OREANDA-NEWS. Helping to meet the growing integration of solar energy, GE's Digital Energy business (NYSE: GE) launched its three-phase, PROLEC-GE Solar Pad-Mounted Transformer. With PROLEC-GE's three-phase solar pad-mounted transformers, the energy coming from the solar inverter and generated by photovoltaic (PV) cells in solar farms will be transformed from low voltage to medium voltage.

The new transformer will support the solar industry's annual growth of 13 percent which is expected to continue for several years1.

The new solar product line transformers can be designed to help customers find the most cost-effective configuration according to their particular needs. These transformers can be engineered with two low-voltage windings, which enable the user to connect two inverters, helping to decrease the operating cost and initial investment.

"The increasing importance of solar generation will require grid operators and the photovoltaic industry to develop strategies to ensure solar continues to play a major part in the global generation mix," said Rosario Lopez, Commercial Director, PROLEC-GE. "Our three-phase pad-mounted transformer solution will help to support solar growth trends by improving the ROI for solar developments."

Among the characteristics that provide high reliability to this product's operation is the inclusion of electrostatic shield as a standard feature, which helps to isolate the low voltage windings from the high-frequency pulses present in the medium voltage system, protecting the solid-state components of the inverters.

The announcement was made at CIGRE Session 45 being held Aug. 24-29 in Paris.