Inverter placement question

[DownRiverGUy]

[weressl]

What competition? That the OP's question concerns a cometition was a speculative post by somebody, never verified by the OP.

[DownRiverGUy]

http://solardecathlon.org/

[newenergy]

There are lots of listed inverters. http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/equipment/inverter.php
All of these should be.

Inverters function better out of the heat. Mounting low could be better for this, but if there is more shade from an eave it could be better higher.

A lot of inverters have an integrated disconnect. If that's the case it has to be readily accessible (or additional disconnects are needed). The inverter itself doesn't have to be readily accessible (it can be mounted on the roof) if the disconnects are separate.