Smart Chap is Sharp’s latest innovation, announced earlier this year. A sophisticated modular home energy management system comprised of a computer unit inserted into a home switch box and controlled by a smartphone app, Smart Chap helps homeowners to monitor and manage their energy consumption and achieve significant cost savings. The system is open platform, making it compatible with power-generating systems from other manufacturers (solar, hydro, wind) and flexible to adapt to future needs.
Battery solutions For Sharp, the storage market is growing steadily. In 2015, Sharp’s sales of the Samsung SDI all-in-one storage system more than trebled between Q3 and Q1. Lee continues: “Particularly this year, with dropping feed-in tariffs, more and more customers are interested in battery storage as a complement to their PV system to maximise self-consumption.”
The Samsung SDI all-in-one storage system can be used for new installations, but also for retrofitting where PV inverters have been installed and now need to be upgraded. Sharp offers online training for any installers interested in selling the product.
Polycrystalline PV modules Earlier this year, Sharp announced an expansion of its PV portfolio, introducing a new range of polycrystalline modules. Manufactured from multiple crystalline cells, the modules are produced with lower costs, which are passed on to both residential and industrial end users. The full product range reaches a module efficiency of up to 15.8%, meaning that end users can generate an increased energy supply independently.
Top Brand PV Seal Sharp has received EUPD Research’s Top Brand PV Seal for the fourth year in a row, evaluated by installers. EUPD considers brand awareness, customer choice and distribution in awarding seals to manufacturers, which provide an endorsement of a manufacturer’s all-round performance.
