Deployment and jobs predictions with an extension of the solar ITC.

Today Congress voted for an extension of the solar investment tax credit (ITC) as part of a larger spending bill. What does this mean for the solar industry? SEIA shared some of the potential impacts, listed below:

1. The ITC extension will lead to more than 72 GW of PV installations from 2016 to 2020. This represents an increase of over 25 GW (or 54%) over baseline expectations without the extension.
2. By 2020, the U.S. will have installed about 98 GW of PV and 2 GW of CSP, adding up to 100 GW of solar electric capacity. That is enough to power 20 million U.S. homes.
3. By 2020, the U.S. will be installing 20 GW of solar capacity each year. For perspective, 20 GW was the total amount of capacity installed in the U.S. in history.
4. Solar will provide 3.5% of all U.S. electricity by 2020, up from 0.1% in 2010. This represents an increase of over 3,000% in just a decade.
5. The ITC extension will add 220,000 solar jobs over the next five years.
6. Total solar industry employment in 2020 is expected to reach 420,000 workers, more than double the number today and 180,000 more jobs than would be expected without the ITC.
7. The ITC extension will spur an estimated $40 billion in additional investment in the U.S. economy between 2016 and 2020, compared to baseline projections.
8. By 2020, estimates show the U.S. solar industry adding more than $30 billion annually into the U.S. economy.
9. Assuming the lift of the oil export ban increases global CO2 emissions by 10 million metric tons (MMT) annually, the ITC extension is estimated to fully offset those additional emissions on an annual basis by 2019.
10. By 2021, the U.S. solar generation will offset more than 100 MMW of CO2 annually, which matches the emissions of 27 typical coal power plants of 20 million passenger vehicles.

Solar Power World

Article by the Solar Power World editorial team

Let’s be clear: Had the sun set on the solar ITC, our industry would have survived, albeit with less impressive growth domestically. Supported by innovating thinking, global markets, consumer demand and proven returns with minimal risk—and much else—solar energy is an unstoppable force worldwide.

But the expiration of tax incentives would have hurt, and it would have afflicted our readership particularly. Each year, we publish the Top 500 Solar Contractors list, and the majority of companies appearing are residential and commercial installers, all from North America. They represent our readership. While the true fallout from an ITC loss has been debated, most experts agree it would have cost many thousands of jobs.

Our greatest concern, not as an editorial team but as people, was that these companies we’ve come to know and admire—from our Top 500 list, from our Contractors Corner podcast series, from our numerous project stories and case studies—would be at risk. The people of solar are optimistic—some, we’d say, to a fault—and most are in this business not only to make a buck, but also because they care about the environment and the future effects of climate change.

Much of our readership has given solar their all—all their time, money, trust, emotion—and as a result of consistent hard work, the technology is on the cusp of wide-scale adoption, grid-parity, full-on market acceptance. We’re being led there by innovations in software, financing and power management; growing relationships between municipalities, utilities and industry; continuing progress in panel efficiency, inverter reliability and mounting technology. The price of solar has dropped every year.

It would have been insane to come this far and voluntarily give up a major industry driver, the ITC. But solar technology is proven, and the benefits it provides—economic and environmental—cannot be ignored. That’s why members of Congress from across the political spectrum voted to extend the ITC today, ensuring continued growth for the U.S. solar industry. When the votes came through the House and then the Senate, we at SPW couldn’t help but throw a little party. We were relieved and ecstatic!

This news is immense, as is our gratitude to all of the people who worked so hard to secure the ITC extension and the excitement we feel for the companies comprising the solar industry. We hope, during this holiday season, that everyone in this industry feels a little lighter because, thankfully, the solar industry has never been brighter.

Solar Power World

In light of the recent vote to pass the ITC extension, we spoke to contractors and manufacturers and shared some of their responses here. 

Contractors/developers/EPCs

“Pleased for sure, and surprised. But politics is an unpredictable business and you never know what might pop up to drive events. In this case, the oil export ban being lifted and, probably, some tailwinds from the Paris conference converged to make an extension possible. Where absent these factors, I don’t think it would have been. It certainly gives us some run way to work with and continue to focus on domestic U.S. solar. I think some of the fundamental challenges to the sector remain, but this takes some of the pressure off of us to find work in international markets.”
-John Hereford, Oak Leaf Energy Partners

“The extension alleviates most of my concerns about supply shortages for next year. The step-down plan for 2021 should help solar eventually stand on its own two feet a bit better. In the meantime, some of the subsidies for oil and gas need to be reduced or eliminated. Solar is meant to be a long-term goal for everyone, not just short-term bursts that have led to sloppy installations, a few questionable dealings and some solar businesses failing. Solar is meant to be sustainable for all of us.”
-Ben Zook, Belmont Solar

“Wow! This came completely as a surprise and unexpected for me. I believe it will generate more revenues and create jobs. The five-year extension is much needed in the industry to bridge into the next decade. I believe that in six years from now, there will be no more incentives needed as there will be enough critical mass installed to be competitive without incentives. Hope that counts for coal and nuclear as well.  Changes in an industry or market also provides opportunities. It is better with the extension now but it would not have been the end of the world without either.”
-Carlos Mayer, President & CEO vis solis

“The impact of the ITC would specifically mean a more stable growth plan for our company. We will be to be able to continue adding customers to our pipeline, instead of having a realistic cut-off date to onboard projects, we can commit to have them ready by the end of 2016—which was going to be very stressful. Now, with the new phase out plan of the ITC, we would not have a cliff of 30% to 10%, but a more subtle digestible transition both for solar companies and end-users.  To a certain extent we were never worried, because we’ve know of the ITC deadline for a while now. We just needed to plan around the new reality of a post-ITC solar industry. We believe in our industry and we understand that markets change, policy changes and with this reality we just needed to be flexible enough to adjust in a timely manner.”
-L. Javier Ruiz – LEED AP, Border Solar

“I think we still need the ITC to support commercial solar DG. I think the apparent tradeoff between lifting the oil export ban and support for renewables makes a lot of sense given the divided political context. It will allow us to continue to execute commercial solar projects where local rate dynamics are still conducive.”
-Rob Dallal, Director, Natural Power and Energy

“The extension will keep the residential market going nicely. The commercial market will also be enhanced but not as much, because it can survive the expiration of the 30% ITC. I hoped for the best and planned for the worst. I am a veteran of tax credit extensions here in Hawaii. I had a bet the credits would be extended. But, you never know!”
-Jim Whitcomb, Haleakala Solar

“Developers around the world already know that the economics of solar are strong enough to stand on their own. However, we are thrilled to see this extension to preserve the thousands of jobs we may have lost in a 2017 cliff scenario. Solar is already growing rapidly, and the ITC extension is going to dramatically expand the size of the solar market over the next five years, benefiting distributed solar companies like UGE.​”
– Nick Blitterswyk​, CEO of UGE

“Grateful. Conergy can now look 5 years ahead and make business decisions with regulatory certainty. Our team thanks the U.S. Congress for valuing our work and for the relief going into the holidays.”
-Conergy team

Manufacturers and service providers

“We’re delighted for every area of solar. The extension gives certainty, which in business and in life is generally a very good thing. What was going to happen without it? No one could answer, quite rightly, because, first, people were thinking about 2016, and, second, people don’t want to conjecture. Now people can have a view, with a good degree of certainly, about 2017. This is a big sign for investors. Paris kicked it off with governments giving policy clarity to investment community. It’s the investment community that will provide capital for policy targets, so the investment community is getting a lot of green lights from a high level. The insurance companies and pension companies, the ones that have the billions of dollars that will be needed for this to work, now have the structure they need, and people can start planning.”
-Graham Smith, CEO, Open Energy

“We support the extension of the ITC and a clearly defined long term step-down strategy. This illustrates the strong national support for domestic energy security and economic stability along with job growth. This aligns directly with the Fronius strategy of domestic manufacturing and renewables job creation. In addition, the Fronius corporate vision of 24 Hours Sun recognizes a global shift from centralized fossil dependent energy generation to the more sustainable future of distributed renewable energy generation and storage.”
-Tristan Kreager, Director of Solar Energy, Fronius USA

“For EcoFasten Solar in particular, our roof mounts are largely used in both the commercial and residential markets, which are both poised to grow 35% and 50% respectively. Without the extension of the ITC, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where those numbers would fall, but I think it’s pretty safe to say the significant upward growth from years past might not be as robust. We’re extremely lucky to live in a time when we have a huge segment of the population dedicated to promoting renewable energy, who are emotionally invested in the idea of a sustainable planet.”
-Jolene Ciosek, EcoFasten Solar

“We feel very proud of our country for continuing to support renewable energy and the U.S. solar industry.”
-Jason Higginson, Senior Director of Marketing, APsystems

“Most Excellent! This will enable us to continue to grow our business at a faster rate then without the ITC. Given the recent events in Paris and hard press for renewables I didn’t think they would let it drop. Honestly I would prefer if all incentives for energy generation were removed including oil and gas allowing all to compete on a level playing field with a tax on emissions. This would bring to light the benefits of renewables! The PV train has so much momentum I don’t think it would slow it down too much if the ITC dropped, the industry would adapt and innovate just has it always has.”
-Elie Rothschild, Sales Manager, Sollega

Other industry professionals

“The impending reduction of the Solar Investment Tax Credit is the single biggest impediment to the continued and steady growth of the US solar industry.  Although significant reductions in installation costs and advances in technology have put the U.S. solar industry well on its way to the day when little or no governmental incentives will be required, the proposed extension will give the industry a workable and definitive timeline in which to continue on that path.  The extension will give the US solar industry a timely boost that will enable it to play a significant and necessary role in the implementation of the recently adopted Federal Clean Power Plan and the Paris Climate Change Agreement.”
-Stephen Kisker, chair of Chiesa, Shahinian & Giantomasi’s Renewable Energy and Sustainability Group

Solar Power World

It’s official: The U.S. solar industry will not fall off a cliff come 2017. The U.S. Congress agreed on a bill that extends the solar investment tax credit (ITC) by five additional years, as part of a $1.15 trillion spending bill.

