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Hanwha Q CELLS Offers Solar PV Kit in France

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Hanwha Q CELLS has started selling its 100-kW solar kit to French PV installers in October 2014.

“Having already sold the first 100 kWp kits to installers in France, Hanwha Q CELLS has proven its ability to successfully introduce this kind of PV product to the French market,” said Philippe Pflieger, Hanwha Q CELLS’ Head of Sales France.

The kit uses Hanwha’s Q.ANTUM technology, a cell concept based on sophisticated balancing of the whole cell architecture to maximize the energy yield. Q.ANTUM holds efficiency records for polycrystalline solar cells (19.5%) and 60 cell modules (18.5%).The 100 kWp kit for commercial and small industrial roofs includes more than 360 Q CELLS modules with power classes of up to 280 watt-peak (Wp), inverters and a mounting system allowing modules’ installation in portrait or landscape. Multiple orientation options are also available. Monitoring, main AC switch and equipment like ground cable and connectors are also part of the offer. Over one average day in France, the system will produce around 325 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity; over a full year a total of 118.000 kWh will be generated and fed into the grid. The German-headquartered company announced already last June that it should be able to provide a “full system” C&I kit to France’s installers in Q4 2014.

Solar Power World


Abengoa Yield’s Mojave 280-MW Gross Solar Plant Declares Commercial Operation

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Abengoa's 280 MW, utility-scale, CSP 'Solana'

Abengoa’s 280 MW, utility-scale, CSP ‘Solana’

Abengoa Yield, the sustainable total return company that owns a diversified portfolio of contracted assets in the energy and environment sectors,  announced that Mojave, the 280-MW gross solar plant located in California, has declared commercial operation on December 1.

Located 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, Mojave generates clean electricity to power approximately 90,000 households in California, preventing the emission of 350,000 tons of CO2 annually. The project has generated thousands of jobs, peaking at over 2,200 positions during the construction phase. Additionally, thousands of direct and indirect jobs are estimated to be have been created through its supply chain spanning throughout the U.S. Mojave will supply clean electricity to Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) under a 25-year power purchase agreement.

Abengoa Yield also owns Solana, a solar plant located in Arizona, which has successfully completed its first year of commercial operation. With a six-hour thermal energy storage capacity, Solana supplies clean energy to Arizona Public Service (APS), Arizona’s largest utility, under a 30-year power purchase agreement.

Abengoa Yield
www.abengoayield.com

Solar Power World

Ross Solar Group to Install Two SunPower Rooftop Projects in Connecticut

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The Ross Solar Group has reached an agreement with Gengras Motor Cars Inc. to install the two largest single SunPower rooftop solar installations to date in East Hartford, Conn. The systems will be located at the dealership group’s Volvo and Chevrolet facilities on Connecticut Blvd.

Comprised of 1,124 high-efficiency SunPower Panels, the two systems are expected to generate in excess of 450,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy per year. According to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the system is expected to offset nearly 300 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

East Hartford-based Gengras Motor Cars has been a leading member of the Connecticut business community since 1937, with Volvo, Chevrolet, Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Ram, and Harley Davidson showrooms and service facilities on Connecticut Blvd., as well as a Volvo dealership in Meridian, Conn. and a BMW dealership in Springfield, Mass.

“These two high-profile green building projects are a great fit for us,” said third-generation Gengras Motor Cars Co-Owner and CFO Jonathan Gengras. “We are committed to implementing leading technology and demonstrating our continued pledge to be engaged and responsible corporate partners for growing renewable energy in East Hartford. Ross Solar Group’s commitment to quality, full transparency, and customer service made our choice easy when selecting the right partner for us.”

The project was made possible through awards that Ross Solar secured on Gengras Motor Cars’ behalf through the Connecticut ZREC program.

“We are proud to partner with a company like Gengras Motor Cars and the Gengras family,” said Robert Kline, director of commercial sales for Ross Solar. “We are able to deliver operational savings for the company while helping to secure a reliable renewable energy future for the State of Connecticut.”

Ross Solar Group
www.rosssolargroup.com

Solar Power World

7 Tips For Writing A Solar Project Press Release

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Nicole Loepp

Nicole Loepp is a marketing coordinator at WTWH Media, publisher of Solar Power World. For more marketing advice, visit marketing.wtwhmedia.com.

Press releases are an essential marketing tool in any industry, and solar is no exception. Still, it can be easy to fall into the trap of going through the motions and churning out news without stopping to consider if you’re really engaging your audience—or attracting the attention of editors who will share your news, for that matter.

Whether your company is announcing an exciting project or releasing a new product, it’s important to convey complete information with enthusiasm. Releases should be written with purpose and creativity. Here are seven tips to help you engage your audience and the people who will share your content.

