Solar microinverter manufacturer Enphase Energy, Inc. and Chinese solar power products company LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd., have entered a strategic partnership to jointly develop what they call as Enphase Energized LONGi AC Modules (ACM) using Enphase's 7th generation IQ microinverters. LONGi has entered the agreement through its subsidiary LONGi Solar.
LONGi says it will initially develop two Enphase Energized ACMs using its UL certified modules that use mono technology. First would be 300-320W 60-cell module to be paired with Enphase IQ 7 microinverter, and another 340-375W 72-cell modules using Enphase IQ 7+microinverter.
The two partners say these Enphase Energized ACM, which will be available in the United States as of Q4/2018, will allow installers to be more competitive through improved capital management, reduced labor costs, improved SKU management with accelerated design and installation times.
"Solar installers will immediately benefit from increased productivity in addition to reduced costs of LONGi's High Efficiency monocrystalline Technology. We have great confidence in the success and longevity of the collaboration between LONGi and Enphase," said LONGi Solar President Wenxue Li.
This partnership with a module maker is the second one for Enphase in 2018. It entered into a similar arrangement with Panasonic in February 2018, for its IQ 7x microinverters to be paired with the latter's N Series PV modules for the North American residential market (see Enphase And Panasonic Partner Up). Before that, Enphase signed such an agreement with India's Waaree Energies.