Yaskawa Solectria Solar Enhances the SOLECTRIA XGI 1500-250 in Partnership with First Solar

Yaskawa Solectria Solar announced that it has partnered with US-based First Solar, Inc., the global leader in thin film solar technology and America’s largest solar manufacturer, to develop a new version of the SOLECTRIA XGI 1500-250 utility-scale string inverter.  The enhancements optimize the XGI 1500-250 for First Solar’s advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules which represent the next generation, providing a competitive, high performance, lower-carbon alternative to conventional c-Si PV panels.

In this collaboration between the two companies, Yaskawa Solectria Solar -- the only US-based manufacturer of commercial and utility-scale string inverters and a leader in the US markets – provides its breadth of inverter design experience and world-class US-based manufacturing to the initiative. The goal is to create a version of its new SOLECTRIA XGI 1500-250 utility-scale string inverter that allows a grounded DC input, and thereby ensures optimal integration with First Solar’s high performance Series 6 and Series 7 advanced thin film PV modules. These PV modules, developed at First Solar’s R&D labs in California and Ohio, set the industry benchmark for reliable energy production, optimized design, and environmental performance.

“At Yaskawa Solectria Solar we aim to strengthen our position as leaders in technology and to build on the proven technology of our XGI 1500 inverters.  Both companies have US-based design and manufacturing, and this partnership brings together our engineering teams and industry-leading technology at just the right time.  We have very exciting opportunities ahead working closely with First Solar” said Miles C. Russell, Director of Product Management at Yaskawa Solectria Solar.  

“We expect that Solectria’s new inverter design in combination with First Solar’s module technology will help asset owners and operators further enhance the LCOE of their solar installations,” said Alex Kamerer, Manager, Product Management, First Solar. “This effort represents the best of American solar, bringing together leading US-developed photovoltaic technology with US-developed inverter technology to deliver an optimized solution for US solar assets.”  

The SOLECTRIA XGI 1500 inverters are Made in the USA with global components at the Yaskawa America factory in Buffalo Grove, Il and are the only PV inverters designed and manufactured in the USA and are Buy America Act (BAA) compliant.

Yaskawa Solectria Solar | www.solectria.com

First Solar | https://www.firstsolar.com