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New equipment and inventions aren’t as common in today’s solar industry as they were five to ten years ago. But there are still plenty of advancements to get excited about.
Instead, we’re seeing brands, both new and tried-and-true, improve already-existing products. We’re here to break down the most exciting solar energy brands to watch in 2023, the list includes:
- Hybrid Solar Inverters from a Trusted Brand
- A New Battery Brand Offering Plenty of Load Management
- Important Load Control & Management Equipment
Tigo - Hybrid Solar Inverters
Tigo isn’t a new name in the solar energy industry. For years, they’ve been making power optimizers that bring module-level optimization to a string inverter setup. But now, they’re introducing an inverter.
Their expansion into the inverter game is enough to get us excited. We’re always happy to see new products from companies that are crushing what they’re already making.
Tigo’s inverters will have some great features we love to see. They’ll be manufacturing hybrid inverters, which integrate easily with solar panel systems with a battery backup component. They’ll also have a mobile communications tie-in for monitoring, as well as an integrated revenue-grade meter right in the inverter.
As of the writing of this blog (April 2023), Tigo’s inverters are fairly easy to source, and the price point is approachable for many homes and small businesses. 
Franklin WH - Home Solar Batteries
Those looking to install a battery backup with their system will have a new option in 2023 — Franklin WH (AKA Franklin Wole Home). This AC battery can be coupled with just about any existing solar system or installed along with a new system.
While in many cases it’s not conceivable to back up an entire home’s electricity needs with solar batteries, Franklin WH is out to change that. Their system allows owners to control which loads can draw power from the battery in real-time from their smartphone. So while it won’t be able to power large loads like an HVAC system or water heater, it will be able to provide power to a wide variety of devices and appliances in your home.
Based on specs, it seems like Franklin WH is working to compete directly with Tesla’s Powerwall. The Franklin WH’s battery is 13.6 kW, and Tesla’s is 13.5 kW. Additionally, Franklin WH offers a 12-year warranty, beating out Tesla’s 10-year warranty.
While we can’t yet speak to installation costs for their product, it does offer some interesting features. Its smart energy management system can automatically manage battery charging and energy allocation to your home’s circuits.
Additionally, it can charge from just about any solar inverter, AC generator, or the electricity grid. You’ll also have access to the FranklinWH smartphone app, which gives you the ability to customize charges, discharges, and which loads can draw from the battery.
Using Batteries for Load Control & Load Management
The Franklin WH battery gives owners nearly full control over their battery system through their mobile app. It’s indicative of a big shift in the solar energy storage space – customization. With earlier equipment, only your installer or an experienced electrician could change out your loads and circuits that receive power from the battery. But now, advanced solar technology is giving the battery owner the ability to control and manage loads.
Lumin, Span, and Generac are other technologies that offer this level of control, and SolarEdge is soon coming out with its own solution.
We’ll keep you updated as these top solar energy tech solutions are deployed on projects.
