SPI 2011: ULTRA-1400 central inverter from Power-One offers optimized energy harvesting

October 18, 2011
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Power-One has introduced its new AURORA ULTRA-1400 central inverter with an output power of up to 1.4MW and is the largest product in the Power-One RE offering for large-scale commercial and utility-grade PV power plants. . Industry-leading power conversion efficiencies of up to 98.7% combined with an extra wide input voltage range and multiple MPPT channels optimize energy harvesting across a wide array of operating conditions.

Problem

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

Poor uptime and energy harvesting through an increase in downtime caused by the failure at the inverter level or the photovoltaic field is a key concern for utility-scale PV power operators.

Solution

AURORA ULTRA-1400 central inverter uses the rugged outdoor IP65 enclosure with passive liquid cooling is suitable for desert and other harsh environments. The system configuration has internal compartments that segregate the power conversion components to minimize exposure to contaminants thus extending the maintenance cycle and reducing the cost of maintenance. The product is equipped with an internal recombiner compartment with up to 24 individually fused inputs. The circuit topology provides output voltage of 690Vac, which allows lower Balance of System costs through significant reduction of AC losses and the possibility of direct coupling with LV/MV standard transformer used in the large wind industry.

Applications

Large commercial and utility-grade installations.

Platform

Since its modular structure is made of front accessible and extractible subassemblies, installation and maintenance procedures simplified. This large inverter system can be monitored via Ethernet communication and two independent RS-485 communication interfaces for inverter and intelligent string combiner monitoring. The new product is compliant to IEEE 1547, BDEW (German Federal Association for Energy and Water) and FERC 661 (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission).

Availability

October 2011 onwards.

Read Next

February 4, 2026
Industry leaders warn that hybridising PV with batteries is now essential to secure revenue, manage volatility, and maintain investor value.
February 4, 2026
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, European energy has gone from an overreliance on Russia to an overreliance on China.
February 4, 2026
Optimising existing grid capacity could be the most viable solution to Europe’s long-standing grid capacity challenges.
February 4, 2026
Avangrid, a subsidiary of Spanish utility Iberdrola, has reached commercial operations at two PV power plants in the US state of Oregon.
February 4, 2026
Spanish renewable energy company Zelestra has finalised a power purchase agreement with Facebook’s parent company Meta for its 176MW Skull Creek Solar Plant in Texas.
February 4, 2026
Microinverter supplier Enphase Energy has filed an 8-K form with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that it will reduce its workforce globally by nearly 160 jobs.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
February 18, 2026
9am PST / 5pm GMT
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA