SMA Releases First UL Certified Solar Inverters with AFCI to the North American Solar Market

Integrated Solution Meets NEC 2011 Arc Fault Requirements.

ROCKLIN, Calif., and TORONTO, June 7, 2012—SMA has introduced the first DC Arc Fault Circuit Interruption (AFCI) solar inverters to receive UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification. The new Sunny Boy 3000-US, 3800-US, 4000-US and Sunny Boy 5000-US, 6000-US, 7000-US, 8000-US with AFCI detect and extinguish arc faults, have been tested to UL 1699B and comply with the PV requirement outlined in National Electrical Code® (NEC) 2011 Section 690.11.

The integrated design requires no additional installation equipment and further establishes SMA as the leader in adopting the latest safety requirements for solar inverters.

“SMA is committed to providing professionals with the industry’s most current string inverters, and we are pleased to offer a commercially available solution to meet the requirements of NEC 2011,” said Jurgen Krehnke, president and general manager of SMA America and president of SMA Canada. “With UL listed AFCI inverters, customers can be comfortable that their inverters have been tested to UL’s respected standards and will meet NEC requirements in locations that have adopted the new code.”

The AFCI Sunny Boy 3000-US, 3800-US, 4000-US and 5000-US, 6000-US, 7000-US, 8000-US — part of the world’s most popular solar inverter line — meet NEC 2011 requirements for detecting serial arc faults, interrupting affected circuits, signaling faults and requiring manual restarts of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Offering efficiencies up to 97 percent, their longevity is enhanced via SMA’s patented OptiCool™ active temperature management system and rugged cast aluminum, outdoor-rated enclosure. Automatic grid-voltage detection and an integrated DC disconnect switch further simplify installation, enhancing safety while saving time. These Sunny Boy models also feature galvanic isolation and can be used with all types of modules — crystalline as well as thin-film. They include a 10-year factory warranty, with the ability to extend up to 20 years.

“UL has worked closely with SMA throughout the testing and certification process to help ensure that SMA’s new inverter technology meets the latest safety requirements as specified in the updated UL and NEC guidelines,” said Jeff Smidt, vice president and general manager, Energy and Industrial Systems, UL LLC. “This is an exciting time for all of us.”

SMA also received UL certification for its AFCI transformerless inverters, the Sunny Boy 8000TL-US, 9000TL-US, 10000TL-US. Ideal for commercial applications, these were North America’s first UL certified transformerless inverters. They feature class-leading CEC weighted efficiencies up to 98 percent, integrated monitoring of residual currents and ground faults for maximum safety. The new AFCI devices will begin shipping later this year.

The AFCI Sunny Boy 3000-US, 3800-US, 4000-US and 5000-US, 6000-US, 7000-US, 8000-US inverters will be available for shipping throughout North America this July. Inverters meeting the domestic content requirement of the Ontario Feed-in Tariff Program will be available at a later date.

SMA has maintained an ongoing, collaborative relationship with UL over the past few years with the ultimate goal of making the design and testing of inverters more effective.

About SMA

The SMA Group generated sales of €1.7 billion in 2011 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 20 countries on four continents. The Group employs more than 5,500 people worldwide, plus a number of temporary employees that varies on a seasonal basis. SMA’s broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all PV plant sizes. The product range includes inverters both for grid-connected PV plants and for off-grid systems. SMA can therefore provide an ideal inverter solution for all plant sizes and types. Since 2008, the Group’s parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and also in the TecDAX index. In recent years, SMA has received numerous awards for excellence as an employer and in 2011 and 2012 achieved first place in Germany’s nationwide Great Place to Work® competition. www.SMA-America.com/www.SMA-Canada.ca

About UL

UL is a premier global safety science company with more than 100 years of proven history. Employing nearly 9,000 professionals in 46 countries, UL is evolving the future of safety with five distinct business units—Product Safety, Environment, Life and Health, Verification and Knowledge Services—to meet the expanding needs of customers and the global public. For more information on UL’s family of companies and network of 95 laboratory, testing and certification facilities, go to www.UL.com.