The Milwaukee Public Museum located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin has gone green by making use of its south-facing facade to produce clean, renewable solar energy. As part of a large restoration project, the museum chose to improve the building’s performance by replacing the original marble facade with 234 solar panels. The new seven-story facade will generate an estimated 77,000kWh per year, the equivalent of 442 sixty-watt light bulbs operating eight hours per day, all year round. In addition to the savings, the array will serve as an educational experience for the thousands of guests that visit the museum each year.

The project, developed by Convergence Energy, a company dedicated to providing all-inclusive services in the solar sector, selected photovoltaic inverters manufactured by Ingeteam. The museum is the first building in the City of Milwaukee to have a Building Integrated PV (BIPV) solar wall. In fact, research indicates the array is one of the largest vertical PV walls in the U.S. The installation, with a rated power of 98kWdc (70kWac), is now in operation after being commissioned on the October 28th , 2014.

“The Milwaukee Public Museum was a challenging project, as it is the first vertical solar facade of this size in the country and presented several technical hurdles. Fortunately for us, Ingeteam did not add to the challenge. In fact they provided strong support and exceptional response to any of our requests or questions. This allowed us to take advantage of their strong product offering sourced locally in Milwaukee and made this project a success”, stated John Kivlin, President of Convergence Energy.

The PV Inverters
The inverters were shipped from Ingeteam’s Milwaukee facility, which supports the growing U.S. demand for high-quality solar inverters. The inverters are part of the INGECON® SUN family and designed for the North American market, in compliance with UL-1741 standard. The equipment supplied for the project included multiple Ingeteam PV inverters.

To date, Ingeteam has supplied 4GW in PV inverters and 26GW in wind converters to customers across the globe, strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of power electronic equipment.

Solar Power World

First Solar and Clean Energy Collective (CEC) announced they have formed a strategic partnership to develop and market community solar offerings to residential customers and businesses directly on behalf of client utilities. Through the agreement, the two companies will jointly pursue opportunities in the community solar market to offer an affordable and convenient alternative to rooftop generation. As part of the deal, First Solar has made a strategic investment in CEC and obtained an equity interest, and First Solar’s CEO, Jim Hughes, and Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Marc van Gerven, will join the CEC board. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Solar Power World

CSUN, a specialized manufacturer of solar cells and modules, has delivered 3 MW of its Turkish-made solar modules to Global Project Developer Suntuity as part of Suntuity’s North Carolina pipeline of 32 MWof Solar Grid Supply Projects in the Duke Energy territory.

The ground-mounted solar plant is located near Greensboro, North Carolina, and consists of 9,920 polycrystalline “Made in Turkey” modules from CSUN’s production in Istanbul-Tuzla. The PV electricity will be supplied to Duke Energy under a long term power purchase agreement.

Dan Javan, CEO of Suntuity commented: “In today’s challenging and dynamic solar environment, Suntuity continues to penetrate market spaces that were previously considered financially not viable. A large factor of our success continues to reside in the technological reliability and availability of our supply chain. We are pleased to progress on our global business model with CSUN as a strategic business partner.”

“We are pleased to be able to offer high-efficiency modules from our Turkish factory and thus ensuring reliable supply to our valued customers in the US. We are delighted to have Suntuity as a valued and experienced partner in this region.” states CSUN’s CEO Tingxiu Lu.

Solar Power World

The following information was contributed by imec and adapted for Solar Power World. 

What is BIPV?

Traditionally, solar is mounted on a building’s roof, referred to as building-applied PV. But more architects are learning how to also incorporate solar cells and modules into things like curtain walls, roof tiles and railings known as building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).

A BIPV system consists of solar cells or modules that are integrated in building elements or material as part of the building structure. This way, they replace a conventional building element, rather than attaching to one. BIPV modules not only generate electricity, they can also provide added functionality to the building. For example, they can provide sun protection, thermal insulation, noise protection or safety.

Where can BIPV be installed?

BIPV provides several benefits when compared to traditional solar panels. First, there are more available surfaces for integrating the solar cells or modules — BIPV is not limited to roof integration. Solar modules can also be integrated into the building’s facade, skylights, railings and more. BIPV also adds to the aesthetics of the building. For example, the materials used for BIPV allow architects to play around with transparency and color. When integrated in ventilated facades, semi-transparent skylights or windows, BIPV can help keep the building cool.

What are the costs associated with BIPV?

In general, BIPV is more expensive than traditional PV systems used for solar power plants. There is some logic to this since the BIPV system has more functions than only delivering electrical power. However, because BIPV serves multiple functions in a building besides producing power, it may save material and installation cost.

What technologies are involved with BIPV?

The main solar cell technologies for BIPV are crystalline silicon solar cells, thin-film silicon solar cells and other thin-film technologies like organic solar cells (OPV) and dye sensitized solar cells (DSC). Crystalline silicon solar is the most mature technology, though thin-film technologies are grabbing a lot of attention because of their flexible character, ease of integration and better response to indirect light.

Organic solar cells are a relatively new technology that is still in the development phase. However, advantages of OPV can be that it’s a light-weight semi-transparent material, it can be coated inexpensively onto curved surfaces and onto glass, and it can be made in various colors or just color neutral. It also has a superior sensitivity to low light intensities, making the technology fit for maritime climates. Also, the technology is less dependent on the incident sunlight angle, which makes it ideal for aspects such as facade integration.

What is the outlook for the BIPV market?

BIPV is still a niche market, but architects are starting to use BIPV elements more frequently in the design of new public and office buildings. New net-zero energy buildings will help drive BIPV demand. According to Pike Research, BIPV is expected to become one of the fastest growing segments in the PV sector with up to 4.6 GW of installations forecast through 2017.

Solar Power World

GE Energy Financial Services is continuing its expansion into the Japanese renewable energy power market, completing its second solar project financing transaction with Pacifico Energy, a Tokyo-based utility-scale solar project developer and subsidiary of Virginia Solar Group. GE Energy Financial Services invested alongside Virginia Solar Group in Mimasaka Musashi, a 42-megawatt (DC) photovoltaic solar power project under construction in the prefecture of Okayama. Financing for the project was completed on a non–recourse project finance basis and was supported by a JPY ¥13 billion credit facility from the Bank of Tokyo–Mitsubishi UFJ and Chugoku Bank. Additional financial details were not disclosed.

Located on the site of a former golf course, Mimasaka is expected to reach commercial operations in the third quarter of 2016 and sell its power to Chugoku Electric through a 20-year power purchase agreement at a fixed tariff rate. Pacifico Energy is managing construction and operations, Toyo Engineering Corporation is the construction company on the project, and photovoltaic panels and inverters are supplied by Yingli Green Energy and TMEIC, a Toshiba and Mitsubishi joint venture.

Japan’s regulatory policies and feed-in tariff attract investments in solar power, which support the country’s efforts towards achieving a diversified power mix. Sushil Verma, a managing director and Japan business leader at GE Energy Financial Services said: “We are committed to building a long-term relationship with Pacifico Energy and helping Japan meet its renewable energy targets.”

Nate Franklin, partner at Virginia Solar Group added, “We are excited about partnering again with GE on a second project. This investment helps Mimasaka achieve its goal of transforming itself into a zero emission city.” By 2020, Japan aims to have 20 percent of its power generated from renewable sources.

GE Energy Financial Services has made equity and debt investment commitments of USD $1.8 billion in more than one gigawatt of solar power projects worldwide, and plans to continue to invest over USD $1 billion annually. Mimasaka Musashi is the third Japan solar project GE Energy Financial Services has invested in this year. The company invested in Pacifico Energy’s Kumenan solar project in June, and in September GE helped finance Japan’s largest solar project, which is being built in Setouchi City.

Pacifico Energy has started construction on 75 megawatts (DC) of solar power projects in Japan in 2014 and is set to start construction in early 2015 on another 149 megawatts (DC). The company currently has 300 megawatts (DC) in the first stage of development.

Solar Power World

Global science-based company DSM, in partnership with 2014 Solar Power World Top 400 Contractor GeoPeak and solar consultant Marina Energy, opened a solar field at their plant in Belvidere, New Jersey. In an event for local dignitaries, employees and business executives to switch on the solar field, DSM North American President Hugh Welsh highlighted the benefits of the solar field on the Belvidere plant’s energy consumption, the positive impact on the local community’s electric grid, DSM’s energy leadership in New Jersey and the impact the renewable energy source will have in reducing carbon emissions, furthering DSM’s commitment to sustainability and climate change goals.

The solar panels were glazed with DSM’s proprietary KhepriCoat® anti-reflective glass coating, the company’s flagship product for the solar market. The coating is applied to the cover the glass of the solar modules and strongly reduces the reflection of sunlight. This increases the energy output of these modules up to 4%, improving the efficiency of solar modules and reducing the cost of the energy produced.

The Belvidere solar field project is a 6 Megawatt solar generation facility that will provide approximately 6,437,020 kilowatts annually. This will produce approximately 30-40% of the Belvidere plant’s electricity needs at peak production.The Belvidere solar field also offsets CO2 emissions from the grid by more than 4,563 Metric Tons annually.

