PV Powered to Receive Oregon Solar Pioneer Award

BEND, OREGON - PV Powered, a Bend, Oregon company that specializes in the manufacture of grid-tied solar inverters, received the Oregon Solar Pioneer Award during the 3rd Annual Northwest Solar Expo event.

Each year, the Oregon Department of Energy recognizes an individual or company that has been a pioneer in the development of OregonÂ’s solar industry.

“PV Powered is one of the few U.S. companies to successfully challenge the dominance of foreign solar inverter manufacturers and help to build the U.S. renewable energy market,” said Christopher Dymond, Senior Energy Analyst for the Oregon Department of Energy. “Oregon is committed to being a leader in renewable energy and PV Powered is integral to that vision.”

In the past two years, PV Powered has grown from just over 20 employees to nearly 60, with plans to reach 100 by early 2009. In the past year, the company has expanded its product line and received certification on 10 new inverters, including new products for both residential and three-phase commercial installations.

An inverter is a critical element in a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Inverters convert the DC electricity generated by PV arrays into the AC electricity used in homes and businesses. Recently, inverters have evolved into remarkably sophisticated devices that manage and condition power in order to maximize the harvest of solar energy.

“PV Powered has hired the best and the brightest from within the solar industry and leading high tech companies, locally and from around the nation. This expertise is being leveraged to realize the company’s commitment to designing the most reliable inverters in the industry,” Dymond explained. “Oregon is privileged to count PV Powered among its growing ranks of solar manufacturers.”