The free light and energy that is abundantly and easily available from the sun is generally used as solar photovoltaic (PV) or heat (thermal) energy. This is made possible by using special devices that are developed and manufactured by using sophisticated and hi-tech processes. The solar inverter is one such invention. The product has immense potential to meet the growing needs of power, besides being cost effective and easy to install.
Navi Mumbai-based Unique Max is offering off grid type single- and three-phase solar PV inverters and power conditioning units (PCU) as per MNRE standards. Umesh Shantaram Belgaonkar, CEO, said that the unique features include an intelligent MCU based design. He added that the systems have intelligent MCU-based design.
There is a special no load shut down for solar and wind inverters. These take 1W-6W in sleep mode. If the load is less than 30W, the inverter will stop working. When the load is above 30W, it will start functioning as required.
Other features include high conversion efficiency (≥85 per cent) and very low no load consumption, built in MPPT charge controller with ≥ 96 per cent efficiency, remote communication through RJ45, battery low recovery @12.6VDC/battery.
Hybrid charging facility is available, along with priority solar charging, with or without the PCU function. The output is synchronized with mains input and a built-in stabilizer in mains mode for 110VAC to 275VAC. The changeover is less than 4ms. It can also take inrush up to four times the rated capacity.
Safety features of Unique Max include battery reverse protection, short circuit protection, over temperature protection. Solar inverters are available in 1KW, 2KW, 3KW, 4KW, 5KW, 7KW and 10KW as standard capacities in single phase.
Unique Max can offer solar inverters from 1KW to 10KW, ranging from 24VDC to 96VDC as standard product range. It can design as per customers requirement. Unique Max will be coming out with its solar PV inverters upto 100KW.
Su-Kam Power Systems is offering 1P and 3P solar inverters, and solar high frequency inverters.
Features of the single-phase (1P) solar inverter 1P include, range from 2KW to 10KW, DSP based design, pure sine wave output with low total harmonic distortion (THD), high end MCU based design, pulse by pulse current limiting with auto-reset resulting in efficient overload and short circuit protection, battery pole reversal protection and battery deep discharge protection, and high surge capability (upto 300 per cent) for starting heavy load.
The three-phase (3P) solar inverter, range from 10KW to 100KW and have mostly similar features as the 1P version. Su-Kam’s solar HF inverters range from 100W to 2,000W.
Su-Kam is offering the Brainy, a modern artificial intelligent machine. It is said to be the world’s first hybrid home UPS to harness solar energy into electricity and use its artificial intelligence to maximize utilization of solar energy to power homes. Brainy can operate on solar as well as grid power. It is integrated with in-built solar charge controller, which enables the conversion of solar power to electricity. The intelligent machine, the UPS, gives preference to solar power while charging the battery. It senses the availability of solar power and grid power, and gives the charging preference to solar power charge. It switches to the grid when solar power is not available.
Inverter important!
Mumbai-based SMA Solar India Pvt Ltd develops, produces and sells solar inverters and monitoring systems for PV systems. SMA solar inverters convert direct current generated by the photovoltaic modules into grid-compliant alternating current.
SMA set up a 100 per cent subsidiary in October 2010. Headquartered in Mumbai with a sales office in Delhi, SMA India has service hubs with trained engineers and spare parts warehouse in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jodhpur and Mumbai. SMA India is committed to offering efficient and effective support to customers. It has a team of 10 fully trained service engineers.
According to Rakesh Khanna, MD, technologically, the inverter is the most important component of a PV plant. It efficiently converts the direct current generated in the photovoltaic cells into alternating current compliant with the grid requirements, for self consumption or feed-in to the power distribution grid. As an intelligent system manager, it monitors the PV array and the power distribution grid.
SMA inverters perform important grid management functions, which are becoming increasingly important as electricity production from renewable sources grows. SMA has been developing leading technological solutions and pioneering trends in this area for years.
SMA India also started a ‘Solar Academy’ to offer hands-on training in all segments of markets, rooftop/off grid/ground mounted PV plants. SMA India has a total strength of 30 employees and offers extensive pre-sales support for solutions appropriate to meet site/customer requirements.
It would be interesting to find out how SMA has gone about developing micro-inverters and the implication toward development of solar PV market.
Khanna said that SMA India expanded its product portfolio with a new micro inverter, Sunny Boy 240. The SB240 is suitable for rooftop plants up to 2 kW. It is applicable for small and micro plants, plants with complex shadowing situations, and building integration.
The Sunny Boy 240 offers high flexibility in the planning of small plants of up to 2 kW, and may be combined with all other SMA devices. High reliability and performance at an attractive price are main advantages of the complete new design. SMA’s micro inverter features an innovative safety concept as well as an intelligent panel failure detection and is easy to install.
SMA provided the top five advice to a project developer in India while choosing products for solar PV plant. Developers in India are well experienced and globally connected. Their focus is on following: Design flexibility, fast project execution, adopt proven technology, future proof to meet grid related present/future management needs, and ease of O&M.
SMA complements these by offering outdoor inverters, globally/India proven technology, smart connection systems/grid management features to meet the present and future needs, as well as local service / spare parts support.
