100% energy savings for a complex residential PV system

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Type Region Products Size
Residential Segamat, Johor, Malaysia 7 x HMS-1600 13.64 kW

Introduction

High-performance solar despite steep roof angles and shading

Can you build an effective, high-performance solar system despite having a complex, steep roof plagued by shading issues? Absolutely. This standout project in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, proves it – that’s why it clinched the Distinguished Award in Residential PV for Asia-Pacific at the 2023 Hoymiles Solar Project Contest. This residential project shows how the right solar installation can tackle unusual roof shapes and shading, and still offer incredible energy savings. Read on to discover how homeowner Lim Tow Suan built a PV system that offered immediate cost savings and promises to pay for itself in five years or less.

Their Story

High energy bills and a complex roof

Before installing a solar system, Tow Suan’s monthly electricity bills ranged from RM600 to RM650, and that figure was steadily rising.

The Net Energy Metering (NEM) Scheme offered by the Malaysian Government gave Tow Suan an idea. Investing in a home solar system would be the perfect way to reduce bills and begin the journey to energy independence.

However, the roof of Tow Suan’s property is complex with lots of steep angles which means parts of the roof are often shaded during the day.

Traditional string inverters would have compromised the system’s performance: if one of the panels on Tow Suan’s roof fell into the shade, the performance of the entire line of panels would drop.

Instead, Tow Suan chose modern microinverters that convert energy from each panel individually, ensuring maximum efficiency.

Hoymiles Microinverters are essential for maximizing the solar potential of complex, steep roofs.

Their Solution

Hoymiles microinverters for safety, performance, and scalability

Tow Suan chose Hoymiles HMS-1600 microinverters for this 13.64 kW residential project. A total of 7 HMS-1600 microinverters were installed. Each microinverter can connect up to 4 panels with independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and monitoring, maximizing power production for each panel. Tow Suan found Hoymiles’ microinverters perfect for this project for four key reasons:
  1. Safety: Tow Suan chose Hoymiles microinverters because they operate at a lower DC voltage than traditional inverters. This reduces the risk of high-voltage arc faults and fire hazards, enhancing safety and peace of mind.
  2. Shading Performance: The microinverters solved roof shading problems by converting energy from panels individually instead of in series, optimizing the performance of each panel.
  3. Monitoring: The Hoymiles microinverter system allows Tow Suan to monitor and optimize individual panel performance through the S-Miles Cloud platform– which means more opportunities to catch problems and inefficiencies, maximizing Tow Suan’s potential savings.
  4. Scalability: Because Hoymiles microinverters can be installed individually, instead of in series, it was easy for Tow Suan to expand the solar system. This made it simple to add more panels, increasing both electricity generation and savings.

The result was a safe, scalable, high-performance PV system that excels in both performance and ease of use.

Their Success

Immediately after installing the system, Tow Suan’s monthly electricity bill dropped from RM600-RM650 to below RM100, a reduction of 84%+.

Dramatic savings and fast ROI

However, that was just the start. The Hoymiles microinverter system’s flexibility made adding more panels and inverters straightforward, later increasing Tow Suan’s savings to 100%.

Today, the system fully covers Tow Suan’s electricity demands, securing independence from the main grid. It even generates excess energy to cover higher energy usage during rainy seasons.

Based on current savings, Tow Suan aims to achieve a return on investment (ROI) within 5 years. As electricity tariffs in Malaysia rise, Tow Suan’s ROI is expected to accelerate.

This project’s immediate and long-term benefits showcase the many strengths of Hoymiles microinverters for residential solar installations.

Hoymiles’ cutting-edge microinverters excel for even the most complex roofs and shading issues, helping homeowners slash their energy bills and embrace the journey to grid independence.

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