Tigo Energy along with PV installer Renewable Energy Services (RES) has developed one of the largest residential solar microgrid installations in the world located on the Bakkan Hale property in Hawaii. Earl Bakken, inventor of the first battery-powered pacemaker and founder of Medtronic, is behind the solar-battery project that will be equipped with 176kW ground mounted PV moduels powered by Tigo. The system will be capable of generating 350Mwh per year.
“I want to demonstrate using a solar and battery-powered microgrid is the best solution because it allows us to meet all of our power needs day and night.” said Bakken. “We are attracted to Tigo’s platform in particular because their technology is of the highest quality, which will enable us to generate solar power at the optimal level for many years into the future.”
Tigo powers Bakken Hale ground mounted system (Photo: Business Wire)
Bakken Hale utilizes Tigo’s Smart optimization product, that according to the company, enables customers to monitor their systems at the module-level, deactivate high voltage with a push of a button, and allow for the greatest design flexibility on systems of any size. The technology performs data acquisition via a cloud-connected data logger across new systems and retrofits of all sizes. Tigo-optimized modules work efficiently with battery backup systems, charging from the sun during the day, then discharging during the night.
“We are proud to be the only company capable of servicing a range of inverters and charge controllers for off-grid PV systems,” said Tigo’s chairman and CEO Zvi Alon. “We look forward to continue to increase the number of hybrid PV+Battery systems and working on similar solar-battery projects worldwide.”
Roland Shackelford, Vice President of RES added, “This project was done with the highest level of workmanship and components selected from every nut and bolt, to the use of Tigo. Tigo’s reliability and ability to get the maximum power output from each module is exactly what we were looking for. The per-module monitoring and performance notification capabilities are benefits that ensure that the system is working optimally in the years to come.”