Nextronex Inc. Issued Patent on Distributed Architecture^TM Solar Inverter System      

On July 15, 2014, the U.S. Patent Office issued Patent Number 8,779,627 to Nextronex, Inc., covering the Company's unique solar inverter configuration, Distributed Architecture^TM.  The patent issuance recognizes Nextronex' innovation and reinforces the uniqueness of its solar inverter system.  This system delivers up to 8% more energy output than conventional central or string inverter systems.

The patented Distributed Architecture^TM system consists of multiple RAY-MAX® Inverters connected to a shared DC Power Strip and managed by a Smart Controller. The inverters function in a master-slave relationship.  Each day the Smart Controller selects the inverter with the least cumulative run time to be the master.  The master inverter comes on first and establishes the MPPT.  Additional slave inverters are turned on only as required by the insolation conditions and the amount of energy on the DC Power Strip.

This system provides significant benefits to the solar power plant.  By funneling energy from the entire array to only one inverter, which can start producing AC electricity with only 400 watts, low light yields are greatly increased.  Because all of the inverters are connected through the DC Power Strip to the entire array, the inverter system can continue to access DC energy from the entire array even when an inverter is down and availability is essentially 100%.  Since each inverter is only operating when it is needed and can operate at high capacity utilization, each inverter only runs approximately 40% of the time, extending the inverters' lifetimes.  So Distributed Architecture^TM produces superior low light yield, increased system reliability and longer inverter lifetimes.

The DC Power Strip and Smart Controller enable highly efficient integration of battery storage, making Nextronex' Distributed ArchitectureTM the right choice for applications employing energy management.

Jay Troger, Nextronex Chief Executive Officer, noted, "The patent issuance emphasizes that only Nextronex' Distributed Architecture^TM system can offer these benefits.  The system has the simplicity of a central inverter system with greater reliability than a string inverter system.  The issuance of this patent protects our unique solution and recognizes our inverter system as an advancement over other technologies in the field."

With the recent introduction of the RAY-MAX® Power Podium, the system can now be placed on a skid, including the multi-pole Load Center, which includes the switchgear for medium voltage interconnection.  This option is preassembled, prewired, and pretested in our factory, and represents a full "plug-and-play" solution.  The Nextronex system includes a full monitoring solution with continuous real-time zone-level diagnostics.