As summarized by research firm IHS, key details of the extension include:

• The ITC will be extended from Dec. 31, 2016, and instead stepped down from 30% to 10% until 2024. Projects that start construction by 2019 will receive the current 30% ITC, while projects that begin construction in 2020 and 2021 will receive 26% and 22%, respectively. All projects must be completed by 2024 to obtain these elevated ITC rates.
• For residential photovoltaic (PV) systems, a similar tax credit phase-out applies until December 31, 2021, after which the tax credit scheme ends.

Trade association SEIA has long been on the frontline of this policy battle, and president and CEO Rhone Resch had much to say about this significant event:

“This historic vote brings the solar industry to the forefront of the conversation about American energy. The ITC extension makes America and its solar industry the world’s preeminent producer of clean and affordable energy.

“We commend members of Congress in both parties for taking this bold step and we look forward to delivering on the promise that this policy now offers all Americans.

“Thanks to the ITC, solar energy will add 220,000 new jobs by 2020, and with this extension, the solar industry can achieve its pledge of employing 50,000 veterans. Clean solar energy will cut emissions by 100 million metric tons and replace dozens of dirty power plants. Importantly, in the follow up to the Paris accord, this establishes the United States as a model for the reduction of greenhouse gases.

“A five-year extension of the ITC will lead to more than $133 billion in new, private sector investment in the U.S. economy by 2020. And much of this growth will come from small businesses, which make up more than 85% of America’s 8,000 solar companies.

“Solar power in this nation will more than triple by 2020, hitting 100 GW. That’s enough to power 20 million homes and represents 3.5% of U.S. electricity generation.

“The solar industry now has a seat at the table with the nation’s other major electricity producers. Solar is the planet’s most abundant source of energy and offers all Americans clean electricity that can be built at scale and will make our nation proud and prosperous as a world leader in a new energy paradigm.”

Analysis conducted just two weeks ago by IHS, prior to the extension of the ITC, forecast that U.S. solar installations would reach nearly 17 GW_dc in 2016 driven by the rush from developers to finish projects ahead of the December 2016 ITC deadline. This would then lead to a drop to just 6.5 GW in 2017. The impact on the global solar industry would have been huge. IHS previously predicted global installations would peak at 70 GW in 2016 – a 20% increase over 2015 and largely driven by the huge demand from the United States; however, the cliff-edge in demand facing the country at the end of 2016 would have led to a global decline of 10% in 2017, with installations falling back to 63 GW.

This projected decline was based on a bottom-up assessment of more than 70 countries globally, based on known policy conditions. The effects of a sharp contraction in the United States was expected to be compounded by a stagnation of demand in China and Japan – both of which, like the U.S., had previously experience boom years.

The extension of the ITC for solar power projects — and the changed deadline criteria from “placed in production” to “started construction” — relieves the solar industry of the pressure to complete projects in 2016. For projects that are contracted to come into place by the end of 2016, IHS anticipates that developers will renegotiate the deadlines for the least advanced projects. The majority of pipeline projects that are not yet ready for construction are forecast to be completed after 2016, with peaks in 2020 to 2023. In parallel, the extension of tax-credits for residential PV enables steady growth of this segment through 2022.

U.S. solar PV with no extension of tax credits for solar, 2011-21e (GW)

U.S. solar installation forecast with five-year phase out of tax credit, 2011-21e (GW)

Julia Hamm, president and CEO of SEPA, also released a statement:

“Our market research shows wide consumer interest in solar energy options, ranging from rooftop to community solar to utility-scale generation. The extension of the federal investment tax credit will allow for broader participation and deployment of these solar applications across the country, especially in regions where local markets are less mature. A robust solar sector can also accelerate the deployment of other distributed energy technologies — such as storage, demand response and energy efficiency — which will provide even more opportunities for creating value for both individual consumers and the grid as a whole.”

Solar Power World

The rise and fall of Federal Reserve interest rates.

Will the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increase, announced Dec. 16, limit the solar market’s ability to access capital and build projects? The short answer is no, according to experts interviewed on the subject. Here is why solar developers and installers can relax, at least for now:

The rate increase, from 0% to .25% for short-term, bank-to-bank lending, remains fundamentally low. For comparison, interest rates before the Great Recession, when they plummeted to 0% for the first time, hovered around 5% and reached into the upper-teens between the late 70s and early 80s.

Additionally, solar is a good, low-risk investment, according to Graham Smith, founder of commercial-solar financing platform Open Energy. Smith said last week’s rate increase will not impact the cost of loans through his platform.

“We still see a fundamentally stable environment,” Smith said. “These long-term cash generation assets and their risk is fundamentally unchanged.”

Making their first update to monetary policy in nearly a decade, the Fed board increased rates to stave off inflation. Members made the decision now because they felt the economy was sufficiently healthy and inflation was not a negligible risk. World markets had been anticipating a change.

When the Fed increases rates, effects ripple through the global economy. The “cost of money”—otherwise known as the interest rate on loans—increases throughout the market, affecting everything from mortgage loans to debt capital for solar projects, said Conlan O’Leary, CEO of Sighten, a software toolset for solar.

