EET uses EPC GaN FET in balcony solar product
Helps double efficiency and lifetime of award winning SolMate product
Efficient Energy Technology GmbH (EET), an Austrian-based pioneer in designing and producing balcony power plants, has selected EPC's EPC2204 enhancement-mode eGaN power transistor for its latest SolMate green solar balcony product.
The EPC2204 is said to strike an optimal compromise between low RDS(on) and low COSS, critical for demanding hard switching application, while featuring a drain-source breakdown voltage of 100 V in a compact package.
Following the integration of GaN in its SolMate MPPT charging converter, EET has halved efficiency loss, increasing overall efficiency from 96 percent to 98 percent. The converter’s volume has decreased by 70 percent, the BOM and manufacturing costs have been reduced by 20 percent, all while lowering cooling requirements. Additionally, the increased switching frequency by a factor of 10 eliminates the need for error-prone electrolytic capacitors, thus increasing the converter’s lifespan.
By reducing power loss, EET’s system can more efficiently convert solar energy, allowing the company to generate several megawatts of additional green solar power that would otherwise dissipate as heat on a large scale. The reduced cooling requirements are particularly significant in scenarios without access to fresh air, where a water-resistant case is employed.
EET’s SolMate has won many awards for its technical innovation, for the high technical standards and the innovative design, including the James Dyson Award, Living Standards Austria, the German Sustainability Award (Design), the SolarPower Summit Award, and a finalist in the Intersolar EES Award.
Commenting on the development, Jan Senn, CMO and sales at EET said: “Our vision is to make renewable energy simple, safe and reliable for everyone. We accomplish this by enabling individuals to use green energy where it is most crucial - in their own homes. SolMate combines the highest quality, excellent user experience, and design into one user-friendly lifestyle product for every home. Transitioning to GaN helps us realise this vision, and we are currently exploring the integration of GaN transistors from EPC in other power converters as well.”
Stefan Werkstetter, VP of EMEA Sales at EPC, stated: “We are delighted that EET has chosen our EPC2204 eGaN FET for their SolMate green solar balcony product. Our commitment to delivering high-performance and efficient power conversion solutions aligns perfectly with EET’s mission to make renewable energy accessible and reliable for all. We look forward to continuing our partnership with EET and contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.”
