Trina Solar announced that its State Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology of China has set new world records for high efficiency p-type and n-type silicon solar cells.

The p-type mono-crystalline silicon solar cell on an industrial Cz wafer, which integrates advanced technologies including back surface passivation and local back surface field, reached an efficiency of 21.40% (156×156 mm2). This result has been independently confirmed by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab in Germany. The same advanced cell technologies on a high quality multi-crystalline Si wafer resulted in a new champion p-type multi-crystalline silicon solar cell with an efficiency of 20.53% (156×156 mm2), as independently confirmed by the National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic Product Quality (CPVT) in Wuxi, China. Both results established new world records for mono and multi p-type silicon solar cells with passivated rear surface and local contact, on 6″ substrates and fabricated with an industrial process. These cells are commonly called iPERC cells.

The n-type mono-crystalline silicon solar cell with an Interdigitated Back Contact (“IBC”) structure and industrially feasible production process achieved an efficiency of 22.9% on a 156×156 mm2 n-type Cz wafer as independently tested by Japan Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories (JET). This marks another milestone in the development of IBC solar cells and comes shortly after the demonstration of a laboratory IBC solar cell with a 24.4% efficiency developed through Trina Solar’s collaboration with the Australian National University’s (ANU) Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems in March this year.

To the Company’s knowledge, these total-area efficiency results, independently verified by external laboratories, affirm these cells to be in their categories the most efficient silicon solar cells made by industrially feasible production processes on 156mm x 156mm substrates for both p-type (mono & multi) and n-type (mono) substrates that have been tested anywhere in the world to date.

“We are very pleased to announce these new efficiency results achieved by Trina Solar’s researchers at the State Key Laboratory of PV Science and Technology,” said Dr. Pierre Verlinden, Vice President and Chief Scientist of Trina Solar. “Though these technologies are not currently in production, they will be part of our future commercialized Honey Plus and IBC products. Our aim is to continuously integrate technological developments into our PV products, which are currently commercialized or would be in the future, to further drive down the product cost, strengthen our competitive advantages and provide affordable solar power to the world. We believe that innovation is core to Trina’s sustainable growth and long-term success. Our focus remains on developing innovative and cutting-edge solar power products and technologies to strengthen our leading position as a premium PV manufacturer.”

Solar Power World

The Solar Electric Power Association is releasing guidelines and opening up the website for its 51st State Initiative to kick off a three-month submission period.

Launched at Solar Power International last month in Las Vegas, the 51st State is aimed at challenging a broad range of energy industry stakeholders, from think-tank analysts and utility staffers to electric-bill-paying consumers, to come up with new ideas for building a clean, affordable and resilient power system. The starting point for these ideas is a hypothetical 51st state where no market structures or rules exist, SEPA CEO Julia Hamm said during her keynote at SPI.

Individuals and groups will be able to download the 51st State guidelines at www.SEPA51.org and start a two-step process for submitting their ideas. By Dec. 17, participants will need to complete a simple online form with a brief description of their ideas. Fully developed proposals will be due Feb. 27, 2015 and will be reviewed by an independent, five-member Innovation Review Panel. A webinar on the initiative and submission process is schedule for Dec. 8.

The members of the review represent a cross-section of energy industry thought leaders. They are:
Ron Binz, a former member of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and now a principal at Public Policy Consulting
Nancy E. Pfund, founder and managing partner of venture capital firm DBL Investors
Jim Rogers, former president and CEO of Duke Energy
Jigar Shah, author, entrepreneur and founder of SunEdison
Susan Tierney, former assistant secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Energy and now senior advisor at Analysis Group in Boston

SEPA will showcase the most innovative, comprehensive proposals at a 51st State Summit set for April 27 in San Diego, in conjunction with the organization’s 2015 Utility Solar Conference.

A 51st State Facebook page is now live to promote crowdsourcing and brainstorming of ideas in any and all forms, from short, quick-hit pitches to videos or infographics.

“We launched the 51st State Initiative to help find workable alternatives to the policy logjams now causing uncertainty for solar and other forms of distributed energy in a growing number of states.” Hamm said. “We are looking for detailed proposals that can be turned into real-world policies or pilot programs, but you don’t have to be an expert to participate. We also want the initiative to serve as a platform for a community of creative thinkers who will push the boundaries of what many people think is possible.”

Solar Power World

Enphase Energy recently announced new features for the Enphase Installer Toolkit, a mobile app designed to help solar installers improve overall business productivity by making installations faster and more efficient. Enphase has enhanced the Installer Toolkit so that installers can now use the app to wirelessly connect to the Enphase Envoy Communications Gateway, which connects the system’s modules and microinverters to Enphase’s monitoring software.

By connecting to the Enphase Envoy, installers can quickly verify the system setup using the mobile app on their smart phone. The success of the installation is confirmed before the installer leaves the job site.

“In today’s competitive market, installers are always looking for ways to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. Increasing the productivity of the on-site installation team is key to achieving these goals,” says Jeff Loebbaka, senior vice president of global sales, marketing and support of Enphase Energy. “With the Installer Toolkit, Enphase is helping to make installations easier and faster. It’s a great foundation for more tools to come.”

Once connected to the Envoy Communications Gateway, installers can use the Installer Toolkit to:

• Verify that the microinverters are activated, communicating and producing power.
• Configure a Wi-Fi network for reporting to Enlighten.
• Select a location-specific grid profile for the microinverters when necessary.
• View and email a summary report to confirm a successful installation.

The Installer Toolkit is available globally in English, French, Italian and German as a free download in the iTunes app store.

For more solar apps, check out these articles:

Design Solar On The Go With This App

General Cable’s Apps Help Save Time On The Solar Site

RBI Solar Releases App For Calculating Post Spacing On Utility Projects

Revolutionary App For Calculating Post To Post Spacing For Utility Scale Solar Racking

Solar Power World

Quick Mount PV has announced that its full line of Classic Composition, Classic Shake and E-Mount products have now earned ICC-ES (International Code Council – Evaluation Services) certification, the building industry’s most respected and widely accepted stamp of approval for waterproofing and structural integrity.

Quick Mount PV’s E-Mount, E-Mount Lag and Classic Composition Lag mounts were certified this month under the ICC-ES report ESR-3744 . The company’s Classic Composition and Classic Shake Mounts were certified in 2010 under ICC-ES report ESR-2835.

The ICC is a leading authority on building safety and fire codes, and ICC-ES certification enables faster approvals on solar projects.

Both ICC-ES reports are available on the company’s website at quickmountpv.com.

Solar Power World

The following article comes from “Rooftop Review,” a solar roofing blog by Quick Mount PV.

One of the most common code violations we see in tile roof PV system installations is the failure to install a base flashing. However, flashing at the underlayment level is highly recommended as it is required by the Tile Roofing Institute (TRI). While tile routes most the rainwater off the roof, water routinely blows up between tiles and the underlayment serves as the ultimate waterproofing of the deck. Standoffs, tile hooks, tile tracks, or hanger bolts without base flashing are vulnerable to leaks, and are a fundamental code violation. Violating this important code requirement puts your customers and your business at risk since the installer is legally responsible for any resulting leak damage.

The TRI guidelines specify the flashing requirements for penetration flashing, and the TRI Technical Brief for Solar Systems (#2008-01) specifically states Deck mounted or other systems that penetrate the tile or roof deck shall have both primary roof tile flashing and secondary deck flashing. Since tile hooks do not penetrate the tile, you only need a base flashing, but you MUST have a base flashing. Base flashing must be installed using either underlayment bibbing or 3-course sealing to the base level.

Since the IBC and IRC codes require installing flashings per the roofing manufacturer guidelines, the TRI guidelines become the code requirements for all member companies. You can find a full list here. To add further validity to the TRI guidelines, they have been certified with the International Code Council using the ICC Evaluation Service Report system. – ICC-ESR-2015P and some TRI member companies including the two largest tile manufacturers (Boral/Monier and Eagle) even specify the TRI flashing guidelines in their ICC Evaluation Service Reports:

• Boral’s ICC ESR
• Eagle Roofing’s ICC ESR

So always remember to install base flashing. Your customers will thank you, and you will protect your contracting business from the legal liability of avoidable roof leaks.

Quick Mount PV offers both live trainings and free webinars on installing flashed solar mounts on tile roofs. For more information, visit our website.

Solar Power World

The Sierra Club is joining Ford Motor Company and SunPower’s Drive Green for Life program to help more Americans move toward emissions-free driving.

Drive Green for Life offers Ford customers who own electrified plug-in vehicles, including Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi Plug-In Hybrid and Fusion Energi Plug-In Hybrid, a $750 rebate on a SunPower residential solar system to generate clean, solar energy for the home and for electric vehicle charging. Also eligible are the C-MAX Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid. As Drive Green for Life’s newest partner, the Sierra Club will receive a $500 donation from SunPower for each rooftop solar system installed through the program.

“As an electric vehicle owner with solar panels on my home, I can personally attest to the incredible freedom and financial savings that come from being able to power our family’s car while lessening our carbon footprint,” said Jesse Simons, Sierra Club Chief of Staff. “At the Sierra Club, we want to bring clean energy prosperity to all Americans, and our new collaboration with Ford and SunPower on Drive Green for Life will help many more individuals benefit from a switch to clean, healthy solutions.”

In 2011, the Sierra Club launched its electric vehicle initiative advocating ways to reduce oil use and greenhouse gas emissions. The Sierra Club also conducts public education to promote electric vehicles, including through the annual National Drive Electric Week and its interactive online EV Guide. Through the Drive Green for Life program, electric vehicles that are charged with SunPower systems become forms of mobility with reduced emissions. Participation in the program will help accomplish the Sierra Club’s goal of rapid, wide-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies in lieu of fossil fuel-powered electricity. Donations from Drive Green for Life will help support the Sierra Club’s programs, such as its advocacy for clean energy solutions, including federal and state programs and policies to get more drivers into plug-in electric vehicles.

New owners or lessees of Ford electrified vehicles will be given information about the Drive Green for Life program by Ford dealers. A SunPower dealer will work with interested customers to design a solar power system for their home and discuss flexible financing options. Each Drive Green for Life customer will receive their rebate and a donation will be made to the Sierra Club once the solar system is installed.

“SunPower is pleased to welcome the Sierra Club, with its rich history of environmental advocacy and conservation successes, to the Drive Green for Life program,” said Erin Nelson, SunPower executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “Drive Green for Life continues to help Ford electric vehicle customers generate reliable solar energy from their rooftop with SunPower systems, for use at home and on the road.”

SunPower and Ford launched the Drive Green for Life program in 2011 and it is currently open to homeowners in all 50 states. Ford plug-in electric vehicles are available at certified dealerships across the country, and SunPower solar panels can be installed by more than 400 solar installers nationwide.

“Our plug-in customers have taken a big step towards sustainability by driving on electricity and now we are offering them the ability to go further by powering their homes and vehicles with clean, renewable energy,” said Mike Tinskey, global director, Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure for Ford. “We are thrilled to be working with SunPower and the Sierra Club on this forward-thinking program.”

Solar Power World

SolarWorld and Enphase Energy announced today that they have signed a global strategic partnership agreement. Enphase is the world’s largest provider of microinverters, devices that convert direct electrical current to alternating current to enable most applications of solar electric power.

“The global partnership between SolarWorld and Enphase – two companies renowned for quality, reliability and technological advancement – is more than a supply agreement”

SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar producer for nearly 40 years, has formalized Enphase as its supplier of microinverter systems for SolarWorld’s custom-engineered system solutions in the U.S. market as well as expanded this partnership across both companies’ worldwide distribution networks. The two companies also have agreed to engage in close collaboration in developing new solar technologies and products.

“The global partnership between SolarWorld and Enphase – two companies renowned for quality, reliability and technological advancement – is more than a supply agreement,” said Mukesh Dulani, U.S. president of SolarWorld. “It is a true collaboration between industry leaders that will expand global solar markets and spur development of new solar technologies.”

“Enphase has worked closely with SolarWorld for several years, and the companies have built a strong, growing business together in collaboration with SolarWorld’s extensive U.S. channels,” said Jeff Loebbaka, Enphase’s senior vice president of global sales, marketing and support. “This new agreement promises to open new regional market and product opportunities around the world for both companies.”

Solar Power World

Power Electronics introduces its Freesun HE Gen II. The powerful air cooled indoor utility-scale inverter has a wide MPPt window. The 5.2m model can power 1.7MW solar power stations, with its built-in modularity and redundancy that enhance its fault tolerance and availability rates.

