Enphase Energy microinverter secures first UL interconnection certification

From pv magazine USA

Enphase Energy has announced that its IQ8 Microinverter system is certified to UL 1741 3^rd edition including the Supplement SB, the new interconnection standard for connecting inverters, energy storage, and distributed energy resources (DER) in compliance with IEEE 1547-2018 and IEEE 1547-1 2020.

Enphase was involved in the development of the UL and IEEE standards and was a member of the committees that created the rules. Included in the new standards are requirements for several advanced interconnection functions that will allow the grid to accommodate much higher levels of renewable DERs. One of these is the interoperability function, which standardizes the way utilities communicate with and control DERs such as solar and battery systems.

“Enphase is pleased that our industry-leading IQ8 Microinverter system is the first product in North America to receive this critical certification from UL,” said Raghu Belur, co-founder and chief product officer at Enphase Energy. “Our close partnership with UL has allowed us to quickly reach compliance with all applicable North America safety standards. We selected UL as our global certification partner and our close working relationship with them has been invaluable in this effort. We look forward to further collaboration with UL to expand our innovative product offerings and help transform the grid.”

The Enphase IQ8 microinverter started shipping in December and what sets it apart is that it can form a microgrid during a power outage, providing backup power even without a battery. The way it works is that the microinverter can limit energy capture to just what the home is consuming, so in the event that the grid suffers a power failure, a proprietary, intelligent chip within the IQ8 will seamlessly switch between on or off grid.

When paired with the IQ Combiner 4/4C and IQ Gateway, the IQ8 forms the first complete residential DER system certified to the new UL standard, which many US states will soon require for interconnecting products.

“We are at the start of a new era in which distributed energy resources, such as solar PV and battery systems, will become a foundational element of the way we think about electricity for our homes, buildings, and tools for utility use,” said Jeff Smidt, senior vice president of industrial testing, inspection and certification at UL. “With the Enphase IQ8 Microinverter as the first ever distributed energy resources product certified by UL to UL 1741, 3rd edition with the SB Supplement, Enphase has taken a significant step in helping advance the safety and security of reliable, clean, and smart energy available in the home or on the grid.”