YC1000-3-208 microinverter earns CEC certification

The new YC1000-3-208 microinverter from APS has earned CEC certification.

The California Energy Commission listing is a key benchmark of solar product efficiency and quality, and qualifies equipment for use and financial incentives under the California Solar Initiative. The CEC standard is also recognized throughout the western U.S. solar market.

The YC1000-3-208 microinverter earned a 94.5 percent efficiency rating from the CEC board.

“We’re very pleased to see the YC1000-3-208 earn the CEC listing,” said Paul Barlock, APS U.S.A. Senior Vice President. “APS really has broken new ground with this unit, the first microinverter purpose-designed and built for the commercial segment. This is the innovation the industry has been waiting for.”

A sister unit that operates at 277/480 grid voltage, the APS YC1000-3-480, earned the CEC listing in November 2014.

The YC1000 microinverter line offers true 3-phase output and handles four PV modules per unit. The 1:4 microinverter-to-module ratio significantly lowers balance of system cost.

Unlike other microinverter products entering the commercial segment, the YC1000 line requires no step-up or step-down transformer to operate. Add-on transformers reduce system efficiency and add thousands of dollars in balance-of-system costs.

“Having to add a transformer is where other offerings in the market fail,” said Ryan Simpson, Senior Director of Sales and Program Management for APS America.. “With the YC1000 microinverter line, commercial system designers now have an advanced, all-in-one solution that wins on both efficiency and cost.”

The YC1000 microinverter connects directly to low-voltage DC modules, eliminating the possibility of “arc” fires from high-voltage arrays typical of conventional string inverter systems. The unit also offers revolutionary trunk cabling, eliminating the need for branch cables and resolving “landscape vs. portrait” configuration issues.

For YC1000-3 product information and data sheets, see www.apsamerica.com.

For information on the California Solar Initiative and CEC product certification, see www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov.

APS is a worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of microinverters based on our proprietary, leading-edge solar technology. Representing APS in the U.S. market, APS America. is based near Seattle.

APS ranked No. 2 in global market share among top microinverter suppliers by shipments in 2013 (source: GTM Research).