  1. Understand your audience. Does your release appeal to you as a member of the solar industry? Great content is content that people will want to read. This may mean writing in a less “salesy” manner. For example, sometimes it’s more engaging to write about how a project will benefit the owner and mentioning all companies involved, rather than just your involvement in it. If you’re writing about a product, it may be more effective to begin with a problem your audience experiences, then explain how your product helps solve it. The deeper your understanding of your audience, the more you will find your work appreciated and shared.
  2. Focus your message. Great content is written in a concise, thoughtful manner. Readers often have short attention spans, so it’s important to convey your main message, or point, and capture the reader’s attention in the first paragraph. The remaining paragraphs should contain additional information in order of importance or interest. Using too many quotes, or quotes that are long and too “salesy,” can cause readers to lose attention.
  3. Provide access to more information. Even though your news should remain concise, providing links is an easy way to offer readers easy ways to learn more. One or two is plenty; too many links may make your release look “spamy.”
  4. Include multimedia. Graphics are absolutely essential when sharing a story. Not only are they more eye-catching than text, but they also provide the reader with a better understanding of your company’s capabilities. Include a colorful, attention-grabbing photo that accurately portrays what the release is about and, when possible, a link to a video (preferably one with an embed code so it can be shared directly in a post) for more engaging content.
  5. Use your social media channels. Your job isn’t done once your press release is published. Promote your news on social media. Post the link, along with your eye-catching photo to attract more readers. Since some sharers may choose to share through social media only, rather than posting on their own sites, it’s also important to make sure your release is available under the news section of your website as soon as a copy is distributed to editors and other outlets.
  6. Don’t forget your contact information. Editors and other sharers are busy people. They don’t have time to fish around for your information if they need a follow-up. Including a link to your company’s website and an email and phone number for additional information within your email and copy of the release is professional, courteous and could potentially result in more sales and editorial opportunities for your company. Including the email and phone number of your press contact under the news section of your site is also appreciated by editors looking for more information.
  7. Send .doc files. The days of mailed and faxed press releases are gone. Today’s press releases are shared online. For maximum audience exposure, make sure your content is as easy to share as copy, paste, post. Copying from PDFs can be difficult (those troublesome linebreaks!), but Word docs are easy to copy and paste into website posting platforms. Again, including a link to the release on your website is also useful in case the sharer wishes to distribute through social media

By Nicole Loeppmarketing coordinator at WTWH Media (publisher of Solar Power World) 

Solar Power World

The Macro View Of Micro-Grid Training

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As you’ve probably heard, micro-grids and the energy storage they incorporate are hot topics in the solar industry. The applications being explored range from bringing power to faraway villages where connecting to the local utility is too expensive; to alleviating utility loads by providing on-demand power through central battery banks; to delivering power to regions during grid-outages. Because the micro-grid market is growing fast and changing rapidly, standards are still being established, and proper training is increasingly important.

PV201LMicro-grid systems can include multiple forms of energy generation, which necessitate a higher level of training. Training is not only important to design and install properly functioning systems, but also to ensure the safety of workers. The solar industry often combines two of the most dangerous lines of work: roofing and electrical. When you add batteries, wind, hydro or generators into the mix, safety concerns diversify and multiply.

Training and safety can also save money and resources. Trial and error on the job can be costly, especially as system complexity increases. Proper training not only helps throughout a project’s design and specification stages, but leads to cost-effective installation decisions. The upfront cost of education can, and does, save money over time.

Micro-grid best practices are hard to generalize because they depend on system size and application. For example, micro-grids require implementation of special measures to protect maintenance personnel because they have multiple independent power sources. This varies from a grid-direct PV system that is engineered to shut down if the utility experiences a problem. Similarly, one of the biggest issues commonly voiced with micro-grids is the lack of customer education. The complexities of transitioning from having no electricity or being utility connected is often hard to grasp for the customer and maintenance personnel. If they do not understand the limitations of the system, the project can be doomed from the start.

The best places to start with training are at SEI and other industry leading renewable energy training organizations, the same you would look to for PV, wind or micro-hydro training. Equipment manufacturer trainings, such as those offered by Homer Energy, offer an in-depth look at how everything fits together.

Laura Walters headshotThe solar industry is still learning how to get positive press and educate the public, as is evident by how potential shortcomings of solar are seemingly universally known by all. Sharing of best practices and lessons learned are great ways to ensure quality installations of micro-grids and promote the benefits of this technology.

To learn more about SEI’s energy storage training sessions, visit www.solarenergy.org/workshop-schedule.

By Laura Walters, an IREC-certified PV instructor with a decade of experience working in the solar industry and who is currently a curriculum developer and instructor for Solar Energy International. She has been doing international work with We Care Solar, which helps power health clinics in the developing world.

Solar Power World

How To Speak Solar With Your Local/Regional Banks

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Solar installers, EPCs and project developers had just started breathing sighs of relief because they had finally helped institutional banks, like Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch and Citibank, understand solar industry economics.

solar money houseBut while utility-scale projects are finding it easier to get funding, there’s still a lack of it in the small-commercial and residential segments. Community and regional banks could hold the keys to increasing access to capital for those projects, but installers are wary: How will the industry explain solar economics to a whole new group of bankers, many of whom have never seen a solar array?

