PV inverter manufacturers SMA Solar, SolarEdge and Enphase have all recently reported first quarter 2017 financial results. As already highlighted by PV Tech, US residential PV installers have reported softer than normal sales in the quarter and dependence on the US market for SMA Solar and Enphase, coupled to continued pricing pressure took a toll on revenues.
The seasonally soft first quarter of the year for the residential solar rooftop market in the US played out again in 2017, with the addition of much heavier rainfall, notably in California. A basket of primarily US residential installers that are publically listed have recently reported first quarter results.
High-efficiency module manufacturer Ten K Solar, has announced that it will be “discontinuing” its current operation – but has claimed it is not because of any product performance issues, contrary to media reports.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) launched its new investment plan prioritising how to use US$800 million worth of funds in the next few years, with solar PV innovation one of the main new areas of focus.
NEXTracker has started supplying its single-axis trackers to what it claims to be the largest solar plant in the Western Hemisphere at around 750MW capacity, with more than 200MW of trackers already delivered to the site in Mexico.
Sungrow’s 1500VDC string inverter is designed to significantly reduce installation and balance of system costs for utility-scale PV systems. Sungrow was the first inverter manufacturer to introduce a 1500VDC string inverter with its SG80HV, which has a power output of 80KW. The latest inverter, SG125HV, puts 125kW of capacity in a suitcase-sized cabinet weighing just 68kg. At a higher rated voltage, the SG125HV is claimed to further reduce installation and balance of system costs.
German PV inverter manufacturer KACO new energy said it expected shipment volumes in 2017 to reach almost 2.5GW after booking 600MW in the first quarter.
Ingeteam has launched its new PV string inverter, which will make it possible to achieve a power output of 100kWAC in a single, 75kg unit. This new three-phase inverter comes under the name ‘INGECON SUN 100TL’, and is suitable for indoor and outdoor installations and is primarily directed at commercial, industrial and large-scale projects.
