Product roundup: FTC Solar, AutoGrid, Enphase, and more

Another week, another bunch of announcements! To stay up to date on what’s new, check out this latest clean energy product roundup:

FTC Solar  tracker for larger modules

FTC Solar has announced Voyager+, the next generation of its single-axis Voyager tracker. The Texas-based company said it engineered the new tracker to provide compatibility with large-format modules expected increasingly to enter the solar market.

The company said the tracker can accommodate large-format modules that have 182 mm and 210 mm cells and achieve power output exceeding 500 W. FTC Solar is currently conducting tests at its research facility near Denver, Colorado, and will evaluate the performance and structural requirements of a wide variety of large-format modules. More info available here.

KiloVault deep-cycle batteries

KiloVault, a Massachusetts-based provider of residential and commercial energy storage devices, released the 1200 HLX and 1200 CHLX heavy-duty deep-cycle lithium batteries.

These 1,200 Wh-capacity batteries complement KiloVault’s existing 1,800 Wh and 3,600 Wh models, and handle 80A of continuous charging current and 100A of continuous discharging current. The company said the smaller capacity and reduced weight of the 1200 HLX and 1200 CHLX suit them for various applications, including off-grid solar energy storage. More info available here.

Enphase expands digital platform

Enphase Energy, an energy management company and provider of microinverter-based solar+storage systems, has enhanced its digital offerings with the acquisition of Canada-based Sofdesk Inc.

According to Enphase, Sofdesk’s Solargraf integrated software platform offers digital tools and services designed to simplify and accelerate the end-to-end sales process across the residential solar industry. The Solargraf platform provides solar installers with pre-sales engagement design, quoting, and workflow management from any PC, tablet, or mobile device. In addition, Sofdesk offers Roofgraf, a software product that enables roofing contractors to generate homeowner proposals using machine learning technology. More info available here.

Vishay Intertechnology Schottky diodes

Vishay Intertechnology has introduced 10 new 650 V silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diodes. Featuring a merged PIN Schottky (MPS) design, the semiconductor devices are designed to increase the efficiency of high-frequency applications by reducing switching losses regardless of the effects from temperature variances, allowing the diodes to operate at higher temperatures.

According to the company, the MPS design of the diodes shields the electric field from the Schottky barrier to reduce leakage currents while increasing surge current capability via hole injection. The devices are intended for PFC and output rectification in flyback power supplies and LLC converters for servers, telecom equipment, UPS, and solar inverters. More info available here.

Fimer three-phase string inverters

Italy-based Fimer has announced two new three-string inverters designed for residential, commercial, and industrial PV projects. The inverters–labeled PVS-10/12.5/15-TL and PVS-20/30/33-TL–have a power output ranging from 10 kW to 33 kW and are claimed to reach an input voltage of 1100 V (DC).

Fimer is initially launching its new PVS-10/12.5/15-TL and PVS-20/30/33-TL platforms in Italy, France, Germany, Thailand, India, and Australia, followed by a global rollout planned in the first half of the year. More info available here.

CleanSpark mVSO microgrid software

CleanSpark Inc. has announced upgrades to mVSO, the company’s microgrid planning and proposal software solution for energy, solar, and storage developers, as well as for engineering, procurement and construction firms.

The company said the latest release includes enhancements to all customer-facing reports and financial analyses. From top-level financial metrics across a 20-year project lifetime to sample operational charts with 15-minute resolution, various aspects of the proposed microgrid are available in simple terms. CleanSpark said that mVSO can now seamlessly ingest outputs from a variety of other renewables-related software, including Helioscope, PVSyst, and PVWatts modeling systems. More info available here.

Span secures $20m, Alexa connection

Span, a provider of electric panels for smart homes, has secured an additional $20 million in funding and Amazon Alexa voice integration for its devices. The company began shipping the Span Smart Panel to customers in summer 2020 and will use this latest investment to expand its reach to homeowners and develop new products.

According to the company, the Span Smart Panel is designed to make clean energy adoption easier and offers energy monitoring at the circuit level, real-time controls, and onboard intelligence. From insights into home energy use to customizable backup which extends home battery outage protection, Span is accessible via the Span Home App and will soon be available with Amazon Alexa capabilities. More info available here.

Tech integration for EV charging

AutoGrid has partnered with FLO and AddEnergie group, an operator of the FLO electric vehicle (EV) charging network and provider of smart charging software and equipment, to provide AutoGrid Flex for utility management of smart charging endpoints.

With AutoGrid Flex’s AI-based analytics and real-time operating data in place, utilities can obtain endpoint-level and network-wide visibility and intelligence on participating AddEnergie-manufactured smart charging stations deployed on the FLO network within their service territories. The partner companies said this provides the ability to manage loads for peak demand-shaving, enhance the stability of EV charging loads, and improve grid reliability. More info available here.