volt load by the time it reaches a inverter, up to 1,000 volts DC. Not very safe for installers or emergency responders who may have to cross the roof.
Microinverters take the jolts out of the volts. Module-level inversion means only low-voltage DC in each circuit, keeping you safe over the life of the system.
Module-level power is the future:
String inverters still have their niche, but module-level power inversion is tomorrow’s technology today. A leading analytics firm recently noted that sales of microinverters and related products should top 2 gigwatts by year’s end, and predicts the microinverters’ share of the larger MLPE market could triple by 2018.
That’s a product with a bright future.
Still not convinced? Hear what solar professionals have to say at our APsystems video channel on YouTube. Find out why installers choose APsystems microninverter technology over conventional string systems, and then put module-level power to work in your next PV project.
Module-inverter mismatch:
For best performance, the power rating of modules must be matched to that of the string inverter that serves them. Yet these inverters offer a narrow range of power ratings that may not correspond to the cumulative output of the array. You may be buying more inverter than you really need.
Module-level inversion lets you to match inverters to modules throughout the array. Pay for the inversion power you need to get the job done – and no more.
APsystems Celebrates 15 Years of Solar LeadershipMarch 18, 2025 - 9:08 pm
Join APsystems at NABCEP 2025 in Reno, March 24-27 – Booth #312!March 10, 2025 - 9:54 pm
Get Recognized with APsystem’s Triple-E Partner Program!March 11, 2025 - 8:11 pm
2025 Summer Roadshow Registration Coming Soon!March 10, 2025 - 9:29 pm
Nichols Joins APsystems as Senior VP, USA Sales
/in General News, Press Releases/by APsystems TeamFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEATTLE – Solar industry veteran Andrew Nichols has joined APsystems as Senior Vice President of Sales, USA.
Prior to this he served as Vice President of Sales and Customer Support for Enphase Energy, as it went from zero revenue to over $200 million in annual sales and an eventual IPO.
He also ran North American Renewable Energy Sales for Xantrex Technology (acquired by Schneider Electric). He began his career at IBM/ROLM and held positions of increasing responsibility at Apple before committing the last 11-plus years to the renewable energy industry.
He holds a BA in social sciences from the University of California, Berkeley.
“APsystems is the emergent front-runner in solar microinverter technology, and I’m honored to join their team,” Nichols said.
“Their commitment to innovation in module-level electronics is really showing the way forward in this fast-growing segment.”
Andrew Lonseth, APsystems president for U.S. operations, said Nichols’ broad experience in renewable energy brings both strategic and customer-facing value.
“Andrew Nichols knows the domestic and international solar market like few others,” Lonseth said. “Bringing his expertise into play as we grow our product portfolio and market share will serve both APsystems and our customers very well.”
Since its founding in Silicon Valley in 2009, APsystems has emerged as an industry leader through innovative solar products including dual-module microinverters and the first true 3-phase, four-module unit.
APsystems ranked no. 2 in global market share among microinverter suppliers by shipments in 2014 (source: GTM Research).
APsystems USA has offices in Cupertino, Calif., and Seattle, with manufacturing in Washington state.
See APsystems microinverters at Solar Power PV Conference & Expo
/in Events, General News/by APsystems TeamSee the APsystems YC500 dual-module and YC1000 true 3-phase microinverters, and learn how our advanced, chip-based product architecture means superior reliability and value for installers and end users alike.
APsystems will be at booth 515 on the convention floor in the Westin Boston Waterfront’s Galleria Hall.
Find out why APsystems ranked no. 2 in global market share among microinverter suppliers by shipments in 2014 (source: GTM Research).
Set up a meeting with the APsystems team: email sales@APsystems.com.
Studio 804, Valley Unique Electric earn APsystems Project of the Year Awards
/in Awards, General News/by APsystems TeamStudio 804 at the University of Kansas, and Valley Unique Electric/Solar Universe of Fresno, Calif., have earned APsystems 2015 Project of the Year Awards.
The awards honor outstanding solar installations that showcase APsystems microinverter technology in their design and construction. Studio 804 is recognized in the residential project category, and Valley Unique Electric for a commercial installation.
“The Studio 804 and Valley Unique Electric projects exemplify the very best use of APsystems solar microinverter technology,” said Jason Higginson, Director of Marketing at APsystems. “From smaller, residential-scale arrays to expansive commercial installations, APsystems microinverters are the choice for innovative PV applications like these. We’re very proud to honor Studio 804 and Valley Unique Electric for these excellent projects.”
Studio 804, a nonprofit organization that supports the graduate program of the University of Kansas Department of Architecture, Design and Planning, is honored for its East Lawrence Passive House in Lawrence, Kan.
Designed and built by graduate students and sited in a historic residential district, the home uses renewable building materials and leading-edge systems to optimize energy efficiency.