In order to accommodate the field, nearly 100 trees were removed. Those trees have since been replanted and can be viewed on site.
According to Hugh Welsh, President of DSM North America, “This new solar field and the electricity it will generate for the plant stands as a symbol of DSM’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing. DSM North America is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, and is actively using renewable energy sources in its manufacturing operations to meet its own and its customers’ supply chain sustainability goals to make our local communities in New Jersey greener. DSM is proud to partner with GeoPeak Energy, a prominent solar solutions company and Marina Energy, who financed, owns and will operate the system. These two New Jersey companies helped us to develop and build this solar project and save DSM more than $290,000 annually in electricity costs.”
“The DSM solar project in Belvidere, New Jersey, is one of the largest solar installations globally at a supply chain site, and is a testament to supplier sustainability. In New Jersey, it is in the top five largest commercial on-site solar projects completed in 2014,” said AJ Javan, Managing Partner of GeoPeak Energy. “With DSM’s commitment and support, we developed and delivered this solar project with safety first and in record time. We paired Marina Energy to this project for financing, as part of our turnkey offering to DSM.”

“Marina has been proud to work with our partners, DSM and Geo-Peak Energy, on this important New Jersey project. Solar-power is a cost-effective method to generate sustainable energy and significantly lessens the dependence on the electric grid thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Stephen Poniatowicz, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Marina Energy.

Solar Power World

The solar energy sector encompasses unique operations and risks. From manufacturing solar modules and racking systems, to field erection of new renewable technologies, energy operations are subject to both natural disasters and man-made threats. Effective business continuity planning starts with an understanding of these threats and how they might impact your most critical operations. Predefined disaster recovery and response strategies are key to helping you ensure your company’s long-term viability and maintaining a competitive advantage

By Travelers Insurance

Identifying threats to your business
Risk assessment is fundamental to developing a realistic, reliable business continuity plan. Companies that proactively consider which events are most likely to occur are able to focus disaster response planning efforts where they will yield the best return on investment, and remain better positioned to recover from a disaster.

Always base response and recovery strategies on an understanding of the threats your company faces, as well as their potential impact on business operations.

Assessing risk
Threats that may leave critical resources and operations vulnerable are not limited to catastrophic events. Although natural disasters seem to be happening more frequently than ever, particularly in the U.S. where 9 of the 10 most costly disasters in 2012 occurred, many business losses are actually caused by small events that are not wide-spread.

When determining what the biggest risks are to your businesses, consider the following:

• Historical – what has happened in your community, to your facility or neighborhood before?
• Geographic – what is your proximity to flood plains, major airports, etc.?
• Physical – what is it about the design or construction of your facility/office that might make your business particularly susceptible to a certain event?
• Organizational – what is it about your employee, operational or technological infrastructure that might make your business particularly susceptible to a certain event?
• Regulatory – is your business/industry required or mandated to prepare for any hazards?

Some common threats include:

-Natural disasters
-Man-made or technological events such as fires or explosions
-Malicious attacks such as robbery or vandalism
-Loss of workforce due to events such as long-term illnesses
-Human errors such as carelessness or fatigue

Developing your business continuity plan should be a thoughtful process resulting in a plan that can be beneficial to you if an event occurs. Start by assembling a team of key decision-makers who will lead your continuity planning efforts. Senior management, team leaders and anyone with in-depth knowledge about business operations should be included.

Four steps to developing an effective business continuity plan:

1. Identify threats or risks
   Understanding the risks that could leave employees, customers, vendors, property and operations vulnerable is fundamental. Identify the risks most likely to occur based on historical, geographical, organizational and other factors. Then weigh the probability of each event against its potential impact to your business, as well as your readiness to respond.
2. Conduct a business impact analysis
   Identify the people, places, providers, processes and programs critical to the survival of your business. What functions and resources, if interrupted or lost, could impact your ability to provide goods and services or meet regulatory requirements? Consider who and what is absolutely necessary to restore critical operations. Then prioritize the need to restore each item after the event. Plan to use limited resources wisely. Complementary functions can always be restored later.
3. Adopt controls for prevention and mitigation
   Prevention and mitigation planning and activities are intended to help prevent an event (such as a fire or explosion from unsafe conditions) as well as to reduce the impact or severity of an event (such as relocating critical equipment to a higher elevation in flood-susceptible areas). Your prevention and mitigation plans should address, among other things, emergency response, public relations, resource management, and employee communications.
4. Test, exercise and improve your plan routinely
   A business continuity plan is an evolving strategy that should adapt to your company’s ever-changing needs. Test and update it regularly–yearly at a minimum–or any time critical functions, facilities, suppliers or personnel change. Train employees to understand their role in executing the plan, too. Exercises can include discussions or hypothetical walk-throughs of scenarios to live drills or simulations. The key is to ensure the plan works as intended.

Solar Power World

By Heather Centorbi, marketing coordinator at WTWH Media, publisher of Solar Power World

Helix Electric was contracted on the Koloa Solar Farm in Kauai, Hawaii.

In the day and age of social media, it’s important to remember that new hires no longer just fill an open position. These days, your new employee is a brand advocate. Each employee is an extension of your brand and can have a tremendous impact on future business. A single tweet can travel the world, wreaking havoc or building business. We reached out to Dave Wood, director of the renewable energy group at Helix Electric, to find out what hiring strategies work best for the company, leading to quality brand advocates.

SPW: How do you get applicants when hiring installation professionals?

Dave Wood: Helix is in a constant Nationwide search for renewable installation professionals. We use a full time in-house staff that searches for qualified candidates. We’re also a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), which we use when we have an upcoming project in a certain location. Helix utilizes job postings, job fairs and LinkedIn to also search for new hires.

What qualities do you look for when hiring installation professionals?

We look for journeymen, apprentices and laborers. When hiring a journeyman we look for a highly qualified tradesman with experience in the renewable industry and a proven track record of successful installations and reliability. When hiring apprentices we look for varying experience based on specific project needs. Lastly, when hiring laborers, work ethic, aptitude and reliability are important qualities to have.

Which characteristics do you find necessary to succeed as an installation professional?

Helix Electric was founded on the basic principles of a “merit shop”. This means that each worker is hired, paid and promoted based on their own merits. We’re always looking for individuals with a strong desire to succeed and achieve more in life. The main traits we look for are a strong focus on safety, an inner drive seeking to stay up-to-date on cutting edge technology, a strive for smarter and better ways to accomplish an installation and the ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner.

What kind of demand is there for installation workers right now?

The demand for installation workers is at an all-time high and we expect an even bigger increase over the next 12-24 months. The increase in demand is seen in California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina, Georgia, Hawaii and Texas.

Solar Power World

The Longfellow Clubs, one of the largest fitness clubs in New England, has installed a 148 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) energy solution on the roof of its 75,000-square-foot Wayland, MA facility. The system, installed by commercial solar developer, and a Solar Power World 2014 Top Contractor, Solect Energy Development of Hopkinton, MA, includes 564 solar panels and is expected to generate over 180,000 kWh of solar energy annually, covering at least 21 percent of the club’s electricity needs.

Sustainable efforts are nothing new to the owners of The Longfellow Clubs. Longfellow is known as one of the greenest fitness centers in America, and counts dozens of energy-saving efforts as part of its overall sustainability plan. Longfellow founder Laury Hammel also founded the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts (SBN) in 1988.

“We knew from the beginning that we wanted our business to be as sustainable as possible,” said Hammel, who along with co-owner Myke Farricker has undertaken strong initiatives to reduce electricity and water use at the company’s five locations, as well as reduce the clubs’ waste output by eliminating the use of products like paper towels and plastic water bottles. “We’ve always been interested in solar, and working with Solect has made the process as smooth and seamless as it could be.”

Longfellow worked with a third-party investor to finance the project and benefits from significantly reduced electricity rates. At the same time, the company has been able to further reduce its electricity costs by taking on initiatives such as insulating its indoor/outdoor tennis courts, which are housed in an air-supported structure. “We’ve been able to reduce our gas costs by about 50 percent just because of the insulation,” Hammel said.

Additional recent initiatives include further improvement to the facility’s lighting, which is continuously upgraded as new technologies emerge. The club also boasts a salt water pool, low-output showers, and waterless urinals.

“The Longfellow Club truly understands that every initiative they take to reduce their carbon footprint is a huge win for the environment,” said Alex Keally, Senior Vice-President and Partner at Solect. “By choosing solar, the club will reap the benefits of reduced energy costs for years to come.”

Solar Power World

Andalay Solar, a manufacturer and supplier of integrated solar power systems, announced a collaboration with Midwest Energy Solutions Inc. as supplier of integrated solar panels for CNG (compressed natural gas) fueling stations.

“Energy storage has become an important focus of the solar industry and will be an essential component of system design and installation,” said Steven Chan, CEO of Andalay Solar. “This pilot project is an example of Andalay’s determination to stay at the leading edge of the market, while maintaining a principle focus on our customers’ solar energy needs, cost-savings, and return on investment. Andalay Solar’s patented solar system is ideal at enhancing performance while keeping costs low.”

