20/02/2025

Innovative Shade Management: The Capabilities of KOSTAL PLENTICORE Inverters

The integrated shade management of KOSTAL’s PLENTICORE inverters enhances energy efficiency, reduces costs, and simplifies installation.

High Efficiency and Reliability with KOSTAL

The integrated shade management of KOSTAL’s PLENTICORE inverters ensures high efficiency and reliability by maximizing the energy yield of photovoltaic (PV) systems even under challenging conditions—without requiring additional hardware components.

This solution lowers costs, simplifies installation, and minimizes environmental impact by reducing material requirements. At the same time, the system remains future-proof and flexible thanks to regular software updates, making it suitable even for complex roof structures.

IEA-PVPS Confirms the Advantages of String Inverters

The latest report from the IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA-PVPS) highlights the advantages of string inverters in PV systems with partial shading. The same applies to KOSTAL’s PLENTICORE inverter with integrated shade management.

“Our solutions provide planners and operators with future-proof technologies to optimize PV systems even under demanding conditions,” says Thomas Vogel, Head of Product Management at KOSTAL.

Partial Shading: A Key Challenge

Partial shading is a significant challenge for PV systems. Whether caused by chimneys, trees, or neighboring buildings, shading can severely impact energy yield, leading to power losses that reduce the overall profitability of the system. The IEA-PVPS report compares the performance of various inverter technologies under these conditions.

Results Confirm PLENTICORE Technology

The IEA-PVPS analysis demonstrates that string inverters often perform more efficiently than module-based power electronics (MLPE) in mild to moderate shading scenarios.

“These findings align with the performance data of our PLENTICORE inverters,” confirms Vogel. “The integrated shade management in the PLENTICORE inverter minimizes the impact of partial shading on overall system performance and ensures optimized power flow within the string.”

Thanks to intelligent control and automatic adaptation to changing conditions, the PLENTICORE inverter maximizes energy yield. “At the same time, installers save time and effort, while system operators benefit from reduced hardware costs,” adds Thomas Vogel.

KOSTAL Solutions for Shaded PV Systems

The integrated shade management of KOSTAL inverters, particularly within the PLENTICORE series, is based on advanced software that optimizes the performance of the entire PV system—even when individual modules are shaded. Here are the key functions and benefits:

• Dynamic MPP Tracking Strategy (Maximum Power Point Tracking)
The inverter continuously analyzes the energy production of the modules and dynamically adjusts the operating point. This ensures the optimal power point is quickly found, even under shading conditions.

• Automatic Shade Detection
The system autonomously identifies which modules are affected by shading and responds accordingly—without requiring additional hardware such as optimizers.

• Bypass Diode Support
Bypass diodes within the modules prevent shaded modules from blocking the power flow in the string, ensuring optimal performance.

• Specialized Partial Shading Algorithm
The inverter utilizes advanced algorithms to minimize power losses caused by uneven shading while maximizing the output of unshaded modules.

The KOSTAL System Offers Numerous Advantages

The integrated shade management provides multiple benefits:

Cost Savings: No additional hardware such as power optimizers or microinverters is needed, reducing both installation and maintenance costs. Efficiency Boost: The inverter maximizes the energy yield of the PV system, even under changing and challenging conditions.

Simplicity and Reliability: By integrating shade management directly into the inverter, the system remains less complex and less prone to failure. Sustainability: Reduced material and electronic component requirements lower costs while minimizing environmental impact.

Flexible System Design: The technology enables efficient planning and implementation of PV systems on roofs with obstacles such as chimneys, dormers, or trees. Future-Proofing: Regular software updates keep the inverter up to date with the latest technological advancements.

These features make KOSTAL’s PLENTICORE inverters the ideal choice for operators seeking maximum performance even under suboptimal conditions.

Looking Ahead with KOSTAL

“The findings of the IEA-PVPS reinforce our commitment to developing innovative technologies,” concludes Thomas Vogel. “We continue to meet the demands of modern PV systems and remain dedicated to research and development to further enhance PV system performance under challenging conditions.”

KOSTAL PLENTICORE inverters provide system operators with an efficient solution for both current and future challenges, offering a future-proof technology that meets the increasing demands of the energy transition.