Enphase has given a sneak peek of their bidirectional EV charging device. The bidirectional charger can take energy from the grid AND from the property’s solar panels to charge an electric vehicle. It can also use the energy stored in the car battery and send it to the home or the grid.
A game-changer
Enphase is one of today’s innovators that are about to roll out a vehicle-to-grid system by 2024.
According to Raghu Belur, the co-founder of Enphase Energy and the chief products officer, “The new bidirectional EV charger, along with Enphase’s solar and battery storage system, can be controlled from the Enphase App, empowering homeowners to make, use, save, and sell their own power.”
The new charger offers vehicle-to-home discharge, which is helpful when there’s a blackout. Its green-charging feature lets the EV battery charge directly from the rooftop solar panels.
Enphase’s bi-directional charger is designed to work with the Enphase Energy System, including the IQ microinverters, the IQ Gateway, and the system controller. By using the micro inverter’s power to convert the vehicle’s DC power to the house’s AC power, the bidirectional charger can connect to the EV, which will charge and discharge the car battery simultaneously.
Currently, the company is still working with organisations to set standards for chargers. They are also working with several EV manufacturers and regulators to bring the charger into the market next year.
Pricing for the Enphase charger is still unknown, but expect that it would be in a higher price range.
The charger will need a 240 V AC to connect directly to the grid or via the IQ System Controller.
Mohammad Alkuran, Ph.D., senior director of systems engineering at Enphase said, “The Enphase bidirectional EV charger is the next step on our roadmap to building a solar-powered, all-in-one home energy system that further unlocks electrification, resilience, savings, and control for homeowners.”
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Continuous advancements in the solar energy industry
Enphase was founded in 2006, and by 2008, the company had launched their first microinverter-based solar system. From then on, they have become one of the leading providers of microinverter solar systems worldwide.
Due to their proprietary technology that can gather and monitor performance data, Enphase continues to make groundbreaking solutions in the world of solar energy.
Energy Matters has over 17 years of experience in the solar industry and has helped over 40,000 Australian households in their journey to energy independence.
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