“So in a low interest rate environment, which is what we’ve been in since the financial crisis, that price has been low, so derivative prices for solar finance have been low, too,” Conlan said. “That’s been a boon to developers who could get capital on favorable terms. As interest rates rise, those rates will all rise somewhat.”

Yet, Conlan said, rates are still abnormally low, and the Fed’s increase was minimal.

“I think for a rate increase of this magnitude, I would not worry about it at all,” said Conlan. “If the rate environment dramatically changes over a short period of time, as would be the case with a number of rate hikes within a year or two, that could materially impact the cost of financing.”

Smith said further calming worries and limiting the potential impact of a rate increase was the Fed’s strategy of long-telegraphing the impending hike, which let lending institutions recalibrate for the increase. He would expect the Fed to signal further increases.

“The Fed is aware of the impact it has,” Smith said. “If they had to raise rates by 1%, which is extremely unlikely, they would tell the market, they wouldn’t do it overnight.”

Sudden changes in interest rates might limit the amount of money a solar developer or installer could afford to build solar projects. But for now, with the ITC extension in the background, it appears money will be relatively easy to come by.

Solar Power World

DTE Energy, in collaboration with the City of Lapeer, Mich., plans to break ground in the spring of 2016 on 45 megawatts (MW) of new solar generating capacity at two project sites. The projects will generate enough to power 9,000 average size homes with clean, zero-emission solar energy.

The larger of the two projects will be 30 MW, located off Interstate 69 between Michigan Highway 24 and Lake Nepessing Road. When completed, it will be the largest operating utility-owned photovoltaic solar array east of the Mississippi and the third largest in the country. A second project totaling 15 MW will be developed simultaneously at a site located on Turrill Road between Michigan Highway 24 and Clark Road.

“DTE is the largest investor in solar in the state. The development of the two new Lapeer solar projects furthers that investment and reflects DTE Energy’s broader commitment to build a more sustainable future for our customers through a cleaner, more diversified energy portfolio,” said Irene Dimitry, DTE Energy’s vice president of Business & Development.

On Dec. 11, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved DTE’s contract with Inovateus Solar MI, LLC to develop additional solar generating capacity of up to 50 MW. This approval allows DTE to move forward with development of the two Lapeer sites. The company is evaluating other sites for the remaining 5 MW of the approved generating capacity.

“Lapeer is proud to partner with DTE Energy on these solar projects, and we look forward to a long term relationship that produces many benefits for the City of Lapeer, its residents, Lapeer County, Lapeer Community schools, the I-69 corridor, and beyond. I would like to thank the professional, detail-oriented team at DTE for their commitment to the City of Lapeer,” said William Sprague, mayor of the City of Lapeer.

DTE is currently developing five other solar projects across Michigan, including a 1.9 MW array at the company’s Greenwood Power Plant, a 750-kilowatt (kW) array in Romulus and a 500 kW array in Brownstown, which will be complete by the end of 2015. The company is also planning an 800 kW installation in Ypsilanti and an 800 kW installation at the GM Warren Transmission plant, scheduled to be completed by June 2016.

The addition of these solar projects will position DTE Energy to exceed a state mandate requiring electric utilities to supply 10 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources every year from 2015 to 2029.

DTE is the largest investor in renewable energy in the state, having driven investments of over $2 billion in renewable resources since 2008. Today, DTE Energy’s entire renewable energy portfolio, including solar, wind and biomass, is capable of generating nearly 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 400,000 homes. The portfolio includes facilities owned and operated by DTE Energy, along with contracts to purchase power from facilities owned and operated by third-party developers in Michigan. All of the power generated by these facilities is fed into the company’s electrical grid and distributed to where it is needed.

Solar Power World

An affiliate of Hach Company, Ott Hydromet GmbH, will acquire G. LUFFT MESS – UND REGELTECHNIK GMBH, in a share purchase agreement. The acquisition will take place following regulatory clearance.

Lufft will become a part of Hach Environmental, a group of companies including Ott Hydromet, Sutron Corporation and Sea-Bird Scientific, that serves customers with high quality, reliable instruments focused on environmental monitoring solutions for natural resource and oceanographic applications.

The addition of Lufft to the group is expected to provide core technologies in a wide range of meteorological, precipitation and cloud height sensors and instruments that have high accuracy and low maintenance requirements.

“Lufft management believes that it was the right time to become part of a group of excellent companies in a global network,” Lufft’s Chief Executive Officer, Klaus Hirzel, said. “This will make Lufft even stronger and will give us a real global reach. The environmental community worldwide is looking for sustainable solutions which require excellent sensing technologies.”

Being part of Hach Environmental offers Lufft the long-term ownership structure it needed to provide the best benefits to our customers, employees and shareholders, Hirzel said.

“We are pleased to have Lufft join the Hach Environmental group of companies,” said Glenn Cruger, President of Hach Environmental. “Lufft has a solid reputation as the leading innovator in meteorology sensors and solutions. Lufft’s best – in – class products are a great fit with our other leading brands.”

Solar Power World

The Solar FlexRack TDP Turnkey Tracker at the company’s headquarters in Youngstown, Ohio.

The 2016 U.S. solar market is expected to outperform all previous years. A robust pipeline of projects, spurred by the once-possible sunset of the investment tax credit, is available to suppliers, and leading companies are developing in-demand technology while increasing manufacturing capacity to fill a swell of orders.

At the same time, the solar industry is trending toward trackers for ground-mount projects, with 60% of ground-mounted projects in the U.S. using them. As trust in the technology improves, that percentage is expected to increase. GTM predicts the market for trackers will reach almost $5 billion by 2020.

Reading market trends, managers at mounting supplier Solar FlexRack knew they had a key opportunity to develop a product that would satisfy demand, in price and in design. It became the company’s goal to launch a new tracker product in 2015.

“The market was asking for a quality product at a lower price point, and we recognized that we wouldn’t get there with our current product, so we started evaluating alternative designs that would meet competitive price points without sacrificing quality or functionality,” said Tom Meola, CEO of Solar FlexRack.

After a year of design and prototyping, Solar FlexRack has delivered the TDP Turnkey Tracker, which the company says offers the lowest total-cost solution by providing key support services, including full design, installation and commissioning, bundled in one contract.

“The TDP Turnkey Tracker is the result of our systematic, in‐field testing and collaboration with our clients,” said Steve Daniel, executive vice president of sales and marketing. “The TDP addresses a critical need for services that will be essential to support the expected increase in demand in 2016.”

The Service

What really separates Solar FlexRack from other suppliers, Meola said, is the customer service offering for commercial and utility‐scale solar customers. An in-house team will provide mechanical, structural, civil, electrical and geotechnical engineering. In addition, for developers, Solar FlexRack can provide installation through construction partners.

“Our objective is to make the customer’s project easier by providing a full slate of engineering, project management, construction and value-add services, rather than having the customer engage multiple firms for these services,” Meola said.

One of Solar FlexRack’s key competencies is soil testing, which is critical for determining the right type of tracker foundation. Considering the projected growth of solar in Minnesota, Meola pointed out the company’s extensive experience in Ontario, where it has built over 500 MW of projects. Meola said conditions in Minnesota and Ontario are similar in many ways, especially as it relates to frost.

“Our lessons learned in Ontario will allow Solar FlexRack to better serve the Minnesota market by helping clients select the right foundation design for a site,” Meola said. “The one thing that has clearly emerged is our knowledge of how to cost-effectively design foundations.”

The TDP

Realizing that the bankability of individual array components, such as mounting, is critical in developing projects, Solar FlexRack has largely kept the TDP’s mechanics the same as seen in previous trackers. To make the tracker more cost-effective, however, the company changed its table configuration: a single row of panels mounted in portrait. Also, small drive blocks lead to the best land use, with up to 40% reduction in the number of acres needed for same-size projects.

“At FlexRack, we like to think smart means keeping things simple, and our new system is just that,” said Greg Huzyak, head of product development. “We’ve been at this as long as anyone in the solar industry. We’ve learned that keeping things simple and robust is what allows us to remain competitive in a very demanding market without sacrificing the long-term integrity of our offerings.”

For construction firms, the tracker has been designed with fewer components and requires no special tools for installation. The simplicity carries over to maintenance needs.

“The mechanical components, primarily the bearings and actuators, are designed to be maintenance free,” Meola said. “This industry often finds itself up against tight construction deadlines, and as a result, long term O&M costs can be overlooked. We are always striving to be the best, not only in the short term, but the long term as well because both have an impact on a project’s overall economic viability.”

The adjustability in the mounting components of the TDP allow for fast and easy field alignment of the array for optimal system operation and aesthetically pleasing lines.

Solar FlexRack—a division of 45-year-old metal fabricator Northern States Metals—plans to exhibit at the major solar power tradeshows this year, including Intersolar and Solar Power International.

Solar Power World

Enphase Energy’s S-Series microinverter systems comply with the new solar photovoltaic (PV) grid-supply and self-supply tariffs issued by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.Enphase’s smart inverters are qualified by the Hawaiian Electric Companiesunder the terms of the new rooftop solar requirements, which take effect January 1, 2016.

For Hawaii to meet its goal of getting 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2045, intelligent inverters like the Enphase system will play a critical role in transforming the utility grid and facilitating the sustainable development of an interconnected distributed energy resources (DER) network. In order to comply with the new tariffs, inverters must be equipped with advanced functions that can help mitigate the effects of large amounts of solar on grid reliability, including limiting the export of excess solar energy to the grid.

“Enphase’s technology enables grid operators like Hawaiian Electric to harness the intelligence of distributed energy resources to maintain system stability as solar and other distributed energy resource penetration levels increase,” said Raghu Belur, cofounder and vice president of products and strategic initiatives at Enphase. “Our smart grid solution offers economic benefits, advanced capabilities and control for the consumer as well as flexibility and control for utilities.”

Enphase continues to work with Hawaiian Electric in its efforts to keep the grid stable and reliable as unprecedented amounts of solar are brought online. Earlier this year, the company provided a highly detailed analysis of neighborhood-level grid conditions on Oahu that enabled the utility to clear its backlog queue of new solar customers awaiting interconnection approval. Enphase also remotely upgraded tens of thousands of PV systems on Oahu to help better integrate solar PV into the island grid.

In addition, Enphase is a founding member of the Distributed Energy Resources Council of Hawaii (DERC Hawaii), which is a collaboration between distributed energy resource and smart grid companies committed to developing constructive paths toward an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy supply on the islands.

Enphase will be introducing an energy storage system into the Hawaiian market in 2016 that leverages the advanced functions of Enphase’s new microinverters, resulting in a smart, cost-effective solar-plus-storage home energy solution (HES).

Solar Power World

The Dubai local authority DEWA (Dubai Energy and Water Autority) released the last updated list of “Equipment meeting eligibility requirements for DEWA Distributed Renewable Resources Generation Program (Shams Dubai)” regarding the connection of solar energy to houses and buildings by encouraging the proprietors to install PV panels to produce electricity.

This is the first program out of three, inside the “Smart Dubai Initiative”, aiming at transforming Dubai into the smartest city in the world in three years.

Last May Ingeteam PV central inverters INGECON SUN PowerMax have been qualified on DEWA’s list. Ingeteam has been the 1st inverter manufacturer qualified as eligible equipment for DEWA with its central inverters.

Today Ingeteam is proud to announce that also its PV string inverters brand INGECON SUN 1Play TL M (from 2,5 to 6 kW) and INGECON SUN 3Play TL and TL M (from 10 to 20 kW) have been qualified on DEWA’s list.

Solar Power World

What is the scope of the installer’s warranty? Does it cover components that are the subject of a manufacturer’s warranty? Should it include a performance guaranty?

The installer’s warranty should cover all matters pertaining to the design, construction and installation of the system (workmanship) and related site improvements. It should also cover all materials and components that are not subject to a manufacturer warranty. Finally, it should have a performance guaranty for the first few years of operation, with a carve out for the items covered by manufacturer warranties (generally panels, racking and inverters). As for manufacturer warranties, the most the installer should be responsible for is assisting the owner in enforcing those warranties, although that may be a more appropriate task for the operation and maintenance contractor.

The installer must be entitled to a mandatory change order for unforeseen site issues discovered during construction. The contractor should be responsible for reasonable diligence, but if the issue could not be discovered with reasonable diligence the risk should be borne by the property owner. The parties should agree to a threshold cost of a change order for unforeseen site conditions which will trigger an owner termination right. If the cost of the change order is below the threshold, the owner must pay the increase, and if the cost exceeds the threshold, the owner has the option of paying the increase or terminating the agreement. If the agreement is terminated the contractor should be entitled to payment for work performed to the date of termination and demobilization costs.

Solar Power World

Tuesday, January 26, 2016
2:00pm EDT/11:00am PDT

Did you know there are many advantages for using microinverters in commercial projects? Find out why thousands of installers are choosing microinverters over string inverters in commercial applications. Join industry veteran Christopher Barrett of APsystems, who brings more than 20 years of experience in the solar and semiconductor industries, as he discusses why three-phase, multi-module microinverters are great choice for your next commercial rooftop customer.

Attendees to this webinar will learn:

• Learn best practices for installing multi-module microinverters on commercial rooftops
• Hear what it takes to design a commercial system with micoinverters
• Discuss real-life applications and examples
• Understand the communication and remote monitoring advantages of using microinverters

Featured Speakers:

Christopher Barrett brings more than 20 years’ experience in the solar and semiconductor industries to lead APsystems customer services. He previously worked as Technical Services Manager for SolarBridge Technologies, directing a multinational call center that monitored global PV installations, provided support and dispatched technicians to the field. He holds a BS (industrial engineering/business management) from Keene State University, and an AS (electromechanical drafting and design technology) from New Hampshire Technical College.

Brought to you by:
APsystems

Solar Power World

Solar Power World

Strathcona Solar Initiatives, a multiple award winning full service integrator in Southeastern Ontario, recently completed the installation of a high-yielding 140-kilowatt photovoltaic system on the Rona Building Centre in Hanover, Southern Ontario. The array is one of 30 projects that the Strathcona Energy Group and Shawanaga First Nation own jointly in an investment partnership, leasing the roof space from the owner of the building.

The Haack family has owned the 27,000 square foot home improvement center in the small town of Hanover since 2003. From the beginning, Mr. Haack has been keen on being a leader in energy efficiency, not only because it optimizes his operations and saves money on utility costs but also because he feels it is his responsibility toward the community and future generations.

That he was able to utilize an already existing part of his store and warehouse area to create revenue without upfront costs was ideal, he says, and he is planning on investing some of the rent income to upgrade the building and its surroundings. The income from the solar panels will also allow him to pay off some of the debt that owning a store brings with it.

“I am not sure the Hanover store is the first Rona Centre in Ontario to rent out its roof space for solar revenue, but I do think it’s the wave of the future,” says Brian Haack, the President and Owner of Hanover Rona Building Centre. “Being financially as well as environmentally sustainable is a crucial part of our business philosophy, and in Strathcona we found an ideal partner to pursue this goal on a very profitable level.”