Many financial institutions, banks and credit unions alike, have been late to the game as it pertains to solar installation financing because they didn’t realize what a tremendous opportunity it was,” says Scott Pellegrini, area VP of consumer lending for Provident Credit Union. “Our solar portfolio has performed exceptionally well.”

According to the bankers, the four key ingredients to finding local solar financing are:

  • Good project cash flow projections
  • Excellent installer credit
  • Excellent installer reputation
  • A long-term relationship with the lending institution

Jeff Cowherd, senior VP for First Green Bank in Florida, says cash flow is the most important criterion local banks will examine.

Demonstrate to the banker that the borrower will have an improved cash-flow because of the energy savings the solar array will provide for them,” Cowherd says. “These savings can often be used to help service the subject debt.”

It’s not only about cash flow, however. Scott Hawkins, CFO at Technology Credit Corp., says banks lend based on customer credit, not on the quality of the project or its cash flows. “The project is only collateral to the lending arrangement and will not overcome weak customer credit,” he says.

For Provident, Pellegrini says they have specific criteria on which the credit union decides which projects are worthy of funding.

The borrower must have good credit (more than 700 FICO) and a debt to income ratio of 35% or less,” Pellegrini says. “The property must be owner-occupied within our geographic footprint. There are other factors, too, but those are the first two we study.”

The credit union also examines the background of the installer, Pelligrini adds. In particular, Provident prefers its installers to have an excellent rating with the Better Business Bureau, and membership in a California solar energy industry association is preferred.

Cowherd concurs. “Our bank likes to see our borrowers use a contractor who is a member of our state’s Solar Energy Industries Association chapter,” he says. “This gives the banker some comfort as to the ability of the contractor to perform the work properly.”

If the installer is not a member of a recognized association, the banker will want three references from those who have done business with the contractor so the bank can get some comfort with the contractor that way, he adds.

Hawkins says banks are also looking for long-term customers. Installers who ask for loans for one-off projects will be seen as less reliable than those with multi-project portfolios.

Banks want customer relationships with multiple lending/fee generation opportunities,” he says. “Therefore, they want to finance solar projects to existing customers or to new customers within their geographical footprint, where the solar financing will lead to other business.”

Common Objections

Cowherd says the most common objection from other banks is they don’t have an appropriate long-term financing product that solar installations need. Instead, they look at solar installations as an equipment loan, the terms of which most often range from 5 to 7 years.

You don’t get 20-year amortization or term with equipment, which is why First Green Bank came up with its solar-specific loan program,” he adds.

Typically, local banks will require financial packages from borrowers including current owners’ financial statements, three years of tax returns for both the installer and the business, and current interim financials for the business.

Hawkins says small commercial projects, to a large degree, are seen by banks as the worst of both worlds. Commercial projects often don’t have the proper size to attract institutional investors, but can’t scale easily in the aggregate like residential programs.

The ‘take it or leave it’ contract approach of the residential market does not work in the small commercial market because most customers will leave it,” he says. “Banks are typically not staffed to put this much time and effort into executing individual transactions of this size. As a result, most of these transactions are financed through brokers who do all the heavy lifting, which slows the approval process considerably.” 

Solar Power World

Search For Solar Cables With General Cable’s New App

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general cableGeneral Cable offers a new mobile application to help customers using its smartphones or tablets no matter where they are. The General Cable North American Catalogs App is a quick and easy tool to view all its North American products in one location. It is designed for distributors, contractors, electricians, EPCs and other wire and cable professionals.

“This tool provides in-depth information on the most comprehensive line of aluminum, copper and fiber optic wire & cable products on the market,” said Brian Moriarty, Senior Vice President, Global Sales Strategy & North America Sales, General Cable. “In a rapidly changing industry with ever-growing demands, we are vigilant about staying ahead of the curve with engineered products that guarantee future performance and providing tools that make doing business easier.”

The General Cable interactive catalog app is available today for download from the App Store or on Google Play. When you download this tool, you will be able to view or download any one of our 24 full-line catalogs and installation manuals for offline use. If you have a data or Wi-Fi connection, you can click on any catalog image and be immediately connected to the PDF. Our product information is continually renewed so be sure to check back for updates.

 

 

Solar Power World

Continental Control Systems Shows Meters at Solar Canada

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wattnode plusContinental Control Systems will preview enhancements to its revenue-grade electric power meters and highlight its ACT line of high-accuracy, split-core current transformers (CTs) at Solar Canada 2014 in Toronto, Dec. 8-9, at booth 411.

A key highlight will be the company’s WattNodeRevenue meters, which are compliant to ANSI C12.1 and will be fully compliant to ANSI C12.20, ensuring the highest possible precision for applications demanding revenue-grade accuracy and revenue-grade requirements. Designed with affordability and functionality in mind, the standard line of WattNode energy meters provides line-powered single- and three-phase, wye, or delta configurations of up to 600 Vac and loads to 6000 Amps.

As Canada’s premier solar power event, Solar Canada in Toronto allows us to demonstrate a higher valued meter with more features and increased accuracy, in addition to our extended line of high-accuracy current transformers,” said Cynthia A. Boyd, director of sales for Continental Control Systems.

