2000V: Solar Odyssey — How and Why the Industry is Moving Towards 2000V Systems

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Last Updated on: 11th April 2025, 10:18 pm

By Brian Nelson, ABB’s Renewables Segment Leader in the United States

The renewable energy landscape is evolving faster than ever. Building on the successful evolution from 600V to 1500V utility-scale solar systems, the next frontier at 2000V promises to deliver substantial efficiency gains and cost reductions that will accelerate renewable adoption.

In this episode of CleanTech Talk, Scott Cooney and I explore the groundbreaking transformation in utility-scale solar as the industry advances toward 2000V DC systems. This shift represents not just an incremental improvement, but a fundamental reimagining of how we design and deploy renewable energy infrastructure.

The transition to 2000V systems creates a cascade of benefits throughout the entire system, delivering reduced equipment requirements, lower project costs, and improved energy yield. For developers and EPCs, this means achieving more with less — fewer components, reduced installation complexity, and enhanced system efficiency. We also discuss the real-world challenges in this transition and how the industry is collaborating to overcome technical hurdles while navigating evolving certification standards.

Listen as we unpack how 2000V technology is poised to revolutionize utility-scale solar economics and how early adopters will gain a competitive edge in renewable energy’s next chapter. And if you want to read more about this transformation when you’re done, take a look at my recent blog, “Driving Innovation Together: The Path to 2000V Systems in Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects.”

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