I spent several years at SolarBridge Technologies, an AC Module company (acquired by SunPower in 2014). So, disclosure: I may have some bias. Microinverters and AC Modules generally cost more than the competing solutions – they are a premium product that provides unique benefits. You need to get very good at explaining those benefits to customers in order to close deals. Most advocates talk about better energy harvest due to module-level MPPT, higher system reliability due to no single-point-of-failure, and perhaps reduced design and installation costs due to the simpler architecture. I truly believe all these things are true. And, the sales pitch seems to be working. Ten years ago, microinverters had a zero % share of the US solar market. Today, Module Level Power Electronics (MLPEs), including DC Optimizers, have well over a 50% share of the US residential market.
One benefit of MLPEs that I stumbled upon, and that nobody seems to talk about, is their ability to reduce your cost of customer acquisition. “Huh?” you say? This connection is not obvious to the casual observer. Here is the kind of feedback I got from customers at SolarBridge that let us know we might be on to something (paraphrased): “We love the AC Modules – we can get more solar up on the roof because I don’t have to worry about string constraints.” Or, “We went back to a house that we couldn’t make work with string inverters due to the broken up roof faces, and our designers figured out how to make it work with AC Modules.” I heard a lot of that – it made me feel good. I also got a lot of negative feedback when our stuff didn’t work well, but that’s a topic for another blog.
We started thinking about this. Getting a solar customer is expensive. The latest data I’ve seen is that it’s anywhere between $0.20 to $0.85/W to get a solar customer. $1,200 to $5,100 for a typical 6 kW system. It is a big target for the solar industry, as it is one of the most expensive line items in the solar cost stack. There are two fundamental ways to reduce customer acquisition costs ($/W): spend less money to acquire the customer (lower the numerator), or sell more Watts to your customers (increase the denominator). MLPEs do both. Really.
- MLPEs enable more homes to go solar. Say you are running a marketing campaign. You spend money to reach customers – flyers, door-to-door, advertising, whatever. Some fraction of those customers that respond are going to drop out of your sales funnel because their roof is not suitable: shading, odd angles and roof sizes, complexity. MLPEs enable more of these roofs to go solar, increasing your conversion rate. For the same amount of marketing dollars, you will get more customers, reducing the $ per customer cost. Lowering the numerator.
- MLPEs enable you to put more panels on a roof. String inverters can be tricky. Strings need to be a minimum size. All the modules in a string need to be facing the same direction. This places constraints on how you can design a system. Microinverters, and to some extent DC Optimizers, eliminate those constraints. You can put any number of panels, anywhere you want. This lets you get more solar on a given roof. More Watts per customer. Raising the denominator.
All of this can be difficult to quantify – but, we tried to at SolarBridge. We did this by surveying 32 of our US installation customers across 16 states. What we found was that 25% of the sites they installed would not have penciled without microinverters. And that on average, they could fit 7% more modules on their AC Module sites vs. their string inverter sites.
The net result of this study showed a 22% potential reduction in customer acquisition costs. $/W.
Look, I know we weren’t exactly an unbiased third party at SolarBridge. I don’t know if our study met the standards of a peer-reviewed scientific journal. But, I know there is something there. Because I heard it from my customers.
Regards. Awesome stuff.
https://nicktambone.com/
canadian online pharmacies prescription drugs
canada pharmaceuticals online
best online pharmacy
[url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]aarp approved canadian online pharmacies[/url]
You made your point.
https://nicktambone.com/
canadian mail order pharmacies canadian pharmacy pharmacy prices compare [url=https://nicktambone.com/]aarp approved canadian online pharmacies[/url]
online pharmacy
canada drug pharmacy
canadian pharmacy viagra brand
canadian prescriptions
prescription drug
canada pharmacy online no script
Beneficial forum posts. Appreciate it.
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
online pharmacy reviews canadian pharcharmy best online pharmacy [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]canadian pharmacy[/url]
overseas pharmacy forum
cheap prescription drugs online
drug price
discount pharmacy
best canadian mail order pharmacies
trusted overseas pharmacies
Terrific data, Thanks.