WattNode Revenue meters are based on a compact design at a competitive price making them an ideal OEM design-in for PV production monitoring. Featuring support for the Modbus, BACnet, or LonTalk communications protocol or a pulse output, these cost-effective energy and power meters complement the company’s line of high-accuracy, revenue-grade CTs. 

The meters are designed for 120/208/240 Vac or 277/480 Vac applications and are UL- and CE-marked. This next quarter,WattNode Revenue meters will be calibrated using NIST-traceable equipment following the procedures specified by the ANSI C12.20 metering standard — each will then be supplied with a certificate of calibration. In addition to revenue-grade, bidirectional energy (kWh) metering, the networkable WattNode Revenue meters provide dozens of additional measurements, including bidirectional power, demand, peak demand, reactive power, voltage, current, power factor, and line frequency.

The company’s expanded line of the ACT revenue-grade, split-core CTs will also be front and center at Solar Canada 2014. The ACT product line provides 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. The result is CTs for use on loads up to 600 Amps that combine the ease of installation of an opening current transformer with the accuracy normally associated with solid-core CTs. With 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. 

 

Solar Power World


Rexel USA To Distribute Hanwha Solar Modules

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Rexel Holdings USA Corp., a distributor of electrical supplies and services, will begin carrying Hanwha Q CELLS solar modules effective immediately.

“We are thrilled to welcome the addition of Q CELLS state-of-the-art modules into our solar panel distribution portfolio,” said John P. Gerber, Vice President, Rexel Inc. “Through this collaboration, we are looking forward to supplying our growing US customer base with high-quality, German-engineered solar panels from such a reputable and sustainable brand. Based on Hanwha Q CELLS guaranteed performance and compliance with US trade regulation, we are excited at the opportunities Hanwha Q CELLS opens to a broader US market.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Hanwha Q CELLS will supply its solar modules, which are developed at its headquarters in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany, to Rexel and Gexpro for resale to their nationwide networks of installers and distributors. Q CELLS modules feature unparalleled durability and performance, even under low-light conditions or in high temperatures, which earned the Q.PRO-G2 the title of best polycrystalline module in the 2013 PHOTON yield test. The companies will also collaborate to support Rexel’s and Gexpro’s installer networks with certified technical product training and sales and marketing support.

“The impressive footprint and strong experience of Rexel and Gexpro in the solar business are invaluable resources for any PV provider. This exciting collaboration is a stepping stone in expanding our presence in the US solar PV market, in which we see great potential,” said Justin Lee, CCO of Hanwha Q CELLS. “With guaranteed high-yield modules and a recently expanded production capacity, we believe we are ideally suited to supply the US market.”

Solar Power World

Renusol and Stion Team Up on Thin-Film Solar

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Renusol America, provider of flat and pitched-roof solar PV mounting, has been selected by Stion Corporation as a provider of clamps for its Elevation 4 (STL-A) thin-film (CIGS) frameless modules. The new clamp, known as the Renusol VS Module Clamp, is PV mounting technology developed specifically for Stion’s frameless, ‘glass on glass’ thin film modules and includes a rubber insert to protect the glass while providing maximum holding power. The clamp meets Stion’s requirements for performance and aesthetics and the UL 1703 fire rating standards, which become mandatory in California in January 2015.

“Stion is leading the way in bringing high-performance, thin film PV modules to the solar market, and we are pleased to partner with them and apply our technology to this fast-growing market segment,” said Renusol America President Bart Leusink.

Both the Renusol VS Module Clamp (as well as the Renusol VS “one-size-fits-all” pitched roof mounting system) and Stion’s Elevation 4 (STL-A) thin film module are made in the USA. The frameless Stion module is set between two pieces of glass, which eliminates the need for aluminum frames and increases system reliability and durability and improves fire resistance. The modules’ design, black color, and virtually invisible cells provide smooth, uniform aesthetics. The Renusol VS Module Clamp is designed for use in both rooftop and ground mount systems.

“Renusol America is a leading innovator in solar mounting systems in the US solar industry,” said Josh Moore, Director of Product Management for Stion. “Selecting them to provide these clamps means having the latest in mounting system solutions for our installer and project development partners.”

 

Solar Power World

Top Solar Contractor Prefers Enphase Microinverters

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Enphase Energy has been selected as the preferred inverter supplier for Solar Power World Top 400 Solar Contractor Revolve Solar via its distribution arrangement with wholesale distributor CED Greentech. Revolve Solar is a rapidly growing full-service residential and commercial solar company, with operations in Redding, Chico and Vacaville, California, as well as its home office in Austin, Texas.

“We’ve been very successful with our consultative sales approach that emphasizes customer education, high-quality products and attractive financing options,” said Rick Davis, EVP of business development at Revolve Solar. “We spend time with our customers to help them understand that the Enphase system will significantly enhance the long-term return on their solar investment.”

“We’ve been selling Enphase products for many years and consider them a great channel partner who shares our commitment to integrity and reliability,” said Greg Bennett, manager of CED Greentech’s San Leandro, Calif., office. “As one of our fastest-growing customers, Revolve Solar appreciates CED’s proven ability to deliver system components on a timely basis so they can focus on sales and customer service rather than managing inventory.”