Following the release of the Freesun HEC and HEC+ in Q1 2014, the Freesun HE Gen II is available ranging from 450kW to 1700kW. Engineered for serviceability and ease of maintenance, Freesun HE offers up to ten withdrawable conversion modules with an easy front access and direct rear cooling. It can be integrated in concrete stations HESr or 40” ISO container HET, allowing worldwide integrators and EPCs to play with different solutions but all with the same core.

The Freesun HE Gen II integrates substantial advances in control and construction: three output voltage levels 360Vac, 380Vac and 400Vac with wide MPPt windows by using motor control techniques, hyper range of power factor, reactive control during the night, added utility interactive functionalities, zonal VSD fan control without dust filters and automatic derating above 50 ° C or 820Vcc.

“The Freesun HE Gen II is based on intense and close work with the key players of the PV solar sector. Our product has been tested under the harshest environments in Mauritania and the United Kingdom, and now we are boosting its capacity to provide more cost competitive solutions to a price oriented PV market. This, when combined with our commitment to 24h technical service, are undoubtedly the best guarantees available for EPCs, developers and investment firms that have, in the past, relied and will continue to rely on Power Electronics ” says Lalo Salvo, Technical Vice President.

Power Electronics through its´ POWER ON SUPPORT program provides the complete package for the sector which includes a 5 year warranty for all solar orders, optional warranty extension for up to 25 years, free and fast commissioning, 24h service, local spare parts stock, free technical training, commitment to 99% availability without extra cost, and a team of experts and engineers to assist clients with the design and construction of their plant.

Solar Power World

Canadian Solar modules will power a series of projects in Georgia totaling 5.1 MW with Atlanta-based solar developer and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (“EPC”) provider SolAmerica Energy. As the sole provider of photovoltaic (PV) modules for these projects, Canadian Solar expects these projects to be completed in December of 2014.

Each of the projects will be owned by Citizens Energy Corporation of Boston pursuant to a development and EPC Agreement with SolAmerica Energy. All of the projects will utilize Canadian Solar CS6X-310-P photovoltaic (PV) modules, and the energy produced from the arrays will be sold to Georgia Power pursuant to the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative.

The projects under construction include the following:
-Taylor County Industrial Park in Butler, Georgia: 1.8 MW ground mount
-Cook County Farm in Lenox, Georgia: 1.3 MW ground mount
-Terrell County Industrial Park in Dawson, Georgia: 1 MW ground mount
-Goolsby Farm in Terrell County, Georgia: 1 MW ground mount

R. Stanley Allen, President of SolAmerica, said, “As part of the 8 MW of solar projects that SolAmerica will develop and build in Georgia by the end of 2014, these projects will help grow the base of solar energy in Georgia. Based on the performance and reliability of Canadian Solar PV modules in previous projects we developed, we hold full confidence in their product performance.”

Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar, commented, “Canadian Solar is pleased to be working with SolAmerica on these solar projects in Georgia. We await their completion very soon and also look forward to future projects with SolAmerica in the Southeast United States.”

Solar Power World

Array Technologies (ATI) and construction company, White Construction Inc. (White), signed a tracker supply agreement for more than 28 MW of Array Technologies’ DuraTrack HZ single-axis solar tracking system earlier this year.

The DuraTrack HZ structure features a customized 120° range of motion and holds roughly 94,340 high performance CS6X-P Canadian Solar modules at this site. In addition to providing the module technology, industry giant Canadian Solar took on development duties to bring West Antelope Solar to fruition.

“White Construction is a valued partner that is spearheading utility-scale solar projects across the country,” explained ATI Founder and CEO, Ron Corio. “We look forward to working with this storied company for years to come.”

“The West Antelope project is one of twelve solar projects that White Construction has partnered with Canadian Solar to build over the past two years,” said Vice President of Solar, Nick Fiduccia.  “Array Technologies has a great reputation in the solar industry. This is our first project together and we look forward to furthering our partnership on future projects.”

“We are pleased to be working with both White Construction and Array Technologies on this project, and we look forward to its successful completion,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar. “Not only does Canadian Solar produce high quality PV modules, we also thrive for our excellent project development and execution, which would not be possible without successful partnerships.”

During peak construction, the 263-acre West Antelope Solar Park generated over 400 full and part-time positions in the Lancaster area. The total economic benefit from the project to the Antelope Valley region, based on direct, indirect and induced spending for the life of the project, is roughly $20,000,000. Energy off-taker Pacific Gas & Electric will collect the electricity generated by West Antelope Solar as part of a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Array Technologies
arraytechinc.com

Solar Power World

Greater success through greater know-how: the SMA Solar Academy provides expertise and advanced training tailored to participants on SMA products and photovoltaics. Courses take into account the latest trends, new developments, and current topics in the field. Advanced training gives you the best qualifications for long-term success in an environment as dynamic as the solar industry.

Join the SMA Solar Sprinter van on the road for the More Power, More Profit Tour kicking off in December with three road show stops. These events will include an afternoon of free installation and sales training on the popular Sunny Boy TL-US featuring the world’s only Secure Power Supply. Learn how this powerful inverter can increase your margins through easy upsells and decreased labor. Space is limited.

December 9, 2014 @ 11am-2pm
Wesco Sacramento
Sacramento, CA

December 10, 2014 @ 11am-2pm
CED Orange Country
Anaheim, CA

December 12, 2014 @ 11am-2pm
Wesco Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ

More Information on SMA Training

Solar Power World

Southern California-based Sullivan Solar Power, a Solar Power World 2014 Top Solar Contractor has shined bright as an industry leader for its innovative adoption of Google Glass, and having developed one of the first apps ever for the wearable technology. Most recently, Sullivan Solar Power has been a thought leader in developing its own business apps on the Intuit QuickBase platform. Tuesday, Michael Chagala, Director of Information Technology, presented to solar industry leaders at an east coast Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) conference to highlight the firm’s company cloud workspace.

“Today our QuickBase build is used by all departments. At the moment a sales lead comes into the system, it’s wrapped in a workflow,” said Michael Chagala, “It’s assigned to the right person, tasks are created, milestones set triggers, and it progresses from one department to the next. What we didn’t realize until recently is just how agile this has made us. It’s common for me to make a change to someone’s workflow in real-time as they’re on the phone describing the problem to me.”

Michael Chagala provided insight to solar industry companies as to how they can also utilize software and technology to build out their own company database workspace to increase efficiency and streamline processes within their company. Sullivan Solar Power utilized Sympo an official QuickBase Solution Provider, to assist with the heavy lifting of the company’s development of its business software program.

“In order to keep up with all of this new opportunity, solar companies need to have clear business processes and workflows in place for their entire customer lifecycle,” said Emi Gwin, President at Sympo. “Working together, Sympo and Sullivan Solar Power have created a powerful operating system for the entire business on QuickBase, resulting in saved time, increased revenue and lightning fast growth.”

Sullivan Solar Power selected Intuit’s QuickBase platform to compliment the company’s intensive quality assurance and quality control processes that have built its rankings as an industry-leader. The ease of use and freedom to build out the program based on the company’s needs has provided Sullivan Solar Power the ability for 105 employees to work simultaneously on hundreds of projects, ranging from lead management to data analysis and accounting.

Sullivan Solar Power’s next project for business development applications are to incorporate the next iteration of its Google Glass app, “Our next version of the app will push and pull data from QuickBase using the QuickBase API,” said Chagala.

Solar Power World

SolarCity, a Top 400 Solar Contractor, has entered into contract with Walmart for the installation of new solar projects at facilities in up to 36 states over the next four years. SolarCity has completed more than 200 solar projects at Walmart locations since 2010. SolarCity has also installed and tested energy storage projects co-located with solar power generation at 13 Walmart facilities since early 2013, and will be incorporating ten additional storage projects in the next year. SunEdison will also be part of the partnership

Since the company’s last announcement in 2013, SolarCity has installed nearly 50 solar projects for Walmart including:

• Arizona – 10 carport and 2 rooftop projects totaling more than 5 megawatts
• California – 12 rooftop and 3 carport projects totaling 6.3 megawatts
• New York – 4 rooftop projects totaling 1.6 megawatts
• Oregon – 3 rooftop projects totaling 283 kilowatts
• Puerto Rico – 13 rooftop projects totaling 2.9 megawatts

Walmart is also at the forefront of commercializing storage technology and was a pilot customer for SolarCity’s energy storage system for businesses. Since early 2013, Walmart has tested 13 battery storage projects with solar installations across California to provide additional savings to Walmart by using stored electricity to lower peak demand charges.  The next ten solar energy storage projects will each use a larger 200 kilowatt (400 kilowatt hour) battery, expanding battery storage capabilities as well as further reducing energy expense.

SolarCity has created 5,000 permanent American jobs since it initiated its first project with Walmart in 2010.

“SunEdison is one of Walmart’s earliest solar providers with projects dating back to 2007,” said Katherine Jennrich, senior manager of energy services at Walmart. “And, SolarCity has been Walmart’s largest solar provider, installing more than 200 projects together since 2010. We are excited to expand our work with both providers.”

Walmart is the top commercial solar energy user in the United States according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the largest on-site renewable energy user in America according to EPA’s Green Power Partnership.

Solar Power World

A basic tenet of any introductory philosophy course teaches two critical questions for life; how do we know what we don’t know, and can we really know anything? Solar component manufacturers, investors and installers often ask themselves a version of these existential questions. How do we know what we know about solar products like modules, inverters or other power electronics? Can we really know enough to be confident in our product selection?

Today, the majority of manufacturers use small test beds in their hometown regions to determine how product generations behave over time. This testing process is often crude at best. How can a 25-kW field array in typically overcast Germany tell us how a 100-MW installation will behave on the rooftops of Southern California?

These test beds may not catch the issue of performance induced degradation the industry scrambled over last year. The practice also doesn’t catch issues with some mechanical junction box failures. These issues may only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg concerning the technical issues small test bed arrays may not be able to determine. Do we have the luxury to wait for another one?

To better assess these and future technology issues, solar as an industry needs greater access to global caches of data and improved analytical capabilities. Yet, today, solar data is trapped in silos of proprietary databases, and in the data logs of manufacturers. Quite often the only window into this data for most is what’s listed on product stickers.

The solar industry is stuck in a pre-digital, pre-internet version of the world. At best, installers have daunting data-entry tasks to try to overcome these issues. At worst, the data is ignored completely, with an “install and pray” strategy.

To date, the solar industry has gotten away with this pre-digital inefficiency. Yet, switching from the current method of spot checking for quality control and using snippets of data, to a system of holistic product lifecycle tracking and standardization can yield larger, richer data sets on project performance.

No one company has the resources to do this all by themselves. The leveraging of big data like this, has been proven time and again in other industries, such as finance, healthcare, retail and more. If solar component manufacturers track all products from production line, to factory gate, to the field and throughout the lifecycle, the industry would not only have better data, we would likely see better, more efficient or less costly products; eventually, perhaps both.

Once a company can collect data from all their products in the field, it could be easier to identify trends and abnormalities in terms of high and low performers. Then, by determining if those abnormalities stem from environmental conditions, or the specific production batches, OEMs could improve manufacturing processes in the future.

Installers, investors, and manufacturers all benefits from better data leading to better products.  But one of the key advantages this system provides to installers is the potential for greater data transparency. Currently, many installers set up micro-test projects to test racking, modules and inverters. But once manufacturers adopt a product lifecycle tracking system, it would be significantly easier to normalize product data across companies. They would simply have much larger and more representative samples. This could also help encourage low preforming suppliers to improve their quality, or be more truthful to the industry.

Industry groups like PV 2.0 are developing and instilling practices to collect data throughout a solar product’s lifecycle. Using that data to improve manufacturing practices and sharing it with the rest of the industry will help installers choose better products and allow for more informed purchasing decisions.

The goal of PV 2.0 is to reward high-quality manufacturers and encourage an increase in product quality, while at the same time attracting more investments to the solar industry. It’s time to lift the veil on solar data.

By James Bickford, a 5-year veteran of Tigo Energy. At Tigo, James has served in executive roles including Director of Asia Pacific based in Shanghai and is currently Director of Global OEM channels.  Before Tigo, James co-founded Valence Energy, an energy efficiency software company in Silicon Valley, which was acquired in 2009. James has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University where he successfully led the first Solar Decathlon in the school’s history to a third place finish in the Department of Energy competition. James serves on several boards today, including the Solar Decathlon Alumni and the School of Engineering at Santa Clara University.

^[1] http://www.greentechmedia.com/green-light/post/rec-to-recall-all-of-their-solar-panels-from-2008-report

Solar Power World

Canadian Solar has completed the sale of the 28.4MWp West Antelope Solar Park to Dominion. The 263-acre Project is located in Los Angeles County on the outskirts of Lancaster, California. The construction of the West Antelope solar power plant generated over 400 jobs between July and November 2014. Canadian Solar supplied 94,340 high performance CS6X-300/305P Quartech photovoltaic (PV) modules.

