Lux Research Inc. (Boston, Massachusetts) reports that alternating-current (AC) solar PV module players have little to lose by offering an additional product next to their standard line that utilizes a micro-inverter from an established company.

The market research company, however, noted that installers and developers remain the gatekeepers, and may not select those products over DC modules coupled with outside string/central inverters from more trusted suppliers.

Microinverters due to Lux Research will maintain their market share at a portion of the residential market rather than competing broadly, no matter the sales strategy.

AC modules are simply solar modules with micro-inverters attached at the production site, sold as an AC-outputting device. Inverter suppliers see this as a way of reducing total installation cost; today, developers and installers buy inverters separately from modules.

Competition on pricing

Micro-inverters – led by first mover Enphase – have traditionally been priced between USD 0.75/W and USD 1/W when sold to installers. Even with attachment at the module production site, chances for cost savings aren't enough to compete with the USD 0.50/W to USD 0.60/W price tag string inverters boast for low-volume residential systems, Lux Research notes.

Due to the market research company enough time has passed to reveal a few winners in the microinverter space in general – Enphase, SolarBridge, and Enecsys among them - but the chance for their success in the broader inverter market remains dim as incumbents like Power-One and SMA both debut their own microinverters, and innovate in other balance of systems areas, according to Lux Research.

2011-11-23| Courtesy: Lux Research | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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