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
candrugstore com top rated canadian pharmacies online rx price comparison [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]canadianpharmacy[/url]
canada drugs online pharmacy
canada pharmacy no prescription
canadian pharmacy king
pharmacy prices
overseas pharmacy forum
canada pharmacy
With thanks. Numerous advice!
https://nicktambone.com/
canada drugs pharmacy global pharmacy canada safeway pharmacy [url=http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/]canada drugs[/url]
canada pharmacy online no script
pharmacy online mexico
rx pharmacy
canadian pharmacies top best
meds online
canada pharmacy online no script
You actually said it fantastically.
http://talahicc.com/
canada pharmacies prescription drugs canadian pharmaceuticals online rx price comparison [url=http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/]top rated canadian pharmacies online[/url]
prescription pricing
canada pharmacy online orders
buying prescription drugs canada
canadian online pharmacy reviews
us pharmacy no prior prescription
canada pharmacies prescription drugs
Thank you. Numerous write ups.
https://nicktambone.com/
canadian rx pharmacy online north west pharmacy canada best canadian pharmacies [url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]global pharmacy canada[/url]
cheap canadian drugs
online canadian pharmacies
buy prescription drugs canada
us pharmacy no prior prescription
pharmacy without dr prescriptions
prescription drugs without doctor approval
You said it nicely.!
http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
drugstore online canada drugs online canadianpharmacy [url=http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/]aarp approved canadian online pharmacies[/url]
canadian pharmacy online
canadian rx
canadapharmacy
canadian pharmacy 365
buying drugs canada
canadadrugs.com pharmacy
Many thanks. Wonderful information.
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
candrugstore com canadian drugs no 1 canadian pharcharmy online [url=http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/]canada online pharmacies[/url]
online pharmacies no prescription
canadian pharmacy king
canadian pharmacy viagra brand
canadian pharmacies shipping to usa
canadian pharmacies top best
buying prescription drugs canada
With thanks, I enjoy this!
http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
canadian pharmacy viagra brand mexican pharmacies shipping to usa visit poster’s website [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]canadian pharmacies[/url]
prescription drugs without prior prescription
cialis canadian pharmacy
online canadian pharmacy
mexican pharmacies
canadian cialis
canada pharmacy
Thank you, Lots of forum posts.
http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
mexican pharmacies online trust pharmacy canada mexican pharmacies online [url=http://talahicc.com/]canadian pharmacy online[/url]
canadian drugs
best canadian mail order pharmacies
prescription drugs canada
prescription drug price comparison
cheap drugs online
canadian drugs
Regards. Wonderful stuff!
http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
walmart pharmacy price check northwest pharmacy top rated online canadian pharmacies [url=http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/]canada pharmacy online[/url]
online pharmacies no prescription
legitimate canadian mail order pharmacies
online discount pharmacy
online canadian pharcharmy
discount pharmacy
pharmacy tech
You explained this fantastically.
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
canada pharmacy online no script canadian pharmacies that ship to us mexican pharmacies online [url=http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/]north west pharmacy canada[/url]
web medical information
canadian pharmacies that are legit
canadadrugs
compare rx prices
best canadian pharmacies
canada drug
You actually reported this adequately!
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
us pharmacy no prior prescription global pharmacy canada mexican pharmacy online [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]canada drug[/url]
prescription pricing
mail order pharmacies
canada drugs online
canadian mail order pharmacies
canadian pharmacies that are legit
cheap canadian drugs
Many thanks! A good amount of postings!
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
canadian pharma companies global pharmacy canada mexican pharmacy online medications [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]canadianpharmacy[/url]
drug stores near me
canadian drugstore
prescription without a doctor’s prescription
canadian pharma companies
pharmacy online
canadian drugstore
Thank you! I enjoy it!
http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
no 1 canadian pharcharmy online london drugs canada canada drug [url=https://nicktambone.com/]northwestpharmacy[/url]
online discount pharmacy
prescription drugs prices
pharmacies in canada
canada pharmacies
canadadrugs.com pharmacy
canadian pharmacy
You said it nicely..
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
canadian prescription northwest pharmacy drug prices comparison [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]canada pharmaceutical online ordering[/url]
pharmacy online
buy prescription drugs from canada
canada pharmacy online orders
prescription cost
online pharmacies no prescription
canadian pharmacy online canada
Whoa quite a lot of valuable facts.
http://talahicc.com/
pharmacy price comparison canadian cialis best canadian prescription prices [url=http://talahicc.com/]london drugs canada[/url]
approved canadian pharmacies online
pain meds online without doctor prescription
canadian drugstore reviews
canadian pharmacy online
international pharmacies that ship to the usa
canada pharmacy online reviews
Thanks a lot! Lots of content.
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
canadian family pharmacy trust pharmacy canada online pharmacy without prescription [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]mexican pharmacies shipping to usa[/url]
drug costs
compare rx prices
canadian drug store
prescription cost
canadian online pharmacy
online prescription drugs
Info clearly taken!!
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
online canadian pharcharmy canadian pharmacies without an rx trust pharmacy canada [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]canadian pharcharmy[/url]
overseas pharmacy forum
canada drugs
buy drugs online
pharmacies in canada
mail order pharmacy
safe canadian online pharmacies
You mentioned this exceptionally well.
http://talahicc.com/
prescription pricing canadian pharmaceuticals online overseas pharmacies [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]canada online pharmacies[/url]
international pharmacies that ship to the usa
medical information online
walmart pharmacy price check
drugs from canada
buy drugs online
canadian pharmacies without prescriptions
Nicely put. Thanks a lot.
