Power optimiser firm Ampt fuels expansion with US$25 million funding round

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

US power optimiser supplier Ampt has raised US$25 million to ramp up its production, sales and product innovation, with its optimisers aimed at the commercial and utility-scale PV plant markets.

After securing a Series C funding round worth US$20 million and raising working capital worth US$5 million, the company said yesterday that it was seeking to “support continued growth”. Ampt’s module level power electronics range includes a string DC optimiser, which the company claims can lower PV plant costs.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

In a statement given to PV Tech this morning, an Ampt spokeswoman said that as PV panel costs decline, reducing the cost of inverters and other electrical balance of systems (BoS) components is becoming more important, and claimed that adjusting PV power output at the module level could help address this.

“Globally, 60% of deployments are utility scale, which is the fastest-growing segment in solar,” the spokeswoman said.

“PV panels used to be bulk of the cost of PV systems, but now it’s less than 50% – and component costs, such as inverters, make up more of the expense. Ampt’s DC optimisers reduce inverter and electrical BoS costs by up to 50%, while distributing MPP tracking throughout the PV array to deliver more energy.”

An investment firm in Ampt’s home state of Colorado, Bohemian Investments, led the Series C round, while other investors included the family trust of Ampt founder Doug Schatz, who is already a strategic investor in his own company.

Ampt’s optimisers use two patented technologies, String Stretch and Ampt Mode. The company claims both can result in significant savings, for electrical BoS costs and PV inverter costs per watt respectively. Ampt has been looking to broaden its horizons already this year, sending a representative to the PV Expo show in Tokyo earlier this year, spying opportunities in the Japanese market, a belief that appeared to be backed up by the analysis of Cormac Gilligan at IHS, who called Japan a “huge opportunity” for power electronics firms.

In today’s statement the spokeswoman said that the latest funding round was the company’s largest to date and “will be used to drive our global expansion and allow us to continue to innovate – making technology that creates cost reductions for commercial and utility scale PV systems”.  

Read Next

September 18, 2025
CERC is finalising guidelines for virtual power purchase agreements (vPPAs) to unlock financing for over 40GW of uncontracted renewable capacity.
September 18, 2025
The capacity of virtual power plants in operation in North America has reached 37.5GW, a 13.7% year-on-year growth, according to Wood Mackenzie.
September 18, 2025
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) has forecast that Canada will add between 17GW and 26GW of solar PV over the next decade.
September 18, 2025
Researchers have called for enhanced international standards to detect ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) in PV modules after identifying “severe” levels of the problem in operational n-type panels.             
September 18, 2025
Indian PV makers have welcomed the government’s plan to add solar wafers to its ALMM List-III from June 2028.
September 17, 2025
US renewables developer Longroad Energy has reached financial close for its 400MW 1000 Mile solar project in the US state of Texas.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA