In a recent webinar Solar Symbiosis: Inverters and Monitoring, Ilen Zazueta-Hall, director of residential product management at Enphase Energy, presented on why inverter manufacturers offer monitoring. Here’s a recap of her presentation. You can watch the full webinar here.

Like the smart phone, solar inverters are getting smarter
Phones used to do one thing really well—call people. But now smart phones have apps for GPS, finding a good restaurant and just about everything in between.  Ilen Zazueta-Hall made the same comparison with inverters, as she explained how they used to only convert DC to AC. “But that’s not the world of today, and more importantly, it’s not the world of tomorrow,” she explained.

Overall solar penetration has grown worldwide, and requirements on how solar projects interact with the grid are ever increasing. “That means that smart, grid-connected inverters now have to provide a platform for that control and other key business functions,” Zazueta-Hall said. “These can include making commissioning easier, generating leads by giving customers a really fabulous experience and connection to their PV system, or making sure that operations and maintenance is easy and diagnostics, updates and fixes are possible.” It’s important for inverter manufacturers to offer monitoring as the “app” to achieve this control. “Driving to a site and looking at equipment is a very expensive way to diagnose a problem,” Zazueta-Hall added. “A robust monitoring system can notify a team of a problem and allow them to diagnose it remotely. Then, when they do need to roll out a truck, they can more efficiently decide when and how to do it.”

Monitoring basics
Zazueta-Hall explained there are three basic aspects to monitoring a system.

1. Measure
2. Communicate
3. Manage

First, there has to be measurement. That measurement can be as granular as looking at data like AC and DC voltage, current and temperature per PV module. Second, you need to communicate the data, typically using some sort of communication hardware.  Third, you must manage the data. This is usually where cloud-based monitoring comes into play because you’re looking at tens, hundreds or even thousands of systems that need to be monitored, maintained and understood. These basics enable overall fleet monitoring.

Connecting clouds
Another powerful benefit of having data in the cloud, Zazueta-Hall explained, is that if you do it right you can connect different clouds of data. “This means that data collected up into one management system can be used in other applications,” she said, and gave an example of how Locus Energy can integrate with Enphase Energy’s monitoring system, known as Enlighten. “They’re able to take the same measurements that were communicated to us and reuse them,” she explained. This is done by an API, which is just a way to connect two systems. Zazueta-Hall said APIs are key to moving data from one place to another so more can be done with it, such as connecting to customer relationship management (CRM) systems for billing, customer portals and more.

Solar Power World

Exosun’s first project in the U.S., the 30 MWac Lone Valley project, included local manufacturing of the Exotrack HZ trackers.

Exosun, a provider of solar tracking technologies and associated plant engineering services, has announced the commissioning of its solar trackers on the Lone Valley solar park located in the western Mojave desert, San Bernardino county, California. This 30 MWAC project, consisting of two adjacent solar plants, represents Exosun’s first contract completion in North America, and also marks Exosun’s first successful collaboration with the world’s third largest renewable energy producer EDP Renewables.

The Lone Valley solar park is equipped with 262 of Exosun’s Exotrack HZ horizontal single-axis trackers, which orient over 120,000 photovoltaic modules toward the sun to increase electricity production up to 25 percent compared to a fixed-tilt installation.

“Installed on rocky desert land, this project demonstrates the robustness and adaptability of our trackers. Exotrack HZ’s higher energy yield, fast and simple installation, as well as low maintenance requirements are helping our new client to accelerate ROI,” said Frédéric Conchy, President of Exosun.

Less than one year after entering the U.S. market, Exosun also achieved the establishment of a North American manufacturing footprint.

“We have developed partnerships with North American manufacturers, and succeeded complete design transfer for the high quality local production of our trackers,” said Conchy.

The plant will generate over 80,000 MWh annually, enough to power 7,000 average American homes with clean energy. It will save 66,000 tons of CO2 per year.

Solar Power World

Pioneers tend to venture into unknown terrain, guided by the idea of discovering something new. Kurt Krannich is one such pioneer. In 1995, at a time when photovoltaics was still in the shadows and ridiculed as unsustainable, he started a two-man operation. His vision: that 100% renewable energies could provide for a better environmental future.

In 1995, solar systems were only built by those who were interested in doing something for the environment or the protection of creation. There were only a few local incentive schemes, and a system offering a standard capacity of 2.2 kW cost approx. 30,000 euros. Today, customers pay 3,000 for the same system–just 10% of the 1995 cost.

As an owner-operated family business (a state of affairs that continues today), from the beginning Krannich Solar was not just about theory, but about practice. In 1995, Kurt Krannich literally scaled the heights for his customers, being personally responsible for solar roof installations until the year 2000. With the launch of its 100,000 Roofs program, Krannich Solar soon became a specialist wholesaler and systems house for photovoltaic installations–and it continues as such today.

Twenty years of photovoltaics also signifies twenty years of experience in a volatile market strongly influenced by the political environment. Right from the beginning, Kurt Krannich focused on the stable, long-term development of the business. Today, the two-man team is an internationally active group of undertakings, currently represented by 24 companies across 15 countries and employing over 250 people.

With the assurance that comes from having made it this far, and with the confidence of being able to meet future challenges, Krannich Solar is optimistic about the future. Its international focus is a guarantee of this, and will be further promoted in the years to come. Krannich Solar has taken the opportunity of its anniversary year to change its corporate claim: THE GLOBAL PV EXPERTS. With this statement, the PV wholesaler captures its claim and experience in a nutshell.

Solar Power World

Unirac Inc. announced that PowerSecure Solar, a division of PowerSecure International Inc., has awarded the company a contract to supply two ground mount projects in Georgia totaling approximately 80 MWdc.

“We are relying on Unirac’s expertise in the engineering, design and deployment of ground mount racking solutions, coupled with their leadership in quality and project management to support our team as we serve our customer on these utility-scale solar projects,” said Benjamin Schneider, President of PowerSecure Solar.

The GROUND FIXED TILT (GFT), releasing in April 2015, has evolved from more than 12 years of experience with more than 1 GW of ground mount systems installed worldwide. A synergy of steel components and aluminum parts deliver installation performance with the lowest system cost. Installation savings are captured through efficiently engineered components, pre-assembled parts and integrated bonding for optimized construction sequencing.

“We are honored to have been selected by PowerSecure to collaborate on integrated services and solutions to safely design, engineer and deliver large scale ground mount systems,” said Peter Lorenz, Unirac CEO. “We have full confidence our newly designed GROUND FIXED TILT (GFT) will exceed their expectations.”

Solar Power World

Vaisala, a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement, has partnered with the Masdar Institute to develop the UAE Wind Atlas,  publicly available wind resource database in the Middle East. Launched at the World Future Energy Summit, this highly significant investment and infrastructure planning tool is free to access through the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) Global Atlas.

As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seeks to satisfy domestic energy demand by diversifying its oil-rich energy portfolio, progressive economic policies and a supportive stance on renewable energy look set to make the country a leader within the region. While, as a desert nation, the UAE is primarily recognized for its strong solar potential, wind energy will play an important role in broadening the range of renewable energy sources and providing security of supply when solar energy falls short, such as during night time hours.

Given the variable nature of wind generation, siting and integrating high penetrations of wind energy pose unique challenges. Bringing online large volumes of wind power in a cost-effective manner demands the formation of comprehensive energy policies and infrastructure plans.

These, in turn, require a detailed understanding of available wind resources and their variability over time and space. To fill this crucial information gap, the Masdar Institute sought Vaisala’s advanced wind analysis capabilities and extensive experience in large-scale renewable energy mapping efforts.

Masdar sees the UAE Wind Atlas as a mission critical tool for evaluating the country’s potential, particularly due to wind’s unique characteristics as a resource. “Wind information has to be generated at a number of heights and a whole altitude profile needs to be produced as different turbine technologies work at different heights,” said Director Hosni Ghedira of the Masdar Institute. “Also, unlike solar, wind can vary significantly across short distances so high-resolution spatial information is vital.”

With 10 years of hourly meteorological data at multiple heights and a spatial resolution of 500-meters, the wind atlas developed by Vaisala and the Masdar Institute provides a comprehensive view of the UAE’s wind resource to support wind energy investment decisions. To complete the atlas, Vaisala employed an advanced ensemble modeling approach, calibrated by available observations and tested to find the most accurate fit for the country’s unique local environment.

Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of IRENA, said, “The launch of the UAE Wind Atlas marks another key milestone in our efforts to bring a comprehensive clean energy resource map to the global community. The support provided by Masdar Institute’s Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment and Vaisala has been critical to help developers of clean energy projects find valuable information to assist in their investment decisions.”

Pascal Storck, Global Manager of Energy Services at Vaisala, added, “International partnerships, such as the one we have developed with Masdar and IRENA, provide an extremely effective means of knowledge-sharing and serve as an industry-catalyst as we aim to integrate ever-increasing amounts of wind energy into existing power generation portfolios of fossil and renewable assets.”

Vaisala was the first to map worldwide wind and solar resources at high-resolution and over the past 10 years has conducted further large-scale resource planning and integration studies in over 20 countries. Recognized as a world-leader in the domain, the firm recently embarked on a 3-year project with the U.S. Department of Energy to improve the reliability of wind energy forecasting in areas of complex terrain.

Solar Power World

SolarCity and MP2 Energy have partnered to make it possible for some Dallas-Fort Worth area homeowners to pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power for the first time without any local incentives. Customers who sign up for SolarCity’s service and for electricity service from MP2 will receive full credit for all the solar electricity they provide to the utility grid. Known as full “net metering,” the practice is common in most of the U.S., but available for the first time in Texas exclusively through this partnership. This program will initially be available to qualified homeowners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and the two companies expect to expand it to additional markets later this year.

Texas is the nation’s largest energy producer and is among its top five energy consumers per capita, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Texas residents have traditionally enjoyed electricity prices below the national average, and solar power adoption in the state has largely been limited to areas where local incentives drive down the cost of solar electricity. SolarCity and MP2’s ability to provide solar electricity at a discount to retail utility rates without local incentives in Texas has implications for solar adoption in a broad range of locations with comparable rates.
“With an average of 240 sunny days per year, Texas is often considered a sleeping giant when it comes to its potential for solar power, and unlocking this state has huge implications for the solar industry at large,” said Jeff Starcher, chairman and CEO of MP2 Energy. “To date, solar has only worked where there are local incentives. With this new partnership, we are making solar a practical option for residential customers in Texas.”
Under the program, SolarCity will install solar panels to provide solar electricity to Texas homeowners, and homeowners will sign up with MP2 for any additional electricity needs. MP2 will track customers’ solar energy production and consumption every month. Customers who produce more than they consume will be credited at the full-retail value for excess production, including transmission and distribution service charges. Most retail electricity providers in Texas limit the credits for solar power produced—typically up to 500 kWh per month—or require them to forfeit any unused solar power at the end of the month. MP2 Energy will not implement a cap for its program and will allow customers to carry forward any excess generation to subsequent monthly bills until the customer can fully utilize it for the year.

“MP2’s pure ‘net metering’ program is truly the first of its kind in Texas, finally making solar a viable option for residential customers,” Starcher added. “The terms of this program can allow customers to see immediate savings on solar, and make government and local incentives – which have decreased in the past few years – less important. It demonstrates that the value of solar to electricity providers is increasing and is aligned with retail rates.”

While other retail electric providers increase or decrease their solar costs based on monthly energy factors, such as the price of natural gas, MP2 allows customers to lock in a fixed rate for 12 or 24 months. MP2 will also allow customers to terminate their contracts without fees or penalties, which is also a unique offer in Texas.

Solar Power World

Enphase Energy has been selected by SoCore Energy, a commercial-industrial solar project developer, to be an inverter supplier for a major commercial solar program with a Fortune 50 retailer. Enphase will be providing its microinverter systems for over 4 megawatts (DC) of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) installations developed, engineered and managed by SoCore across locations in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Massachusetts.

SoCore and Enphase have collaborated on several commercial installations featuring Enphase Microinverters. This latest project, spurred by the retail customer’s determination to use Enphase following SoCore’s recommendation, reinforces the partnership and further demonstrates the value of microinverter solutions for small-, medium-, and large-sized commercial rooftop installations.

“We have worked together since the early days of Enphase, and I’m a big believer in the company’s microinverter system,” said Pete Kadens, president of SoCore. “In addition to the Enphase system’s simple, flexible design and installation, superior energy production, and inherent reliability, its Enlighten monitoring platform provides an ease of servicing and remote troubleshooting capability. This makes it ideal for a multiple rooftop project.”

“Our commercial solutions are built to increase energy production, simplify design and installation, improve system reliability and provide a platform for intelligent energy management,” said Jeff Loebbaka, senior vice president of global sales, marketing and support at Enphase. “Partnering with a market leader like SoCore in commercial and industrial installations underscores the growing preference for Enphase Systems in the complete range of commercial solar applications.”

The commercial solar market is poised for robust growth, and Enphase continues to accelerate its activities in the sector. The company recently announced it has expanded the Enphase Energy Services group with the acquisition of Next Phase Solar, a leading commercial operations and maintenance (O&M) provider. In addition, Enphase has started shipping its new C250 purpose-built microinverter systems to commercial customers.

Solar Power World

Mounting manufacturer Sollega provided its FastRack510 (FR510) to mount 8,148 Trina and JA Solar 72-cell PV modules.

The airports division of the Hawaii Department of Transportation has partnered with REC Solar to install roof-mounted PV systems at Honolulu International and Kahului Airports. The installations help support Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s goal to achieve 70% clean energy by 2030.

Mounting manufacturer Sollega provided its FastRack510 (FR510) to mount 8,148 Trina and JA Solar 72-cell PV modules. The one-piece FR510 requires no assembly, and it’s universal design allowed REC to install four different models of PV modules with the same installation procedure.

The system’s non-corrosive Ultramid material is beneficial tropical and costal region. The high array density of the FR510 allowed the DOT and REC to meet their production goals.

The airports are not only in hurricane prone regions, but also in areas of high seismic activity. Minimal seismic anchors were installed at a rate of up to five per man hour.

Combined, the arrays were spread over more than ten individual flat roofs. Many of the roofs were tiered, making it difficult in some cases for the crew to move equipment to the upper levels. While the FR510 was easily staged, Sollega’s engineering team was able to keep the ballast to a minimum to reduce this inherent inconvenience.

As one of the nation’s leading commercial solar integrators, REC has extensive experience in Hawaii, as well as with installing the FastRack mounting system. They were able to stage and install the mounting system quickly and easily.

Sollega’s flexible wire management system and high roof clearance made stringing modules and performing home runs just as simple and fast as installing the modules.

Solar Power World

A new study out today shows utility companies in North America zeroed in on two sectors last year: advanced energy storage and solar. Analysts at research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance tracked 52 clean energy requests for proposals (RFPs) in 2014, and found that solar dominated the field with more than 27 RFPs, and that Western states sought the most capacity.

The White Paper, available here, draws on analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s database of North American clean energy RFPs. Among the most interesting trends:

• Solar dominated the market, both in capacity (1.8 GW) and quantity (27 RFPs). There was also a significant amount of interest (at least 12 RFPs) in energy smart technologies, particularly energy storage.
• Western states represented the biggest region for RFPs, with 1 GW being requested. The Southeast was the second-largest region in terms of capacity requested, almost all of it solar.
• Wisconsin-based Alliant made the biggest splash in capacity sought with a single RFP. Collectively, the U.S. armed forces issued seven RFPs.

“The data reveals particularly strong interest in energy storage,” said Will Nelson, head of analysis for Bloomberg New Energy Finance in North America. “Interestingly, most storage RFPs are looking for a relatively small amount of capacity, evidence that these may be initial experimental forays into a rapidly changing sector.”

RFPs are a leading indicator for trends in the utility industry because they are solicitations issued by companies to potential vendors. The issuers of RFPs specify the products or services they are seeking; in response, bidders submit proposals, competing against each other on the basis of pricing, capabilities, and other factors. In the world of clean energy, RFPs could involve procurement for renewable electricity-generating capacity or for technologies to make the grid more flexible or resilient.

“For project sponsors and equipment vendors, RFPs are the lifeblood of their business development efforts,” said Mark Taylor, product manager for Bloomberg New Energy Finance. “They also give an early but concrete glimpse into which sectors are catching the eye of the market, and about the strategic direction of utilities and other energy-consuming organizations.”

The White Paper also looks at three RFPs that are currently ‘open’ (ie, accepting submissions) and provides a ‘first take’ on what it make take to succeed in each case. The three RFPs pertain to renewable energy in Ontario, to storage in California, and to solar in Texas. The White Paper is available here.

Solar Power World

Despite improvements, provisions for PV systems in the 2014 NEC are still confusing, which can lead to installations that don’t meet regulations. 

You might think that most solar power systems erected by qualified installers and inspected by local wiring inspectors would be pretty much free of major operational problems. But that hasn’t been the experience of the Cadmus Group, an energy and environmental services consulting firm based in Waltham, Mass. Cadmus examines PV installations funded by state programs and other sponsoring agencies. The inspections include comprehensive reviews of such aspects as available solar resources to compliance with codes and standards. Out of 1,758 recent inspections, Cadmus has found major or critical issues in 28% of them. Another 47% had either minor or incidental issues. Only 25% were problem free.

One of the unsettling things about problems found during the Cadmus inspection is that many of them violate provisions of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Yet these difficulties got past installers, utilities and electrical inspectors. For example, more than half the sites Cadmus inspects are not grounded properly. More than 20% have violations because conductors weren’t protected properly or were improperly sized. A whopping 70% of systems inspected lack the proper labels.

Some of the problems uncovered by Cadmus are simply due to sloppy work. But a significant portion arise because both installers and inspectors have trouble interpreting NEC solar provisions. “Ultimately we hope the PV industry doesn’t need engineers and consultants inspecting every PV system,” said Cadmus Senior Associate Shawn Shaw, who leads the firm’s Solar Quality Assurance practice. “Right now, we see ourselves as helping the industry bridge the gap while municipal inspectors get up to speed understanding the technology and how to apply the code.”

Here are a few examples: of code-related problems noted by Cadmus during its inspections of PV arrays. Enclosure sealing is one bugaboo. Cadmus notes that NEC 300.9 defines outdoor raceways as wet locations. NEC 110.14(B) says splices must be listed for use or equivalent to insulation of conductors being spliced and that all splices must be insulated (not like those called out in this photo taken during a Cadmus inspection). NEC 300.7 dictates sealing conduits penetrating from unconditioned into conditioned space (far left). Otherwise condensation can build up, even in otherwise perfectly sealed conduit runs.

Grounding

Shaw explains that a lot of the grounding issues Cadmus finds aren’t straightforward. “It takes experience to wrap your head around some of these practices,” he said. Typical grounding problems include equipment partly or completely ungrounded. “Sometimes module frames are not properly bonded together so you lack a good low-impedance connection from one module frame to the next.” said Shaw. “That’s not an uncommon problem when there can easily be hundreds of WEEBs (a commonly used device for bonding PV module frames) installed. You need to ensure you have the right number of them and that they are properly engaged.” An even less well-understood area concerns grounding electrodes. “For example, a lot of installers don’t understand the requirement to bond ferrous metallic enclosures and raceways to the grounding electrode conductor,” said Shaw. “You do this to reduce inductive choking if there is a lightning strike, but it is an NEC requirement that is often overlooked.”

Interconnection

These labels are pasted over manufacturer applied labels, a practice which does not meet code. Cadmus also frequently finds instances where installers have not checked NEC 690.7 and 690.8 before marking labels with ratings, or have somehow miscalculated the ratings.

Cadmus sees numerous problems associated with interconnecting PV systems. Part of the problem seems to be an unfamiliarity with NEC requirements that differ depending on whether PV is installed on the load side or the supply side of the main disconnect. “There are pros and cons for each approach,” said Shaw. “On the load side we tend to see issues of locating and labeling the backfeed breaker properly. In most cases you should locate the backfeed breaker at the end of the panel opposite from the main breaker to balance the heat distribution on the bus bar. Having all the current entering the bus bar at the same place tends to let heat build up,” he explained. The sizing of back-feed breakers is another point of difficulty. “The NEC allows adding a back-feed breaker so that the current supply is up to 120% of the rating of the bus bar. If a 200-A busbar has a 200-A main breaker, the code allows adding a up to a 40-A backfeed breaker. We sometimes see people adding a 60 or 80-A breaker instead. That could cause the bus bar to overheat, even though the current supplied would not trip any of the breakers,” Shaw said. Cadmus reports that supply side connections are becoming more widely used, partly because they let home owners install more PV capacity than would be the case if connections were on the load side. “The PV disconnect is now essentially a service disconnect, so it must be grouped with the main breaker under some editions of the NEC and must have a new connection to the grounding electrode system. That is something a lot of installers miss,” said Shaw. “It is also common to see new PV service disconnects that are not rated properly. The Code mandates a 60-A minimum rating but we sometimes see, for example, 30-A disconnects installed by mistake.”

Many of the difficulties uncovered during Cadmus inspections relate to grounding issues. Examples called out here with arrows include grounding clips (WEEBs) that don’t make good electrical connections and using improper grounding materials that can eventually lead to corrosion through galvanic action.

Labeling

Similarly, labeling requirements are spread around in different parts of the NEC so they can easily confuse installers. One of the most common issues concerns labeling and marking material. “The code could do more here,” said Shaw. “The 2014 version makes labeling easier to understand, but it can be a challenge to apply requirements spelled out in the 2008 edition. In general, you can’t mark up a piece of tape with a Sharpie pen and call it a label. It should be UV stabilized plastic or an engraved placard. You want to make sure the label is legible for as long as possible.” Another common shortcoming in the labeling category is the proper marking of disconnects, especially to indicate the system voltage and current levels. “The NEC lays out a process for calculating these currents but we often find mistakes in voltage and current labels. You have to be on your toes or you can end up putting down the wrong values,” said Shaw.

Cleaning up for clarity in 2017

Some of these issues can be attributed to the fact that provisions for PV installations reside in different sections of the NEC. Indications are that the upcoming 2017 edition of the code will try to address these difficulties. “There is some clean-up coming in Article 690. There are a lot of proposals related to grounding, and there will be a lot of provision moved out of 690 into other sections for the sake of clarity,” said Matt Paiss, a fire captain with the San Jose, Calif. fire department and the primary NEC representative for the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Arc-fault detection in the 2011 NEC and the rapid shut-down provision for PV that came out in the 2014 NEC both came from proposals by a task group that included the IAFF, fire marshals, other fire fighting organizations and the insurance industry. “We are seeking the ability to shut down PV generators to voltages lower than existing string voltages of up to 1,000 Vdc. But the final result did not go as far as the group wanted. The rapid shut down takes place at the array level. It doesn’t address voltages on the roof. Our proposal for the 2017 NEC is a rapid shutdown that will lower the voltage on the roof,” said Paiss. Basically, IAFF’s proposal for the 2017 Code is for a shut-off control at the module rather than an array level. “The shut-off could be a junction boxembedded switch or it could be at the dc optimizer or microinverter. It doesn’t specify the technology, Paiss said. “Our proposal simplifies things to some degree because just shutting off the power at the main service will accomplish the shut down. For example, shutting down the main power will shut down an array using microinverters. Ditto for arrays with dc optimizers and junction box-embedded switches. These both require ac power to operate. The wording in the 2017 proposal fills in gaps associated with shut-down initiating devices and where they need to be.”

Here is graphic evidence of why fire fighting organizations lobbied for arc fault protection in the 2011 NEC. These melted connectors are from a residential PV installation. The connectors were improperly crimped, resulting in highresistance faults and arcing that eventually melted through the roof and caused an attic fire. San Jose Calif. Fire Captain Matt Paiss investigated the blaze and reports that the array was installed to 2008 Code three months before the municipality adopted the 2011 NEC mandating arc fault protection at the inverter. Paiss said arc fault protection would have prevented this fire.

Paiss and the IAFF are well aware of the confusion surrounding rapid-disconnect in the 2014 code. Much of the confusion centers on where the disconnect should physically reside. Paiss said the module-level disconnect would usually reside at the service panel. “Suppose you have a roof with three modules,” he said. “The physical shutoff will be at main electrical panel. The PV breaker will serve as the initiating device. Or in the case of a large PV system with a line side tap, the disconnect would have to be in sight of the main service panel. In 90% of all situations the module-level disconnect would be close to the main service panel.” The rapid-disconnect proposal is for a PV disconnect that kicks in on the loss of ac mains power, Paiss explained. It also specifies control of conductors at the module level at 80 Vdc max. “The requirement states that the maximum voltage in the conductors can be 80 V if it is within five feet of a junction box, and 30V for conductors farther away. It is written to accommodate the input leads to microinverters or dc optimizers higher than 30V. The 80V is the highest voltage that a standard module could put out in the coldest environment. Ideally, the PV system could be shut down to a touch-safe level of 30 Vdc, but that would require getting into intermodule strings and we acknowledge the standard is just not there yet.

