New line of high power grid-tied inverters

Solar Power 2004, San Francisco, CA. Fronius USA Solar Electronics Division, a world leader in power electronics, announced today that it would be expanding its product line of solar power inverters to include three higher power units for the US market, the FRONIUS IG 4000, IG 5100 and the FRONIUS IG 4500-LV (208V).

These inverters have a power output of 4000 W, 5100 W and 4500 W respectively and offer solar contractors additional choices for residential and commercial grid-tied solar systems. These higher output inverters meet the growing demand for inverters that better match the new, higher efficiency solar modules that are becoming available as well as the growing trend of larger 5-10 KW residential systems.

"We are very excited about adding these three new inverters to our product line. These inverters use the same proven technology as the existing FRONIUS IG inverters that have proven to be highly reliable and efficient at over 50,000 installations worldwide. Not only have we increased the power output but also we have kept the weight down to under 45 lbs for a 5100-Watt inverter. That's less than half the weight of any other inverters in the similar power class and makes Fronius some of the easiest inverters to ship and install", says Mark Stimson, Director of Sales and Marketing for Fronius USA - Solar Electronics Division. "We expect to deliver the first units beginning in 2005."

The Fronius high power inverters utilize a new technology to increase overall system efficiency. The FRONIUS IG MIX©- Concept optimally loads individual power stages of the inverter under varying sunlight levels and temperatures maintaining high efficiency over a wide range of power levels resulting in increased energy output from the system. By cycling operating hours between power stages, Fronius is able to extend the lifetime, reliability and performance of the inverters power electronic components.

"Our continued investment in research and development has paid off," says Christoph Panhuber, head of the Solar Electronics Division at Fronius. "The introduction of these new inverters into the US market as well as some of the recent Fronius developments in the field of power electronics such as our MIX©-Concept and High Frequency (HF) transformers is a testament to Fronius' technological leadership in continuing to bring innovative products to market."

The new FRONIUS IG inverters offer same high efficiency, precision MPP-tracking, and intelligent thermal management that has made Fronius a leading choice for high reliability inverters used in grid-tied photovoltaic systems. At 26 and 42 lbs., the FRONIUS IG inverters are less than half the weight of competing inverters. Built-in DC and AC disconnects eliminate the need for external breakers in many cases, reducing total system costs. FRONIUS IG inverters come standard with an integrated LCD where the installer can view and record over 20 parameters pertaining to inverter and system operation. Optional remote data communications and data logging features can easily be added via Plug-n-Play cards to transform IG inverters into a sophisticated data acquisition system and weather station.

About Fronius
Fronius International GmbH is a world market leader in high frequency welding technology and one of the leading photovoltaic inverter manufacturers. Headquarters in Wels, Austria, the US subsidiary, Fronius USA LLC, is located in Brighton, Michigan. Fronius has over 50 years of experience in developing innovative power conversion technologies and employees over 1300 globally. Fronius was founded in 1945 and has developed a revolutionary inverter concept that is used for both grid-tied as well as stand-alone solar systems. Over 60,000 Fronius solar inverters have been installed worldwide. Fronius Solar Electronics Division is supported through an international network of sales partners.