Officials of Tennessee’s Gibson County Utility District have celebrated the groundbreaking natural gas fueling station on Highway 45, north of Interstate 40 between Memphis and Nashville. The goal for the model station is maximum sustainability with solar electric power for lights and accessories and even man-made wetlands to capture storm runoff.

Mark Watkins, Director of Sales & Marketing for Midwest Energy Solutions, said the company is performing all engineering, design, equipment procurement, project management, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the station. For the Gibson County Energy Complex project, suppliers include Bauer for dryers and compressors, JW Power for the priority panel, FIBA for ground storage, Kraus for dispensers, Kohler for the station genset, and Andalay Solar for solar panels. Mark indicated that the CNG fueling station is on target for commissioning in December.

“We are excited to collaborate with Midwest Energy Solutions,” commented Rick Johnson, Account Manager of Andalay Solar. “This cutting edge CNG fueling station is a total game changer. As their solar panel vendor, we are more than pleased with their work and look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

Solar Power World

DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials, in partnership with GeoPeak and Marina Energy, opened a solar field at its plant in Belvidere, New Jersey. In an event for local dignitaries, employees and business executives to switch on the solar field, DSM North American President Hugh Welsh highlighted the benefits of the solar field on the Belvidere plant’s energy consumption, the positive impact on the local community’s electric grid, DSM’s energy leadership in New Jersey and the impact the renewable energy source will have in reducing carbon emissions, furthering DSM’s commitment to sustainability and climate change goals.

Solar Power World

SolarWorld is rounding out nearly 18 MW of solar-panel deliveries to enable Atlanta-based Hannah Solar to develop solar projects in several state regions, many on agricultural lands.

Solar Power World

By Carter Lavin, special to Solar Power World

Study after study shows that over 90% of Americans love solar. So how come less than 1% actually have a solar array? Considering that there are only about 300,000 solar homes in the U.S., it’s likely that over 90% of Americans may not even know anyone with a solar array. This means that most people only have a vague sense of what it means to go solar.

People like solar, but it’s not a part of their world. Even a well-informed customer might think, “Sure, going solar seems easy and will save me money, but who actually does it?” It’s no wonder residential installers spend an average of $2,000 to $4,000 to acquire each customer, and it takes an average of nine months for a homeowner to go from considering solar to signing a contract.

In order to translate people’s warm and fuzzy feelings about solar into signed contacts, the industry needs to earn potential customers’ trust. The main way installers earn homeowners’ trust is through referrals from satisfied customers. While that is essential to an installer’s growth, it is also a slow-going process. To build up trust and its network quickly, installers should also partner with established organizations in order to benefit from the halo effect while accessing a larger network.

Across any solar installer’s territory are dozens of organizations that have a wider reach, richer community connections, and more credibility than the installer itself. These include civic groups, activist groups, faith communities, schools, camps, and social groups. Partnering with a community group helps ingrain an installer into the community, increasing the installer’s credibility and network.

A partnership between an installer and an organization can take many forms, such as a collaborative volunteer project, organizational sponsorship, or a referral partnership. Structuring the partnership to incentivize the organization to leverage its network and promote the installer is critical. Many installers already volunteer with a local charity, but if the charity doesn’t promote the installer’s good work, the installer loses out on a great marketing opportunity. Providing a financial incentive to the partner organization for each sale it helps originate, as Sungevity does with the Sierra Club, can be highly cost-effective. However, this may not be suitable for all organization types.

Although partnerships can come in many forms, they each require three key elements to help an installer bridge the trust gap and generate quality leads.

• First, the organization must have better credibility and a larger network – or at least, a more engaged network – in the community than the installer. If the organization doesn’t, what does the installer get from the partnership?
• Second, the installer must be able to support the organization’s promotional efforts and be capable of handling the increased customer volume. If the installer isn’t able to help the organization and its community, why would the organization partner with them?
• Finally, the installer must provide high-quality installations and customer service. Shoddy work harms the reputation of an installer, its partner, and the entire solar industry.

While developing partnerships with community organizations requires patience, it can provide a significant source of revenue for an installer and jump-start its referral program. By integrating into the community and working with trusted organizations, installers can transform solar from an intangible idea in the minds of potential customers to a real-life solution with a wider customer base.

