What is a microinverter & how does it work?

Microinverters are categorized as module-level power electronics (MLPE). Therefore, these grid-tie inverters have much smaller power ratings — just enough to convert a single solar panel’s DC power into AC power.

Do microinverters have a fixed power output limit?

Clipping: Microinverters have a fixed power output limit. When solar panels produce more energy than the microinverter’s capacity, typically in high-sunlight conditions or during peak production times, the excess energy is “clipped,” resulting in lost potential energy production.

What is a microinverter solar system?

In microinverter architectures, each solar panel has its own inverter that performs power conversion for each module. Microinverter architectures are more expensive than the other two but offer the highest power optimization and design flexibility and also avoid a single point of failure.

Do microinverters reduce solar energy production?

For instance, if a few solar panels in a solar array are partially shaded by trees, chimneys, or nearby buildings, microinverters ensure that these shaded panels do not reduce the energy production of the unshaded ones.

How efficient is a microinverter?

An inverter's efficiency measures energy losses during the conversion from DC to AC electricity. The more efficient the microinverter, the more solar electricity production. Efficiency ratings are often measured under ideal conditions, but things like climate and weather contribute to a microinverter’s actual efficiency.

Which microinverter is best?

Enphase’s IQ8 series microinverter is a popular choice due to its high peak output power rating of 300 VA and its ability to handle input power of 235-440+ W. Another popular brand in the market is SMA, which offers a limited warranty of 10 years for their microinverters.