Micro inverters, installed on the rack at the back of each solar module, offer a unique and excellent value proposition compared to conventional string or central inverters. And it seems as though the industry at large is finally convinced by the technology. We spoke to Ajay Malhotra, VP Worldwide Marketing and Product Management for Enecsys, a leading exponent in the sector.
PES: Welcome back to PES, would you like to start things off by explaining how the company has been performing since we last spoke, and outlining your latest developments?
Ajay Malhotra: Enecsys has been doing quite well. In light of some key changes in the past year we have strengthened our market position. The company had a change in management, with Michael J. Fister being appointed as our new CEO, and we moved our global headquarters to the San Francisco Bay Area, transferring several of our personnel with us as well as hiring new team members, in an effort to support our North American operations. Though we have shifted a number of operations to the US, Europe remains a tremendous focus for us, and we are committed to maintaining our position as the number one player in the micro inverter market for small residential and commercial rooftop installations.
In the last few months we have been working to get our products ready for the American market and adapted them to meet local electrical and grid requirements. We’ve also been working to receive the latest certifications for our newest products in our main European markets, including Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Benelux and Spain. In Germany for example, a key strategic market for us, the government had introduced new regulations regarding the grid connectivity of solar PV systems, and we are especially pleased that our products are among the first to meet the associated requirements.
PES: In what kind of a state is the micro inverter business in general? Are you encouraged by the current marketplace?
AM: Yes, we are actually quite encouraged. Generally speaking, micro inverters continue to receive broad interest from the solar industry, while solar installers and developers, more specifically, identify with the numerous key advantages over conventional string inverter technology. Micro inverters offer maximum energy harvest, ease of system design and eliminate high voltage DC wiring, which means they are a safer and easier product to install.
