Morningstar’s TriStar MPPT 600V Solar Controller with DC Transfer Switch has been deployed successfully to retrofit an existing grid-tied solar system with battery backup in Barbados. Future Energy Caribbean, a provider of solar energy solutions, added the Morningstar controller, a Solis inverter, Trojan batteries, and other balance of system components to provide backup power in the event of an outage at its commercial office. Backup power is now available for lights, refrigeration, computers and cell phone charging. This installation serves as a model that can be replicated and modified to meet the needs of other light commercial facilities and residential establishments throughout the Caribbean.
The DC Transfer grid-tied battery backup solution is clean, quiet, and relatively maintenance-free as opposed to backup power from generators. Compared to traditional DC coupled backup, this recently installed DC Transfer solution does not lose efficiency when selling to the grid. Moreover, this solution requires no modifications to the existing solar array, and it is compatible with virtually any battery, inverter-charger, and string inverter brand. The battery size requirements associated with the DC Transfer solution are smaller than what would have been required in an AC Coupled deployment, and it is easy to add batteries to accommodate scaling should backup needs increase over time.