About the author:

Since 2008, Carter Lavin has helped over two dozen clean energy organizations connect with their audiences. His experience includes launching PR and inside sales, organizing and managing conferences, trade show marketing, market research, and managing social media campaigns. Carter has worked in nearly every sector of the solar industry including thin-film and crystalline module manufacturers, trade groups, installation, micro and string inverter manufacturers, off-grid hybrid power systems providers, energy monitoring software developers, and racking. He earned a BS from Georgetown University where he studied international energy and environmental security.

Solar Power World

Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company announced that it has made a strategic investment in alternative energy firm Coronal Group LLC. Since 2013, Panasonic and Coronal have worked together to bring comprehensive, end-to-end solutions for solar photovoltaic projects to the commercial, industrial, municipal and small utility sectors. The two companies have developed, built and now operate or are currently constructing a portfolio of solar systems in North America—totaling nearly 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, and are assembling a significant project pipeline.

“Panasonic is one of North America’s largest developers in the solar sector. Our investment in Coronal Group will accelerate our fast growing platform with Coronal as an integrated solar energy solution provider for customers with a shared understanding of the value of solar energy production and sustainability, both for the environment and the bottom line,” said Jamie Evans, the company’s Managing Director of Eco Solutions, and who will serve on the board of Coronal. “Given the promise of the solar market, together the Panasonic-Coronal team is aggressively looking for additional investment opportunities and strategic partners,” he said.

“Working with Panasonic, we believe we offer a unique platform to create the optimal, end-to-end solution for commercial, industrial, municipal and small utility solar projects,” said Jonathan Jaffrey, CEO and Managing Director of Coronal Group. “This investment strengthens the exclusive relationship between Panasonic and Coronal and provides additional growth capital to allow us to continue to fill critical gaps in the solar market.”

Earlier this year, Coronal opened an office in Canada to expand its presence and support projects in collaboration with Panasonic Eco Solutions Canada. In addition, the Panasonic-Coronal team is actively working to extend its platform into other geographic regions.

Panasonic-Coronal projects completed or underway in 2014 include:

• The development of a 26-megawatt solar system near Lost Hills, California that will generate emission-free power to be sold to Southern California Edison.
• Acquisition of the 6 MW Balsam Lake Solar Project from Balsam Lake Green Energy in Canada. The project is part of the Ontario Power Authority’s Feed-In Tariff Program. It is under construction with plans for operation in 2015.
• Completion, earlier this year, of nine solar projects in central California. The projects provide 16.2 MW of energy to Southern California Edison to power approximately 2,600 homes annually.
• The construction of 11 solar projects at shopping centers nationwide, for leading retail property owner and developer Macerich Company, which are expected to yield up to 10 MW of clean energy.

Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company
panasonic.com/pressroom

Coronal Group LLC
www.CoronalGroup.com

Solar Power World

In the final weeks of 2014, The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) secured solar net metering for South Carolina. With this expansion, South Carolina became the 44^th state to institute net metering.  This victory also came on the same day as a significant net metering cap expansion in New York. TASC delivered seven net metering expansions in 2014 and zero retractions.

Net metering allows solar customers to get credit on their utility bills at the retail rate for any excess power their rooftop solar installations send back to the grid.  Utilities sell this clean energy to neighboring customers for the full retail value.

In South Carolina, Duke and SCE&G agreed to full retail rate net metering and to not seek any solar-specific charges until 2021.  Net metering will help deliver the robust solar industry that consumers and businesses want.  In a recent South Carolina poll, 73% of respondents across political party lines said they want to see more solar growth.  A strong majority of South Carolinians (more than 75%) agree that rooftop solar is an important part of providing choice and competition in electricity.

“Repeated expansions and the addition of a 44^th net metering state demonstrate the strength and fairness of solar net metering,” said Bryan Miller, TASC co-chairman and VP of Public Policy for Sunrun. “The public wants more rooftop solar, and they support net metering as the policy that drives solar growth.”

On the same day that the Palmetto state increased the national net metering state roster, New York affirmed net metering’s importance for continued solar growth.  The New York Public Service Commission agreed to double the allowable rooftop solar capacity for solar net metering.  The solar market has already created 5,000 jobs in New York.

In addition to these recent victories in South Carolina and New York, TASC achieved earlier expansions this year in the form of cap increases and eligibility clarifications in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Vermont.

The Alliance for Solar Choice
allianceforsolarchoice.com

Solar Power World

SunPower Corp. and Tendril have announced that SunPower has invested $20 million of growth capital into Tendril and will license its Energy Services Management (ESM) Platform software. Enhanced by SunPower’s vast amount of solar related data, the ESM Platform will power the development of new Smart Energy applications for a broader set of consumers and utilities.