The 140 kilowatt array with 622 top-yielding Canadian-manufactured solar modules was designed and installed by Strathcona Solar Initiatives who will also be monitoring and servicing the array to ensure maximum production over the several-decade long lifetime of the system. The generated electricity is fed into the grid under Ontario’s IESO 20-year Feed-in-Tariff (FiT).

“It is great for us to work with business owners like Brian Haack at Rona Hanover because they understand the low risk and high yields of a long-term sustainable investment in solar energy,” says Karl Hollett, the CEO and founder of Strathcona Energy Group. “It is also an absolute honor and privilege for us to partner with Shawanaga First Nation again in making this project come to fruition.”

Solar Power World

UGE International announced it has signed a framework agreement with Ginlong Technologies to purchase at least 10 MW of solar inverters for upcoming projects in the commercial solar space.

“Ginlong is one of our strongest partners, and it has been great to see the company continue to grow rapidly since we first started working together in 2010,” said Nick Blitterswyk, CEO of UGE. “UGE’s SeamlessGrid inverters rely on Ginlong’s commitment to quality, performance and economics, allowing us to offer the best possible value to our clients.”

The market for solar is growing rapidly worldwide, with installed capacity expected to reach nearly 652 GW by 2025, according to GlobalData. GTM Research recently reported that just the Northeast commercial rooftop solar market, where UGE is rapidly expanding their presence, represents a $67.5 billion opportunity.

“UGE is known as a leader in the distributed renewable energy space,” said Jimmy Wang, CEO of Ginlong Technologies. “We are proud to work with UGE as they continue to develop the most affordable and reliable energy systems for commercial customers across the world.”

Solar Power World

Solar Power World

Welcome to the sixth edition of the annual Solar Power World and Windpower Engineering and Development Renewable Energy Handbook. It’s stunning to think we’ve produced six editions now—each one more useful and comprehensive than the last. Whether you’re a long-time reader—with a half-dozen issues organized on your bookshelf, declaring your renewable energy authority to anyone who sees them—or enjoying the handbook for the first time, we thank you for reading. We hope you learn a lot!

This handbook is a reflection of my career in renewable energy. I joined this industry as an editorial intern, way back in 2011 (when most of today’s solar projects were just a twinkle in developer’s eyes). My boss told me if I put together the inaugural edition of the handbook, it would earn me a full-time position. What I didn’t know is that it would become an annual tradition, or that I would enjoy it more with each passing year.

The Renewable Energy Handbook forces me to learn as much as I can, perfecting and refreshing my knowledge every year (“How do solar meters work again?”). It also offers a chance to work with the many industry veterans who are kind enough to share their expertise. And because this is a year-round team effort (the fruit of the labors of all Windpower Engineering & Development and Solar Power World editors—and intrepid interns), I’m constantly reminded that I’m lucky to be part of such a hard working, knowledgeable team.

While my career has been on a steady rise, the wind and solar industries have had ups and downs since we first published the handbook. Despite uncertainty, or perhaps because of it, it’s still an exciting time to be in renewables. No one can argue with the longterm viability of renewable energy. We know how this will end.

In the first three quarters of this year, the U.S. has more the doubled the number of wind-powered electricity brought to the grid, compared with the same time period in 2014. The total wind capacity across the country stands at just over 69,470 MW. An additional 4,100 MW is in advanced stages of development, and offshore wind is getting closer to reality in U.S. waters. What’s more, wind energy pricing has reached an all-time low.

Likewise, great advances are being made in the solar industry. We should see a million U.S. homes with solar panels in February 2016. It’s true the industry might look a little different in 2017 if the ITC isn’t renewed, with the utilityscale market expected to take the biggest hit. But smaller projects should stay on track, in large part because the industry has worked hard to lower component and installation costs.

It’s a great time to be part of these industries, and we’re here to help you succeed. We have more than 45 articles answering common questions about projects and components. What do you need to know before you order cables? How has O&M changed? What type of battery is best for your project? A section with component charts will help you compare equipment specification with a glance. And new sections include maps to help you understand where renewables are working now and could work in the future.

As always, we welcome feedback— please feel free to share it. We look forward to the hard work you’ll do for renewables in 2016.

Kathie Zipp
Managing Editor
Solar Power World
kzipp@wtwhmedia.com

Welcome to the Renewable Energy Handbook

Editor’s welcome to the solar section…………. p.73
Solar Basics…………………………………p.74
Top solar stats and resource map………………. p.75

Solar inverter models data

Central……………………………………………………..p.78
String……………………………………………………….p.86
Off-grid…………………………………………………….p.96
Microinverters………………………………………….p.100
Power optimizers……………………………………..p.102

