Commercial

Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale

Maximum energy production for 20,000 square foot, shaded roof

Location	Sunnyvale, CA
System Size	38.5 Kw
Estimated Monthly Production	7.3 MWh
Modules	175W

Maximizing Energy Harvest

The Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale opened its 20,000 square foot, state of the art learning and practice center in 2007. The Center, dedicated to helping people find inner peace and live in harmony with one another and with the environment, was keenly interested in finding a solar energy solution for its new facilities. Because it encompasses multiple meeting rooms, a commercial kitchen, offices and class rooms, the energy demands of the Center were significant. Parapet walls surround around the roof, and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment create shading from all angles. A key requirement for the Center was the ability to verify that their solar power system was producing the maximum energy possible. Traditional inverter-based systems deliver power based on the lowest performing units, and the shading issues for the Center meant that it would nearly always have some underperforming modules. In addition, traditional solar power systems provide little information about system status to end users, leaving owners unaware if the system is not producing the expected amount of power.

Site Profile

Type	Commercial
Size	Large
Mount	Roof
Roof Complexity	Most important
Shading	Most important

The Microinverter Difference

The Chung Tai Zen Center was introduced to Enphase Microinverters by Owens Electric and Solar. The Enphase Microinverter System addresses the Center's chief concerns by attaching a single inverter directly to each solar module, and sending manageable performance information to the owner through the Enphase Enlighten website. Because a microinverter is connected to each panel, each panel's performance is independently maximized. This dramatically reduces the impact of shading of those modules adjacent to parapet walls or HVAC equipment. Also, the Enphase system transmits performance information about each module to the Enlighten website, where users can monitor performance at all times, and rest assured that the system is performing to capacity. If a module fails or declines in output, the owner is automatically notified and can address the issue as quickly as possible.

Using the Enphase Energy Microinverter System, the Chug Tai Zen Center is able to maximize its energy production and know the system is operating as expected at all times. The Center can view energy production and usage, and receives notification of any unexpected changes in energy harvest.

Results

• Maximized energy harvest
• Optimized performance of each module
• 24 hour visibility of system performance