Nexamp, a leading provider of solar energy solutions, and Nextility, a provider of power, gas, and solar energy solutions for commercial customers, today announced the completion of an 88-kW rooftop solar system at Schernecker Property Services’ (SPS) headquarters in Waltham, Mass. The project was designed and built by Nexamp and financed by Nextility, who will own and operate the project.

The project consists of 270 Suniva solar modules, three Advanced Energy inverters and PanelClaw mounting.

“SPS is committed adding value for the properties and clients with whom we work,” said Fred Schernecker, CEO of SPS.  “We are pleased with Nexamp’s installation process.  With the advancements the solar industry has made, we anticipate strong performance at this location.  Positive results should lead to wider adoption of solar by our clients on their properties.”

Under Nextility’s 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA), SPS will receive a 35% discount off of the utility rate for the energy produced by the 270 panel solar array. SPS expects to save well over $100,000 in electricity costs over the life of the agreement.

“We’re pleased to be able to offer significant savings through solar without requiring any upfront investment or behavior change,” said Nextility CEO Zach Axelrod. “This was our first PV project in Massachusetts’ competitive solar market, and Nexamp’s expertise was invaluable.”

For Nexamp, this project is the latest in their Massachusetts portfolio of over 225 installations, ranging from small commercial rooftops to utility scale ground-mounted arrays.  “Our full solar service offerings and deep local expertise enable us to work with partners at any stage of a solar project,” said Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp. “We are always excited to work with innovative partners like Nextility, who advance the development of better energy solutions for Massachusetts ratepayers.”

Solar Power World

With over 22 years of experience, Mounting Systems is proud to announce it will supply its Sigma Steel ground mount system for a 4 MW PV project to be located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Sunstall will complete the on-site installation of the ground mount system. juwi of Boulder, Colorado developed and will oversee construction of the PV project.

“Our system’s unique self-healing corrosion protection coating and module clamp click technology allowed us to provide a competitively priced product with superior performance. The system will not only go up quickly, but will provide the infrastructure enabling solar power generation in the coming decades,” said Kasim Ersoy, President of Mounting Systems, Inc. The one-post system will support approximately 12,720 modules producing electricity.

Solar Power World

Clean Solar, a top-rated residential and commercial solar installer in the Bay Area, announced last week the expansion of its residential solar division into San Joaquin County to include the regions of Tracy and Mountain House. To better serve this area’s solar power needs, the company has increased staff levels and the number of dedicated Sales Site Analysts serving this region.

Previous Clean Solar residential solar installations in Tracy and San Joaquin County were installed on a case-by-case basis. The company is familiar with the local jurisdictions and permitting requirements to expedite the installation process for clients in this area.

Tracy and Mountain House residents, as all Bay Area homeowners, will continue to have multiple solar panel, inverter, and mounting technology options. San Joaquin County’s available solar financing options are nearly identical to Bay Area counties. PACE Financing is being adopted rapidly and is currently available in the City of Tracy and portions of Mountain House.

Further punctuating the company’s growth, Clean Solar announced last month the expansion of their commercial installation division to include the North Bay cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, and Vacaville.

Solar Power World

Sighten, a solar software provider, announced it has closed a $3.5M Series A financing round. This financing is led by Obvious Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on world-positive businesses building solutions to the world’s systemic challenges. The investment is one of the largest in solar software to date, and enables Sighten to rapidly develop its end-to-end platform and support its growing customer base.

“The solar industry is at a turning point. While we have seen significant advances in solar hardware, financing, and sales, software has grown more slowly and still involves horizontal tools and point solutions,” said Andrew Beebe, managing director of Obvious Ventures. “A complex industry like solar benefits from dedicated software which acts as a standard platform for all parties in the value chain. When we got to know the Sighten team and fully grasped the scope and depth of their software, it became a very easy decision to support their growth.”

Sighten offers a software toolset for solar—a comprehensive and flexible platform spanning the entire project lifecycle from initial lead to ongoing portfolio management. To date, solar companies and investors have had to navigate a patchwork of solutions or build in-house tools, creating inefficiencies, increasing costs, and holding back growth. By consolidating key functionality into a single platform, Sighten allows its customers to focus on what they do best and not worry about building or integrating software.