“Revolve is well known for its seasoned and highly disciplined sales organization focused on quality and customer service,“ said Jeff Loebbaka, senior vice president of global sales, marketing and support at Enphase Energy. “Enphase systems offer the best solar solution for Revolve customers based on our superior performance, highest energy production, and ease of design and installation. As the preferred inverter provider for Revolve Solar, we are continuing our ongoing efforts to strengthen and grow our channel partnerships.”

Solar Power World

EnergySage and State Green Bank Help Connecticut Residents Go Solar

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EnergySage has partnered with the Connecticut Green Bank (formerly CEFIA) to support the bank’s local and state-wide solar energy campaigns. Following a nationwide search, The Connecticut Green Bank chose EnergySage as its exclusive online partner because of its comprehensive educational content and tools supporting homeowners’ research and comparison-shopping process. The EnergySage offering, which will be private-labeled by the Green Bank, will integrate seamlessly into existing web platforms such as GoSolarCT.com and ultimately be available to partner platforms. EnergySage is also proud to announce that its Instant Estimate tool and Solar Marketplace will be integrated into and serve as the engine of the Bank’s Solarize Online campaigns, helping homeowners research and obtain multiple, competitive quotes for solar power systems, for all financing options, at no upfront cost. EnergySage’s Solar Marketplace was developed in part with a prestigious Incubator award from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative.

“The Green Bank is excited about the opportunity to help simplify the solar shopping experience by providing a one-stop shop for information on solar technology, financing, and installation to support the decision to go solar,” states Director of Residential Programs, Kerry O’Neill. “EnergySage’s platform focuses on education, ease of purchase, and transparency and gives customers easy to understand insights into the benefits solar energy provides. Their approach aligns perfectly with our goals.”

Incorporating the best practices of online shopping, the EnergySage Solar Marketplace provides consumers with multiple quotes from installers with options including choice of solar panels, brands, installers and financing options that include $0-down solar leases, power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar loans. The Marketplace helps consumers easily compare quotes in an apples-to-apples format, automatically performing the calculations needed to adjust for differences in the quotes received—different system sizes or different assumptions used to calculate cost and benefits.

“Organizations such as the Connecticut Green Bank are fueling tremendous interest in solar power systems,” said Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of Energy Sage. “Historically, there has been tremendous market friction slowing solar adoption. By making it easier to buy and sell these systems, our partnership will convert that interest into action, delivering both economic and environmental benefits to consumers while helping Connecticut to reach its sustainability goals.”

EnergySage’s Solar Marketplace is currently available as part of the Green Bank’s Solarize Online campaigns in Lyme, Old Lyme, South Windsor and Woodstock. Homeowners in these communities can start by obtaining a no-obligation instant estimate of the cost and savings of a solar power system for their property. Consumers who create an account on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace will, in-turn, receive quotes from multiple, high-quality, pre-screened installers participating in the program. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SEEDS initiative, researchers at Yale and Duke Universities will study the results of the Solarize Online campaigns to understand the impact of technology on the rate of solar adoption.

Solar Power World

IKEA Expanding Detroit Store’s Solar Array by 25%

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ikea-detroitIKEA announced plans to increase the solar array atop its Detroit-area store that opened eight years ago in Canton, Mich. In September, IKEA began work on a 44,000-square-foot expansion to the store, atop which new panels will be installed beginning Spring 2015, with a completion by summer.

The 40,000-square-foot solar addition will consist of a 240.9-kW system built with 765 panels, and will produce 287,490 kWh more of electricity annually for the store. Including the existing system, IKEA Canton’s total 1,218.5-kW solar installation of 4,925 panels will generate 1,426,490 kWh of clean electricity yearly, the equivalent of reducing 984 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 207 cars or powering 135 homes.

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to increase the amount of solar energy generated and used by this store,” said Matt Hunsicker, IKEA Canton store manager. “This is another example of the IKEA commitment to create a more sustainable life for communities where we operate.”

For the development, design and installation of this store’s enhanced solar power system, IKEA selected Inovateus Solar LLC, an industry-leading solar power distributor and integrator specializing in large-scale solar installations.

Expanding this array contributes to the IKEA solar presence of nearly 90% of its U.S. locations with a total generation goal of 40 MW. IKEA owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings – as opposed to a solar lease or PPA (power purchase agreement) – and globally has allocated $1.8 billion to invest in renewable energy through 2015, reinforcing its confidence and investment in solar photovoltaic technology. Consistent with the goal of being energy independent by 2020, IKEA has installed more than 700,000 solar panels on buildings across the world and owns approximately 157 wind turbines in Europe and Canada, with 104 more being built in the U.S. Other IKEA arrays have been expanded too.

Solar Power World

Panel Quality and Reliability: Beyond Testing Basics

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Whether or not a solar panel manufacturer will exist in the long term is largely dependent on its ability to incorporate product changes in a timely manner without compromising quality.

chart1Lesser quality materials may result in failures in the field. Considering that module materials will remain fixed in production for less than two years (and often much less), how are good material changes differentiated from the bad?