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
canadian pharmacies north west pharmacy canada canadapharmacy [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]canada pharmacy online[/url]
internet pharmacy
northwestpharmacy
24 hour pharmacy
discount pharmacy online
safe canadian online pharmacies
canada pharmacy no prescription
You made your point.
http://talahicc.com/
pharmacy canada north west pharmacy canada canadian prescriptions [url=http://talahicc.com/]mexican pharmacies shipping to usa[/url]
drug costs
overseas pharmacies
pharmacy prescription
global pharmacy canada
canadian pharmacy without prescription
buy prescription drugs without doctor
With thanks, Fantastic information.
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
best online canadian pharcharmy canada drugs ed meds online [url=http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/]mexican pharmacies shipping to usa[/url]
best online pharmacy
prescription drug
cheap canadian drugs
rx pharmacy
meds online
prescription drugs without prior prescription
Regards. Helpful information!
http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
board of pharmacy canadianpharmacy canadian pharmacies online [url=https://nicktambone.com/]canadian online pharmacy[/url]
canadapharmacyonline.com
onlinecanadianpharmacy.com
canadian pharmacy online
pharmacy prices
costco pharmacy pricing
canadian prescription drugstore
You mentioned this perfectly!
http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
canadian pharmacy online canada canada pharmacy online reputable canadian mail order pharmacies [url=http://canadianpharmacymim.com/]canada pharmacy[/url]
canadian rx pharmacy online
canadian viagra
king pharmacy
rx online
buy prescription drugs without doctor
online pharmacy reviews
Excellent posts. Thanks a lot.
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
canadian online pharmacy reviews canada pharmacy online canadian viagra [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]canadian pharmaceuticals online[/url]
canadian pharmacies online prescriptions
canada drugs online pharmacy
buy prescription drugs canada
cheap canadian drugs
canadadrugs
cheap canadian drugs
Helpful forum posts. Kudos.
http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/
mexican pharmacy online medications canada drug mail order pharmacy [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]aarp approved canadian online pharmacies[/url]
walmart pharmacy price check
trust pharmacy canada
walmart pharmacy price check
canadian pharmacies online
no 1 canadian pharcharmy online
canadian prescription
You actually mentioned this superbly.
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
best online pharmacy stores canada pharmacy drug prices comparison [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]london drugs canada[/url]
safe canadian online pharmacies
mexican online pharmacies
canadian pharma companies
canada pharmacies
walmart pharmacy price check
canadian pharma companies
Nicely put, Thanks a lot.
http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
canadian pharmacies that ship to us canadian drugs canada pharmacies online pharmacy [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]canadian viagra[/url]
canadapharmacyonline com
us pharmacy no prior prescription
prescription drugs prices
canadian prescriptions
prescription drug cost
cheap canadian drugs
You actually stated that really well!
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
most reliable canadian pharmacies global pharmacy canada canadian meds [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]northwestpharmacy[/url]
online pharmacy canada
drug price
online discount pharmacy
walmart pharmacy price check
canadian pharmacy king
rx price comparison
Whoa lots of useful data!
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
online pharmacy canadian online pharmacies most reliable canadian pharmacies [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]canada pharmacy[/url]
canadian cialis
canadian pharmacy no prescription needed
best online pharmacies canada
canadian drugstore online
pharmacy without dr prescriptions
international pharmacy
Really a lot of wonderful tips.
http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
best online international pharmacies northwestpharmacy online canadian discount pharmacy [url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]canadian online pharmacy[/url]
canadian prescription drugs
best price prescription drugs
drugstore online
canadadrugs
internet pharmacy
canada drug pharmacy
Thank you! Ample content.
http://talahicc.com/
drug costs canadian pharmacy canada pharmacies online [url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]london drugs canada[/url]
canadian pharmacy meds
canadadrugs
prescription price comparison
canadian meds
canadian prescription
24 hour pharmacy
Kudos. Quite a lot of posts!
http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/
pharmacy price compare aarp approved canadian online pharmacies online pharmacy usa [url=http://canadianpharmacymim.com/]canadian pharmacies[/url]
best canadian pharmacies
pharmacy without dr prescriptions
prescription drug assistance
legitimate canadian mail order pharmacies
drugs for sale
prescription drugs canada
You actually explained it effectively!
http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
prescription drugs without doctor approval aarp approved canadian online pharmacies prescription cost comparison [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]canada drug[/url]
online pharmacy
prescription prices comparison
mexican online pharmacies
get prescription online
drugs from canada
canadadrugs.com pharmacy
Great facts, Cheers!
http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
no prescription online pharmacy northwest pharmacy online pharmacy without prescription [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]northwestpharmacy[/url]
cheap prescription drugs online
canada drugs online
canadapharmacyonline.com
prescription cost
price prescription drugs
best canadian prescription prices
Terrific content. Thank you.
