This is Part 6 of a 6 part series recorded live at RE+ Boston with the team at CPS.
One CPS customer retrofitted a one-megawatt project from central to string inverters and hit all-time production highs, even with decade-old panels. Luke Schlicte, Utility Account Manager, and Andrey Malyshev, Applications Engineer at CPS America, join Tim Montague at RE+ Northeast in Boston to make the case for string inverters at utility scale. This episode covers the CapEx and OPEX comparison, retrofit considerations, and why string inverters give asset owners more control over uptime and costs.

Luke Schlicte manages utility accounts at CPS America with a focus on utility-scale PV and energy storage. Andrey Malyshev is an applications engineer at Chint Power Systems America who works on project design and inverter specifications. Together, they help developers evaluate the central-to-string transition for both new builds and retrofit projects.

Episode Highlights
Andrey says the CapEx gap between string and central inverters has shrunk to a small gap, if any, over the last couple of years. String inverters are now a more favorable choice on the OPEX side because you are not dependent on one supplier for parts, technicians, and support.

Central inverter technicians cost $300 to $400 per hour. String inverter maintenance runs at standard technician-level rates. CPS designed a separable wire box and power head for fast swaps on failed units.

Luke says one customer retrofitted a one-megawatt site from central to string and reported all-time production highs, even with panels that are a decade old.

For retrofit projects, CPS acts as a concierge. Andrey and his applications engineering team review plan sets and single-line diagrams, then provide a proposal covering inverter needs, transformer considerations, and cost optimization.

Luke makes the case that IPPs with long-term ownership stakes should consider string for new builds. String ensures P50 production estimates are attainable, eliminates single points of failure, and provides flexibility on odd-shaped parcels and challenging terrain.

This episode is for asset owners with aging central inverters, utility-scale developers evaluating string for new projects, and EPCs comparing O and M costs across inverter types. Tim notes that Asia and Europe are further along in string adoption, and North America is catching up fast.

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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 10GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 350kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. CPS America has offices in California, New Jersey, and Texas. Learn more at https://www.chintpowersystems.com/