pv magazine: What particular MLPE and mounting products from the list most intrigue you, and why? From the mounting side, we've seen quite a lot of momentum in tracker technology, particularly in ground mount installations where trackers are starting to be used a lot in 2015. The market leader is Array Technologies, and they have released here a V3 with torsion dampening that is interesting (#17 in the array-changing technologies guide). The unique selling point here is the reduction in the number of motors, and the enabling of a higher density of modules because they've decreased the spacing between the modules. This reduction in the number of components required is a good development. This all results in a decreased level of O&M, and Array Technologies has stressed that there is limited maintenance required with this product, which results in a lower cost for the consumer. Similarly, the list reveals a lot of innovation from other suppliers, not least NEXTracker, which has introduced a tracker that runs on batteries (#5), meaning the tracker can still be powered should the cabling come loose. This is really helping to grow the market for trackers, and chimes with IHS forecasts that fixed-tilt arrays will be used less and less in the coming years. Jinko partnering with Maxim on power optimizers (#39) is interesting. This collaboration is to negate the effects of shading to allow for higher densities of modules in installation. This is where we are expecting installers and homeowners to want to really optimize their space on the roof and get the most out of their system. SolarEdge's new power optimizer (#23) sees the company going from strength to strength. We have seen huge momentum for this particular product in the U.S., where they are the leading supplier in this space and we expect this to continue. Overall, have you been impressed by the levels of innovation on display? Yes, generally. One trend that I have seen is epitomized in SMA's 1,500 V inverter. These are their large 2.5 MW central inverters (#38 in the array-changing technologies guide). And we've also seen that ...Den vollständigen Artikel lesen ...