Students included a 6kW rooftop solar array using APsystems YC500 dual-module microinverters to help the homeowners achieve energy independence.
“Holistic home design cannot be achieved without the consideration for solar applications,” said Dan Rockhill, University of Kansas architecture professor and Studio 804 advisor. “Taking proactive steps in monitoring and maintaining one’s energy consumption is prudent in today’s society. We were fortunate enough to partner with APsystems. The application, installation, and maintenance of their microinverters was straightforward. The ease at which our students were able to integrate the microinverters into the PV system was extremely successful, and the current homeowner could not be happier with the final product.”
Learn more about this project here.
Valley Unique Electric/Solar Universe is honored for its Fort Washington Country Club installation in Fresno, Calif.
The ambitious commercial project saw construction of towering carports with almost 36,000 square feet of roof space for solar to power the country club’s operations.
Across seven rooftops, 429 APsystems YC1000 true 3-phase microinverters serve more than 1,700 modules for a system capacity of 529kW.
“Solar carports are strong in Fresno, and we dominate the local market in putting them up,” said Hogi Selling IV, Valley Unique Electric president. “APsystems microinverters have been a key component of projects like the country club, and have proven themselves in the tough, hot conditions of the valley.”
Learn more about this project here.
The APsystems Project of the Year Awards are given annually to highlight innovative use of APsystems solar microinverter products. Previous honorees have showcased the company’s microinverter technology in an agricultural setting and atop a landmark heritage building in Washington D.C.
Solar Builder highlights APsystems chip-based design
/in General News, Press Coverage/by APsystems TeamLevelized Cost of Energy — the total cost of a PV system’s installation and maintenance over its lifetime, divided by the amount of power produced – is the industry standard for measuring a PV system’s value.
Individual components like microinverters are key to the formula.
In its new story “LCOE Heroes: How inverters drive down PV levelized cost of energy,” Solar Builder magazine considers how the proprietary APsystems chip-based design means better long-term value for installers and end buyers.
That means savings at the supply and manufacturing level that cascade into real savings for customers.
“The FPGA architecture allows multiple, distinct processes to run in parallel on the same chip,” Jason Higginson, senior director of marketing at APsystems, tells the magazine. “This cuts down significantly on the number of internal components. This again is a significant savings at the supply-chain level as fewer components must be sourced to manufacture each unit, while also gaining an increase in reliability.”
Read more on APsystems chip-based microinverter design and its effect on levelized system costs at Solar Builder magazine online.
Olivier Jacques to lead APsystems Europe, Middle East and Africa operations
/in General News, Press Releases/by APsystems TeamOlivier Jacques has joined APsystems as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa. He is based in Lyon, France.
Jacques brings more than 20 years of experience in construction, industrial and high-tech industries. Prior to joining APsystems, he served as Managing Director EMEA for Enphase Energy. There, he developed the microinverter market in Europe from scratch, achieving leading share positions in key European solar regions.
APsystems ranked no. 2 in global market share among microinverter suppliers by shipments in 2014 (source: GTM Research, Smart and AC PV Modules 2015 – 2020).
“I am very excited to join APsystems in such a key development phase globally,” Jacques said. “The company is now increasing its presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and I am absolutely convinced that AP systems’ portfolio strategy will bring outstanding value to solar professionals in these regions, especially given the current energy management market trends dynamic.”
Jacques previously served as managing director for several international concerns including Norgren (IMI group), a leading industrial automation and fluid control company, where he spurred growth despite an economic recession.
As France Managing Director and HVAC-R Southern Europe Director at Danfoss Drives, he increased revenues, created sales channels, launched a new product platform and repositioned the company as a value-added solutions provider.
He has also held senior executive positions at major companies ranging from WATTS Industries (fluid control and HVAC), Schlumberger (water, gas and thermal energy) and Samsung Electronics (launching of the HVAC business).
WEBINAR: Microinverters in commercial installations: sign up now for Jan. 26
/in Events, General News, Trainings, Webinar/by APsystems TeamJoin solar industry veteran Christopher Barrett of APsystems as he discusses why three-phase, multi-module microinverters are a great choice for your next commercial rooftop customer.
You will learn:
The webinar begins at 11 a.m. PDT Jan. 26.
Sign up for this informative webinar here. For more information, contact info@APsystems.com or see Solar Power World Online.
Take our survey, enter to win $500
/in Events, General News, Survey/by APsystems TeamAre you an installer, contractor or distributor? Do you use, specify, purchase, market or install solar inverter products? Take a few minutes to complete this survey, and you will be eligible to win a $500 Visa® gift card.
It’s this easy: By answering all questions in the short survey, you’ll help us better understand customer needs and improve our products and services. The survey is completely anonymous, and any personal information is only gathered for prize notification purposes.
The survey closes January 31– please share your opinions today.
To thank you for participating, we’ll enter you in a drawing for our prize – a Visa® gift card valued at $500.