This may seem simple, since the IEC publishes minimum design qualification and safety tests (the so-called “IEC retest guidelines”) that must be passed to incorporate a change into an already certified product. But, passing only boilerplate tests can leave the product’s reliability in question. Enhanced test methods should be used to identify materials worthy of assimilation into the product bill of materials. The following provides a summary of additional points to consider when screening changes to a few key module subcomponents.

Solar Cell
One of the most decisive factors for quality and performance of solar modules is the solar cell. Testing screens for solder-joint reliability, robustness of cell metallization to corrosion, hotspot failures from localized shunts, persistently elevated cell temperatures from reduced active area cells, high-system, voltage-induced degradation (PID) and cosmetic defects.

chart2EVA Encapsulation
EVA remains the most commonly used encapsulant in PV module production. EVA bonds all the material layers into a uniform laminate, provides an important electrical barrier to leakage current through the glass side of the module, and allows high light transmission into the solar cell.

Testing ensures that new encapsulants will maintain or improve upon module PID resistance; withstand long-term exposure to sun and moisture without discoloration, delaminating or loss of optical transmission; and have low acetic-acid-formation rates, which prevent cell metallization corrosion.

Since most encapsulants will pass the basic IEC, CSA and UL testing requirements, enhanced material screening methods also offer a graduated scale for choosing among newly available materials.

Backsheet
The majority of PV modules produced today still employ a glass/encapsulant/backsheet structure. The backsheet protects against electric shock and electrical faults by providing a mechanically robust, high-dielectric barrier over the back surface of the panel.
Most backsheets derive their electrical properties from a layer of polyester (PET) at their core, 100 μm to 300 μm thick. This core is typically surrounded with an outside layer designed to protect the PET core from UV light degradation and an interior layer that promotes adhesion between the backsheet and EVA encapsulant.

chart3In addition to electrical insulation, typical backsheets have a much lower water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) compared to EVA. This slows the permeation of moisture into the panel, although the package remains breathable resulting in daily and seasonal variation in module moisture levels.

Hydrolysis degradation and UV-induced degradation of PET result in easily measured reductions in backsheet ductility, yellow index and adhesion strength. As such, retained elongation and tensile strength of backsheet and backsheet/EVA adhesion strength are key figures of merits used to determine backsheet acceptability. High-performance backsheets will have retained mechanical properties ≥70% of pre-exposed values and ΔY.I. ≤5.

In practice, excessive loss of ductility from UV and humidity exposure results in brittle fracture of the backsheet under subsequent thermal cycling or mechanical-loading conditions. These cracks completely compromise the dielectric strength of the backsheet, resulting in an unsafe panel that presents a shock hazard, may be prone to ground faults and is susceptible to excessive water transmission to the cells through the backsheet cracks.

chart4Junction Box
The junction box provides a strain-relieved transition from the interior laminate conductors to flexible leads terminated with quick connectors. The junction box also houses bypass diodes or, with increasing frequency, more advanced safety/energy conversion electronics.

Conclusion
The above examples of solar cell, EVA, backsheet and junction box supplemental testing requirements are intended only as a small indication of the months of testing required to differentiate among various material options. However, there is no magic test protocol to identify the correct material choice.

Diligence, hard work and continual incorporation of teachings from field failures into our testing protocols results in a product continually evolving to higher quality for our customers.

By Sam Tsou is senior vice president and CFO at Motech Industries.

Solar Power World

Eaton to Power Two 5-MW North Carolina Solar Projects

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Power management company Eaton announced two contracts to provide electrical distribution equipment and engineering services for two 5-MW solar installations in Chocowinity and Bunn, North Carolina. The solar arrays will generate nearly 20 million kWh of sustainable electricity annually to power approximately 1,200 homes and reduce greenhouse gases emissions equivalent to 2,900 passenger vehicles.

O2 energies Inc., a North Carolina Independent Power Producer (IPP) that specializes in large, ground-mounted solar arrays, selected Eaton for the projects. O2 energies is the developer, owner and operator of the solar installations. Once the projects are complete, Duke Energy, the largest electric power holding company in the United States, will distribute the power produced at the solar arrays through power purchase agreements.“Eaton is a global power management company and a trusted manufacturer of technology and equipment for the utility industry. The company’s strong expertise and broad solar solutions help create an ideal collaboration for our projects in the region,” said Joel Olsen, president, O2 energies.

The ground mounted photovoltaic (PV) projects will incorporate Eaton’s balance-of-system (BOS) solar solutions to help support safe, cost-effective and reliable energy generation, including six Eaton Power Xpert 1,670-kW inverters and direct-coupled transformers, which are designed to help increase electrical resiliency in large commercial and utility-scale, grid-connect applications.

“With a proven record of successful utility-scale solar installations across North America, Eaton is well positioned to help O2 energies make cost-effective and reliable solar generation a reality in North Carolina,” said Ryan Whitmore, solar district sales manager, Eaton.