“We are excited to partner with Obvious Ventures and continue to help our clients succeed through technology,” said Conlan O’Leary, CEO and co-founder of Sighten. “Our team of industry veterans have decades of experience working in solar and the scar tissue to prove it. We’ve built every aspect of the Sighten toolset with specific industry challenges in mind and our partners appreciate the domain-expertise embedded in our software. With funding and counsel from Obvious Ventures, we will rapidly scale the organization to further develop our platform and continue to support our customers throughout the solar ecosystem.”

Andrew Beebe will join Sighten’s board of directors as part of the investment. Beebe was previously vice president of distributed generation for NextEra Energy and chief commercial officer at Suntech.

Solar Power World

The Alchemist, the Vermont maker of Heady Topper, is getting a boost from the local sun to green its brewing operations.

AllEarth Renewables, a Vermont-based solar tracker manufacturer and developer of solar projects, and the Alchemist have announced a partnership that will provide the brewery solar energy from a portion of a 150kW Vermont solar orchard.

The new solar project will provide nearly 100 percent of the energy the Waterbury brewery needs annually with emissions free, net metered solar and provide the company long-term annual savings on its electric bill.

The Alchemist, of Waterbury, Vt. recently joined the Ceres Brewery Climate Challenge, committing to reduce its green house gas emissions and join the call for substantive climate action. The initiative emphasizes “using less energy, choosing clean energy, and investing in new technologies,” and that environmental stewardship and successful business goes hand-in-hand.

“We saw first-hand the effects of climate instability when we got flooded out of our own brewery during Tropical Storm Irene. We are committed to our customers not only to brew the best quality beers we can, but to take leadership in addressing our climate challenges. Through this partnership, we can do this and save money in our business operations,” Alchemist co-owner Jen Kimmich.

In addition to the new solar commitment, The Alchemist’s Waterbury cannery has increased its composting and side streaming program to reduce its waste.

At a new energy efficient facility and visitors center the brewery is constructing in Stowe, Vt., The Alchemist is installing cutting edge technology to reclaim and re-use all of the CO2 the brewery will produce and they are installing an innovative water treatment facility to minimize the strength of their wastewater.

The 150kW system in Bethel, Vt. is hosted on Michael and Amy Manning’s land who plan to plant clover around the solar array for forage for honey bees.  Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) will remain with the project.

“We have always wanted our land to help support itself and these projects are good for the community,” said Michael Manning. “We’re proud to have this in our backyard.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Alchemist to provide locally-produced solar power for their top-ranked beer. Their decision’s to go solar sends a strong message about their values as a company and commitment to both the Vermont economy and taking leadership to address our energy challenges,” added David Blittersdorf, president and CEO of AllEarth Renewables.

Solar Power World

Wednesday, December 2, 2015
2:00pm EDT / 11:00am PDT

Utility-scale solar is booming, and residential solar is on the rise, but the small-commercial solar market is still largely unrealized, despite wide open potential for growth. In this webinar, learn how to grow your business by taking advantage of this untapped sector, which some are calling the next goldmine of the solar industry.

We’ll give you an overview of small commercial solar development, taking you through financing opportunities and challenges, diving into how to make small commercial solar more economical through project design and standardization, and giving you tips on how to eliminate hidden project costs and maximize your sales and installation efficiency and capability.

What participants will learn:

• The opportunities, challenges, and best practices of small commercial financing
• How to use project design and standardization to make small commercial installations more economical
• Ways to reduce soft costs and mobilize resources to optimize small commercial installations

Brought to you by:
AllEarth Solar

Solar Power World

Solar Power World

Conergy, one of the largest downstream solar companies operating globally, announces the launch of its Future Solar Leaders Program and its first program, taking ten top American students to attend the Conference of Parties climate change negotiations (COP21) in Paris this December. The goals of the program are to increase media coverage of solar policy and industry successes across the world and support the next generation of solar leaders in publishing investigative journalism that holds official COP21 delegates accountable to strong renewable energy commitments.

With nearly 300 applications from the top universities and environmental networks across the country, Conergy’s ten Future Solar Leaders were selected at a less than four percent acceptance rate. The students were selected based on prior climate change leadership, excellence in communication, and proven ability to take risks in business networking environments. On the ground in Paris, the Future Leaders will meet with and interview official United Nation delegates about solar and publish pieces on Conergy’s blog as well as in popular mainstream publications.

