Press release
Biel, xy August 2008. Unisolar, the American solar module manufacturer, has officially approved transformerless inverters from the SolarMax S string inverter range for use with its products. With immediate effect all amorphous thin-film modules from Unisolar – both branded and OEM products – can be combined with SolarMax products from Swiss inverter manufacturer Sputnik Engineering without further approval procedures.
Unisolar is one of the leading suppliers of solar modules made from amorphous silicon. The company encapsulates amorphous silicon cells as photoactive semiconductors in polymer laminates. This technology saves both material and energy compared with crystalline solar modules.
However, thin film technology poses new system engineering challenges. The question whether transformerless inverters are suitable for combination with thin-film modules has long been the subject of discussion. In addition, solar modules made from amorphous silicon tend to degrade over the first few months, with output and voltage initially increasing. The system must be designed in such a way as to ensure that the increased initial voltage does not damage the inverter.
Sputnik Engineering AG has been able to evaluate the effect of this voltage increase using its MaxDesign system visualisation software. The software offers the option of calculating limit values with stabilised end values or initial voltages.
"Transformerless inverters from Sputnik Engineering AG have been operating successfully with Unisolar’s amorphous silicon modules since 2005," reports Stefan Burri, Sputnik’s Head of Technical Sales Support. However, installers have until now had to combine the products at their own risk as Unisolar had not officially approved this practice. "Their official approval offers clarity and safety," adds Burri. Galvanically separated central inverters from Sputnik Engineering AG have been approved for use with Unisolar modules for several years.
About Sputnik Engineering AG
Sputnik Engineering AG was established in 1991 by Christoph von Bergen und Philipp Müller. Headquartered in Biel, Switzerland, the company focuses on the development, sales and maintenance of inverters for grid-connected PV systems. The SolarMax series incorporates a wide range of string inverter products for detached houses and central inverters for solar power stations. Sputnik products are based on longstanding experience and continuous optimisation, and are characterised by cutting-edge technology, high quality, reliability, maximum yields and an excellent price/performance ratio.
Sputnik Engineering currently employs around 200 staff at its Swiss headquarters and in subsidiaries in Neuhausen (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Milan (Italy) and Paris (France). 2008 should see Sputnik producing inverters with a total capacity of 275 megawatts.
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Sputnik Engineering AG
Höheweg 85
2502 Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 (0)32 346 5600
Fax. +41 (0)32 346 5609
sputnik@solarmax.com
www.solarmax.com
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