Ballard Ecostar™ Power Converter

Ballard Power Systems’ 75kW Ecostar™ power converter is specifically designed for photovoltaic (PV) applications. The Ecostar combines inverter and transformer efficiency with ease of installation and use.

With peak transformer efficiency of 98.4%, system operating losses reduced to 25W and continuous power output at full load, the Ecostar is one of the most efficient commercial inverters available in North America. Ballard offers a five-year extended warranty for parts and labor and is listed by the California Energy Commission. Key benefits include:

·Night-time isolation: the inverter automatically disconnects from the grid and isolates the power transformer when there is no power from the PV array, and it automatically “wakes up” when the sun reappears, eliminating nighttime transformer losses.

·Patented software algorithms: reliable grid-parallel operation, anti-islanding, and over/under frequency and voltage protections.

·Maximum power-point tracking: operates independently of PV cell technologies and fill-factors.

·Liquid cooling: increases system reliability and inverter life cycle.

Ballard will add a 30kW inverter later in 2004.

For more information, visit www.ballard.com.