Tigo Energy announced a new release of Inverter Power Output Control (IPOC), a software feature that simplifies the process of restricting AC power output during commissioning with Tigo inverters. The feature, offering reducing an inverter’s maximum AC power rating, or inverter power derating, as a facility, allows solar installers to establish an AC power rating of an inverter during commissioning where accurate system power targets are needed to achieve incentive goals, or to keep system power rating where a pre-existing residential solar system already installed and being upgradable with a new inverter still exists. More than a million residential solar installations installed within the U.S. are more than 10 years old, and another 400,000 or so residential solar installations are reaching that milestone every year within the next five years, according to Wood Mackenzie. To that end, solar service providers have emerged to serve a fast-growing replacement market for inverters, repowering aging residential solar systems long after their warranties and payoff times have expired.
Continuing a long history of dedication to compatibility with each other and to an open solar technology platform, Tigo IPOC provides installers with additional flexibility when dealing with AC output limits on new and existing residential rooftop solar installations. Tigo inverter installers are compatible with a broad installed base of power electronics, eliminating the need for batteries to be installed and allowing for a battery storage solution to be upgraded later with energy optimization, module-level system monitoring, and rapid shutdown protection.
“In an ongoing effort to refine and re-power existing residential arrays, Tigo offered a means to tailor output power with comparative ease so our clients stay within limits to stay eligible with incentive programs, which prompted them to go solar to begin with,”
explained Nick Sherman, CEO, EnergyAid.
” With our EnergyAid Solar Services, quite oftentime, serviced arrays have wear-and-tear-based degradation by way of system loss, and even a number of bandoned generating energy altogether, but by virtue, homeowners’ve been operating within the green with the system for a number of years. Knowing that, by and large, clients with whom we partner are willing to invest a relatively small ancillary investment into their own system to maintain said flow with solar energy, and with nameplate customization, Tigo makes it a snap to do so.”
The self-convening IPOC feature allows installers to set their own maximum AC nameplate rating with the Tigo EI App during commissioning. Advanced energy management and DC architecture of the system eliminate round-trip power conversion losses associated with storage, module mismatch, clipping, and shading losses. The IPOC feature is briefly explained side-by-side in a Tigo product data sheet, along with a matching bezel sticker and an installer letter. This pair makes it easy for noting AC power limits to Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) and solar incentive program managers, and gives homeowners a means to check for compliance during real estate transfers.
“It might be counterintuitive to buy a technology product to do less of what it’s supposed to do, but to be easily and quickly able to derate Tigo inverters was an altogether market-led project,”
explained JD Dillon, chief marketing and customer experience officer, Tigo Energy.
“High-growth solar service providers like EnergyAid approached the market with a number of applications involving throttling back inverter AC output and were easily catered to by including IPOC during commissioning. The market to repower has a long analogue to their history within that experienced by the auto industry, since nobody anticipates an alternator or water pump to have a lifetime and replacement parts and servicing have formalized into an industry within an industry.”
Tigo inverters offer end-of-panel, high-efficiency energy conversion with home-ready and grid-export capability. With Tigo TS4 MLPE products they offer module-level optimization, monitoring, and fast shutdown, enabling home energy backup with a home energy storage system, such as the Tigo EI Battery. Installation firms can also significantly simplify their stock with Tigo IPOC, as limited software changes reduce the need to maintain a large number of inverters in stock.
