SolarEdge Technologies Inc., a photovoltaic (PV) inverter, power optimizer and module-level monitoring services company, has unveiled an inverter-integrated electric vehicle (EV) charger.
By supplementing grid power with PV power, SolarEdge says its Level 2 EV charger offers charging up to six times faster than a standard Level 1 charger with its solar boost mode.
According to the company, SolarEdge’s HD-Wave inverter, once integrated with an EV charger, will not only provide the existing management and monitoring of solar production, but also enable EV charging from a single inverter and dashboard. The combined solution will offer considerable cost savings on both hardware and labor by eliminating the need for an additional conduit, wiring and breaker installation.
The solution will also eliminate the need for an additional dedicated circuit breaker, which saves space and a potential main distribution panel upgrade, the company adds.
“SolarEdge is dedicated to developing innovative solutions for increasing the use of renewable energy and cost savings for our customers and end users,” says Guy Sella, CEO and chairman of SolarEdge. “Adding EV charging to our growing range of products further enables system owners to easily manage their energy needs.”
Based on patent-pending technology, the EV charger is embedded into SolarEdge’s HD-Wave inverter and leverages its solar boost mode. This mode utilizes both grid and PV to charge at 9.6 kW (40 Amp) Level 2 charging, which is up to six times faster than standard Level 1 charging. If PV is not available, the inverter-integrated EV charger will use grid power to charge at 7.6 kW (32 Amp) Level 2 charging, which is up to five times faster than standard Level 1 charging.
With a 12-year warranty, the inverter-integrated EV charger offers potential future operating modes, such as demand response and charging at off-peak hours to optimize time-of-use rates.
The company expects the inverter-integrated EV charger will be available by the last quarter.