Enphase Ramps up Deployment of Its 1st GaN-Power Microinverter

Enphase Energy has expanded shipments of its latest commercial microinverter products from manufacturing facilities in the United States.

This expansion comes at a time of growing demand among commercial solar installers for distributed power architectures that offer a more reliable alternative to traditional central or string inverters. By producing these units domestically, the company aims to help project developers meet "Buy America" requirements and qualify for the domestic-content bonus tax credits.

Commercial solar installation in New Mexico. Image used courtesy of Enphase

Expanding U.S. Manufacturing and Commercial Reach

Enphase Energy is scaling its U.S. production to support commercial projects from small-scale municipal installations to large-scale arrays exceeding several hundred kilowatts.

The company will ship units designated with a "DOM" suffix, indicating that the printed circuit board assembly, electrical components, and enclosures are manufactured within the United States. This designation is important because the domestic supply chain enables engineering firms to deploy systems that comply with federal infrastructure standards, such as the Buy America Act.

The IQ9N-3P Microinverter. Adapted from image used courtesy of Enphase Energy

Installers can use these microinverters to upgrade aging solar infrastructure through repowering projects without replacing existing racking or solar panels.

For instance, Detail Solar is using this technology to modernize a 988-kW ground-mount array at Furman University, restoring energy production by replacing the underperforming string-inverter architecture with independent 480 V microinverter units. The modular approach means teams can complete installations in phased stages, translating into reduced downtime and improved long-term reliability.

Engineering Efficiency with GaN-Powered Architecture

From a design perspective, Enphase Energy leveraged Infineon's CoolGaN bidirectional switch technology in the IQ9N-3P microinverter. A gallium nitride (GaN)-based switch, the CoolGaN solution can replace multiple unidirectional silicon switches with a single bi-directional component.

According to the companies, this single-stage power-conversion architecture enables engineers to reduce power losses by 68% compared to conventional silicon switches and by 42% compared to standard GaN unidirectional designs.

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Infineon’s CoolGaN bi-directional switch. Image used courtesy of Infineon

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The IQ9N-3P microinverter also natively supports 480Y/277 V three-phase grids, allowing designers to connect the units directly to the grid without installing external transformers. It delivers a peak output power of 427 VA and maintains a CEC-weighted efficiency of 97.5% while supporting solar panels rated up to 600 W.

For small commercial solutions requiring 120/208 VAC four-wire interconnection, Enphase offers the IQ8P-3P microinverter, which delivers a peak output power of 480 VA.

Both product series use Power Line Communication for data transmission and work with the Enphase App to provide panel-level monitoring and analysis.

Future Impact on Commercial Solar Infrastructure

GaN-powered microinverters offer a new baseline for power density and conversion efficiency in the commercial renewables sector. By reducing the footprint and thermal load of power electronics, these devices can help installers deploy higher-wattage modules in increasingly constrained spaces.

The IQ9N-3P and IQ8P-3P Commercial Microinverters are currently available for shipment to installers and distributors across the United States.