Electrical Power & Protection


Solar installation reduces utility bill

August 2015 Electrical Power & Protection

The recently completed installation of a rooftop grid-tied photovoltaic plant designed by Genergy and ABB value added service provider, All Electrical, has enabled a Port Elizabeth property owner to reduce their reliance on daytime utility power. According to Warren Alistoun, design engineer at Genergy, in the period April to June 2015 the plant reliably produced a total of 33,25 MWh of electricity. The building relies on the photovoltaic (PV) plant to augment utility electrical supply and is primarily occupied during the daytime hours, making it well suited for a grid-tied PV solution.

The PV plant is rated to produce 100 kWp and relies on three ABB Trio 27,6 kVA inverters, and a single ABB Trio 10 kVA inverter, to provide the flexibility required by the design.

ABB’s Trio range of string inverters offers high levels of flexibility and control for system designers and installers, allowing for the optimal harvesting of energy from strings that are oriented in different directions. “The technology employed in these inverters delivers efficiency rating of up to 98,2% due to the flat efficiency curves that ensure optimal performance at all output levels,” says Alessanda Romoli, ABB area sales manager, solar products.

Advanced design features include a high efficiency integral heat sink compartment and a front panel display system. Furthermore, the system does not rely on electrolytic capacitors, as a result the product enjoys an extended lifetime.

All Electrical’s technical specialist, Riaan Gerber notes: “Installation of the ABB range of inverters is made easier by numerous design features such the detachable wiring box and field selectable grid codes. The wide range of products manufactured by ABB, with specific focus on the solar industry, allows for the protection and control of the solar installation to be offered through a matched product suite.”

For more information contact Alessandra Romoli, ABB, +27 (0)10 202 6995, [email protected], www.abb.co.za/lowvoltage



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