Last week at Solar Power International, major inverter makers GE and Huawei unveiled systems that each hopes will mean big savings in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar PV power plants.

At SPI, GE unveiled its LV5+ solar central inverter that uses a Silicon Carbide (SiC) chip. The robust SiC chip, already in use in applications such as health care and lighting, is only one small part of the new 1500V inverter but it results in an approximate 1 percent increase in annual energy production, according to GE. The company calculates that the new technology, which represents 20 years of development and $100 million in R&D dollars, could result in approximately $2.2 million in additional revenue per 100-MW solar PV plant in the U.S.

Last week at Solar Power International, major inverter makers GE and Huawei unveiled systems that each hopes will mean big savings in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar PV power plants.

At SPI, GE unveiled its LV5+ solar central inverter that uses a Silicon Carbide (SiC) chip. The robust SiC chip, already in use in applications such as health care and lighting, is only one small part of the new 1500V inverter but it results in an approximate 1 percent increase in annual energy production, according to GE. The company calculates that the new technology, which represents 20 years of development and $100 million in R&D dollars, could result in approximately $2.2 million in additional revenue per 100-MW solar PV plant in the U.S.