Yash
Do you know that most of our electrical appliances run on alternating current (AC)?
And
It is the inverter that does this job.
It converts the direct current from the solar panels into an alternating current and runs our electrical appliances.
But AC solar panels generate AC current from their ends.
Therefore, eliminating the need for a central inverter that is required in a conventional solar power system.
What are AC solar panels?
The AC solar panels are like the conventional solar panels that are available in the market.
But with one difference, these panels have a small inverter called micro-inverter attached at their back.
This small inverter takes the DC current from the panel and converts it into AC current then and there itself.
Therefore, you don’t need a central inverter that we generally find in any normal solar power system.
They improve the overall performance of the system but are costlier than DC solar panels.
Advantages of AC solar panels
Better performance under shade
In a standard solar power system, the string of panels is connected to one central inverter.
And
When the surface of anyone panel in a string gets shaded due to the tree of any building.
The complete string is affected and you get less current for your electrical appliances.
In AC solar panels, if any panel in a string gets shaded then the output of other AC solar panels is not affected.
You can see in the above example that how the shading of a single panel has reduced the string output (all 3 panels) to 65% in the case of the standard solar power system.
Whereas, in the string of AC solar panels, only the output of one module is affected.
It is reduced to 65% due to shade, while the other 2 in the string are performing at the fullest.
Easy monitoring
The micro-inverters of the AC solar panels come with a built-in communication system.
That enables you to remotely monitor the output of every single module on a real-time basis.
You can even detect and can trace down any fall in the performance in the module.
That means you can rectify the fault much faster and your system can resume normal operations in less time.
Flexibility
If I talk about standard solar panels then we need to give them in the same orientation and tilt.
And all of them are connected with the central inverter.
You cannot install one panel at one location while at another end of the roof.
As in that case, you would be needing 2 inverters.
But it is possible with AC solar panels.
As these have micro-inverters embedded in them.
You can put them anywhere without impacting the performance of other panels in the system.
This is good for roofs where you have a shade-free area in patches.
You can place AC modules in different locations and orientations and can still get the maximum power.
Moreover, each micro-inverter in the panel is attached to MPPT solar charge controller.
That is designed to extract the maximum power from the panel, leading to an increase in power generation by another 10%.
It is easy to increase the size
The size of the standard solar power system that uses DC solar panels is more or less fixed.
It is due to the limiting capacity of the central inverter.
And
The expansion of such a system is not that easy.
Whereas,
the size of the AC modules system can easily be extended when required as there is no central inverter to get over-burdened.
You just need to add extra AC solar panels that meet your increased energy needs.
Moreover, they don’t require all that wiring material that DC solar panels need.
This saves you on labor costs and material costs.
In that way, it makes installation easier and fast.
Disadvantages of AC solar panels
Cost
The main downside of the AC solar modules is the cost of micro-inverters that are attached to their backs.
And paying an upfront price gives the homeowner a little jolt.
But their ease of installation and improved performance are the reasons for homeowners to give them a shot.
Risk of damage
Although, the micro-inverters are sheltered under the solar panels.
But still they are exposed to extreme weather conditions like heavy rain, wind, freezing cold, high temperatures, etc.
It increases their risk of getting damaged.
But they come with 25 years warranty, which means any defect will be rectified or the product will be replaced, ensuring you trouble-free operations for 25 years.
Fault finding is difficult and time consuming
It is difficult to detect the fault and service the micro-controller when to the string (central) inverter in the standard solar power system.
You have dozens of micro-controllers in the system and in order to detect the faulty one, one has to check all the micro-inverters.
It is time-consuming and costly too.
But the micro-controllers with embedded communication systems let you know faulty ones on a real-time basis.
Thus saving you time by eliminating the need of checking other controllers that are working fine.
Best AC solar panels in the market
Enphase is a global energy leader that manufactures solar micro-inverters that has partnered with 5 companies to jointly produce AC solar panels.
These are:
- Waaree Energies (India)
- SunPower: A-Series
- Panasonic: N330E HIT
- Solaria: Solaria Power XT
- Q Cells: Q PEAK DUO BLK G6+
Are AC solar panels right for you?
The solar panel manufacturers are coming up with innovative products by combining related technologies together.
And
AC solar panels are one of those products.
The cost-benefit analysis should be done to find the attractiveness of AC solar panels for the next 25 years.
If you’re a homeowner who is interested in going solar soon then ask your solar installer to provide 2 different quotes one with conventional (DC) solar panels and another with AC solar panels.
Then compare their costs and the benefits they’ll give over the next 25 years.
Choose the one that is passing more benefits over its lifetime.
