The Trinasmart modules integrated in the installation are optimised by Tigo Energy technology. According to Trina Solar, the modules are expected to produce about 3% more energy than traditional versions. The system also has enhanced safety measures with panel-level disconnect, and is monitored and managed by Tigo Energy's advanced software engine.

"Our partnership with Tigo and Cobalt made this first-of-its-kind installation using Trinasmart modules possible," said Mark Mendenhall, president of Trina Solar USA. "We expect this installation to be the first of many that utilise these innovative modules."

According to Mendenhall, Trinasmart was chosen for this particular project because the customer was building a net-zero energy office building and wanted to maximise energy production from the available roof area. The project, commissioned in November, uses 462 Trinasmart 245W modules to maximise the energy produced on the roof.

Mark Byington, CEO of Cobalt Power Systems Inc, touted the benefits of the system. "With the integrated smart module, there are far fewer components to install," he explained. "This allows us to take advantage of all of the benefits of module-level optimisation without the extra labor and inventory hassle. At the end of the day it saves us money and improves our bottom line."