Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed inverter manufacturer Ginlong Solis Technologies will launch its S6 Advanced Power Hybrid Inverter for South Africa at the Solar Show Africa, being held in Johannesburg on April 25 and 26.

The inverters have added generator connections and control functions, and each works as a fully independent power centre to meet the needs of the South African market for residential and commercial and industrial projects, where power outages have become a daily occurrence, the company says.

“The S6 Advanced Power Hybrid Inverter combines solar generator and battery connectivity, which will help to liberate power-starved households and businesses in South Africa from the unpredictability of daily electrical outages,” says Solis South Africa country manager James Frank.

“Specifically, peak-shaving control in both self-use and generator modes allow users to prioritise backup power for their most mission-critical loads more flexibly and cost-effectively,” he adds.

This flexibility of the inverter range avoids over-specifying more capacity inverters, solar photovoltaic arrays, generators and batteries than are necessarily required. This translates into considerable capital and operational savings, he notes.

Further, the range of inverters has a single- and three-phase capability, accommodating up to six connections in parallel, with a maximum total load of 48 kW, protected by a ten-second, 200% surge overload capability.

Owing an automatic uninterruptible power supply (UPS) switching function and the surge overload capability, users can be confident of a seamless supply during grid interruptions, even for the most sensitive electronic equipment, Frank says.

Through enhanced connectivity and control capabilities, the Solis S6 Advanced Power Hybrid Inverter enables the easy incorporation of generators with multiple input methods and automatic on/off control, the company says.

Additionally, the maximum charging and discharging current has been increased to 190 A, and automatic UPS switching functionality equips homeowners with a senseless switching, allowing users to eliminate power outages completely, it says.

The inverters also have multiple battery protection features and customisable charge/discharge time settings which are compatible with lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

“With independent generator interfaces and automatic UPS switching, the new range facilitates feeding excess power back to the grid. It supports peak shaving control in self-use and generator modes,” Ginlong Solis highlighted.

“Unpredictable, lengthy and multiple electricity outages have become a part of daily life for individuals and businesses across South Africa. We cooperated closely with Solis to successfully develop, trial and prove a flexible and reliable inverter solution that alleviates long-term power shortages' considerable economic and social impact,” says solar power equipment company Segen Solar chief sales officer Thabo Makhanya.

Further, although this S6 Advanced Power Hybrid range has been configured for South Africa's specific and immediate needs, Segen looks forward to working with Solis to roll out some of its key features in similarly power-constrained regions, he adds.

“Although the solar sector in South Africa is young compared with that of Europe and the Americas, it is expanding exponentially. To help installers maximise this growing opportunity, Solis offers comprehensive market intelligence, product training and service support, backed up by a fully equipped test lab,” says Frank.

The company has knowledgeable local teams, has tailored configurations for South Africa’s unique challenges and has good product availability, which should make it a compelling choice for distributors, installers and end-users, he says.