More Than 75 Companies Showcase the Latest Balance of System Technologies That Promise to Reduce Costs and Boost PV System Performance
Major innovations in Balance of Systems (BOS) technology, including micro-inverters, mounting and racking systems and tracking components, will be on display at Intersolar North America, the most well attended industry exhibition and conference in North America for solar professionals to exchange information and develop business opportunities. The balance of system exhibition segment is consistently one of the event's fastest growing and most popular segments, and this year features approximately 75 companies. Additionally, the Intersolar North America conference offers in-depth discussions on BOS technology advancements and trends to equip attendees with insight into the latest products driving PV plant efficiency.
As solar PV module costs have fallen, BOS components represent the next frontier for reducing overall solar system costs, particularly in the United States market. BOS costs extend from hardware, such as inverters and mounting and racking systems, to soft costs like installation and finance. Some of the most important recent developments have been the increasing market share of micro-inverters in the residential segment, the increasing use of string inverters and/or higher system voltages in mid-sized PV plants, and the growing dominance of non-penetrating racking for rooftop PV. According to GTM Research, BOS costs are falling 20 percent year-over-year, due in part to technology innovation and aggressive pricing across all parts of the BOS value chain.
More than 75 Companies Showcase the Latest BOS Technology on the Exhibition Floor
Balance of system components offered by more than 75 companies will be featured prominently on the show floor at Intersolar North America. Nearly 40 companies will showcase the latest in microinverter and inverter technologies. Microinverters have gained market share and replaced string inverters in the residential sector. For larger systems, typically between 1 and 5 MW, EPCs and installers are using string inverters in place of central inverters due to increased efficiencies in the absence of transformers and ease of installation due to lighter weight. Exhibitors with microinverter and inverter technology include for example ABB (booth 8521), Advanced Energy (booth 8011), Bonfiglioli USA (booth 8311), Outback Power (booth 8019), SolarEdge (booth 8421), SolarMax USA (booth 8411) and TMEIC Corporation (booth 8333).
In racking and mounting, non-penetrating rooftop installation systems, as well as hybrid systems, are increasingly popular. Another popular technology are ballasted systems, which promise to speed installation time and reduce labor costs, as well as protect the structural integrity of buildings. For utility-scale installations, attention is focused on reducing labor in the field by installing modules to racking, including free-fitting clamps. Companies are also developing racking and mounting systems that provide the same amount of strength with less steel, part of an ongoing movement to simplify system design. Innovative systems will be on display from exhibitors such as AEE Solar (booth 7239), Schletter (booth 9521), Shoals Technologies Group (booth 9611) and Unirac (booth 9411). A full list of exhibitors is available online.
Several BOS exhibitors will host installation workshops on the show floor where attendees can earn NABCEP continuing education credits. For example, ABB and Advanced Energy will discuss how to choose and install the right inverter for a PV system; QuickMount PV will provide an overview of roofing and fire codes and discuss the impact on selecting a mounting and racking system; and SolarEdge will review its product line and train installers on NEC 2014 compliant systems. These sessions that support downstream professionals from installers and integrators to EPC providers can be accessed with a new special exhibition package that also includes entrance to the full exhibition hall. A full list of exhibitor presentations is available online.
Market Leaders Discuss What's Next in BOS Technology During Conference Sessions
C-level executives from leading BOS companies and representatives from market research firms will discuss the latest trends in BOS components, market developments and grid integration in four sessions during the Intersolar North America conference.
Balance of Systems, Tuesday, July 8 at 9 AM. This session covers the future technological concepts of AC/DC bus based systems and the expected technical developments of inverters, as well as the impact of the increasing share of micro-inverters in the market.
Balance of Systems: Grid Integration, Tuesday, July 8 at 11:15 AM. This panel discussion provides attendees with insight and an assessment of implications to existing grid infrastructure caused by decentralized PV systems. It will also cover how BoS components are expected to evolve in order to cope with the increasingly complex nature of grid-connected PV systems.
Plug and Play Systems for Residential Rooftops, Tuesday, July 8 at 2 PM. This session focuses on progress toward easy to install plug and play residential rooftop PV systems. Discussion will center around new components and systems that have been designed to shorten installation time, without compromising system quality or reliability.
21st Century Permitting: Today's Effort to Modernize Permitting and Slash Soft Costs, Wednesday, July 9 at 11:15 AM. Co-organized by CALSEIA, this session introduces the latest efforts to improve California's state permitting process, which is still balkanized and cumbersome, with best practices employed in other states.