The Future Solar Leaders ­chosen are Eric Beeler (George Washington University, Washington D.C.), Zach Bielak (Rice University, Houston, TX), Rohith Desikan (Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA), Emma Hutchinson (Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA), Christina Cilento (Northwestern University, Chicago, IL), Shana Gallagher (Tufts University, Boston, MA), Jake Kornack (Willamette University, Salem, OR), Caroline Saunders (Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN), Salwa Shameem (University of Chicago, IL), Kyle Sundman (University of Denver, Colorado). The students are in undergraduate, Public Policy Masters, and MBA programs.

The group has collective experience working for nearly all the major environmental NGOs and government agencies, including 350.org’s Fossil Free Campaign, the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, Citizen’s Engagement Lab (CEL), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Senate, TEDx, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The students are also collectively fluent in Chinese, Spanish, French and Hindi.

“We are thrilled to launch this program and support the next generation of solar leaders in elevating the topic of solar at these ever-important climate negotiations,” says Yann Brandt, Regional Head of The Americas at Conergy.

The Future Leaders will be staying in the heart of Paris in a communal home, giving them the opportunity to exchange ideas and strategize collaboratively in order to obtain the highest quality interviews and compose engaging published media.

Solar Power World

Strong solar photovoltaic production and shipments are forecast during the first half of 2016, due to installation deadlines, sunsetting solar tax credits and other policy dynamics of the two largest global solar markets, China and the United States. Global solar PV installations are forecast to increase by 33 percent in 2015, to reach 58.7 gigawatts (GW). Demand will remain strong, but growth will slow to 12 percent in 2016. Global solar PV demand will reach 65.5 GW next year, according to IHS Inc., the leading global source of critical information and insight.

Strong PV demand, and supply restrictions to the U.S. market created by anti-dumping trade disputes, will prevent prices from falling in the first half of 2016. Most tier-one module and wafer suppliers will experience limited product availability until the second quarter (Q2) of 2016, partly due to high demand from installations in China and the United States. “Given the current shortage, wafer prices might still rise for a few months, despite declining polysilicon prices,” said Edurne Zoco, senior manager and principal analyst, IHS Technology.

The additional quota announced by China last month will be connected by June 2016, in order to receive 2015 incentives, and at that point the majority of modules for large ground-mounted U.S. projects are also expected to be completed. For these reasons, average selling prices (ASPs) along the module value-chain are forecast to fall in the second half of 2016.

“Global PV demand for 2017 will slow, which will adversely affect module ASPs and margins in the second half of 2016,” Zoco said. “There will be some buildup of inventory, and module price declines will be much heavier than they were in 2015 and during the first half of 2016. A slump in global PV demand in 2017 looks increasingly likely, as the United States is expected to suffer a major decline in 2017, following planned significant reductions in the country’s investment tax credit.”

Stalling utility-scale project development in 2017 will lead to a predicted 7.8 GW decline in annual installations. The remainder of the global market will grow by 11 percent; however, this growth rate will not entirely counter the sharper decline in the United States, which will cause the global market to fall by low single digits in 2017. “It’s important to note that new policy regulations and incentives in other global markets could mitigate some of the forecasted slowing growth in 2017,” Zoco said.

Solar Power World

The Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA), awarded the 2015 Solar Champion Award today to Pickwick Electric Cooperative (PEC), at the reception following the organization’s annual meeting at the Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP office in Nashville.

“TenneSEIA is proud to present our Solar Champion Award to John Bowers and the Pickwick Electric Cooperative team for their leadership in solar within the local power company and cooperative community. Pickwick has been instrumental in furthering the advancement of solar penetration in the state and ‘moving the needle’ in terms of operating solar project capacity across the country,” Gil Melear-Hough, President of TenneSEIA.

PEC’s President John Bowers and Past President Karl Dudley’s forward thinking management and leadership in engineering design principles, coupled with their commitment to serve the needs and priorities of all customer members, has made utility scale solar a reality in the TVA service area and the State of Tennessee. Many utilities and cooperatives across the country have since looked to PEC as a leader on how to facilitate solar deployment and grid interconnections.  PEC’s accomplishments have garnered the local power company with national attention and awards, including being named the number one utility in the nation to add the most solar generated energy per customer in 2014 by the Solar Electric Power Association.