Under the contracts, Eaton will also supply its 1,000-volt (V) Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1741-certified solar recombiners, which are qualified for reliable and safe operation in utility applications. To enhance safety and reliability, Eaton will also provide startup and commissioning services.

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Redavia GmbH Selects 3megawatt Software Tool for Solar Asset Management

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3megawatt GmbH signed a software as a service contract with its newest client Redavia GmbH.  Redavia, a fast-growing supplier of specialized rental solar power solutions for remote locations, has selected 3megawatt’s “BluePoint” software tool to manage their solar assets globally.

3megawatt150x1503megawatt is dedicated to help the solar asset management community to standardize and simplify management activities and reporting. Its BluePoint software platform is currently used by solar system owners and portfolio managers to track and control 2.7 GW of operational solar in Europe, the Americas and Asia.

“Redavia, has very promising business concept to provide cost-effective, convenient and clean rental solar power to reduce the cost of on-site diesel generator power”, says Edmee Kelsey, Founder and CEO of 3megawatt. “We are excited to support Redavia with refining the standards of their asset management operations in simple and effective ways”.

BluePoint was conceived in 2012 as a result of a simple observation: The installed base of solar operating assets is growing very fast, but the industry has no tools to manage them. This mismatch led 3megawatt’s company Founder and CEO, Edmee Kelsey, to create a universal solar asset management methodology and to develop BluePoint as a platform to support it. With its powerful, easy to use and integrated set of applications, BluePoint is fully scalable, making it the preferred choice for solar portfolio managers and system owners. 3megawatt’s mission is to make solar asset management organizations more efficient, one business transformation after another.

 “As a fast-growing company, it’s very important for us to have the right tools to manage our global asset pool. BluePoint caters to all our requirements, both commercial and operational.” says Erwin Spolders, CEO of Redavia.

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Top Solar Contractor Installs On Massachusetts Textile Facility

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textileAmeriPride Services, has partnered with Solect Energy Development, a Solar Power World 2014 Top 400 Contractor, to pilot a 210-kW solar photovoltaic energy system atop its Worcester, Mass., facility. The 840-panel system is expected to offset up to 25% of the facility’s electricity needs.

AmeriPride’s green initiatives across their locations include implementation of water reuse and reclamation systems, boiler replacements, and more efficient lighting inside and outside buildings. The company also uses alternative-fuel vehicles and recently installed ‘telematics’ technology across its delivery fleet to improve fuel efficiency.

The system will use Ecolibrium mounting hardware. Solectria Renewables inverters and ET Solar panels.

“AmeriPride is committed to environmental sustainability in our plant and delivery operations, and the investment in a pilot solar project at our Worcester location is a great example of this commitment,” said Brian Keegan, SVP of Plant Operations at AmeriPride. “Massachusetts is a great location for this test program because the state’s financial and tax incentives are incredibly strong. Solect Energy Development made the end-to-end process seamless, and we’re proud to be doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint in Central Massachusetts.”

In addition to the cost savings generated at its Worcester location, AmeriPride is also able to take advantage of state and federal financial and tax incentives, including SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates), which solar system owners earn based on the amount of solar energy their system generates. SRECs are ultimately purchased by electrical utility providers in Massachusetts to help them meet their state-mandated goals of a percentage of power coming from renewable energy sources.

But it’s not just about the money for AmeriPride. These initiatives are driven by management and family owners’ desire to do the right thing for the environment and the communities they serve.

“Financial returns are great, but it’s more than that,” said Cesar Martinez, General Manager of the Worcester branch. “We believe that it’s important to be a leader in environmental sustainability and help facilitate the adoption of new technologies. And when you focus on doing the right thing, good things happen.”
“AmeriPride’s management team has shown a strong commitment to doing its part to reduce its reliance on non-renewable energy sources,” said Steve Bianchi, partner at Solect. “We’re very happy that solar is playing a role in the company’s sustainability efforts, and we’re proud to play a part in making that happen.”

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Cerritos College Offering Veteran Training Program for Solar Technicians

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A first-of-its-kind training program to certify military veterans and other qualified applicants to meet the growing need for electrical field service technicians (EFSTs) that maintain the country’s fast-growing solar power and electric vehicle infrastructure has been launched by Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif.

The program is the result of a partnership among Cerritos College’s Technology Division, the Advanced Transportation & Renewable Energy (ATRE) sector, a California Community Colleges workforce program, and True South Renewables Inc., an independent solar operations and maintenance provider in the United States. The five-month college certification program will teach students how to maintain and repair solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and equipment needing general maintenance. Many top solar companies, including True South Renewables, have jobs waiting for graduates of the program.

Cerritos College and ATRE worked closely with True South Renewables to develop the extensive curriculum for this unique program.

“This is an important initiative to provide military personnel who were electricians in the service with training to receive certification in a high-paying, growing civilian field,” said Rue Phillips, CEO of True South Renewables based in Huntington Beach, Calif. “In addition, these graduates are needed. Few outside the solar power industry are aware of the volume of operations and maintenance work required to ensure the optimum performance of large solar fields and photovoltaic systems on commercial and residential rooftops.”

