Micro Inverters in Australia

A number of micro inverter systems have come onto the market over the past couple of months. However, at this stage only one has made it onto the Western Power approved list - the APS YC range (This is freely available on the wholesale market).

Infinite Energy has done some thorough research over the past 3 months into micro inverters with a view to adding them into our range.

At this stage the overwelming conclusion was that micro inverters are not a good option in most parts of Australia.

Our reasoning:

1. Most micro-inverters are only rated to 65 degrees. The temperature on a hot roof in most parts of Australia (under a solar panel) often gets a lot hotter than 65 degrees. This has two implications:
   • the inverter will not function as it should
   • it is a very harsh enviroment for an electrical device to operate for 15+ years
2. There are large number of failure points in the solar system (especially given the harsh enviroment described above)
3. Once a failure does occur, it can be very expensive to fix as access can be difficult.
4. Not one micro-inverter manufacturer we have come across will provide an "on-site" warranty - meaning either the customer will have to pay for the diagnosis to occur (on the roof), the unit to be removed from under the panel, returned to the manufacturer (freight) and then the replacement reinstalled. (Compare this to a simple swap out policy for an SMA inverter which is at ground level).
5. The MPPT voltage range is often quite high in relation to the voltage of a single panel meaning that in a lot of cases the panel may not be able to supply enough voltage for the inverter to work (this is exactly when the system should come into its own - for example when the panel is shaded).
6. Micro-inverters are currently very expensive - not withstanding the above, any potential upside is not justified by the increased cost of the system.
7. The technology is currently unproven at large scale particularly in a harsh environment such as in Australia.

Be aware there are a number of solar companies in Perth and Brisbane touting their micro-inverter solutions as unique (that's simply not the case - there is only one micro inverter on the Western Power approved list and it's widely available).

The major upsides of a micro inverter (shade minimisation, reduced DC voltage, arc protection, increased energy harvesting) are available without the downsides through systems like Solar Edge and Tigo.

Considering solar power but unsure about the type of PV system you need? Speak to our friendly consultants today on 1300 074 669 or email us for a no obligation, free quote.