Over the past few years, Pickwick has interconnected over 40 Megawatts (MW) of solar energy capacity and has an additional 30 MW of capacity approved and due to come online to its distribution system in 2016. Currently, the solar farms on PEC’s distribution system produce approximately 60,000 MWh of electricity a year, which is the same amount of energy used by 4,800 average homes. Each year, the solar farms will offset approximately 32,220 tons of CO2. Over 400 local contractors were used to build the solar farms and 1.45 million in direct expenditures were spent directly in McNairy County for wages, lodging and supplies.

“Pickwick’s leadership among local power companies and within the TVA region has created significant job opportunities, resulted in a boost to the local economy and will contribute to continued growth through its ability to market the community as a national leader in environmentally responsible energy generation. The successes of rural cooperatives such as Pickwick highlight solar energy’s momentum across the United States and the true potential we can achieve when the solar industry and utilities work together,” Matt Brown, Director of Utility Development & Strategy for Silicon Ranch Corporation.

TenneSEIA has been working closely with TVA and Local Power Companies (LPCs) since the industry association incorporated in 2010. LPCs are integral to solar development in the Valley, as they collaborate with the local solar industry to administer the interconnection of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to the grid. TenneSEIA congratulates Pickwick Electric Cooperative on their well-earned Solar Champion Award and looks forward to seeing PEC’s continued leadership in creating new business models and utility best practices that ensure solar continues to be a viable resource affordable and accessible for all.

Solar Power World

Tier 1 PV module manufacturer Vikram Solar announced its 60- and 72-cell multi-crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic modules belonging to ELDORA Prime, Ultima, Neo, Grand & Grand Ultima Series will be offered with a linear power warranty up to 27 years across the globe.

The warranted power degradation will be 2.5% in the 1st year, about 0.67% year-on-year from 2nd year till 27th year, finally ending with 80.1% of the original power measured under STC conditions, at the end of the 27th year.

Vikram Solar has run extended in-house reliability test programs on all the above-mentioned types of modules for the past one year and collected data on failure mechanisms and substantiated them with established reliability models before they decided to go ahead and announce these “industry leading warranty terms.”

Mr. Ivan Saha, President & Chief Technology Officer, Vikram Solar commented on the achievement, “We stand by our commitment to global markets and constantly challenge ourselves to deliver lowest cost of ownership to our global customers. By validating these differentiated and best-in-class warranty terms, our Research & Development team has helped us to position our modules as the natural choice for long- term investments. Validation of module degradation is a complex process and is dependent on a number of variables like materials and process conditions used for manufacturing, weather conditions across various geographies, impact of long term degradation effects like UV, humidity and temperature, etc.”

The Research and Development team at Vikram Solar followed a well-structured process starting with detailed Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) for each stage of design, manufacturing and usage of materials, sub-components and processes. They followed it up with material level testing and life estimation, process modifications with ‘Design for Reliability’ concepts, outdoor testing of modules and finally long duration testing under ‘Highly Accelerated Stress Test’ (HAST) conditions. The results correlated field failure and lifetime test data in a ‘Unified Reliability Model’. It was also noted that under extreme field conditions, Vikram Solar ELDORA multi-crystalline modules behaved much better than what others in the market offer today.

Vikram Solar is rolling out this warranty term for all the above product types manufactured and shipped as early as December 1, 2015.

Solar Power World

Artists, students, activists and other community members organized by Community Power and its partners are gathering this morning for a slow-motion demonstration at Xcel Energy’s Headquarters. The protest is in response to the utility’s staggering delays in processing community solar gardens. At the 11:30 am demonstration, participants will ask Xcel to live up to their “responsible by nature” slogan and comply with their legal obligation to approve solar applications within 90 days.

As of October 5, 2015, Xcel has received 1,662 solar garden applications, of which it has deemed 607 complete, five have been approved. Only one very small (35kW, about enough for six homes) solar garden has been constructed to date.

“It’s been more than two years since the legislature passed the law, but the utility’s own resource plan suggests it only expects to process 1 in 7 completed applications after another 15 months,” says organizer Marcus Mills of Community Power. “If it goes that long, any remaining projects will lose access to the federal 30% tax credit. That could endanger many solar projects’ viability leaving the playing field primarily accessible to utility-scale solar.”

The red tape at the protest highlights the many ways Xcel has stalled the solar program. In 2013, its first set of program rules proposed a 20-megawatt cap on the program. It took nearly 12 months for the state’s Public Utilities Commission to order up reasonable rules after Xcel also decided to opt out of using the “value of solar” pricing program the legislature intended.

