Enphase Energy, Inc. today unveiled its Enphase Home Energy Solution with IQâ„¢, its next-generation integrated solar, storage and energy management offering. The solution features the company's sixth-generation Enphase IQâ„¢ Microinverter System, which supports high-powered 60- and 72-cell solar modules, integrates with upcoming ac modules from LG and SolarWorld, and offers installers faster and simpler installations, saving on soft costs. The Enphase IQ family of microinverters represents the next wave of innovation in module level power electronics.
"Enphase is delivering on the strategy we outlined last year: to continually improve our solutions while driving down cost," said Paul Nahi, president and CEO of Enphase Energy. "The Enphase Home Energy Solution with IQ meets the market's need for a truly integrated solar, storage, and home energy management system that is even simpler to install and uses a single, intelligent platform. We are thrilled with the reception our Home Energy Solution has received from installers and homeowners so far, and with Enphase IQ, we continue on our path of bringing product improvements to market every six months."
The Enphase IQ Microinverter System provides substantial benefits over existing competitive offerings: Powerful and lightweight: the Enphase IQ 6+ Micro supports 60- and 72-cell modules up to 400 W DC and the Enphase IQ 6 Micro pairs with modules up to 330 W DC. They are 30 percent lighter than Enphase S-Series microinverters, and 40 percent lighter than other microinverters on the market today, partly due to their double insulated, non-corroding polymeric enclosure. Both offer 97 percent CEC efficiency.
Quick and easy: the two-wire Enphase Q Cable is 50 percent lighter than the previous generation of Enphase trunk cable; the Enphase Q Aggregator offers simple "plug and play" connection for up to three branches on the roof; and the Enphase Q Combiner provides further installation and commissioning efficiency.
Fully integrated: the Enphase Home Energy Solution with IQ uses a single technology platform for seamless management of the whole solution, enabling rapid commissioning via the Enphase Installer Toolkit; consumption monitoring with a metered Envoy and CTs; and energy insights from the Enlighten Software platform's easy-to-use interface.
Smart grid ready: the Enphase IQ 6 microinverters comply with fixed power factor, voltage and frequency ride-through requirements, and meets current and known future requirements for distributed solar on utility networks, including Rule 21 in California and Hawaiian Electric Company Rule 14H.
Rapid shutdown ready: the IQ family, like all previous Enphase microinverters, is fully compliant with NEC 2014 and 2017 rapid shutdown requirements. Unlike string inverters, this capability is built-in, with no additional equipment necessary.
The Enphase IQ 6 Microinverter System is expected to be available in North America in the first quarter of 2017.
The sixth generation microinverters will also be integrated into Enphase Energizedâ„¢ AC Modules with IQ from LG and SolarWorld, which are expected to be available in the U.S. and Canada in the second quarter of 2017. AC modules help solar distributors and installers by simplifying the supply chain, reducing their capital and labor costs, and shortening the design and installation process for residential solar. Enphase estimates these modules could save up to two hours on an average residential solar installation. They also enable a simpler warranty process, a one-stop after-sales technical support, and other asset management advantages such as remote monitoring for both the microinverter and the module.
