At Intersolar North America, SolarEdge Technologies, Inc., a global leader in PV inverters, power optimizers, and module-level monitoring services, has unveiled the world’s first inverter-integrated electric vehicle (EV) charger. By supplementing grid power with PV power, SolarEdge’s Level 2 EV charger offers charging up to six times faster than a standard Level 1 charger with its innovative solar boost mode.
SolarEdge’s HD-Wave inverter, once integrated with an EV charger, will not only provide the existing management and monitoring of solar production, but will also enable EV charging from a single inverter and dashboard. The combined solution will offer considerable cost savings on both hardware and labour by eliminating the need for an additional conduit, wiring, and breaker installation. The solution will also eliminate the need for an additional dedicated circuit breaker, which saves space and a potential main distribution panel upgrade. “SolarEdge is dedicated to developing innovative solutions for increasing the use of renewable energy and cost savings for our customers and end users,” stated Guy Sella, CEO and Chairman of SolarEdge. “Adding EV charging to our growing-range of products further enables system owners to easily manage their energy needs.”
Based on patent-pending technology, the EV charger is embedded into SolarEdge’s HD-Wave inverter and leverages its solar boost mode. This mode utilises both grid and PV to charge at 9.6kW (40 Amp) Level 2 charging, which is up to six times faster than standard Level 1 charging. If PV is not available, the inverter-integrated EV charger will use grid power to charge at 7.6kW (32 Amp) Level 2 charging, which is up to five times faster than standard Level 1 charging. With a 12-year warranty, the inverter-integrated EV charger offers potential future operating modes, such as demand-response and charging at off-peak hours to optimise Time-of-Use (TOU) rates. The inverter-integrated EV charger is expected to be available in the last quarter of 2017.
The company provides an intelligent inverter solution that has changed the way power is harvested and managed in solar photovoltaic systems. The SolarEdge DC optimised inverter system maximises power generation at the individual PV module-level while lowering the cost of energy produced by the solar PV system. Supporting increased PV proliferation, the SolarEdge system consists of power optimizers, inverters, smart energy management, and a cloud-based monitoring platform. These solutions addresses a broad range of solar market segments, from residential solar installations to commercial and small utility-scale solar installations.
