Ideal Power Converters (IPC), a developer of disruptive power converter technologies, announced today that it has been included in the Cool Vendors in Solar Energy, 2012* report recently published by Gartner Inc., highlighting the innovative companies currently in the solar market. Ideal Power Converters has developed a revolutionary 30kW 480VAC solar inverter that weighs only 94lbs (compared to conventional 1,200lbs inverters).
The Gartner report noted the disruptive capability of IPCs 30kW inverter that enables a 90 percent weight reduction and more than a 90 percent reduction in magnetic components, significantly reducing shipping and installation costs. A key innovation is that the IPC inverter provides isolation without the size, weight, cost and efficiency loss of a transformer. This enables the IPC transformer-less inverter to support grounded PV arrays, the de facto standard in the U.S. market.
The smaller size of the inverter results in lower installation costs and less space required for a given power capacity, said James Hines, Research Director at Gartner, Inc., in the report. As solar panel prices have fallen, the costs of the inverter, balance of system components and installation labor have become a larger proportion of overall system cost, so technologies aimed at reducing these costs have become more important.
We are thrilled to be selected as one of Gartners Cool Vendors for the solar industry, said Bill Alexander, CTO for Ideal Power Converters. We believe this recognition is a testimony to the disruptive qualities that our power converter technology provides. As the cost of modules has plummeted, inverters and their installation costs consume a greater portion of the total installed system cost. Our 30kW PV inverter lowers installation costs by $0.10-$0.20/Wdc as well as improves system efficiency.
IPCs 30KW inverter is manufactured in Austin, Texas and includes a standard 10 year warranty.
*Gartner Cool Vendors in Solar Energy, 2012 by James Hines and Alfonso Velosa, April 2012
