Solar Semiconductor
National Semiconductor Corp. has introduced the solar industry's first in-panel SolarMagic chipset, coining the resultant device "smart panels." Whereas solar panels today are prone to underperform due to conditions such as age, mismatch and shade, smart panels incorporate advanced electronics to harvest the maximum energy from a solar system.
The SM3320 SolarMagic smart panel chipset is the most recent addition to National's award-winning SolarMagic product line and provides junction box and module manufacturers with the "smarts" to ensure the highest efficiency and return on investment for solar system owners. By coupling more energy production with a lower balance of systems cost, the SM3320 provides solar system owners a high-performance solution at the lowest cost per kilowatt-hour.
"By introducing the first in-panel smart electronics to the solar market, we are keeping with a five decades long tradition of developing the category-defining products that shape an industry," said Mike Polacek, senior vice president of National's Key Market Segments Group. "National Semiconductor has been embedded in the solar industry since its inception. Already, our power management electronics are used in nearly two-thirds of the inverter and junction box market and we currently have more than 100 MW of solar systems under SolarMagic monitoring and management. The development of smart panels builds on what National does best - smart power management electronics - to enable higher efficiency, more robust solar systems."
National's SM3320 is the first analog-intensive power management chipset in a new category of in-panel electronics that improves power output, reliability and cost-effectiveness of solar systems.
SolarMagic provides an innovative solution to long standing problems with solar arrays and their design. Real-world problems lead to mismatch in solar systems, significantly reducing the power output of an array. SolarMagic can recoup up to 71 percent of power lost to mismatch - regardless of cell technology - giving installation owners more predictable power output and increased return on investment.