Classes start Jan. 12, 2015 at the Cerritos College campus and applications are now being accepted. Applicants must be experienced electricians with accumulated service knowledge and skills in the electronics/electrician and IT sectors. Qualified U.S. veterans are being prioritized for entry and will be able to secure financial support upon acceptance.

“We are proud to offer this program to the community, enabling qualified veterans, the unemployed and under-employed to receive training that fills a critical shortage of technicians in the trillion-dollar solar and EV markets,” said Jannet Malig, ATRE regional director based at Cerritos College. “Graduates of the program will be introduced to industry leaders with the expectation that we will achieve 99% job placement for graduating students.”

The EFST program at Cerritos College will serve as a pilot for implementing the courses in community colleges throughout California and across the nation, according to Peter Davis, statewide director of the ATRE.

“The EFST program upgrades the skill sets of the workforce necessary to meet the growing employment demands of renewable energy technology firms,” Davis said.

Program graduates will also receive a certificate of achievement in New Product Development from the Chancellor’s office of California Community Colleges. The program is part of a statewide commitment to “Doing What Matters.”

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be certified within three modules: Solar Inverter Maintenance and Repair, Electrical Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) Maintenance and Repair, and Solar and EVSE Related Instrumentation and IT Products.

Typical job titles for graduates include:

  • Solar O&M Technician
  • Electronics Repair Technician
  • Solar PV Technician
  • Electric Vehicle Service Equipment Technician
  • Solar monitoring equipment Technician
  • Test Equipment Technician

Starting annual salaries can range up to $75,000, according to ATRE.

Qualified candidates interested in applying for the EFST program should contact Jannet Malig of the ATRE atjmalig@cerritos.edu.

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Insurance Cheat Sheet: Questions Businesses Ask About Going Solar

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gemenergyJason Slattery, Director of Solar for GEM Energy, a Rudolph/Libbe Company and Top 400 Solar Contractor, answers common questions businesses ask about going solar and how to answer them.

What insurance will I need if I own a solar array?
The title owner needs to fully cover the solar array’s value under a property and liability insurance policy.

How will a third-party-owned solar array affect my business liability insurance?
If the solar array is third-party-owned, the system owner needs to cover property and liability coverage. If the array is fully covered under this third-party-owner, there should be no need for additional coverage. It is recommended that property owners consult their existing insurers for guidance. If the array is direct-owned, property and liability coverage in the amount of the solar system needs to be in place.

Do you need to list solar as an accessory structure or property?
Solar is defined under IRS classifications as equipment. It is not part of the permanent structure.

What happens in case of a building fire?
Solar arrays should be properly grounded. If proper photovoltaic design practices are followed, solar will not contribute to a fire. Proper means of disconnect should be designed and processes put in place with all local police and fire responders to properly disconnect and make safe live power generation devices, such as a solar array. Damage to the array because of fire should be covered under the property and liability insurance that would be covering the value of the solar array. SPW

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French Airport Goes Solar

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upsolar airportA 545-kW solar system has been commissioned on the Angoulême-Cognac International Airport in France. The project consists of a 445-kW array atop 206 parking spots, and a 100-kW array on the hangar rooftop. The project is a collaboration between panel provider Upsolar and Solstyce, a local engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services provider. The companies established two joint ventures, Novengo 2 and Novengo 3, to develop the carport and rooftop systems, respectively.

Occupying an area of 2,850 m², the PV system generates enough clean power— 600,000 kWh per year—to satisfy approximately 10 percent of the town’s residential energy consumption. In the construction phase alone, the project provided nearly 5,000 hours of employment opportunities for regional businesses. Over the lifetime of the project – estimated at 35 years – management of the plant is estimated to add an additional 3800 hours of employment opportunities.

“In recent years, our partnership with Solstyce has empowered businesses and schools throughout France to take control of their electricity bills and enhance sustainability efforts with clean energy,” said Sébastien Prioux, managing director at Upsolar Europe. “Together, we’re not just building solar PV systems—we’re building reliable, long-term investment opportunities.”

The Angoulême-Cognac International Airport system was inaugurated during a formal ceremony on November 20, attended by Nicole Bonnefoy, president of the Syndicat mixte des Aéroports de Charente (SMAC). This partnership is part of a long-term development of renewable energy in the region of Charente. Since 2010, Solstyce and Upsolar have been in collaboration with the General Council of Charente to bring solar systems to the rooftops of regional high schools, as well as SMAC and the Angoulême Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) to outfit airport buildings and facilities. Nearly 1.48 MWp of solar capacity are now in operation across 14 production sites through the Novengo joint venture, a significant contribution to the local governments’ commitment to the pursuit of sustainability.

“As a France-based company, we feel a responsibility to help fight climate change and support the economy here at home,” said Guillaume David, president at Solstyce. “Teaming with Upsolar allows us to simultaneously tackle each goal, and we look forward to bringing a host of new projects to life.”

The 545 kWp project from Novengo 3 generates enough electricity to power 171 homes.

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