APsystems 2015 Solar Project of the Year Awards
/in Awards, General News/by APsystems TeamIt’s been another great year for APsystems and we have you, our solar partners, to thank. You’ve put our advanced microinverter technology to work for customers in markets across the country.
Now it’s time once again to look back on the great solar successes of the past year and share our very best stories with the industry and the world.
APsystems invites you to nominate your projects for our Solar Project of the Year Awards.
Tell us about your very best project — what set it apart in terms of scale, design, power output, challenging conditions, or your creative application of APsystems microinverter technology.
We’d like you to submit the project details here, including a brief write-up about your best installation, or more – enter all the projects you like. Remember to include some high-res photographs from several perspectives, a macro view of the installation and some close-ups of our microinverters in the array. Your project can be completed or still in process. Entries will be judged by our APsystems team.
We’ll be honoring top projects in both Residential and Commercial categories.
And we’ll announce the APsystems Solar Project of the Year Award winners early in the new year through promotions that highlight your project and your company. APsystems is committed to helping you grow your solar business even as we grow ours, so this is a cross-promotion opportunity you’ll want to take advantage of.
The winner in each category will receive at $500 gift card!
Our contest last year generated great interest from installers and brought out some fantastic projects; you can see the winners here.
Now we’re excited to present a competition, highlighting the very best APsystems microinverter installations of 2015.
Submit your project entries here by January 8th 2016.
Thank you for partnership and support, and a great 2015 for our company and yours.
Your friends at APsystems USA
Solar Power World Top Contractors gala: A look back
/in Awards, General News/by APsystems TeamSolar Power World magazine has posted a video flashback to its Top Solar Contractors Gala, the premier social event at Solar Power International 2015 in Anaheim.
Sponsored by APsystems, the evening honored leading solar professionals from around the industry through an evening of fine dining and camaraderie.
“It was an incredible way to showcase a lot of the work our industry has done over this last year,” one honoree tells the SPW camera crew.
Watch this video and relive this gala evening.
SPW pays homage to the industry’s Top Solar Products in this month’s edition, including a profile of the industry-leading APsystems YC500 microinverter. The product profile appears on page 43 of the print and digital edition.
5 Reasons a String Inverter Won’t Cut It.
/in Article, General News/by APsystems TeamMicroinverters or string? PV system designers fall into two camps, some favoring big inverters and others moving toward the powerful little boxes that meet each module where the real action is: on the roof.
Knowing the limitations of string inverters may tell you just why the Module Level Power Electronics segment – microinverters – is on the rise.
Not made in the shade:
A PV array only works as well as the lowest-performing module. That means intermittent shading from trees, flagpoles – even fallen leaves – can cripple a string of modules as even minor shadows pass across the array throughout the day.
By offering independent, module-level inversion, a microinverter installation can outperform a conventional string array by up 20 percent. You’ll get the most out of every module, every hour of the day.
Want to add modules? Too bad:
A string inverter that’s right-sized for an array today may be too small if you want to add more modules tomorrow. That means buying a bigger inverter, too. Ouch.
Microinverters are the forward-thinking choice, letting you add on to your array at any time, easily and cost effectively.
Better value in the long run:
Startup costs of a string system might be lower on a per-watt basis, but what you save up front, you’ll lose over time in lower performance.
The key metric of Levelized Cost of Energy – that is, system cost measured over its lifetime – favors microinverters. The microinverters start generating power at lower light levels than string inverters, so the power curve raises and peaks earlier in the day and extends further into the afternoon and evening.
Thanks to module-level inversion at these lower light levels, microinverters enjoy a superior output and higher rate of energy production.
Don’t forget safety:
Every module in a string adds more to the DC current flowing across the rooftop – quite a volt load by the time it reaches a inverter, up to 1,000 volts DC. Not very safe for installers or emergency responders who may have to cross the roof.
Microinverters take the jolts out of the volts. Module-level inversion means only low-voltage DC in each circuit, keeping you safe over the life of the system.
Module-level power is the future:
String inverters still have their niche, but module-level power inversion is tomorrow’s technology today. A leading analytics firm recently noted that sales of microinverters and related products should top 2 gigwatts by year’s end, and predicts the microinverters’ share of the larger MLPE market could triple by 2018.
That’s a product with a bright future.
Still not convinced? Hear what solar professionals have to say at our APsystems video channel on YouTube. Find out why installers choose APsystems microninverter technology over conventional string systems, and then put module-level power to work in your next PV project.
Module-inverter mismatch:
For best performance, the power rating of modules must be matched to that of the string inverter that serves them. Yet these inverters offer a narrow range of power ratings that may not correspond to the cumulative output of the array. You may be buying more inverter than you really need.
Module-level inversion lets you to match inverters to modules throughout the array. Pay for the inversion power you need to get the job done – and no more.