Even now, with most of the debate over the rules complete, Xcel still stalls. One developer’s lawsuit contends that Xcel is withholding complete results of grid connection studies, overestimating costs, and delaying an extra 90 days every time a developer wishes to contest the outcome.

Xcel Energy continues to present itself as a friend and partner of clean energy development in Minneapolis and beyond. At the Sept. 9 Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership Board Meeting, Xcel Energy representative Lee Gabler told other members of the board, including Mayor Betsy Hodges, that Xcel was “moving urgently towards getting solar gardens approved before winter.”

“If Xcel is serious about supporting community solar and wants to be champion of clean energy – great! But they need to show it. They don’t get to unilaterally decide the scale of production,” says Alice Madden, another organizer with Community Power.

In accordance with the required timelines established in Xcel Energy’s most recent October 20th, 2015 tariff filing, Community Power & its partners demand:

• Xcel Energy process and approve all applications deemed complete as of 10/27/2015 (607 identified from 10/5, plus those received since) within 60 days (by 12/26/2015) and report results to the public.

• All future applications deemed complete after 10/27/2015 be processed within 50 days of when they are complete

• Applications not yet deemed complete as of 10/27/2015 (1,055 applications from 10/5 plus any applications received since) be reviewed and deemed complete or eliminated within 40 days (12/6/2015) and report results to the public.

Solar Power World

At Solar Power International 2015, Vice President Joe Biden kicked off his speech praising the solar industry’s growth by pointing out there are now more than 175,000 Americans employed in the industry, and the number is continuing to grow.

Last year, a study by the Center for American Progress found that in five major solar states (Arizona, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York) well over half of residential rooftop installations were in neighborhoods with average household incomes between $40,000 and $90,000.

The solar industry is empowering the American middle class in two important ways: It is enabling more homeowners than ever before to save money on their electricity bills by putting solar on their roofs, and it is fueling creation of new, high-quality, living-wage jobs for installers.

An integral driver of this growth for middle class homeowners is access to financing. Falling equipment prices have gone a long way toward making solar more affordable, but for thousands of Americans who can’t accumulate enough cash to make a down payment on a system (let alone buy it outright), falling equipment prices will never be quite enough to make the solar equation work. What these homeowners need is an alternative that enables them to choose solar and save money from Day 1 on their electricity bill. The residential finance options, and loans in particular, that have cropped up over the last two years are the missing pieces of the puzzle.

Even just a few years ago, only large, vertically integrated solar companies were equipped to offer financing to homeowners, and these options did not maximize homeowner savings as they were typically PPA or lease-style financing with built-in escalators. Homeowners who didn’t want a lease and couldn’t afford to pay cash were either on their own to work with a local bank or credit union or they were out of luck.

Low-interest solar loans have made the difference. Homeowners qualify based on credit score and are locked into a monthly payment that doesn’t escalate. They own their power source, they’re eligible for the investment tax credit (ITC) and any other regional incentives and, by realizing immediate savings on their electricity bill, they have more money in their bank account at the end of the month, increasing their spending power.

The effects of solar financing aren’t felt just by homeowners now able to access solar. President Obama’s FY16 budget outlines how building a clean energy economy strengthens America’s middle class, and when a small regional installer is outfitted with a strong residential finance option, that is exactly what happens. That installer can now compete with the larger, vertically integrated solar companies in his area that his potential customers may have already heard of. When these small and medium-sized regional installers broaden their customer base, they also have to hire-up to keep pace with demand. Thus a secondary effect of good residential solar financing is more high-quality solar jobs.

Earlier this year, President Obama observed at the National Clean Energy Summit that the American solar industry now employs twice as many workers as coal miners. According to the Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2014, the industry is adding high-quality, living-wage jobs at a rate of 20% per year. And these aren’t minimum wage jobs either; the typical solar installer makes $20 to $24 an hour, even without a college degree.

Solar is empowering middle class Americans, from the homeowners putting systems on their roofs to the installers hiring more staff to keep pace with demand. But it all comes down to creating access. In order to expand their customer base and their hiring efforts, regional installers need access to competitive finance options in the first place. In order to save money on their electricity bills, homeowners need access to low-interest loans. As an industry, it is our responsibility to make sure options proliferate and barriers to access continue to fall.

