Micro-Inverters: An Update of Comparison of Conversion Efficiencies and Energy Yields

Efficiencies and energy yields of microinverters available on the market during 2014‒2020 have been measured, compared, and ranked. Conversion efficiencies as a function of load have been measured indoors with high accuracy and ranked according to Euro- and CEC weightings. Energy yields have been measured outdoors via identical and calibrated crystalline silicon PV modules of 215 Wp each. Inverters with two inputs have been fed by two of those modules. DC input, AC power output and energy yield of each micro-inverter have been recorded by individual calibrated electricity meters. Apparently, some inverters have been optimized for high irradiance levels and ranked better at the CEC efficiency ranking, others performed very well also at low irradiance levels, thus ranking higher at in the EU efficiency ranking. Efficiency ranks are slightly deviating from rankings by energy yield measurements. At one inverter, a slow MPPT algorithm that barely could follow quickly changing irradiance levels is most probably responsible for this effect. Another inverter switched off for a while after operation at high power, another one failed permanently. Apparently, some inverters are been optimized to show excellent datasheet ratings for EU- or CEC- efficiency. On the other hand, two inverters (each featuring two inputs) did not show an outstanding performance at the EU- and CEC-ratings but achieved leading ranks for AC energy yields. For the customer, AC yield is a major performance indicator of a microinverter and should be included in the datasheet.