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Evaluation of Components

Evaluate Your Solar Inverters

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Evaluation

Likely increase in performance of your inverter compared to an inverter with the least favourable choices for all the parameters. Performance is an indicator of both qualitative aspects such as reliability and quantitative aspects such as generation.

The benchmark generation is the generation of the solar inverter with the least favourable choices for all the parameters.

The benchmark cost is the cost of the solar inverter with the least favourable choices for all the parameters.

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Inverters

Brains of the solar plant

The Inverter in a solar plant converts the electricity produced by the panels (which is in DC form) to AC so that you can use it just as you use the grid power. The following are the key parameters you should use to select the right inverter.

Performance of Your Inverter

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Likely Increase in Generation Over Benchmark
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Likely Cost Increase of Inverter Over Benchmark

Parameter

Choice

Likelihood of Performance Increase

Likelihood of Cost Increase

Parameter	Choice		Likelihood of Performance Increase	Likelihood of Cost Increase
1. What is the peak efficiency of the inverter? Higher the efficiency, lower the conversion losses in the inverter		.The higher the efficiency, the lower will be the losses for the inverter. The standard efficiency levels for most inverters are in the range 97-98% Data available in the datasheet
2. What is the cooling system employed in the inverter? Forced cooling is preferred for capacities higher than 25 kW		.It is usually seen that for inverters greater than 25 kW capacity, forced cooling offers better heat protection than natural air cooling or liquid cooling Data available in the datasheet.
3. Does the manufacturer provide local service support? Inverters are prone to failure and local service providers hence come in handy		.Installation and maintenance of the inverter need in-depth knowledge of its design. Availability of local support has been found to make a big difference. Kindly do a background check of the inverter manufacturer in this regard.
4. What is the ambient air temperature range of the inverter? Wider the ambient temperature, lower the amount of cooling required		.The wider the ambient air temperature range, the better it the inverter performance. . Inverters designed for extreme climatic conditions have been found to need lower amount of cooling Data available in the datasheet
5. What is the type of warranty considered? Extended warranty for inverters is favourable		.Standard warranty for inverters is for 5 years. . With extended warranties, the inverters can be covered up to 20 years for a premium. For inverters, extended warranties could make sense as there could be failures after the first 5 years.
6. What is the protection level of the inverter enclosure? Higher the Ingress Protection (IP) number, higher the resistance to water and dust		.IP ratings are an indication of the resistance against water and dust. . A protection level of IP 65 is suggested for outdoor installations, and IP 54 is suggested for indoor installations Data available in the datasheet

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