Germany holds 7 of the top 10 most efficient inverters in the World. Not surprising as Germany holds the top spot for photovoltaic installations with 7.74  GW’s (see graph below).  Second place goes to Italy with  3.74 GW’s installed. Below are the top ten inverters and their efficiency ratings:

1. Steca                      98.6%
2. Sunways               97.8%
3. Fronius                 97.7%
4. Diehl Ako             97.7%
5. Voltwerk              97.7%
6. SolarEdge             97.6%
7. Mastervolt           97.5%
8. Mirsibushi            97.5%
9. Solutronic             97.4%
10. Fefu                          97.4%

(This information was compiled from product data sheets).

The solar inverter market leader in terms of market share, SMA, is positioned just under the best ten companies. The difference in the claimed maximum efficiency between Steca and SMA is 1.6% .  In actual  applications, the energy losses through inverters should be considered over the 10-15 years’ lifetime and efficiency in real-life conditions.

Source: Solarbuzz Marketbuzz 2010

*Market size definition based on PV systems installed and/or delivered to site.

Sun City Solar has installed several of these inverters. If you would like further information on any of these inverters or others, visit our website.

The efficiency and quality of a solar power system  are measured by the efficiency and quality of each individual component of the system. An accurate choice of components, especially the modules and inverters is of fundamental importance for your solar power system to operate at it’s optimum performance.

A Photovoltaic solar power system must be able to function efficiently for 25-30 years in all weather conditions and under the hot summer sun.

Grounding Hardware

What is commonly called in the Photovoltaic  industry “BOS” (Balance of System), i.e. the “rest of the system” (rails, grounding, surge protection, wire, cables, etc.), plays a very important role in ensuring that you and your home or building are properly protected and have adequate power production for many years to come.

From an economic viewpoint, it is even more important for each individual component of a solar power system to be chosen on the basis of the warranties provided by the product and its manufacturer than for a normal electric system. Why? Because the operating specifications of each device must remain unchanged throughout the entire life cycle of your system and investment.

Sun City Solar Energy is dedicated to providing reliable products from the direct current (DC) side through to the Alternate Current grid connected point. In fact, the solar panel we suggest, after careful research, has a 30 year unprecedented warranty!

Sun City Solar installed a Commercial Solar Power system with the mounting hardware designed specifically for membrane roofs. Membrane roofing is a type of roofing system typically for commercial  buildings. It is used on flat or nearly flat roofs to prevent leaks and move water off the roof. Therefore, while membrane roofs are great, penetrating them can lead to leaks.

This solar mounting system is the only all stainless steel mounting system on the market today.  Here are pictures of the non-penetrating install: