Infigen Energy’s 24/7 Control Center in Dallas, TX proactively monitors more than 1,600 MW’s. All operators are NERC and PJM certified and undergo more than 100 hours of continued education each year to maintain their certifications.

By Judah Moseson, Special To Solar Power World

Photovoltaic (PV) solar-farm technology improvements, as well as the size and number of installations, have increased dramatically in the past five years. This has created an increase in potential generation and revenue—which means traditional power-plant issues and considerations have become more prevalent in the solar energy sector. 

Judah Moseson is the director of O&M Services at Infigen Energy US located in Dallas, Texas.

One example of an emerging need— and, in some cases, requirement for solar plants,— is the use of 24/7 monitoring and control. Round-the-clock coverage for traditional power plants (and even renewable resources such as wind and hydro) are commonplace. Such monitoring and control of industrial and aggregated commercial solar farms is now becoming a requirement of owners and operators, as well as NERC regional entities, independent system operators (ISOs) and local utilities. 

Solar farms rely on complex electronic control systems, i.e. supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Advanced systems can provide uniform platforms for multi-plant sites. These controls provide feedback, control and performance measurements; when coupled with 24/7 monitoring and control, they can provide critical response that enables solar farms to meet their estimated annual energy production (AEP).

Why Solar Farms Require 24/7 Coverage

Photovoltaic based solar farms only produce power during daylight hours. The issue that is causing concern among stakeholders is not the PV cells themselves, but the BOS components— including combiner boxes, inverters, step-up transformers and the accompanying medium/high voltage substations that are on line and in service around the clock. The presence of this associated equipment and the opportunity for alarm or even failure during non-daylight hours has given rise to requirements from North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), ISOs and local utilities. Additionally, environmental events such as inclement weather causing fouling by snow, sleet, ice or even mud can become issues in non-daylight hours. 

When an issue occurs during hours when the PV is not producing electricity, the common practice is to wait until sunrise to address it, possibly dispatching resources to the field to resolve the issue. This practice creates production and revenue losses, because at sunrise, NERC, ISOs and local utilities expect electricity production and not phone calls explaining why the solar farm is out of service.

For NERC, ISOs and local utilities, this is a reliability issue for which procedures have been in place for all other generation assets, both traditional and renewable (wind and hydro) power plants. It is a sign of the maturity of the solar industry and its impact on system capacity and reliability that is driving this requirement across the United States electrical regional grids. 

24/7 Monitoring and Control Center

Real-time monitoring and control are commonplace in most electric power generation companies and traditional utilities. But the use of such control centers, staffed by NERC certified operators, has not been common among solar generation facilities. As the number of solar farms continues to increase, the industry is rising to the challenge of integrating solar power into the larger power grids and recognized the value of around the clock monitoring. Without 24/7 monitoring, solar farms miss the simple and most effective way to ensure production is maximized.

The 24/7 monitoring and control center provides NERC-qualified operators who have undergone extensive training and testing. As a result, they are accepted as industry experts by NERC regional entities, ISOs and local utilities. These operators are trained in the use of the SCADA systems, which maximizes the benefits of early-warning systems, trending and performance reporting as a part of their routine of monitoring. In addition, they use systems for monitoring news, weather and spot-market pricing to ensure all issues are included in the monitoring process.

Control center operators can remotely reset most systems as soon as the event occurs, which returns the solar farm to full potential and makes the PV cells available at sunrise for all potential energy generation. This results in revenue that would otherwise be deprived.

For issues such as grid outages or curtailments, control center operators respond according to approved protocols with the grid managers. Control centers typically use voice-recording systems to capture all verbal communications from grid operators as a reference, should post incident resolution be required.

With the emergence of nodal-based electrical-grid-reliability systems, ISOs are requiring advanced energy projections for the day-ahead market. When issues arise that result in lower production, these same entities are requiring hour-ahead projections, another task easily handled by the 24/7 control center.

Additionally, the operators can record all incidents and actions within the SCADA system or another external workflow system as a log to be used as a historical and analytic record.

Safety

Finally, a critical benefit is the enhanced safety for personnel as a result of having 24/7 monitor and control centers available to them. When a control center is in use, each service provider is required to check in with the center prior to performing any maintenance. The center can participate in the safety protocols such as “lock out and tag out,”using remote operations and document the personnel entering the area and the activity being performed. When the work is complete, the service provider contacts the center and gives the “all clear”signal. The control center helps close out the “lock out and tag out”process and then documents the completion of work. Upon the safe exit of all personnel, the control center operators restart the equipment and systems remotely. This makes the process—and the service providers—safer by creating a protocol for verification prior to action.

Conclusion

As the solar industry continues to mature and the MW levels increase, you can expect solar farms to adopt the same controls and protocols the traditional power plants use across the United States. This change is a welcome sign that the PV solar farms are finally considered mainstream.

Want more? Try these articles:

Solar Speaks: Amicus And Locus Energy Discuss Solar Monitoring And Purchasing Cooperatives

Solar Speaks: The Coming Boom Of Fleet-Level Monitoring

Webinar: The Importance of Solar Monitoring System Reliability

The Pressure To Perform: Solar Monitoring, Succinctly

Solar Power World

Ingeteam has received Nissan’s letter of acknowledgement for the compatibility of its CHAdeMO charger with the Nissan Leaf electric car model.

The approval was obtained following a period of technical trials conducted at Ingeteam’s facilities in Sarriguren (Navarre) with an electric car loaned by the Nissan-Arremotor car dealer. During this trial period, Ingeteam’s rapid charging station, INGEREV ROAD, performed a number of charges at 125 amps and with an output power of 50 kW, giving the vehicle a driving range of 100 kilometres in just 20 minutes.

This approval strengthens the position of the CHAdeMO certified Ingeteam charger in the rapid charging station sector, having now been approved by all the major electric car manufacturers.

Ingeteam, which already received approval by Nissan UK for its INGEREV® GARAGE residential charge points two years ago, has strengthened its position in the charging station manufacturing sector by receiving approval for the rapid charging of the Nissan Leaf, one of the leading electric vehicles in today’s market.

Solar Power World

TÜV Rheinland offers the UL 1703 testing and certification services to manufacturers of building integrated photovoltaic modules (BiPV), rack-mounted photovoltaic (PV) modules and mounting systems in conjunction with the 2014 revision of the standard, which introduces new PV module fire type classification and system rating tests.

Effective January 1, 2015, rooftop mounted systems in California shall be tested, listed and identified with a fire rating in accordance with UL 1703. Fire testing requirements in UL 1703:2014 have changed dramatically, based primarily on the research of the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs) into how the presence of PV arrays may affect the fire class rating of common roof covering materials.

The major changes to fire rating testing include the following:

• Per UL Subject 2703, rack mounting systems for flat-plate PV modules and panels that are both roof-integrated and freestanding will need to comply with the fire resistance requirements per UL 1703.

• Per UL 1703, section 16, modules intended for installation integral with parts of the building’s roof, for e.g. BiPV, shall be evaluated according to the UL 790 Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Roof Coverings.

• Per UL 1703, section 31.1, the fire performance characteristics of modules will need to be tested independently of roof coverings based on a specific module type (defined according to the module’s construction characteristics).

• Per UL 1703, section 31.2, the system fire class rating of modules with mounting systems will need to be tested in combination with roof coverings.

TÜV Rheinland has a state-of-the-art fire test laboratory in Tempe, Ariz., with full capability to test PV modules, PV systems and mounting racks to the requirements of the UL 1703, UL Subject 2703 and UL 790 standards.

Solar Power World

When picking a controller there are a few steps that you must follow to make
sure that you get the right controller for the job. The best thing that you can do is to use
the manufacturer’s sizing tools that are offered on their web sites.

What is the most important factor in choosing the perfect charge controller for your solar project?

The most important job of all solar-charge controllers is to properly charge the batteries and to give them as long a life as possible. There are two types of charge controllers:

Pulse width modulation (PWM)

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT)

The difference between these two types of controllers is that the PWM is not as efficient the MPPT. The MPPT is the most common these days and can gain you up to 30% more power than the PWM controllers. The MPPT controllers also allow the strings of panels to be connected in series for higher voltages, keeping the amperage lower and the wire size smaller, especially for long-wire runs to the PV array.     

When picking a controller there are a few steps that you must follow to make sure that you get the right controller for the job. The best thing that you can do is to use the manufacturer’s sizing tools that are offered on their web sites. The other option is to give the manufacturer a call — their salespeople will usually be happy to help you to pick the best controller.

If you need to make some quick calculations, the following information will be needed to manually figure out the amperage of the controller needed: 

The wattage of the solar array

The battery-bank voltage (12, 24, or 48). Typical bank voltage because inverters are offered in these voltages.

Now Ohm’s Law comes into play: Amps x Volts = Watts

Example: 3,000watt array/48volt battery bank = 62.5 amps, so you would need a controller capable of 62.5 amps. Most controllers out there are either 60, 80 or 96 amps so you would pick the controller with the next higher rating. In this case, it would be the 80 amp controller.

Now if you know the amperage of the controller, and you would like to figure out how the maximum solar array wattage that can go into the controller, you would also use Ohm’s law:

Example: 80 amp controller x 48 volt battery bank = 3,840 watts of solar panels. Note that most of the controllers will allow a bit more wattage to go into the controllers. This is where the sizing tools or a call to the manufacture can help out.

The next thing that you must ensure is that we do not exceed the input voltage the controller can take. Again the manufacturer will dictate what the input voltage should be included in the design. Temperature and open-circuit voltages have to be considered. Since PV open-circuit voltage (Voc) goes higher as temperature drops, you will need to make sure the controller’s input voltage ratings can handle this in the cold of winter.  Manufacturer’s sizing tools will give you the best design for the controllers.

There are many makes and models of charge controllers available, but it’s best to get the most options for the best price. The following is a list of features available on charge controllers — but not all controllers. The best will offer every option.

• 150,200,250,600 V
• Manual and auto EQ
• Built in GFP and arc fault
• Online status monitoring
• Hyper VOC extend VOC limits
• 12-72 volt battery charging
• Solar, wind and hydro MPPT modes

By boB Gudgel & Kim Silva, MidNite Solar

Solar Power World

Trina Solar, a global producer of photovoltaic (PV) modules, solutions, and services, agreed to supply 70MW high efficiency modules to a large-scale solar power project in Chile.

Under the terms of the agreement, Trina Solar will deliver TSM-PC14 solar modules that have an output of between 300W and 310W per panel. Shipment of the modules will commence in September.

The agreement is Trina Solar’s second this year to supply modules to large utility-scale projects in Chile, because there is currently large demand and significant future potential for solar energy.

“We are delighted with the demand we’re seeing for our high efficiency modules in South America and we expect this to continue to grow,”said Zhiguo Zhu, president of Module Business Unit at Trina Solar. “We look forward to continuing to build long-term strategic relationships with our many valued customers as we grow our business in the rapidly expanding South American market, allowing us to further advance the realization of our diversified global strategy.”

Solar Power World

WINAICO, a division of Taiwan’s module manufacturer, Win Win Precision Technology Co., announced that its modules have passed the most stringent hail impact test conducted by TÜV Rheinland.

WINAICO is one of the first PV manufacturers in the world to secure IEC 61215 with its modules withstanding the impact of 35 mm hail stones travelling at over 27.2 m/s as tested by TÜV Rheinland, offering its customers greater system reliability in extreme weather conditions.

In the new IEC 61215 compliant hail test, WINAICO WST-series modules withstood the impacts of 35 mm hail stones traveling at a speed of 27.2 m/s (60.9 mph). In comparison to the conventional tests involving 25 mm stones traveling at 23 m/s (51.4 mph), the newer test involves projectiles with approximately four times the
kinetic energy.

“The capability to withstand severe hail strikes is particularly important for mountainous and heavy snow regions, and is especially valuable in North America, Australia and the Alpine regions such as Switzerland and Austria”, said Sascha Rossmann, Vice President of Global Sales at WINAICO.

Solar Power World

Hanwha Q CELLS teamed up with AGRenewables (AGR), to power up a 24.3 MW photovoltaic power plant for Ingenious Clean Energy in record-time.

Despite severe weather conditions, the park in Stowbridge, Cambridgeshire, England, was constructed and grid-connected ahead of the changes in ROC at the end of March. More than 94,500 Q.PRO-G3 solar panels were installed in only three weeks.

The ground-mounted plant will generate around 22,445 MWh of clean energy per year, enough to power 24,800 local households and save approximately 9,650 tons of carbon emissions each year.

AGR, a leading UK renewable energy developer specializing in utility scale PV and medium scale wind, led the project development of the Stowbridge project. Hanwha Q CELLS, a European PV provider and expert for Power Plant Solutions, was in the lead for supplying its premium “Engineered in Germany” PV modules as well as construction and delivery of the PV park under an EPC contract.

Ingenious Clean Energy is part of the market-leading financial services group Ingenious, and will sell the clean electricity from the PV Park under the 1.6 ROCs scheme which was in place in the UK until 31 March 2014.

“Putting the Stowbridge PV Park in operations ahead of the changes in ROC´s scheme was one of our top priorities — and quite a challenge given the heavy rainfalls in the initial constructions stages,” said Sebastian Speight, managing diretor of Ingenious Clean Energy.

Solar Power World

Frank Andorka, Senior Editor

By Frank Andorka, Senior Editor

For those of you attending Solar Power International (SPI), the team at Solar Energy Trade Shows (the company handling the show’s logistics, or SETS) compiled a list of what you need to know before arriving in Las Vegas:

• Before you travel to the show, schedule meetings with your current clients and colleagues.
• Be sure to leave time to make new friends and business contacts along the way.
• Review the schedule, make a plan, download the app, bring comfortable shoes and plenty of water. (As a 20-year trade show vet myself, I can’t emphasize the comfortable shoes part enough.)
• Keep your eyes open for new products and services. Many exhibitors launch new products at SPI because companies know they will be seen by thousands in just a few short days.

If you come for the Expo, stay for the educational sessions — you won’t be disappointed:

• Solar Central will host interviews, panels and more.
• Industry Trends will focus on — what else — the latest trends of the industry.
• PV Technical Training offers attendees the chance to earn NABCEP credits.
• Start-Up Alley hosts up-and-coming solar companies. Semi-finalist companies will all have slots on the show floor. Finalist companies will pitch their business plans to an esteemed panel of judges onsite.

Educational posters will take a look at research and projects happening within the industry in six different areas. A list of the more than 100 posters is available online.

To help attendees pinpoint the best educational programming for them, SETS (with input from show hosts SEIA and SEPA have organized concurrent sessions into the following tracks:

• Finance & Business
• Markets
• Utility & Grid Integration     
• Policy & Regulation
• Technical
• Solar Heating & Cooling
• Concentrating Solar Power
• Energy Storage (SPI is also debuting the Energy Storage Pavilion on the show floor)

So how will you get to the Las Vegas Convention Center from your hotel? Don’t worry — it’s taken care of for you. SPI will have shuttles for those hotels not within walking distance of the convention center (which, admittedly, isn’t really close to anything). There are also SuperShuttle discounts for attendees to use when going to and from the airport.

Here is perhaps the best perk of attending SPI this year: Attendees receive discounts on a few shows in Las Vegas, restaurants, retail and even a high-rollers table. To make reservations ahead of time, go to the SPI website.

I hope this helps you get the most of SPI — and make sure you stop by the Solar Power World booth to say hello.

Solar Power World

Munich-based 3megawatt provides software, methodology and support for solar asset management via the web-based software platform BluePoint. Bluepoint offers a complete set of solar portfolio management tools that help clients operate and manage their assets more effectively. 3megawatt’s clients manage over 2 GW of operational solar assets worldwide with the solar asset management software.

“This is an important milestone for our company,” says Edmee Kelsey, CEO of 3megawatt. “This diversity and scale of operational solar assets allows us to continue to be on forefront of developing our global expertise on solar asset management best practices.”

BluePoint has been developed to assist solar portfolio managers with the streamlining of their solar asset management processes and for setting the proper controls to manage portfolio risk. The software adapts to every country and its integrated set of tools combine the many different aspects of solar asset management all in one platform: from compliance management to asset tracking, energy invoicing and investor reporting.

3megawatt will be exhibiting at this year’s Solar Power International, October 20-23, at booth 754.

For more information on software within the solar industry, check out these articles:

How Is Software Changing The Solar Sales Process?

Valentin Software Offers Third Release Of PV*SOL Basic 6.5

Ingeteam Launches New Software Platform For Self-Consumption Systems

Solar Power World

SolarCity unveiled its Zep Solar line of solar products today—a flat roof solar mounting solution that it says is twice as fast to install and can generate significantly more solar electricity from each rooftop than alternatives for the commercial market. ZS Peak makes it possible for far more businesses, schools and other organizations to install solar power on their buildings and immediately pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power, and will significantly expand the addressable market for commercial solar.

Like the Zep residential solar systems, SolarCity says the ZS Peak provides a snap-together system to simplify and accelerate installation. SolarCity estimates that ZS Peak can increase generation capacity on flat roof buildings by 20 to 50% per building and do so without requiring any penetrations. The system’s dense, east-west layout structure will allow SolarCity to fit up to 20% more solar panels on standard roofs and up to 50 percent more panels on lightweight roofs, such as those commonly found on warehouses.  The increase in panels per roof is particularly valuable in the commercial market, as conventional flat-roof solar systems typically power less than half of a commercial building’s load.

ZS Peak’s east-west orientation not only allows installers to fit more solar panels on each roof than standard south-facing systems, it also captures peak power production throughout a longer period of the day. By lengthening power production time and eliminating the typical mid-day spike of standard solar systems, SolarCity can also make more efficient use of solar inverters to further reduce costs for customers. ZS Peak has so significantly improved on the aerodynamics of conventional systems that it can be installed as a lightweight, non-penetrating system on many roofs that would otherwise require the solar panels to be bolted down.

SolarCity is currently installing its first project with ZS Peak and expects to begin installing the product in volume in January.

Solar Power World

EDF Renewable Energy announced that Dominion will acquire two solar projects for a total of 57 megawatt peak (MWp): Cottonwood Solar (32.6 MWp) and Catalina Solar 2 (24.3 MWp). The sale agreement is subject to customary conditions precedent; it will close upon completion of installation, after which EDF RE will manage the commissioning and place the projects in service.

Cottonwood Solar consists of three sites, two of which are ground-mount facilities located on private land in the central California counties of Kern and Kings totaling 31.6 MWp / 23 MWac of capacity. The third site is a 1 MWp / 1 MWac carport structure to be built in Marin County. The project has secured a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Catalina Solar 2, located on 270 acres in the Mojave Desert of Kern County, is designed as a 24.3 MWp / 18 MWac solar photovoltaic horizontal single axis tracker project and has secured a 20-year PPA. Construction on both projects is anticipated to commence in Q4 2014 with commercial operation expected in Q2 of 2015.

“We are glad to extend our relationship with Dominion having first worked together on the sale of CID Solar in May 2014. With this sale agreement in place, we have sold a total of 84 MWp of EDF RE developed solar projects to Dominion,” said Raphael Declercq, EDF Renewable Energy’s Director of Divestiture and Portfolio Management. “Cottonwood and Catalina Solar 2 offered an ideal opportunity to do ‘repeat business’ with a leading energy player like Dominion, whose willingness to grow in solar matches our ambition to develop more solar PV projects in the Southwest United States.”

Solar Power World

Vander Woude Dairy of Merced, Calif., was looking for a way to decrease operational expenses while providing its business with a sustainable form of power generation. Array Technologies, Inc.’s (ATI) customer, local design-build construction firm Pickett Solar, developed a 1.1 MWdc solar tracking array that will produce 100% of the dairy’s electricity needs on a yearly basis. Excess production will then be distributed electronically to other electrical services such as agriculture wells. This is made possible through Aggregated Net Metering. Under this new program, businesses with multiple meters no longer require separate solar systems for each meter. Instead, they can now install just one large solar system that will produce credits that can then be applied to other meters.

ATI’s DuraTrack HZ single-axis solar tracker was called upon to provide Vander Woude Dairy with a durable, reliable and proven solution to their energy needs. By design, solar trackers produce more power than fixed-tilt racks during high energy demand periods. The trackers create a ‘shouldering’ effect that delivers a smooth and reliable supply of energy by broadening the bell-curve of electricity supplied each day. In this case, the DuraTrack HZ solar tracking system will provide more energy when Vander Woude Dairy needs it most.

“As an expert in agricultural construction we are eager to provide Pickett Solar with our DuraTrack HZ system,” explained ATI Founder and CEO, Ron Corio. “Their experience and insight into these types of projects will help the Vander Woude Dairy meet and exceed all of their energy goals.”

“With Aggregated Net Metering capped at 1 megawatt, the ATI tracker is a natural fit for this commercial solar project,” said Mike Pickett, President of Pickett Solar. “After comparing fixed vs tracker then vetting the available manufacturers, Array Technologies is hands down the best solution for our project.”

About Array Technologies:

Array Technologies is the worldwide market leader in tracking solutions for utility, commercial and residential solar electric systems, with more than 2 gigawatts shipped and installed across the globe. Array’s innovation and leadership in ground mount fixed-rack and solar tracker design has established the industry standard for cost-effective, robust, reliable and easy to install PV solutions with over two decades of field experience. Headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, Array Technologies’ ground mount solutions are engineered and manufactured in the USA. For more information about Array Technologies, Inc., please visit arraytechinc.com, connect with us on LinkedIn, follow us on G+ and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

About Pickett Solar:

Pickett Solar is a design and installation solar company based in Fresno, California. As a division of Don Pickett & Associates, Inc. with over 30 years of experience in commercial and residential construction, Pickett Solar is uniquely qualified to help customers upgrade their commercial facilities and residential homes with solar. Their seasoned in-house design and engineering departments know how to provide clients with the most efficient design and avoid the problems that can plague solar projects. In addition, their longstanding relationships in the construction industry allows Pickett Solar to draw on the best local craftsmen. This ensures their solar installations are completed on time and built with the utmost quality. Pickett Solar serves the Central Valley of California. For more information, please visit www.pickettsolar.com or phone (559) 438-1074.

Solar Power World

NRG Home Solar, one of the country’s leading residential solar companies, announced they have been honored with a series of awards showcasing its significant growth and strategic vision.

NRG Home Solar received a Gold Stevie Award for Company of the Year in energy at the 12th Annual American Business Awards and two Home Depot Service Provider Awards for “Best Sales Performance” and “Best Store Connectivity.”

Photo: NRG Home Solar

“We are excited to be recognized by both the American Business Awards and The Home Depot among many impressive companies that were nominated this year,” said Kelcy Pegler, Jr. of NRG Home Solar. “These awards are not only testament to the hard work of the NRG Home Solar team, but also evidence of the growth and progress of residential solar throughout the country.”

Stevie Award winners were selected by more than 240 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process this year. More than 3,300 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories.

“It’s an honor for us to recognize and celebrate such an outstanding class of organizations and individuals,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. “The judges were especially discerning this year. All of this year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie winners should be proud that the judges recognized their achievements and their ability to express those achievements in a way that captured the judges’ hearts and imaginations.”

The Home Depot Service Provider Awards recognizes companies affiliated with Home Depot that provide exceptional services and products to consumers that exceed expectations in sales, service and program execution.

“As we continue to see this exponential growth in a rapidly changing industry, our partnership with Home Depot has been a key part of making residential solar increasingly accessible to home owners. These awards recognize this success,” added Pegler Jr.

NRG Home Solar has brought residential solar kiosks to nearly 300 Home Depot stores through Roof Diagnostics Solar, a company NRG acquired earlier this year. This successful collaboration between NRG Home Solar and The Home Depot has enabled the company to expand its base and offer more and more home owners affordable solar solutions.

Homeowners interested in NRG Home Solar’s services can contact the company directly at 1-800-75-SOLAR or visit www.nrghomesolar.com.

About NRG Home Solar

NRG Home Solar is one of the country’s leading solar companies specializing in the installation of residential solar PV. NRG Home Solar designs, installs and maintains solar systems that help smart homeowners bring their homes into the future with cleaner, cheaper energy.  The company is a division of NRG Energy and has offices throughout the US. NRG Energy acquired Roof Diagnostics Solar to support and expand its efforts to empower its customers to control their own energy destiny through clean self-generation. For more information please visit www.nrghomesolar.com or follow us on Twitter @NRGHomeSolar.

Solar Power World

Verengo recently announced it has reached 75 MW with its 13,000^th residential rooftop installation. Verengo, honored last month by Inc. magazine on their 500|5000 List as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., also announced an expansion plan focusing on key strategic markets on the east and west coasts.

Solar Power World

 Solar roof-mount manufacturer Quick Mount PV launched a solar-roofing blog titled Rooftop Review. The new blog coincides with a website redesign aimed to highlight the company’s unique value to its customers as well as enhance the user experience.

The new blog will harness the company’s technical and industry expertise in roofing and solar to share relevant information, tips and industry news. The blog will also provide a place for readers to comment, and share their stories and ideas.

“We believe knowledge, education and outreach are key to our success in solar,” says Claudia Wentworth, Quick Mount PV CEO. “A company blog is the perfect medium for us to share valuable content and interact with our customers and industry colleagues,” . “We look forward to engaging our customers and sharing information and content so together we can advance the future of solar.”

Blog posts will feature installation tips and advice, videos addressing specific installation topics, important changes and updates to building codes affecting solar, featured installation stories and much more.

Take a look at their blog here: www.quickmountpv.com/blog

Solar Power World

An experienced asset management team, whether housed internally or under an outsourced service, is critical to successful portfolio management. Implementing the structure to ensure asset-management challenges are addressed prior to experiencing profit degradation sits in the hands of the AM team.

At what stage do most solar projects run into problems, and how can a good asset management firm help navigate those difficulties?

This discussion addresses the challenges in the post-construction phase of the project (asset). Within this cycle, the focus is on the management versus technical aspects of the more than 25-year life of a typical solar project.

First let’s define operations and maintenance (O&M) vs. asset management (AM).

”In the PV industry, the term O&M describes a set of activities, most of them technical in nature, that enable power plants to perform their task of producing energy in compliance with applicable rules and regulations,” according to Cedric Brehaut of SoliChamba, author of the GTM Research report on O&M. “O&M is sometimes considered as a subset of asset management, which consists of the financial, commercial and administrative activities necessary to ensure that the plant’s energy production translates into the appropriate revenue stream.”

What are five major asset management challenges solar PV portfolio managers experience with growing and dispersed assets to ensure the return on investment is secure and properly channeled?

1. Multiple And Complex Reporting Requirements

• Deferred tax/IFRS/extensive support to audit process
• Different valuation rules/accounting standards
• Often requires complex consolidation
• Reporting to (international) investors
• Reporting to financing entities (including forward-looking financial statements)
• Local and statutory requirements
• The complexity of reporting requirements are caused by a many factors including:
• Cash Management
• Complex cash management results from account hierarchy and cash waterfalls.

2. Regulatory Changes

• Changing legal and tax environment require continuous monitoring and fine tuning.
• Local Diversity
• Every country/state is different, making it very challenging to coordinate with local service providers.
• Field vs. Administration
• The (local) administrator doesn’t always understand what happens in the field. Good coordination is crucial

The resolution of solar portfolio challenges lies in the combination of the service provider’s team experience and the robustness of its monitoring capabilities.

The Right Team

An experienced asset management team, whether housed internally or under an outsourced service, is critical to successful portfolio management. Implementing the structure to ensure asset-management challenges are addressed prior to experiencing profit degradation sits in the hands of the AM team.

Attributes of core AM team experience to confirm include:

• Communication
• Speed of communication
• Technical competency
• Creativity in solving problems
• Comprehensiveness of communication
• Clear hierarchy/points of contact
• Human resource qualities
• Motivation
• Honesty
• Attitude of communication

Fleet-Level Monitoring

As solar portfolios grow larger with more dispersed projects fleet-level monitoring is emerging to fulfill complex resource requirements.

(Author’s Note: Solar Power World addressed this in a 2014 webinar entitled “When Did Solar Monitoring Start to Matter?” which is still available at www.solarpowerworldonline.com)

Solar monitoring is evolving from specific subsystem monitoring (energy output from solar panels as an example) into Solar Enterprise Resource Planning (SERP) systems for fleet-level management. This approach mimics holistic systems seen in corporate settings to integrate technical data arising individually out of the systems into a broader picture of operations and all the data subsets involved with a given solar asset.

A SERP should readily provide insight into all operational (technical) and reporting (warranty, insurance, financial reporting including investor statements) aspects of the each individual asset. Specific assets should then be aggregated up into portfolio reporting — quite handy for such financial innovations as YieldCo’s.

SERP modules provide the best possible insights into the PV asset operations through:

• World-class monitoring systems
• Service management
• Asset management
• Integrated management of multiple and geographically distributed PV plants
• Extensive and customizable reporting capabilities

By Vassilis Papaeconomou, Managing Director, Alectris

Solar Power World

DuPont and Yingli recently completed a 210 kilowatt solar power project on the rooftop of the DuPont China R&D Center in Shanghai.

DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions  and Yingli Solar completed the installation of a 210 kilowatt solar power project on the rooftop of the DuPont China R&D Center in Shanghai.

The project contains Yingli Solar’s monocrystalline PANDA modules, which utilize innovative new technologies that are enabled in part by advanced materials from DuPont. The companies share a commitment to accelerate the broader adoption of solar energy to address the world’s growing energy needs.

Yingli Solar’s dedicated distributed generation team was responsible for the system’s design, installation, and interconnection.  The project is expected to produce 202,000 kilowatt hours of solar-generated electricity each year, which is roughly the amount of electricity 670 households consume every month in China.

It is the 14th solar installation at a DuPont site to date.  More than 11 million kilowatt hours of solar energy are produced at DuPont facilities annually.

Covering over 2100 square meters, the DuPont China R&D Center solar installation contains Yingli’s monocrystalline product line, PANDA. These panels maximize power output with Yingli’s unique, n-type PANDA solar cells, which are made using new DuPont Solamet® PV3Nx silver and aluminum metallization pastes . To help ensure long-term durability, DuPont Tedlar® film-based backsheets  in a double layer construction were specified, and lightweight framing materials from DuPont were utilized to decrease the weight on the roof and ease installation.

VIDEO: DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions and Yingli Solar Collaborate on China Solar Power Project

Solar Power World

At WEEC 2014 (World Energy Engineering Congress, Oct. 1-2, 2014, Washington, DC), Continental Control Systems will showcase the latest enhancements to its line of revenue-grade electric power meters. One of the key highlights at the show will be the company’s WattNode Revenue meters, which are currently in compliance with ANSI C12.1 and will be compliant with ANSI C12.20 beginning in Q4 2014. By providing compliance with current and next-generation ANSI standards, theWattNode Revenue meters ensure the highest possible precision for applications demanding revenue-grade accuracy and revenue-grade requirements. The WattNode Revenue meters will be calibrated using NIST-traceable equipment following the procedures specified by the ANSI C12.20 metering standard and will be supplied with a certificate of calibration.

Based on a compact design at a competitive price, the WattNode and WattNode Revenue are ideal meters for the measurement of energy production and energy consumption. The meters feature support for the Modbus, BACnet, or LonTalk communications protocol or a pulse output, providing users with a cost-effective energy and power metering solution that complement the company’s line of standard and high-accuracy, revenue-grade current transformers (CTs).

The WattNode and WattNode Revenue meters are designed for 120/208/240 Vac or 277/480 Vac applications and are UL- and CE-marked. In addition to revenue-grade, bidirectional energy (kWh) metering, the networkable energy and power meters provide dozens of additional measurements, including bidirectional power, demand, peak demand, reactive power, voltage, current, power factor, and line frequency.

Available in standard and revenue-grade accuracy, Continental Control Systems will also offer the WattNode BACnet. Accepted for listing by BACnet Testing Laboratory, the unit supports full self-discovery of the meter and all of its objects, offering more than 50 electric power-related measurements, 64 addresses, and selectable baud rates up to 76.8K.

Also on display will be the WattNode Pulse Opt.PV, which offers an innovative, inexpensive way to receive three independent pulse outputs from a single meter. TheWattNode Pulse Opt.PV measures energy from the grid (energy consumed), energy from the inverter (energy produced), and the bidirectional energy being returned to the grid (net energy).

ACT Series Revenue-Grade, Split-Core Current Transformers
At WEEC, Continental Control Systems will announce the release of its expanded line of ACT revenue-grade, split-core current transformers (CTs), which provide IEEE C57.13 class 0.6 revenue-grade accuracies along with a UL listing for energy management equipment in accordance with UL 2808 and CSA/Canada 61010-1.

Perfect for use on loads up to 600 Amps, the current transformers offer the ease of installation typically associated with an opening current transformer combined with the accuracy normally found with solid-core current transformers. Featuring a 333.33 mVac output, they are an ideal companion to the WattNode Revenue meter for revenue-grade electric power metering applications. The company’s new ACT-1250 offers an innovative oblong design and small footprint, enabling users to accommodate larger parallel circuits than the standard sized CT.

CTRC Rogowski Coil Current Transformer
Continental Control Systems will also show its CTRC Rogowski coil current transformer at WEEC 2014. Featuring a small, flexible design that simplifies installations, especially in tight spaces, the CTRC Rogowski coil current transformer is the perfect device for making an accurate current measurement on conductors where traditional split-core and solid-core CTs are difficult to use, such as large bus bars and irregular-shaped conductor bundles.

The UL recognized Rogowski coil is offered in four standard diameters from 3.1″ round (loads to 400 Amps) to 12″ round (loads to 4000 Amps). Non-standard size and load configurations are available upon request.

“The World Energy Engineering Congress is one of the industry’s most important events, bringing together professionals from all around the world. At this year’s expo, we’ll feature significant improvements to our revenue-grade power meters and highlight our newest additions to our lines of current transformers: the new high accuracy ACT-1250 and the entire line of Rogowski coils.”
— Cynthia A. Boyd, Director of Sales at Continental Control Systems

Solar Power World

A 140-MW DC photovoltaic system is planned for Kingston, Ontario, which will be the largest solar project in Canada when complete next year. The project will use SMA’s operations and maintenance (O&M) services and central inverters. SMA Service will assume operational management of the Kingston Solar project upon commercial operation, and for the next decade. Later this year, SMA will begin delivery of the 125 Sunny Central 800CP-US inverters that will power the system.

Last year, SMA was also selected to provide long-term O&M services and central inverters for the 130 MW DC Grand Renewable Solar project in Haldimand County, Ontario.

“SMA has always been known as the world’s solar technology leader, but projects like Kingston Solar and Grand Renewable Solar are solidifying SMA’s position as the number one O&M and utility-solutions provider in North America,” said Henry Dziuba, president of SMA Canada. “We are proud to be selected to power and maintain Canada’s two largest PV systems.”

Plant-wide O&M services were added to SMA’s top-ranked service portfolio last year. Available in three plans—Preventative, Proactive and Performance—SMA O&M provides comprehensive services, which increase performance ratios, protect power production and simplify long-term planning. In addition to these plans, SMA offers individual services that can be integrated in a flexible fashion, resulting in a highly customized O&M solution. Project owner Kingston Solar LP selected the Proactive plan with additional support services and extended warranties.

“We were highly focused on selecting an O&M provider who we felt had the experience and capacity to maximize uptime and minimize any potential maintenance issues for a project of Kingston Solar’s scale,” said Matt O’Brien, president of Kingston Solar LP, the project’s owner. “We believe SMA has both the technical and management expertise to deliver this investment-grade O&M service.”

The Sunny Central CP-US line of inverters offers class-leading 98.7 percent efficiencies and SMA’s intelligent temperature management system, OptiCool, which enables outdoor operation in a variety of challenging climates. The Sunny Central CP-US line also provides leading grid management functions to address utility requirements.

CarbonFree Technology will provide construction management services. Canadian Solar will provide PV modules for the project while Canadian Solar Solutions will be the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project, and will work together with subcontractor H.B. White Canada Corp. Construction will begin very soon and is scheduled to be completed by late 2015.

Solar Power World

Nextronex, a Toledo, Ohio-based manufacturer of high performance solar inverter systems, says its Ray Max Power PodiumTM Inverter System was delivered to one of the largest solar parking lot projects in Columbus, Ohio (.54 MW). The project’s electrical subcontractor Settle Muter has much experience installing solar on schools, industrial buildings and now parking lots. It is pleased with the simplicity of incorporating the Power PodiumTM solution for this project.

Jay Troger, CEO of Nextronex, observes that not only does the Power PodiumTM provide a quick field commissioning alternative, the physical format makes for a clean industrial look in an area that will be visible to the public. The Nextronex solution with it’s patented Distributed ArchitectureTM inverter system provides SME with proven performance in the field consistently providing higher energy output and 100% uptime. Our track record combined with our standard 10 year system warranty makes Nextronex the right choice for solar developers and Independent Power Producers. Nextronex’s reputation of successful installations and quality customer service is a perfect fit for the parking lot solar inverter solution that SME needs.

Dave Caulkins from SME observed that “The delivery of the Inverter System from truck to final position was very efficient and happened in less than 10 minutes. Once the parking lot canopy solar panels are installed we will just need to hook up some final connections and we will be ready for solar power! This allows for faster field commissioning.”

Using parking lot spaces for solar fields is an ideal multiuse of space. The canopy serves as a panel base for the solar panels while providing environmental protection to the parked cars. We expect to see more parking lots around the country taking advantage of this convenient green energy solution.

Solar Power World