Reflecting on 2020: Solis goes from strength to strength
With the end of a challenging year drawing ever closer, it can feel like the right time to reflect not only on what has been, but also what is to come.
Despite the turbulence, Solis has had an incredible year. The company not only bounced back from the initial impact of COVID-19 but has come out the other side stronger than ever before.
Achievements and accolades
2020 saw Solis celebrate its 15th anniversary: a massive milestone for the company. In these 15 years, the company has received numerous awards and recognitions. Among others, Solis was presented with TÜV Rheinland’s ‘All Quality Matters’ Award in 2020 for its progressive, high-quality solutions.
In Q3 of 2020, Solis reported its strongest quarter ever, with a year-on-year increase of 74%. The company’s resilience and dedication to renewable energy have meant its products and services continue to be valued globally, positioning Solis as an integral player in the solar sector.
Solis’ most recent feat has seen the company selected as a winner of the National Enterprise Technology Center by Division for Innovation and High-Tech Development. This award is a testament to Solis’ commitment to R&D and innovation – an achievement internationally recognised within the industry.
Celebrated solar products
Solar professionals around the world have celebrated Solis’ fifth generation of inverters.
One of the most hotly anticipated products in the fifth-gen portfolio is the company’s 110kW commercial inverter: a unique product with 150% DC overloading capacity, over 99% efficiency and an optional anti-PID function available. This inverter is capable of supporting an extensive array of solar modules and has 10 MPPTs.
Solar PV inverters were designed initially to have a single MPPT, which means the inverter is capable of maximising the output for just one DC value. This feature limits the inverter to only getting the best out of a single roof face or one type of PV module. For small and more basic PV arrays, this will have a negligible effect on the performance of the solar installation. For larger and more complex designs, having the PV array managed by more MPPTs improves the overall energy yield significantly.
Having more MPPTs also allows for greater design flexibility as you can incorporate different module types into a single array.
A critical factor in the financial viability of a system is the ability to monitor the system closely and to react quickly if anything goes wrong. An inverter with more MPPTs will allow more accurate monitoring of each section of the system, enabling better targeting of issues.
Additionally, this inverter is optimal for the South African market. For example, In the Gauteng region alone, there are more than seven lightning strikes per km2 each year. As such, a large commercial installation is highly likely to be struck in its 25-year lifetime and requires ample protection from strikes.
Top-tier technical training
SegenSolar and Solis have continued to collaborate throughout 2020 to provide informative training sessions to solar installers in Southern Africa — albeit online. James Frank, Solis’ in-country solar expert, has a brilliant working relationship with the SegenSolar team and regularly hosts free webinars via the SegenSolar portal for installers on Solis’ ever-growing portfolio.
These webinars cover all aspects of the solar inverters with a focus on both sales and technical installation, helping to ensure a skilled and confident workforce.
Looking to 2021, new product arrivals from Solis will require a level of technical training. SegenSolar intends to continue with its webinars for the foreseeable future, so keep an eye out for the release of next year’s webinar schedule!
Are you interested in partnering with Solis for your next solar installation? Get in touch today or log in to the portal to create a system via Quick Quote using Solis inverters.