The IAFF has also suggested adding provisions to the 2017 Code for external utility disconnects. “There are large areas of the country where the utility meter is on the exterior of the building but the service panel is inside,” said Paiss. “First responders wanting to shut off the power can’t do it from the outside. An external disconnect at the point of entry of the service conductors would address that. The outside meter socket would go into a lockable knife-blade disconnect so firefighters can secure the power without having to pull the meter, something they are not equipped to do it. The arguments against this idea center on security and possible corrosion, but there are NEMA enclosures that address this.”

Of course, modulelevel disconnect and utility disconnects are just proposals at this point. There’s still a possibility they will be revised before wording in the 2017 Code is finalized. That will happen after a public comment period that ends this summer and then the second draft hearings in November.

Solar Power World

Deep-cycle, lead-acid batteries are a popular choice for renewable energy applications due to their ability to withstand the demands of solar energy use such as unstable grid energy, heavy cycling (charging and discharging) and irregular full recharging. As far as deep-cycle lead-acid batteries in solar, flooded and valve regulated options are the most viable for storage. Both have pros and cons depending on your site’s environment and application. One valve regulated option—absorbed glass mat (AGM)—is especially advantageous as it is maintenance free, while flooded batteries require watering. Since solar applications can be in hard-to-reach areas, the ability to plug in the batteries and let them function without maintenance is a huge benefit. AGM batteries recombine the hydrogen and oxygen produced during recharge which forms water. This recombination makes the AGM battery maintenance free so you don’t have to worry about watering, acid leaks or corrosion.

Many AGM batteries, however, are primarily designed for dual-purpose or standby applications like emergency backup, and not deep cycling. But Trojan has recently introduced the Reliant AGM with C-Max Technology line. The manufacturer said the line is specifically designed for deep cycling applications through its paste formula, its durable polymer case that provides higher battery cell compression, and a flame arrestor for each cell for maximum safety. The batteries also have a thick separator which ensures high compression for effective contact with the glass mat and plates. This protects against stratification—a condition in which lead sulfate builds on the plates, which eventually reduces storage capacity and battery life. The batteries are manufactured in the U.S. at Trojan’s newest production facility in Sandersville, Georgia.

Battery sizing is also an essential part of the equation, which is often overlooked by users and installers, said Vicki Hall of Trojan Battery. “The single biggest problem in battery underperformance is miscalculated load,” she said. “Batteries in PV systems are routinely undersized due to cost or because the system loads were underestimated. A homeowner adds another TV, and suddenly they don’t have enough power. It’s important to know the customer’s power needs and correctly plan for it.

Trojan offers an online battery sizing calculator, which you can find on the company’s website, to make determining battery capacity for load requirements easy.

“Solutions for solar battery storage are there,” Hall said. “It’s just a matter of knowing how much energy you need and choosing a battery big enough to handle it.”

Solar Power World

Trina Solar Limited’s Trinasmart panels are now part of the technology solution that Vivint Solar Inc., the second largest U.S. residential solar provider, offers to its customers. Trinasmart is a module-integrated solution that optimizes the energy output of PV systems, enhances solar array safety, improves installation speeds and reduces balance of system costs.

Solar Power World

CalCom Solar, a leader in solar project design and construction for California Agribusinesses and Water Districts, has entered into a 100 MW supply agreement with NEXTracker to serve its agribusiness customers.

“CalCom’s principals have over 35 years of solar experience and to date have overseen the construction of over 50 MW of trackers,” said Nic Stover, CEO of CalCom Solar.  “NEXTracker technology is the greatest proven advancement to emerge in the industry.  With CalCom’s focus on helping agricultural customers use solar to save on energy costs, NEXTracker is a great offering to lower costs and increase energy production. They’ve assembled the ‘dream team’ of the PV racking business; they’re very supportive of our needs.  We’re excited to be deploying NEXTracker for visionary agribusinesses leaders like Woolf Farming and Processing.”

