SHOWCASE SPECIAL
It takes a system to power a village…
…or a home, business, school or anywhere renewable energy is expected to play a role. OutBack Power Technologies’ systems approach is customer-driven and industry-leading.
As the leading brand in off-grid power conversion components, OutBack Power Technologies in Arlington, Washington has watched how the industry’s leading installation professional’s achieve their success using Outback products to reliably and cost-effectively meet their customers’ demanding requirements.
“When you look at OutBack’s original userbase, it’s the most fault-intolerant group on the planet,” notes general manager Harvey Wilkinson. “The list includes relief and developmental agencies bringing electricity to schools, hospitals, and villages, commercial systems for powering everything from farms to off-grid luxury hotels, military and telecommunications installations, mining and oil operations, and many other applications.” With these kind of credentials OutBack was in a unique position to learn what “the best of the best” looks like in real-world field installations—and come up with pre-designed, assembled and tested systems other installers could use with confidence to power their critical projects.
The result was FLEXpower, a family of pre-built systems comprised of award-wining OutBack components based on the field-proven designs of the leading installation professionals. FLEXpower went on to become the most successful system
and tested systems other installers could use with confidence to power their critical projects. The result was FLEXpower, a family of pre-built systems comprised of award-wining OutBack components based on the field-proven designs of the leading installation professionals. FLEXpower went on to become the most successful system platform
in the challenging off-grid world, delivering clean, dependable electricity from renewables in everything from remote vacation cabins to military forward operating bases. Now OutBack is taking that systems approach several steps further, with new Grid/Hybrid pre-assembled systems designed to bring the benefits of a single-brand solution to a much wider range of users.
In fact, much of the growing interest in pre-designed power conversion systems is being driven by the unprecedented surge in commercial and residential energy storage, both in North America and around the world. Observes OutBack Power’s product manager Mara White, “battery back-up has always ‘been in OutBack's DNA’-- everything we do assumes an energy storage component, having come into the Grid/Hybrid category through our off-grid roots.”
energy storage, both in North America and around the world. Observes OutBack Power’s product manager Mara White, “battery back-up has always ‘been in OutBack's DNA’-- everything we do assumes an energy storage component, having come into the Grid/Hybrid category through our off-grid roots.”
having come into the Grid/Hybrid category through our off-grid roots.”
The newest OutBack pre-assembled systems incorporate the brand’s most advanced energy technologies, leading with the Grid/Zero operating mode that enables a grid-tied system to “zero out” grid use if enough renewable electricity is present, and drawing on the grid only when needed to meet peak demand—an ideal solution for challenging energy environments such as Hawaii and California. By enabling the blending of solar, grid and battery electricity, Grid/Zero lets users fully take advantage of time-of-use economics as well as use their stored solar-generated electricity 24/7, achieving grid independence while staying connected to it.
Other advanced features include Advanced Battery Charging (ABC) which ensures compatibility with all storage platforms including Lithium-Ion, Dual AC inputs for flexible system operation, and OutBack’s new OPTICS RE control and monitoring software for complete system management from anywhere in the world using an internet-connected device