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National Semiconductor’s Got It Made in the Shade

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Ask any installer of residential or commercial solar panels what the enemy is and the answer is a single word: shade. According to National Semiconductor Corp. (NSM), as little as 5 percent to 10 percent shade on a single solar panel can decrease output from an entire array of panels by as much as 25 percent to 50 percent. But the company reports that it has come up with a new technology, called SolarMagic, to combat the effects of shade on groups of solar panels.

SolarMagic’s Power Optimizer

The company says its SolarMagic Power Optimizer can recapture around 50 percent of the energy lost through shade from trees, chimneys, debris or power lines. National Semi adds that its Power Optimizer has won international awards. “We’re constantly asked at trade shows what we did to win,” says Michael Polacek, senior vice president for key market segments and business development. “The answer is that the Power Optimizer has created a whole new category in the power-management space.”

He says more green products that emphasize the performance enhancement of green technologies are in development. “We’re working on power management solutions that introduce new products and categories and really push the envelope,” Polacek says.