This article is by Veronica Clarkson, Business Strategy Manager at Solar Engine (a sister company to Soligent Distribution), providing financing and design services to solar installers throughout the United States.

Solar Power World

Let’s talk about your solar clients, and how they aren’t really your solar clients.

Well, that’s half true. They may be your clients because they paid you, I hope. But are they your solar clients? Turns out, the FTC says your customers can only speak or print the words, “I’m creating solar energy,” if they own the RECs, or Renewable Energy Certificates, that go along with their system.

RECs were a major topic at Renewable Energy Markets 2015, a conference in Washington, D.C., that I attended last month. According to the EPA, RECs assign property rights to the environmental, social and other non-power qualities of renewable electricity generation. RECs were created more than a decade ago to help stimulate the solar market.

Importantly, the EPA goes on, a REC can be sold separately from the underlying physical electricity associated with a generation source. In other words, the idea of a solar system and the electricity it makes are separate commodities, and each can be sold independently. Large corporations, such as Google, Apple and Starbucks, purchase RECs to offset their carbon footprints and show they are “green.” A big problem (at least among the companies that buy, sell and trade RECs and the FTC) called “double counting” occurs when the owner of a system’s RECs and the owner of the actual, physical system each claim the non-power benefits of the same array.

Confused? Let me offer an example: Joe Sunny installs a 250-kW system on the roof of his business. He proudly advertises this fact on his website. Joe Sunny doesn’t know about RECs, and why would he? There is a good chance the standard contract Joe signed with his contractor gave away his right to them. Nevertheless, he tells all his friends, family and customers that he is creating his own solar energy. It sure seems like it, too: He’s getting credits on his electricity bill. He feels good about his contribution to the health of the planet. And the array has been a good marketing tool, landing him a business deal.

The problem is, if Joe Sunny doesn’t own the RECs for his system, he just landed that deal in direct violation of Federal Trade Commission rules. And if someone, perhaps his hyper-vigilant neighbor or a website reader, complains to authorities, he could receive a warning letter in the mail. If he fails to change his “messaging,” legal consequences can follow from the FTC or the party that actually owns the RECs. From now on, according to the FTC, Joe Sunny will have to tell his potential customers, friends and family that he “provides the physical space for the production of clean energy,” which is certain to furrow brows.

And Google, or Starbucks, or whomever owns the RECs to his system, will continue selling that fact.

Is this right, wrong, somewhere in between? Let us know what you think on Twitter (@SolarPowerWorld) or in the comments section below. To learn more about RECs and making legitimate claims about your use of solar energy, read the FTC’s Green Guides.

This editorial by Steven Bushong appears in the November 2015 issue of Solar Power World.

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While we’ve known light could be transformed into electricity as early as 1839, it wasn’t until the 1950s that the first commercially available solar cells were introduced. Since then, the solar energy industry has grown rapidly—especially over the past few years, with almost 600,000 buildings in the United States using solar as an energy source.

Although solar power has become a mainstream and more affordable option, it still represents a significant investment for consumers, with installment, reliability, service contracts and potentially complicated interactions with existing utilities to think about. And, as with any fast-growth vertical, there are always a few dishonest brands that gives consumers a bad taste for the industry.

As more companies move into the industry, it’s critical for brands to focus on maintaining a positive reputation on online review sites and other sites where customers and potential customers engage with each other. Third-party review sites like ConsumerAffairs provide valuable resources to both consumers considering solar power and the brands they are considering.

1. For consumers, access to unbiased information and verified reviews – even though prices have dropped dramatically, switching to solar is still a significant investment for consumers. ConsumerAffairs’ buyer’s guide offers expert information about financing, cost and savings and equipment.
2. For brands, access to consumers at their moment of need – 78% of consumers take at least a quick look at reviews prior to making purchasing decisions. If a company has nothing but negative reviews, or no reviews at all, consumers may head to a company with a better reputation.
3. For consumers, access to brands’ customer service channels – And for brands, access to their least satisfied customers. Reputation is the strongest sales tool available in the modern marketplace. Partnering with third-party review sites gives your customer service team the ability to engage and improve the experiences of your customers.

See the Solar Energy buyer’s guide.

Solar Power World

Solar Power World

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Association for Demand Response and Smart Grid (ADS) announced they are joining forces and will now move forward as one organization under the SEPA banner.

