Retrofitting solar inverter

Solar retrofit is the process of upgrading existing solar energy systems to improve their efficiency, functionality, or capacity. This can involve modifications such as adding new solar panels, power optimisers or inverters to meet increased energy demands or enhance system performance.

Whatever the case, to retrofit an AC coupled storage system, the PV inverter must be installed such that it is isolated from the grid during an outage by the battery based inverter. To do so, a critical loads panel is added to the facility where the PV inverter is interconnected.

An existing PV system can be retrofitted to be a PV ESS with the addition of the hybrid inverter. The power generation from the existing PV inverter will be firstly provided to the loads and then charge the battery. With the energy management function of the hybrid inverter, the self-consumption of the new system will be greatly improved.

Let's say you've owned a solar energy system for several years, and over time, your energy needs have expanded. Whether you need more power to charge a new electric vehicle or because of increased home consumption (maybe you invested in a new heat pump), there are many reasons why people may want to retrofit an existing solar energy system.

Converting to a DC coupled system could require substantial rewiring (both on and off the roof) and deem the existing PV inverter worthless. Instead, contractors should persuade their existing PV customers to consider an AC coupled solution should they opt to add storage.

If you have a solar system that does not support oversizing, you will have fewer panels installed, which means less power generation throughout the day. Swapping out an inverter is a relatively simple process, so consider adding one with oversizing if you want to get more power from your roof.