Contacts:     Yael Eldar                       

                        SolarEdge                         

                  +972-54-4419940                 

                  yael.e@solaredge.com           

SolarEdge Introduces First PV Power Harvesting System to Maximize Power Generation of Each Module throughout the Solar Lifecycle

Groundbreaking Distributed DC Architecture Eliminates Efficiency Losses of Residential and Large-Scale PV Sites While Reducing Costs and Complexities

Munich, Germany—May 27, 2009 — SolarEdge Technologies, an innovative solar power harvesting start-up,today announced the availability of the company’s groundbreaking distributed DC systems that maximize power generation of residential and large-scale PV sites by up to 25 percent, while reducing costs and complexities for panel manufactures, systems integrators, installers and owners. Based on patent pending technology, SolarEdge products are proven to harvest more energy at a lower cost per watt than any competitive offering.

While the solar industry has taken enormous strides to reduce the dollar per watt cost of PV-generated electric power through increased cell efficiency and other innovations, traditional PV installations still suffer from a broad range of limitations. Existing power harvesting systems use centralized or string inverters that perform Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) regulation on the entire serial solar array as a whole which leads to unavoidable power losses due to panel mismatch, partial shading sensitivity, suboptimal MPP tracking as well as complex system designs, poor roof utilization, fire and maintenance safety issues, and ineffective panel theft prevention measures. As a result, conventional power harvesting systems assume a 20-30 percent systems loss when calculating the expected energy output of a PV system.

Three-key Technologies for One Holistic Solution

SolarEdge’s revolutionary approach solves all traditional PV design and installation constraints and maximizes the power output of each module at the same price as conventional power harvesting systems. The three-fold SolarEdge architecture consists of the world’s first module-embedded electronics and custom ASIC which performs module-level MPPT; a centralized DC/AC inverter per array; and a web portal for module-level monitoring and fault detection.

SolarEdge PowerBox

 Based on a proprietary ASIC chip set, the SolarEdge PowerBox ™ optimizes energy output and enables performance tracking for each panel. Further, each PowerBox automatically maintains a fixed string voltage giving installers greater flexibility to design optimal PV systems and maximize roof space. An outdoor product, assembled on the back of each PV panel, the PowerBox is embedded into each module by module-manufacturers instead of the junction box, or retrofitted by PV installers onto the modules.

SolarEdge Inverter

The SolarEdge Inverter is a highly reliable centralized inverter. Because MPPT and voltage management are handled separately for each module, the inverter is only responsible for DC to AC inversion. Consequently, the SolarEdge inverter is less complex and more reliable than traditional inverters. While the SolarEdge system will work with most leading inverters, it is best suited to the SolarEdge Inverter which includes a warranty of 12 years.

 SolarEdge Monitoring

SolarEdge Monitoring is web-based software that provides module-level, string-level and system-wide monitoring. Each in-panel module transmits telemetry data on the DC power lines without any additional wiring. The software automatically provides alerts on a wide range of issues affecting energy generation that might otherwise go undetected, providing installers with full system feedback to simplify installation and maintenance, detect faults and pinpoint energy losses as well as prevent theft.

 

Major advantages of the SolarEdge system include:

• MPPT Circuit Per Panel—maximizes power harvesting and solves panel mismatch and partial shading power losses
• Fixed String Voltage—ensures operation at the highest efficiency at all times, independent of string length and temperature, enabling constraint-free site design, full site space utilization, reduced installation time and maintenance costs
• In-panel Electronics—improves safety for installers, electrician and fire-fighters
• Power-line Communication—offers a new level of system feedback and monitoring capabilities including module-level monitoring and theft prevention

“We believe the PV delivery chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” said Guy Sella, chairman, CEO and founder of SolarEdge. “By adopting a ‘systems first’ philosophy that identifies and eliminates the Achilles heel in each step of the solar lifecycle, SolarEdge enables a constraint-free delivery of sun harvested energy that makes PV more affordable and paves a faster path to grid parity.”

Partnerships and Availability

Through partnerships with major module manufacturers and system integrators in Germany, Spain, Franceand the United States, the SolarEdge system has undergone extensive testing and will be available embedded in leading panels. A demonstration of the SolarEdge system can be viewed at Intersolar Hall B4, Booth 302. Panel manufacturers, system integrators and installers interested in learning more about SolarEdge can contact the company at zvi.l@solaredge.com.

About SolarEdge

SolarEdge is a provider of smart, holistic PV power harvesting and monitoring solutions for maximum energy and cost efficiency. The company works with industry-leading partners to embed its active electronic solution directly into PV panels. Unlike centralized architectures that cannot optimize the power of each panel, only SolarEdge performs MPPT per panel while communicating across existing power lines for granular visibility and control. As a result, our systemic holistic approach provides more power from any given installation, eliminates design constraints, provides complete visibility, solves all safety issues and provides anti-theft without increasing power harvesting costs.