The company is also introducing another three aesthetically integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems. Both the inverters and the integrated systems were developed in-house by Enfinity, drawing on the expertise that the company has built up over the past five years. These exciting announcements demonstrate the innovative power that is enabling the company to develop existing market segments further.
Enfinity offers fully-fledged, top-quality PV systems to the private residential market and for medium-sized commercial projects through its Enfinity Trade division, working with a selected network of qualified installers and dealers. Over the past five years, Enfinity has built up all the experience required to determine what the requirements are for a modern, sustainable PV system.
Taken worldwide since 2006, Enfinity has been responsible for more than 200 MWp of solar power projects, including major installations in Belgium (Infrabels Solartunnel) and an 18 MWp solar power park in France. It is as a result of the unique experience gained through these major systems that Enfinity has also been able to perform strongly on the private residential market.
Enfinity launches 7 inverters with a 10-year warranty
Enfinity Trade incorporates system components from well-known makes such as SMA, Fronius and its own Enfinity label to delivery high-quality total solutions for solar energy. And to service its marketplace even better, Enfinity is now introducing seven new direct-current inverters with capacity of 1650 W to 5000 W and an amperage of 8.6 A to 24 A. The seven new models are:
- Enfinity-1650TL inverter
- Enfinity-2200TL inverter
- Enfinity-2800TL inverter
- Enfinity-3300TL inverter
- Enfinity-3680TL inverter
- Enfinity-4400TL inverter
- Enfinity-5000TL inverter
The main features of the seven new inverters include:
- A 10-year product warranty
- Greater efficiency than comparable inverters thanks to the hi-tech components used
- Maximum output of over 96.6 percent
- A robust design suitable for use both indoors and outdoors (IP65)
- A compact design with a housing made from top-quality stainless steel and a user-friendly LCD display
- Longer service life made possible by efficient cooling
Vertical integration with the companys own Enfinity products offers peerless system quality, as a result of which the 10-year warranty on the PV modules has now been extended as standard to Enfinitys inverters.
Launch of 3 integrated PV systems
Enfinity is also launching three Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems that have been developed and manufactured based on the companys own specifications. These specifications incorporate all of the extensive market knowledge that Enfinity has built up over its years in the industry.
In the main, it is aesthetic considerations that make customers hesitate today between a conventional standalone installation and a PV system incorporated into the roof. Solutions that are integrated into the roof offer architectural benefits and now have even more features than standalone systems. BIPV can be used in new-build projects and reduces the purchasing costs of roofing tiles. BIPV is also simple to use on existing roofs and partly replaces the existing tiles.
Conventional standalone structures are used in 99 percent of installations and a minority of customers are currently opting for systems integrated into the roofing tiles. Nevertheless, Enfinity believes that this latter market segment offers strong growth opportunities if the drawbacks of the existing integrated systems can be overcome. During development, Enfinity focused on reducing the complexity of installation and especially on driving down the cost price.
For this reason, the specialists at Enfinity came up with a set of specifications designed to dramatically reduce the cost-recovery time of the BIPV systems. As a result, the three new Enfinity systems only cost about 10 percent more than conventional standalone systems. The cost-recovery time of the BIPV systems has also been halved, which will make it easier for many customers to opt for an aesthetically-pleasing solution.
Enfinitys three new integrated PV systems are suitable for the residential and semi-commercial market, and come with a 10-year warranty as standard. Being fully watertight is an obvious feature (CSTB-approved). All three systems are available in full black or standard aluminium.
The three new PV systems are:
- The Enfinity BI-M System, suitable for integrating fully with Enfinity panels.
This new system can be fitted to all roof types and replaces the roof tiles by using a rail system on which the tiles lie. A glued seal covers the bottom panel so that water runs away easily. A specially designed blanking plate recovers any infiltration where the 2 panels join.
- The Enfinity BI-L System, suitable for integrating fully with Enfinity laminate panels.
The Enfinity BI-L system can be fitted to all roof types and replaces the roof tiles by using a rail system on which the laminate panels are located. The system is attached on profiles. A profile is inserted between 2 laminate panels as support and to allow rainwater to drain away. As with roofing tiles, the upper laminate panel covers the top of the lower panel.
- The Enfinity BI-F System, suitable for integrating with framed Enfinity laminate panels. The Enfinity BI-F system can be fitted to all roof structure types that have an angle of incline of between 15° and 65°. This system is attached on support battens. As with roofing tiles, the profiles are integrated horizontally and placed one on top of the other, overlapping vertically. They are supported by metal hooks fixed to the timber in the subroof.
In-house development and quality control, specialised production
Enfinity products are designed and specified by Enfinitys own engineers. All production of both Enfinity inverters and Enfinity panels is at ISO 9001-certified manufacturing sites. The actual production sites are operated by third parties, but Enfinity has established specially detailed quality systems aimed at supervising the quality of the components used, as well as the production process itself and the quality control inspections applied to the finished products. This method of working offers the major advantage of enabling production to be geared flexibly to demand, which means that Enfinity is always able to offer its products at a competitive price.
All BIPV modules have IEC61215 and IEC61730 certification. All modules not only undergo a flash test, but also an EL test (electroluminescence test), in which a sort of X-ray is taken of the module that exposes any hidden flaws (such as micro-cracks). In addition to ISO 9001 quality certification, Enfinity also has ISO 14001 environmental management certification.
The future
For the time being, Enfinity is introducing both the Enfinity inverters and the new Enfinity integrated BIPV systems for the residential and semi-commercial market. They will be followed later this year by elaborate monitoring systems and integrated systems for commercial installations.
