Australia is the first country in the world where the Enphase AC Battery has been released. The demand from both installers and homeowners for the Enphase AC Battery in the lead up to its debut in Australia and New Zealand exceeded the company’s expectations.
Enphase’s lithium iron phosphate battery is simple to install, safe, very reliable, and provides the lowest lifetime energy cost for both new solar customers and retrofit customers. The battery system has a minimum 10-year expected life.
The ability to reduce your power bill on a regular basis is done so by storing your excess generating solar power. To do this your need to considering investing in the Enphase Energy Management System. This system utilizes the energy generated from your solar system with a battery storage solution that has a control panel and management system complete into one full solution. This gives you a ‘smart’ capable solar system. This technology keeps getting better and better. The image below depicts how the system is set up on a home.
The Enphase AC Battery
The battery used in a system as complex as this one has to be sophisticated. Understandably, the interest for this type of battery continues to explode. The demand for this ‘smart’ solar panel system has become greater and greater. This means that the Enphase Energy Management System must have an exceptional battery solution. Understand that the system battery is connected directly the meter board. At this point, a control hub is connected which helps to control the power consumption and storage to the house. Because of this set up, the Enphase Energy Management System is compatible with any existing system, unlike other hybrid type solar systems that rely on an inverter.
The interest level in the Enphase Power Storage System is increasing rapidly! Interest in a battery storage solution is exploding and there has been an even greater demand than what was expected.
The other important aspect of the Enphase Power Storage System is the ability to expand, install and be modular. One of the main selling points is the ability of the system to monitor usage, generation and peak times. If you expand your home you also have the option to add more capacity at a later time. The best part about this type of solution is that it is expandable and there are no limitations.
Enphase Solar Storage on the Rise
The Australian market today would not be where it is without Enphase Energy. This technology company has paved the way for solar technology and battery integration. It’s AC Battery and simplified storage and installation technology has significantly improved rooftop home, business and community solar solutions.
Enphase was originally founded in the United States in California, but has since developed offices in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. The have boomed into a leading solar energy company with a host of solar products and are now leading the way in Australia with their products and solutions.
What does Enphase Energy Offer?
Enphase offers a wide range of product from microinverters to network hubs, all with ‘smart’ software. The AC battery was first introduced in 2014 and by 2016 an updated design with an enclosure for the AC battery was launched for eye appeal.
From Enphase themselves, the reason the enclosure was added was because the company thinks of themselves as a building block for something larger. It is a modular way of thinking with a clear focus on how their customers view solar energy.
Finally in mid-2016 the new batteries were being shipped and the debut was undoubtedly more than what was expected. The installation is much simpler than any other solar storage solution and the customers are excited about the ‘smart’ solution. With technological advances on the rise, everything is becoming ‘smart’. The ability to see your data makes the solution that much more exiting for customers. In fact, some customers are paying for the solution before seeing it because the offering is that good.
What technology does Enphase Use?
The AC Battery used by Enphase is a lithium iron phosphate battery. It will typically have a ten-year life expectancy and has low energy costs for new solar energy customers as well as old retrofit type customers. It is a very safe and reliable battery that can be tailored for specific customer needs. It is a storage solution no matter what, simply stated. It is also expandable as stated above, so if there is a need to add capacity later there will not be any issues there.
There are a number of feature worth mentioning:
- Lithium iron phosphate chemistry from Eliiy Power for long cycle life
- 2 kWh capacity
- 96 per cent round-trip efficiency
- Two cycles per day for twice the value and faster payback
- Most usable capacity (>95 per cent depth of discharge)
- Prismatic cells from Eliiy Power are highly stable over time
- Safety certified by TUV Rheinland
- No high-voltage DC in system
However, the most important aspect of this battery is its intelligence factor. It is a low-cost high value piece of equipment that will give you high value intelligence. It pairs with your microinverters and other technologies effortlessly giving you the best bang for your buck.
The Enphase Energy Management System uses the best hardware and software including the Enphase AC Battery to create a ‘smart’ energy management solution which tracks the energy generation production and consumption.
The system uses the microinverters which convert the sunlights direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Understand that Enphase’s microinverters are the most advanced on the market. They producer higher production values and offer greater reliability than any others on the market. The microinterter is connected to a networking hub that is allowed to monitor all of the inputs which uses a software so that the customer can see production and consumption. Enphase has built smart apps and software for owners and installers to see this data (iOS and Andriod options). This provides for energy insights, remote updates for both users, and more in-depth monitoring than ever before for solar panel users such as health of the unit, safety, etc. Obviously there are other parts to the system including the cables, connectors, mounts, and coupler for a more cost-efficient install.
Installation of the AC Battery
The AC Battery weighs approximately 25 kg and measures around 390 mm x 325 mm x 220 mm allowing the unit to be wall-mounted in an indoor capacity using alternating current writing in conduit or wall fashion.
The battery size is 1.2 kWh which allows the installer to add more batteries depending on the size of the panel system. If the customer decides to increase over time an additional battery can be added because of the modular set of each battery. The batteries are also designed to be ‘plugged’ in so each one will recognize the Enphase system being used. The best part about this system is that there is no need to worry about third-party integration.
As soon as the installation is set up, the storage system is there, and the homeowner will be ready to go. There is no additional set up. All components are easily set up and installed at one time. The Enphase Energy Management System is the most unique, easy, user-friendly solar panel storage solution available today.
Battery storage of power generated by your solar panels can really increase the savings provided by your solar system. To read more about the benefits of solar batteries click here.