Combining the unique functionality of the Tendril ESM Platform with SunPower’s knowledge of the solar industry will ensure all energy providers can effectively meet consumer demand for personalized energy services. This approach includes enhancing insight, choice and control of energy for customers, as well as improving the marketing of solar solutions through direct to consumer and utility channels.

“Consumers want even more flexibility to tailor their energy supply and usage to fit their lifestyles, beliefs and financial goals,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “We know that in order to deliver customized offers and choices to customers, we have to first understand individual consumer needs.”

“We’ve spent the past decade developing the only flexible enterprise-class software platform that can deliver an accurate understanding of the energy consumer on an individual basis,” said Adrian Tuck, Tendril CEO. “Our partnership with SunPower will extend that understanding to include solar, increase engagement and value to energy consumers, and allow SunPower and our utility partners to better serve their customer base with even more personalized programs and services.”

SunPower Corp.
www.sunpower.com

Tendril
www.tendrilinc.com

Solar Power World

The Nextronex RAY-MAX Power Podium is an integrated plug-and-play solution incorporating the company’s solar inverter distributed architecture. The Power Podium is preassembled, prewired, and pretested in the factory. This reduces field labor and speeds construction, and ensures consistent, high quality wiring. The Power Podium is configured to readily incorporate battery storage, utilizing Nextronex’ patent pending technology that reduces capital costs and conversion losses in such projects. The Power Podium was recognized by Solar Power World Magazine as a Top 100 product of 2014. Nextronex appreciates this recognition from a leading voice in the solar industry.

“On behalf of the Nextronex team, we are honored to be selected by Solar Power World Magazine as one of the top products of 2014,” said Jay Troger, Chief Executive Officer of Nextronex. “Our heritage is to produce innovative products that offer unique benefits to solar power plant developers and EPC’s. It is rewarding for our team when we are recognized for doing so.”

Nextronex has moved to a new facility in Holland, Ohio, just outside of Toledo. The facility, at 10420 Geiser Road, is newly constructed for Nextronex.  The facility will serve as corporate headquarters as well as housing all manufacturing, testing and development functions.

“Our operations were spread across two facilities, and we had outgrown both of them,” said Jay Troger, Nextronex’ Chief Executive Officer.  The new facility will consolidate operations and has features that will improve our manufacturing efficiency.”  The new location will also provide convenient highway access.

Solar Power World

Power management company Eaton now offers a new LED lighting solution specifically developed to combine reliability, flexibility, and energy efficiency for land-based and offshore drilling platforms, such as in solar. The new Pauluhn DLL Series Linear LED by Eaton’s Crouse-Hinds Business features a rugged and durable design and flexible mounting options for high vibration, impact and hose down conditions found in drilling environments.

The LED, with a system efficacy of up to 130 lumens per watt, is specifically designed to replace fluorescent T12, T8 and T5HO lighting in land-based drilling and offshore rigs. The fixture can also be easily retrofitted into the mounts of existing Pauluhn DuraPro and MagnaPro fixtures, as well as Rig-A-Lite or Snelson fluorescent fixtures.

The Pauluhn™ DLL Linear LED fixture features a low-profile design under 3-inches, a copper-free aluminum housing with Corro-free™ epoxy powder coating, and a polycarbonate or glass lens. The fixture is designed for extreme durability and will perform reliably in ambient operating temperatures of -40ºC to +65ºC. The DLL LED is also able to withstand 2,000 psi of hose pressure and high vibration applications.

The Pauluhn™ DLL Linear LED is a Class I, Division 2 luminaire and meets several NEC, UL and CSA standards and certifications. The fixture comes with seven mounting options including: ceiling, swivel, wall, flush, pole, back, and pendant.

For added convenience there are four points of secondary retention and through-feed wiring options available with this fixture. For added safety, the fixture is available with an optional emergency battery 90-minute back-up and surge protection up to 10kV.

To learn more about the new Pauluhn™ DLL Linear LED fixture visit www.crouse-hinds.com/dll. To learn more about the complete range of products and services available from Eaton’s Crouse-Hinds business, visit www.crouse-hinds.com.

Eaton’s Crouse-Hinds business offers a range of cable fittings, enclosures, plugs and receptacles, industrial lighting fixtures, signals and alarms, and electronic components designed for the most demanding environments. The Crouse-Hinds business serves customers in the industrial and manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, solar, infrastructure and other markets.

Solar Power World

Kyocera Solar Inc. and Dynamic Solar Solutions, a company dedicated to installing turnkey photovoltaic systems for residential, commercial and industrial customers since 2008, announced a plan to provide industry-leading solar panels to Puerto Rican businesses, harnessing renewable energy as a solution to rising energy prices. In Puerto Rico, businesses and consumers are struggling under electricity rates that are frequently double those of the mainland United States. Conventional energy resources such as natural gas and coal are not available on the island, which has led utilities there to generate electrical power using costly imported fuels.

