Enphase Energy Inc. and Q CELLS have entered a strategic partnership to develop Enphase Energized Q CELLS AC Modules (ACMs) based on seventh-generation Enphase IQ microinverters.
The first Enphase and Q CELLS-developed ACMs will be available from major distributors in the U.S. starting in July.
The Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6+/AC 340-345 ACM features the Enphase IQ 7+ microinverter and is the first Enphase Energized ACM from Q CELLS to come to market. The Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6+/AC produces outstanding yields thanks to power classes of up to 345 Wp and efficiencies of up to 19.5%. These performance values are possible through Q CELLS’ Q.ANTUM DUO monocrystalline half-cell technology, combined with proprietary circuitry and 6-busbar cell design.
The Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6+/AC also offers long-term reliability, with a 25-year product warranty and one of the lowest degradation rates in the industry, which guarantees 85% initial performance in the 25th year. The Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6+/AC Enphase Energized ACM allows installers to be more competitive through improved capital management, reduced labor costs, improved SKU management with accelerated design and faster installation times. The Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6+/ACMs are assembled in the U.S. at Q CELLS’ manufacturing facility in Dalton, Ga.
“Enphase was the right partner for Q CELLS to develop an ACM for the high-volume residential solar market because both companies are aligned in providing customers with the highest quality and most reliable solar technology,” says Hee Cheul (Charles) Kim, CEO of Q CELLS.
“Our shared customers will benefit from faster installations and reduced operating costs enabled by the ACMs, and we look forward to a long and successful collaboration with Enphase,” he adds.
The seventh-generation Enphase IQ microinverter system dramatically simplifies solar installations and provides a complete AC solution that produces no high-voltage DC, providing a safe solar solution for homeowners. Enphase Energized ACMs from Q CELLS work seamlessly with the full suite of Enphase IQ accessory products: the lighter two-wire Enphase Q Cable, the Enphase IQ Combiner 3 with pre-installed Enphase IQ Envoy gateway, as well as the Enphase Encharge energy storage system. Solar installers who select the Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6+/AC can monitor their solar fleets remotely using the powerful cloud-based Enphase Enlighten monitoring system, provide their customers with a 25-year module warranty, and rely on the Enphase support team to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
Q CELLS ACMs based on Enphase IQ microinverters meet all necessary regulatory requirements set by individual states and the National Electrical Code (NEC) and are certified compliant with NEC 2014 and 2017 rapid shutdown requirements. Unlike string inverters, Enphase IQ microinverters have rapid shutdown built-in, with no additional equipment necessary. Enphase IQ microinverters also comply with requirements for distributed solar on utility networks included in Rule 21 in California and Hawaiian Electric Co. Rule 14H, such as power factor, voltage and frequency ride-through requirements.
Photo: An Enphase Energized Q CELLS ACM