The announcement follows SEPA’s recent move to expand its mission from a focus on utility integration of only large-scale and distributed solar to a broader view including a suite of distributed energy resources, from demand response and storage to microgrids, electric vehicles and other smart-grid technologies.

A rebranding effort is being planned for early 2016, which will include a name change that reflects the organization’s expanded mission.

“It became apparent to the boards of both organizations earlier this year that by working more closely, as a single organization, we could better serve the needs of all our members,” said Steve Malnight, Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs at Pacific Gas and Electric, and SEPA Board Chair. “By leveraging the considerable strengths of both groups, we will be able to participate in the evolution of the electricity business in even more meaningful ways.”

“The mission of ADS will remain alive and well at SEPA,” added Howard Smith, Manager of Distributed Energy Resource Policy at Southern Company Services, who has chaired the ADS Board.  “All our board members will transition to a newSEPA Advisory Board on Demand Response andSmart Grid, which will work closely with SEPA staff. Three individuals who served on the ADS Board of Directors will now sit on the SEPA Board of Directors.”

The ADS representatives joining the SEPA Board of Directors are Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer for Siemens Smart Grid; Frank Lacey, Vice President of Regulatory and Market Strategy for CPower; and Seth Frader-Thompson, President of EnergyHub.

“ADS has been able to accomplish a lot in 12 years,” said Dan Delurey, founder and CEO of the group.  “But there is still much to do, and this combination of ADS and SEPA will create an organization that is better able to tackle the work ahead.”

ADS member companies will now be part of a growing roster of more than 1,000 utilities, technology vendors, project developers, government agencies and other energy stakeholder organizations in the SEPA network, said Julia Hamm, SEPA President and CEO.

“The issues and interests of solar, demand response and the smart grid will only become more intertwined as we move forward,” Hamm said. “With the strength of ADS added into the fold, SEPA can forge new opportunities to create an extended community, which will, in turn, produce the data and insights necessary for our industry to thrive as we transition to an increasingly clean and decentralized grid.”

Solar Power World

Photo: General Cable

Planning for solar array wiring is a detailed process with timing and financial implications. The variety of solar cables available, the specific uses for each and the supply chain are reasons why solar cabling should never be an afterthought.

“The best advice is to spend the proper time on the development of the project and have experienced installation personnel,” said Hanss Bruss, key account manager for solar at Helukabel. “It’s important to understand the latest changes in codes and to be aware of the features of quality cable that will last in the severe environment that solar panels are exposed to, and have experienced people planning the installation.”

Oftentimes, contractors will order cable for a project months ahead of construction. Project size can impact lead-time, with larger projects requiring additional oversight due to the cost of materials.

“Establishing an early, upfront relationship with a cabling manufacturer can help ensure the right cable for the job, as well as guarantee product availability and seamless logistics once the project commences,” said Karen Wilkinson, director of marketing communications at General Cable.

When ordering cables, the project’s engineering firm (EPC) analyzes the specifics of the project and sets the required cable specifications. To ensure the right cable is procured, the EPC provides a Bill of Laden to the contractor or information such as ampacity requirements, soil conditions, project size, voltage and temperature considerations.

Furthermore, the National Electric Code (NEC) designates the requirements for cable used in solar systems. The conductor size is determined by the ampacity and voltage of the system. The local jurisdiction can provide input on cabling. And there are some options that are not specified by the NEC, such as LSZH/Zero Halogen requirements, flame retardant and materials.

Contractors purchase a variety of low-voltage power and control cables, as well as medium-voltage distribution cable. Cables that connect the solar panels together transfer the dc power generated to the inverter. Other cables take the ramped up ac power from the inverter to the transformer where it is then transferred into the grid or used by the local application. Communication and control cables are found throughout the installation. They can provide performance data and power tracker motors.

“Given the often extreme installation environment for solar power systems, coupled with the need to save time and ensure reliability, pre-connectorized cable solutions are a consideration,” Wilkinson said.

Ideal for utility scale generation systems, pre-connectorized solutions enable fast, easy connections, simplifying installation while removing the inconsistencies associated with field termination.

Along those same lines, DC feeder cables for connecting combiner boxes to inverters are now offered as all-in-one metal-clad cables that increase reliability and eliminate the need to install conduit. PV cables are also being engineered in colors to easily identify source, output and inverter circuits without the need for time-consuming marking tape or tagging cables.