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
drug costs canadian pharmacy online mexican pharmacies shipping to usa [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]canadian viagra[/url]
best online pharmacies canada
canadian mail order pharmacies
canadian pharmacies that are legit
best canadian mail order pharmacies
northwest pharmacy
cialis online
Position effectively regarded.!
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
best non prescription online pharmacies canada online pharmacies pharmacy online [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]global pharmacy canada[/url]
best canadian mail order pharmacies
canadian drugstore online
prescription price comparison
prescription online
canadapharmacy
canadian pharmacies that are legit
You revealed that very well.
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
canadian pharmacies that are legit northwest pharmacy canada pharmacy online [url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]online pharmacies canada[/url]
discount pharmaceuticals
canadian pharmacy reviews
medication costs
compare prescription prices
discount pharmaceuticals
canadian mail order pharmacies
You actually suggested it perfectly!
http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
canada pharmacy online no script canadian online pharmacy cheap canadian drugs [url=http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/]canadian pharcharmy[/url]
canadian pharmacy
prescription cost comparison
canadian prescription drugstore
online discount pharmacy
cialis canadian pharmacy
drugs online
Incredible quite a lot of fantastic info.
http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
canada drug pharmacy canadian drugs the canadian pharmacy [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]online pharmacies of canada[/url]
discount pharmaceuticals
canadian prescription drugstore
prescription drugs prices
discount prescription drug
no prescription pharmacies
most reliable canadian pharmacies
Valuable information. Regards!
http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/
candrugstore com canada pharmacy cheap prescription drugs online [url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]canada online pharmacies[/url]
pharmacy near me
prescription cost comparison
drugs online
legitimate online pharmacies
online drugstore
mail order pharmacies
Nicely put. Many thanks.
https://nicktambone.com/
prescription without a doctor’s prescription canada pharmaceuticals online cheap prescription drugs [url=http://canadianpharmacymim.com/]canadian pharmacy online[/url]
online rx pharmacy
canadian drugstore online
best online canadian pharcharmy
cialis canadian pharmacy
mail order pharmacies
best non prescription online pharmacies
Information effectively applied..
http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/
cheap drugs online northwestpharmacy pharmacy price compare [url=http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/]canada drugs online[/url]
canada drugs
prescription drugs canada
pharmacy price comparison
best canadian mail order pharmacies
canada drug
northwest pharmacy canada
You said it very well.!
http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/
canadian prescription drugs canadian online pharmacy pharmacies near me [url=http://canadianpharmacymim.com/]canadian pharmacies-24h[/url]
canadianpharmacy
northwest pharmacy
online pharmacy usa
canadian pharma companies
us pharmacy no prior prescription
canadian drug store
Excellent forum posts. Thanks.
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
top rated canadian pharmacies online canada drugs online canadian drug [url=http://talahicc.com/]canadian pharmacies without an rx[/url]
canada drug prices
canadian pharmacy viagra
canadapharmacy
meds online
canadian pharcharmy online
online pharmacy no prescription
Reliable facts. Thanks!
http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
canadian pharmacy online northwestpharmacy online pharmacy canada [url=https://nicktambone.com/]canadian drugs[/url]
mexican pharmacy online medications
visit poster’s website
no prescription pharmacy
canada pharmacies online
mail order pharmacies
canada pharmacy online no script
Thanks! Great stuff!
http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
buy prescription drugs canada canada pharmaceutical online ordering buy drugs online [url=http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/]canadian pharmaceuticals online[/url]
canadian online pharmacy
best online pharmacy
prescription drugs without doctor approval
canadian rx pharmacy online
canadian pharmacy 365
walmart pharmacy price check
Appreciate it, A good amount of info.
https://nicktambone.com/
best non prescription online pharmacies northwestpharmacy medication costs [url=http://canadianpharmacysilo.com/]canadianpharmacy[/url]
canadian pharmacy
drugs without prescription
prescription drug cost
canadian pharmacy without prescription
online pharmacy usa
buy prescription drugs without doctor
With thanks. Plenty of forum posts.
http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
prescription price comparison canadian online pharmacies canada pharmacies online prescriptions [url=http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/]canadian pharmacy[/url]
walgreens pharmacy
prescription drug
compare prescription prices
my canadian pharmacy
pharmacies in canada
best canadian online pharmacy