Akeena Solar (AKNS) and Enphase Energy have announced a partnership to develop and market the Andalay solar panel systems using ordinary AC house current output instead of high voltage DC output which are expected to cost less to install and provide higher performance than DC panels.  Under the agreement, AKNS will purchase a minimum of 5000 microinverters in 2009 & 2010 which will be built into Akeena’s award winning Andalay solar panels. 

AKNS estimates that up to 25% of the costs to design and install a solar power system can be eliminated with its Andalay system using AC power and Enphase estimates its Enphase microinverters boost solar energy collection by 5  -25%.

“Since George Westinghouse founded the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1889, the world’s electric grid has operated on AC power. But the solar industry has always installed DC panels. A big challenge for every solar installer has been to design, install and wire high voltage DC solar panels on rooftops,” said Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Akeena Solar. “Now — finally — we can dramatically simplify the design and installation of a rooftop solar system with standardized AC solar panels.”