With project cost being a key consideration, ordering extra cable should be minimized. A good working relationship between the project engineer and cable provider can prevent buying more cable than necessary, although every project should include extra cable to cover normal usage and scrap considerations on a project. Cable manufacturers can help determine how much extra cable is prudent based on experience and the overall scope of the project, giving contractors peace of mind that they will not waste money or be left having to store and manage excess inventory that they may never be able to use.

“These cables can get pretty big and copper is expensive so the less scrap is better, but no one wants to have contractors sitting idle when you run out of material,” said Neal Allen, key account and industry manager at Helukabel.

Solar Power World

SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for nearly 40 years, has supplied two projects totaling 2.6 MWp of American-made solar panels for facilities of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Wichita installation

Efficient Energy of Tennessee (EETN) was the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the solar systems at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita, Kan., and West Texas VA Health Center in Big Spring, Texas. San Francisco-based CivicSolar provided distribution services for the projects. The three companies are finalists in bidding on other VA installations. The projects in Kansas and Texas, each including parking canopy systems, were completed over recent months.

The three companies are proud to announce that they are helping to spur the agency’s build-out of its renewable-energy supplies. The VA has set its sights toward generating as much as 5 percent of its power supply from solar over the short term and 20 percent by 2020. All three companies value their roles in equipping the VA’s drive to meet its clean energy goals. In fact, EETN, founded by a veteran, has supported up to 20 jobs for veterans at its solar projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“We honor and value our nation’s returning soldiers, and all they have done for us,” said Ardes Johnson, U.S. vice president for sales of SolarWorld Americas Inc. and a former naval officer. “We know that solar can reduce the amount of fuel and fuel convoys in theater and therefore save lives as well as curb our needs for foreign fossil fuels. We also embrace the skills, leadership and training of our military men and women as potential employees working to advance this American-pioneered high-tech manufacturing industry.”

Big Spring installation

Efficient Energy of Tennessee was established in 2009 in Powell, Tenn., by Robbie Thomas, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force.

“As a veteran, I fully understand how expanding renewable energy supports our national defense and energy security,” Thomas said. “Efficient Energy of Tennessee is proud to support veterans in the solar energy workforce because they bring an unparalleled skill set and unyielding focus to accomplish the mission.”

CivicSolar said it was honored to supply these flagship VA projects with high-quality, made-in-the-USA products that comply with federal Buy American Act requirements. CivicSolar’s ability to support and supply multiple solar projects exceeding 1 MW enabled the company to contribute significant value to the projects.

“Being able to supply multiple sites with BAA product in a timely fashion allowed EETN and CivicSolar to support the VA nationwide,” said Stuart Rentz, CEO of CivicSolar.

Solar Power World

Zhongli Talesun Solar has announced the availability of the integrated Tigo’s modular TS4 platform to its PV modules portfolio. The TS4 enhances PV modules performance through state of the art optimization technology utilizing the patent pending PIV-Predictive IV, TS4 is the only platform offering Selective Deployment abilities resulting in the lowest cost optimization in the market and the availability of real-time monitoring, while ensuring a reduction in the overall maintenance costs. Zhongli Talesun provides this product offering alongside a variety of its modules, to target the domestic as well as the international market.

“Intelligent PV module is a market trend. We are very pleased to add the TS4 Platform, which provides consumers a more intelligent and safer way to use clean energy”, stated Paul Ni, Chief Technology Officer of Zhongli Talesun Solar.

“Tigo is distinguished in the industry as being sole company to offer a modular platform where customers can cater their PV Module behavior according to their needs by simply replacing the covers,” says Zvi Alon, Tigo CEO. “By combining our leading technologies with Zhongli Talesun, we will be able to provide the solar market with the finest solar energy generation products and management systems.”

Compared to a traditional JBox, the Tigo TS4, will significantly upgrade Zhongli Talesun’s PV modules to a more premium product with greater connectivity, efficiency, and output. The smart module with the Tigo TS4 is fully integrated and compatible with all leading inverters, monitoring equipment, and mounting solutions, offering increased safety, flexible system design, reduced O&M costs, and real-time monitoring.

Talesun’s and Tigo’s superior cooperation is confirming the increase market demand for Smart PV Modules. This association offers an excellent opportunity for Talesun and Tigo to deliver superior solution to the customer in which all parties benefit, as they improve the solar technology and adapt to the demand for smarter, more convenient and higher quality products.

Solar Power World