Enphase inverters added to Ikea’s turnkey solar offer in Australia

US microinverter maker Enphase Energy has expanded its footprint in Australia on the back of a new partnership with one of the leading retailers, Solargain. On Thursday, the manufacturer announced that its premium inverter solution had been selected for Solargain’s turnkey retail solar offerings in Australia.

The Perth-based retailer with more than 70,000 solar installations across the country under its belt is focused on innovating the residential solar experience. For example, the company was selected by Ikea as its Australian partner to support its in-store and online solar offering launched in June. 

For both solar packages available in Australia, Ikea has selected Growatt products, including its X generation inverters and residential lithium-ion battery storage systems, as well as Trina Solar’s 370W modules. By the virtue of the new partnership, Australian customers purchasing a Solargain-IKEA solar system will have a choice to opt for a package with Enphase IQ 7+™ microinverters.

As announced at the launch, the new Ikea home solar offer in Australia, Solstråle, will occur in waves, and the aim is that during 2020 Solstråle will be available for customers located within 100km of an Ikea store in all states and territories where the furniture brand is present.

Another example is Solargain’s partnership with Qantas, Australia’s largest airline. The retailer’s customers can earn Qantas points for various smart energy purchases, including Enphase microinverter-based solar offerings.

“Solargain’s mission is to make the benefits of solar power more accessible to Australian homeowners, and our partnerships with IKEA and Qantas are great milestones in this undertaking,” said Keera Single, CEO at Solargain. “Solargain has enjoyed a long and extensive business relationship with Enphase, and we are happy to be able to include a cutting-edge, premium brand Enphase microinverter in our retail solar offerings that we believe will deliver excellent results for our customers.”

Since they can simplify solar installations, maximize energy production and deliver a complete AC system that ensures neither installers nor homeowners are exposed to high-voltage DC, IQ 7+ microinverters may be recommended for homes with complex roofs, small roofs, and partial shading. They can be used with between 235-440 W, 60- and 72-cell modules.

Launched in the Australian market in 2018, the IQ 7 and IQ 7+ replaced the S-Series model as almost 50% lighter solution, offering easier handling on the roof. In Australia, the Enphase microinverters are backed by a 10-year warranty, which can be extended for a fee to 15, 20, or 25 years by the homeowner.

The manufacturer says its Enphase IQ 7+ microinverters integrated into the Solargain-Ikea offering are outfitted with the Enphase Envoy™ communications gateway, which connects each system to the Enphase Enlighten™ monitoring platform and makes per-panel energy monitoring and insights for operations and maintenance easy.

“Solargain’s success is a powerful example of how Enphase microinverters can be leveraged to unlock advanced residential solar outcomes with unmatched design freedom, quality, and performance,” said Dave Ranhoff, chief commercial officer at Enphase Energy.

Previously, Enphase sealed a deal with the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) to supply its smart microinverters as part of the Australian insurer’s initiative to enhance its current residential and commercial solar offerings. Enphase IQ 7+ microinverters have also been selected by Sydney-based pre-fabricated solar array manufacturer 5B for the Resilient Energy Collective bushfire relief campaign that aims to bring power back to disaster-affected Australian communities.