Solar inverter manufacturer SolarEdge has announced the UK launch of a new, high-performance inverter system for a wide range of applications.
The SolarEdge TerraMax inverter, when combined with H1300 Power Optimizers, is designed for small to medium-sized utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) installations and features 99% inverter efficiency to increase solar energy production.
According to SolarEdge, the versatile system is suitable for a wide range of applications, and is particularly suitable for ground-mounted locations on sloping or uneven terrain, as well as floating PV and agricultural PV.
The system will utilize the new SolarEdge ONE for C&1 energy optimization software platform, which allows precise monitoring of PV modules to reduce the need for site visits and lower operating and management costs.
The new SE330K inverter is now available for pre-order and will ship from early 2025.
Christelle Barnes, UK country manager at SolarEdge Technologies, said: “We are excited to bring the renowned benefits of SolarEdge’s energy optimization and high-resolution monitoring to the solar segment in the UK with the introduction of our new high-performance SolarEdge TerraMax -inverter. We believe this technology will help maximize value for investors and EPCs.”
SolarEdge, agricultural PV and floating PV
This isn’t the first new tech announcement of the year for SolarEdge. In July this year, the company announced it had joined forces with Octopus Energy’s Kraken platform to give owners of SolarEdge’s home energy storage systems (BESS) access to flexible, automated energy savings. Through this strategic partnership, SolarEdge batteries will be integrated into the Kraken platform, automatically charging batteries with cheap, clean energy when it is most abundant and returning electricity to the grid during times of peak demand. As part of this, Octopus Energy customers who also use SolarEdge battery systems will have access to Octopus Energy’s “Intelligent Octopus” smart import and export tariff. In addition, SolarEdge customers around the world can join Kraken’s virtual power plant (VPP), a network of distributed home appliances that help balance the electrical grid.
SolarEdge’s recently announced system and its specific use case for floating solar and agri-PV developments will certainly be welcome news for those planning such projects. As examined in a previous study Solar energy portal blog, Britain’s floating solar – or ‘floatovoltaics’ – sector is vastly underdeveloped in the UK compared to other countries, but with the global floating solar sector set to cross the 6 GW threshold as early as 2031, new technologies in this market are always welcome.
Meanwhile, the agri-PV sector has seen increasing interest from developers who want to prove that solar farms can in fact support the agricultural sector rather than harm it, as claimed by the previous UK government. As part of a statement in support of Scotland’s ground-mounted solar industry, Josh King, chairman of Solar Energy Scotland, commented: “Land used for solar projects can at the same time support agricultural activities, especially grazing and also nature restoration. Solar energy is a flexible part of the solution, supporting economic and food security and creating a positive legacy of improved soil and biodiversity.” His words are backed by a significant amount of research; several major research projects that were previously covered Solar energy portal have verified the positive impact that solar farms, including agri-PV projects, can have on biodiversity.