White Construction was the provider of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction services (“EPC”). The total solar system output will be enough to power more than 6,100 homes and to offset a total of 31.5 tons of carbon dioxide.

The culmination of this project represents a two-year development timeline for Canadian Solar, including permitting, entitlement, power execution, and system installation. The 20 year Power Purchase Agreement with PG&E was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission.

“As the largest project that Canadian Solar has developed, built, and sold in the United States, the West Antelope Solar Park represents an important milestone for the company,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar Inc. “This project showcases the capabilities of our global PV project team in project development and execution, and it also demonstrates that large scale solar PV energy systems can be a significant, viable, and sustainable component of California’s energy mix.”

Solar Power World

Sunrun offers its BrightPath Station, an interactive, multi-touch kiosk that enables consumers to pinpoint their home on a map and within minutes assess if they are suited for solar and get a quote. As an extension of Sunrun’s BrightPath software, the station brings this technology to consumers in select retail environments for the first time.

Earlier this year, Sunrun unveiled its BrightPath technology, an end-to-end automated software platform designed to manage home solar projects from lead to sale in one streamlined process. The Sunrun BrightPath Station brings this technology to life for consumers in an engaging retail environment. The knowledge-based station uses cloud computing to take customers through the entire home solar process from selecting hardware and system design to pricing, scheduling, permitting, installation and more.

“Sunrun views retail stores as a promising opportunity to increase solar adoption by consumers,” said Gary Wayne, vice president of strategic projects at Sunrun. “The Sunrun BrightPath Station enables consumers to learn more about solar as a service in a highly engaging environment and receive an accurate proposal customized for their home. Sunrun was built upon a diversified approach to selling solar, and our station and retail experience together is another example of how we are meeting consumers where they feel comfortable shopping while lowering the cost of going solar.”

By answering a few simple questions, consumers can use the Sunrun BrightPath Station to understand their energy needs and receive multiple home solar system design options that provide optimal energy production and savings. Sunrun has already generated high consumer interest through its use of the station in several retail locations across California, Hawaii and New York. The company plans to introduce the station to additional locations in 2015.

As the first company to introduce solar as a service to American homeowners, Sunrun has reinvented the way people buy electricity. Consumers have many options when deciding to go solar, and the Sunrun BrightPath Station is another way the company is lowering the cost of solar and providing consumers with a solution that uniquely meets the energy needs of their home and lifestyle.

Solar Power World

APS is making its microinverters even more installer friendly. The manufacturer’s new ArrayApp mobile application from allows installers to map a PV array and complete the microinverter registration process in the field through their mobile device.

“Being able to register a whole PV installation from the job site really simplifies things for installers,” said Tommy VanCleave, APS’s Technical Support manager. “The ArrayApp is a great new tool that our APS installers will appreciate.”

ArrayApp lets installers log in from a remote location and enter system information including microinverter serial numbers and a PV array map.

Serial numbers on each microinverter unit are scanned using a wireless barcode reader or the mobile device’s camera, and automatically entered into the APS customer database for warranty and support.

Once the microinverter installation is in the database, PV system performance can be monitored by the owner through any web-enabled device via the APS Energy Monitoring and Analysis software (available separately).

ArrayApp is available for both iPhone and iPad through the Apple iTunes Store. The app requires iOS 7.0 or later, and offers English, German and simplified Chinese language support.

The Android version is available for download on the APS website.

Solar Power World

New England Clean Energy and Canadian Solar are collaborating with Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester to provide Maple Solar energy systems for Habitat’s Project Playhouse program.

Project Playhouse is a volunteer, fundraising program for groups and corporations wanting to make a difference in their communities. Volunteers build, design and decorate children’s playhouses, which are then donated to local veteran families with children. Habitat’s MetroWest/Greater Worcester chapter began offering the program in July 2014.

Completed playhouse with solar panel on the roof.

“The addition of a working solar panel to our playhouses is a great way to teach kids about renewable energy,” says Tim Firment, executive director of Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester. “We hope to mirror these mini-systems on the playhouses with full-scale systems on the homes we build and renovate.”

The first Maple solar energy systems were installed recently on playhouses constructed at Unum headquarters in Worcester, Mass., and at Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty in Hopkinton, Mass. The playhouses were then presented to two local veterans and their families.

The solar companies have committed to a six-month collaboration with Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester, with the potential to continue longer term. Canadian Solar donated the systems and New England Clean Energy donated the installation and related equipment.

“We’re excited to be supporting Habitat for Humanity, which is making the world a better place by building homes and helping families,” says Mark Durrenberger, president of New England Clean Energy. “New England Clean Energy is helping families put solar on their homes to save money, and our organizations, along with Canadian Solar, are focused on contributing to our local communities. Partnering on Project Playhouse makes sense all around.”

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Solar Power World

Solar Power World’s yearlong print and online event recognizes solar companies, teams and individuals for innovation renewable energy excellence.

Solar Power World Magazine and online network www.solarpowerworldonline.com today announced the winners of the 2014 Leadership in Solar program.  Leadership in Solar is an industry recognition program to acknowledge leadership across renewable energy disciplines. Solar Power World utilizes an online anonymous registration voting system to tally votes for all companies in their respective categories. Participation in the program is tied to promotional marketing programs associated with the print and online media outlet of Solar Power World

Solar Power World recognizes the following companies by category – Components: Helical Products, Consulting: Envect, Distributors: Simple Ray, Enclosures: Allied Moulded Products, Inc., Installation: Solect, Measurement: Lufft USA, Panel / Collection Manufacturing: Hanwha and Racking and Mounting: RBI Solar.

The voting is enabled online and accuracy is ensured by a registration-based system. The Solar Power World Leadership logged over 2,500 user sessions, with 600 individual company votes across all categories.

View winners here: www.solarpowerworldonline.com/leadership-solar-power-2014-winners

Solar Power World

Enphase Energy has announced a charitable partnership with SolarAid, a leading London-based international nonprofit that provides access to clean, affordable solar lights. SolarAid’s goal is to eliminate the toxic kerosene lantern from Africa by 2020, and Enphase’s donation will be contributing to this campaign by helping to build trust in solar technology and getting solar lights into the hands of 600 million people.

“Affordable solar lights increase people’s income by an average of 15 percent per month, enhance work and study time, improve health, cut carbon emissions and provide a platform for local economies to flourish,” said Andrew Webb, managing director, SolarAid. “With the help of supporters such as Enphase, we can reach off-grid communities and educate them in the use of solar, while developing a solid international network to lobby institutions and governments. Spreading solar lighting across Africa and lighting up millions of households is a dream we are achieving.”

“SolarAid’s mission of bringing clean and safe light to off-grid communities across Africa aligns with Enphase’s efforts to promote solar energy for a sustainable future,” said Olivier Jacques, managing director, EMEA, Enphase Energy. “We are honored to partner with SolarAid and directly participate in the transition to solar in Africa.”

Recently, Enphase and SolarAid participated in a fund raising activity at Solar Energy UK, the largest B2B event for the solar industry in Great Britain. Coin-collection points were situated across Enphase’s booth for three days, and Enphase matched a donation amount collected through visitors’ contributions. Enphase and SolarAid are looking forward to many more joint opportunities and activities along these lines in the future.

Founded in 2006 by Dr. Jeremy Leggett, SolarAid is an international charity creating business-based solutions for poverty and climate change and a leader in driving policy for off-grid lighting and solar technology advancements. In 2008, SolarAid created SunnyMoney, a fully-owned social enterprise to run on-the-ground operations. SunnyMoney has grown rapidly from a small trading arm to a viable business. Today, it is the largest seller of solar lights in Africa. By building a sustainable market for solar products, SolarAid and SunnyMoney aim to eliminate the use of kerosene lamps in Africa by 2020.

Enphase is not new to philanthropic initiatives. Its long-lasting charitable partnership with the US-based nonprofit GRID Alternatives makes solar power and solar job training available to underserved communities. Enphase has recently kicked off collaboration with the Brian D. Robertson Memorial Solar Schools Fund (BDR Fund) to install photovoltaic systems in over 25 schools across the US.

The partnership between Enphase Energy and SolarAid will continue in 2015.

More info on: http://www.solar-aid.org/

Enphase Energy
www.enphase.com

Solar Power World