Solar articles

Generation technologies…………………………..p.104
Power optimizers……………………………………..p.108
Microinverters………………………………………….p.110
String inverters…………………………………………p.114
Central inverters………………………………………p.118
Flat roof racking & mounting……………………..p.122
Sloped roof racking & mounting………………..p.126
Rail-less mounts……………………………………….p.130
Trackers…………………………………………………..p.132
Ground mounts………………………………………..p.136
Carports………………………………………………….p.140
Cables…………………………………………………….p.142
Charge controllers……………………………………p.146
Combiner boxes………………………………………p.148
Connectors……………………………………………..p.149
Enclosures……………………………………………….p.150
Grounding………………………………………………p.151
Meters…………………………………………………….p.153
Pyranometers…………………………………………..p.154
Batteries & storage…………………………………..p.156
Software………………………………………………….p.160
Off-grid solar…………………………………………..p.164
Insurance………………………………………………..p.165
Site assessment……………………………………….p.166
Construction/installation/development……….p.168
Asset management…………………………………..p.171
Operations & maintenance………………………..p.172

Solar Power World

Solar Power World

Scientists at the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are studying what may seem paradoxical–certain defects in silicon solar cells may actually improve their performance.

The findings run counter to conventional wisdom, according to Pauls Stradins, the principal scientist and a project leader of the silicon photovoltaics group at NREL.

Schematic of a “good” defect (red cross), which helps collection of electrons from photo-absorber (n-Si), and blocks the holes, hence suppresses carriers recombination.

Deep-level defects frequently hamper the efficiency of solar cells, but NREL theoretical research suggests that defects with properly engineered energy levels can improve carrier collection out of the cell, or improve surface passivation of the absorber layer. Researchers at NREL ran simulations to add impurities to layers adjacent to the silicon wafer in a solar cell. Namely, they introduced defects within a thin tunneling silicon dioxide (SiO₂) layer that forms part of “passivated contact” for carrier collection, and within the aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) surface passivation layer next to the silicon (Si) cell wafer. In both cases, specific defects were identified to be beneficial.

The simulations were accomplished using NREL’s supercomputer and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center.

The research by Stradins, Yuanyue Liu, Su-Huai Wei, Hui-Xiong Deng, and Junwei Luo, “Suppress carrier recombination by introducing defects: The case of Si solar cell,” appears in Applied Physics Letters.

Finding the right defect was key to the process. To promote carrier collection through the tunneling SiO₂ layer, the defects need to have energy levels outside the Si bandgap but close to one of the band edges in order to selectively collect one type of photocarrier and block the other. In contrast, for surface passivation of Si by Al₂O_3, without carrier collection, a beneficial defect is deep below the valence band of silicon and holds a permanent negative charge. The simulations removed certain atoms from the oxide layers adjacent to the Si wafer, and replaced them with an atom from a different element, thereby creating a “defect.” For example, when an oxygen atom was replaced by a fluorine atom it resulted in a defect that could possibly promote electron collection while blocking holes.

The defects were then sorted according to their energy level and charge state. More research is needed in order to determine which defects would produce the best results. The principles used in this study are applicable to other materials and devices, such as photoanodes and two-dimensional semiconductors. A recent study by the same authors has shown that the addition of oxygen could improve the performance of those semiconductors. For solar cells and photoanodes, engineered defects could possibly allow thicker, more robust carrier-selective tunneling transport layers or corrosion protection layers that might be easier to fabricate.

The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative as part of a joint project of Georgia Institute of Technology, Fraunhofer ISE, and NREL, with a goal to develop a record efficiency silicon solar cell.

The SunShot Initiative is a collaborative national effort that aggressively drives innovation to make solar energy fully cost-competitive with traditional energy sources before the end of the decade. Through SunShot, DOE supports efforts by private companies, universities, and national laboratories to drive down the cost of solar electricity to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour. Learn more at energy.gov/sunshot.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Solar Power World

SCHURTER announces its latest IEC appliance outlet with insulation displacement contact (IDC) terminals, the 4710. The new outlet provides increased power ratings over the popular 6610 series for heavier duty PDU applications.

The 4710 is a J style outlet according to IEC 60320, rated 20 A @ 250 VAC by UL/CSA and 16 A @ 250 VAC by ENEC. The lower current version, 6610 series, is a style F outlet, rated 15 A @ 250 VAC and 10 A @ 250 VAC respectively. The 4710 provides IDC terminals for 10 AWG / 6.0 mm2 in addition to 12 AWG / 4.0 mm2, which is the standard wire size for the 6610. The new wire option allows for larger diameter wire for the 4710’s increased power capabilities. The snap-in outlets fit panels with a thickness between 0.8 mm and 3 mm.

The 4710 and 6610 outlets are qualified for use in applications designed to IEC/EN 60950. Ideal for use in power distribution units, and other equipment where multiple outlets are banked in series, these IDC outlets allow wires to be bussed across the terminals, thereby connecting common terminals all at once and significantly reducing labor costs. The IDC terminals are arranged either along or across the connector pin axis for a horizontal or vertical mounting orientation. Wires are pressed into place with the protective back cover or with a tool. Versions with combination IDC and a quick-connect or solder terminal, for separate wiring of the line connection, are also available.

The outlets are offered with light pipe options for status indication. They also mate with V-Lock latching cordsets designed to prevent unintentional disconnection from the power. Approvals include cURus, ENEC and CCC.

Solar Power World