While the price of grid electricity will likely continue to rise, a Kyocera solar photovoltaic (PV) system provides greater consistency in energy costs. Ensuring a stable production of kilowatt hours is crucial for businesses investing in solar power to provide a return on their investment and reduce total costs.

“Our commercial customers are looking for ways to save on electric costs so they can stabilize their business expenses,” said Juan Carlos Díaz-Galarza, vice president of operations for Dynamic Solar Solutions (DSS), “We offer Kyocera solar modules exclusively because of their proven dependability and outstanding performance, and our goal is to give the very best to our customers.”

Kyocera is the only solar module manufacturer to have earned the highest rating across all six test categories in GTM Research’s July 2014 PV Module Reliability Scorecard.

In October 2014, DSS installed an 892-kW photovoltaic system on the rooftop of Droguería Betances Inc., a distribution warehouse in Caguas, Puerto Rico, which supplies healthcare products and equipment to more than 900 pharmacies on the island. By taking advantage of government incentives designed to increase the island’s solar power capacity, Betances saved 40 percent off the total system cost. The solar installation, which is comprised of 3,570 Kyocera 250-watt modules, will produce 1,245,292 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually – offsetting approximately 93 percent of the warehouse’s electric power needs, and stabilizing the business’s cost of electricity.

“Kyocera solar modules have a track record for providing long-term electricity cost stability, supporting our commitment to help businesses enhance their competitiveness and improve their bottom line,” said Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar Inc. “By installing Kyocera solar modules, Dynamic Solar Solutions has helped Droguería Betances, Inc. lower its cost of doing business — a strong advantage in today’s economy.”

Solar Power World

A new guidebook outlining ways for California cities and counties to make permit processing and inspections for home rooftop solar electric systems quicker and more uniform is now available from the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE). Increasing solar energy adoption is a key component for many local jurisdictions in achieving goals for energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reductions and climate action plans.

The California Solar Permitting Guidebook addresses the requirements of the Solar Permitting Efficiency Act (formerly Assembly Bill 2188) signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in September that requires the state’s more than 540 cities and counties to adopt streamlined solar permitting processes by Sept. 30, 2015. The intention of the act is to help drive down rooftop solar installation costs for homeowners while increasing opportunities for solar businesses and reducing the workload of permitting agencies. California is the first state to mandate standardized solar permitting processes.

Presently California cities and counties have a patchwork of unnecessarily complicated permitting and inspection regulations for small residential solar projects that slow down and add expense to solar installations, discouraging consumers and solar contractors alike, according to Tamara Gishri-Perry, a CSE senior project manager.

“California leads the nation in rooftop solar installations, but achieving the state’s ambitious goals for renewable energy will require even greater solar adoption, and the permitting process has been a major barrier,” Gishri-Perry said. “The new legislation is an opportunity for local governments to reduce their paperwork and costs for approving what are typically fairly simple home rooftop solar installations.”

Even though the price of solar has fallen by 50% since 2006, the “soft costs,” including the cost of getting a permit from a local building department, remain high. An expedited permitting process would mean applicants for solar PV systems under 10 kilowatts that fit certain criteria could use an online application process and expect approval by the local permitting agency within a few days.

The guidebook, published in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, contains best practices for permitting and inspection of home solar systems as well as standard application forms and checklists for solar installations. CSE’s renewable energy team compiled the guidebook with input from a task force of participants from state code agencies, local building departments and the solar industry. It is available online at www.energycenter.org/solarpermitting.

CSE staff provides free technical assistance to any local government agency that wants to adopt the California Solar Permitting Guidebook and offers an implementation guide, model ordinance and other resources. They are planning webinars and in-person trainings in 2015 for local government officials focusing on the benefits of adopting the guidebook’s recommendations. For information, email solarpermitting@energycenter.org or call 213-481-6115.

CSE also is spearheading a statewide project to accelerate solar deployment and further reduce the soft costs of solar through the Rooftop Solar Challenge, a component of the Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative that aims to make solar energy fully cost-competitive with traditional energy sources by 2020. CSE leads a project team that includes Optony Inc. and the Governor’s Office for Planning and Research. CSE also administers regional and statewide programs in energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean transportation and promotes sustainability education and outreach.

Two other CSE publications related to solar, Southern California Solar Finance Guide and Residential and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing in California, are available online at www.energycenter.org/policy/research-reports.

Solar Power World