Solar Edge Inverters- Independent Review

Note: Solar Choice is not a solar installer and has no financial or other incentives to promote any product brand over another. 

Overview of Solar Edge – Company History

Established in 2006, SolarEdge developed the DC optimised inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge intelligent inverter solution maximises power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system, for improved return on investment.

In 2010, the company shipped an estimated 250,000 power optimizers and 12,000 inverters – amounting to a total generation of 50 megawatts and 70% of the power optimizers market.

In March 2015, SolarEdge had an initial public offering on the NASDAQ with 7,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $18.00 per share, raising $126 million.

In May 2015, SolarEdge partnered with Tesla Motors or the joint development of a photovoltaic (PV) storage and backup power solution for the residential solar market, based on the Powerwall home and industrial battery packs that were unveiled in April 2015, and quickly received orders to a total value of US$800 million.

Solar Edge now has over 2,400 employees globally with a monitored site in over 130 countries. The headquarters are located in Israel with offices all over the world including the USA, Germany, France, Japan, China, India, and Australia.

A Brief Rundown on Solar Inverters

String inverters have traditionally been the standard in the solar industry. They send the power produced by solar panels to a central inverter that changes it from DC to usable AC power for your home.

Microinverters, on the other hand, convert DC to AC power at each individual panel and allow for monitoring and power regulation at the panel level. This is useful for homes that are located somewhere with shading from clouds, trees, or other buildings.

Solar Edge Inverters – Point of Difference

There are many solar panels out there, what makes SolarEdge inverters stand out?

DC Optimisation

Solar Edge is best known for pioneering the concept of a string inverter matched with individual ‘DC optimisers’ on each solar panel. This achieves similar benefits to Micro-inverter systems usually at a lower cost. These optimisers allow:

• individual panel monitoring
• individual panel optimisation (i.e. shade or dirt on one panel will not affect the other panels like a conventional string inverter setup)
• rapid shutdown of panels in the case of an emergency
• An increase in total energy generation over the lifetime of the system
• An inverter with smaller dimensions because the Multi Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is all done at the panel.

SolarEdge Inverter Efficiency

While efficiency standards for residential inverters are generally 95 to 98 percent, while SolarEdge’s inverters boast a maximum efficiency of 99.2 percent.
This greater efficiency will lead to a slight increase in energy production over the lifetime of a solar system and compliments the other advantages of the power optimisers.

SolarEdge Inverters Technologies

SolarEdge currently has 29 inverters approved by the Clean Energy Council in Australia under the name “SolarEdge Technologies Ltd”. This is a requirement to be eligible for the federal STC solar rebate.
Currently, Solaredge offers both single phase and three phase inverters on the Australian market for residential and commercial solutions.

Single Phase Inverters

SolarEdge’s single-phase inverters are designed for residential solar PV systems, where the power output is usually lower than that of commercial or industrial systems. These inverters are smaller in size, easier to install, and less expensive than three-phase inverters. See below summary of the different single phase inverters SolarEdge has available:

Genesis

• SolarEdge’s entry level single phase inverter
• Power optimised – like all SolarEdge solutions
• Weighted efficiency of 99% for 5kW to 10kW models

 EV Charging

• EV Charger and Solar Inverter built in one device
• 3kW and 5kW versions available
• Weighted efficiency 99% for 5kW model
• Charge EV from PV surplus

Home Hub

• Compatible with DC connected battery
• Provides back-up power in black-out
• Models from 3kW to 10kW
• Up to 300% DC oversizing

SolarEdge also offers StorEdge solutions which are designed to enable their non-hybrid inverters to connect with a DC battery like LG’s Chem.

Three Phase Inverters

SolarEdge offers a range of three-phase inverters that are designed for commercial and industrial solar PV systems.In general, three-phase inverters are larger in size and more expensive than single-phase inverters. 

SolarEdge provides three-phase inverters from 5kW to 100kW, with a maximum efficiency of up to 99.2%. The 50kW to 100kW options couple together 2 or 3 smaller inverters with one central ‘Synergy Manager’ to achieve the overall power output.

These inverters are compatible with a wide range of solar panels and have features such as built-in panel-level monitoring and rapid shutdown which can be a big advantage in commercial applications. Additionally, SolarEdge’s three-phase inverters come with advanced safety features such as built-in thermal sensors to detect faulty wiring.

SolarEdge’s Warranty Offer for Australian Customers

The SolarEdge inverter itself has a 12-year product warranty, and the accompanying power optimizers have a 25-year warranty.

The standard 12-year product warranty for the inverter is unparalleled in the industry, and is a great indicator of high quality. The inverter warranty can also be extended to 20 years and 25 years with most of their residential models.

As the power optimisers are located on the roof and exposed more to the elements, a 25-year warranty provides peace of mind to owners for the expected life of a typical solar system. The warranty offer for SolarEdge is better than premium alternatives like Enphase micro-inverters.

SolarEdge has an Australian office and a clear warranty claim process on their website, and we have not heard any difficulties in claiming warranty from SolarEdge from our customers.

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SolarEdge Inverter Costs

As many SolarEdge inverters are manufactured in China or Hungary, this enables them to be sold at a cheaper price in comparison to European manufactured competitors.

Indicative pricing

Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system, so often it is worth investing in a high-quality inverter given this will have a large impact on the efficiency and performance of your Solar Power project.

SolarEdge Inverter Limitations

Of course, any inverter can have its limitations and SolarEdge is no different. SolarEdge is more on the pricier side so expect to pay around 20-40% higher cost on average than other high performing and highly rated inverters. Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system so it can depend greatly on the rest of your set up including your Solar Panels and Solar Battery.

Whether the size and scope of your system will need enough power to fully make use of SolarEdge optimizers is another consideration on whether to go with SolarEdge.

Pros and Cons of SolarEdge Inverters

Pros:

• One of the largest inverter companies in the world
• Industry-leading warranty offer

Cons:

• High upfront cost to reflect premium product
• Only compatible with SolarEdge optimizers

SolarEdge Inverter Specifications

So, Should I Buy SolarEdge Inverters?

If you’re considering buying an inverter, SolarEdge is one of the largest and most well-established companies in the world. With an office in Australia and long warranties, you can be confident in the quality and reliability of their products. However, it’s important to note that the initial cost of a SolarEdge inverter is higher compared to other options. 

If you have shading issues on your roof or you are willing to pay a bit extra to get a premium solution, then our opinion is that SolarEdge would be a great fit for any residential or commercial projects.

Example of a SolarEdge Commercial Solar Project

In 2014, Honda Motorcars’ dealership in Ohio, USA wanted to install a carport canopy that would protect its fleet of automobiles, attract new customers, and power the facility. Dovetail Solar and Wind, were commissioned to run the project, and straight away they knew that SolarEdge’s inverters were going to be the best option. An inverter is generally only 10% of the costs of a commercial solar project, however, it is responsible for 100% of the energy production. Therefore, SolarEdge’s optimized inverter architecture offers the best of both worlds IE the design flexibility and energy boost of MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) combined with the cost effectiveness and simplicity of a string inverter.

Fun Facts on The Project

– More than 80% of the steel used for the structure came from recycled cars

– The project will cover at least 75 – 80% of the facilities energy

– Green Energy Ohio named Honda their Business of the Year in 2015

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice

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Dillon Bohler

Solar Consultant at Solar Choice

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