“We are very appreciative to be partnering with CalCom Solar and their customers,” noted NEXTracker CEO Dan Shugar. “The agricultural sector is well served by solar – and CalCom delivers exceptional expertise in designing, engineering, and constructing solar power systems for agricultural operations.   With unimpeded rows and easy construction, NEXTracker offers maximum reliability, performance and profitability.  Together, CalCom and NEXTracker are delivering solar systems that generate more energy at lower cost, helping leading growers like Woolf Farming to lower their operating costs with clean solar power.”

“Woolf Farming and Processing has a multi-generational legacy of producing more with less while improving the land,” said Stuart Woolf, President of Woolf Farming. “Solar is a perfect fit for our vision of sustainable farming, and CalCom Solar and NEXTracker are the best choices for our needs.  We are excited to be working together with these great companies to use the power of the sun to not only grow food but provide the energy to process it for our customers.”

Solar Power World

The Midwest Solar Expo 2015 will be held May 13-14, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and will feature two days of educational and networking events that will provide solar companies with the tools to grow their businesses in the Midwest solar market.

Hundreds of solar industry executives from across the supply chain, representing companies around the Midwest—and the country—will benefit from the expanded format. This year’s two-day event has an increased focus on networking and strengthening relationships within the industry.

The expo will kick-off at the Solar Arts Building in downtown Minneapolis with a cocktail reception, dinner and keynote address. This will be followed by a day of plenaries, breakout sessions, networking breaks, NABCEP and product trainings and exhibits at the Downtown Hilton Minneapolis.

Breakout sessions will cover pressing issues that face the regional industry including the future of community solar gardens, solar project finance and the challenges and opportunities surrounding commercial, utility and residential-scale solar project development. New to the format this year is the appointment of an Education Committee that will oversee the educational sessions and “Call for Papers” selection process in order to best showcase innovative products and services that are pertinent to the local industry.

“We want deals to get done.” said Geoff Stenrick, CEO of Simpleray, one of the host sponsors of the event. “We are particularly excited about this year’s solar technology focus and helping companies navigate the new challenges facing Minnesota’s growing solar market.”

The first wave of speakers announced include:

• Lidija Sekaric, Department of Energy
• John Conley, SolarCity
• Cory Honeyman, GTM Research
• Tony Clifford, Standard Solar
• James Tong, Clean Power Finance
• Special address from Senator Al Franken

Midwest Solar Expo

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The exhibition floor of Intersolar North America, the most-attended solar industry exhibition and conference dedicated to the North American market, will feature a number of segments highlighting the innovative products fueling the growth of the solar and energy storage sectors. Organizers expect approximately 18,000 visitors from around the world over the course of the three-day exhibition, held from July 14 to 16 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center West.

As part of the world’s leading and most international exhibition series for the solar industry, the eighth Intersolar North America will once again showcase innovations in PV and solar heating and cooling technologies from around the world, as well as new products in its fastest-growing exhibition segments: balance of systems (BOS) and mounting and tracking systems. Visitors will see the latest technologies and service offerings from leaders such as ABB, Inc., TMEIC Corporation, Shoals Technologies Group, SolarEdge Technologies, Inc., Multi-Contact USA, Schletter, Inc., Quick Mount PV, Array Technologies, Inc., Unirac, Inc., and ArcelorMittal.

As solar PV module prices have declined, BOS components represent the next challenge for reducing overall system costs. Intersolar North America’s BOS and mounting and tracking systems exhibition segments have expanded year after year, due in part to the strong focus on developing efficient, cost-saving and time-saving products ranging from hardware to installation and finance. Organizers expect the BOS segment to grow by up to 10% this year.

Recent developments include the expanded market share of module-level power electronics, the increasing use of string inverters in mid-sized PV plants and the growing dominance of non-penetrating racking for rooftop PV. In utility-scale installations, the industry is focused on reducing labor in the field and commercializing innovative racking and mounting systems that provide the same amount of strength with less steel, part of an ongoing effort to simplify system design.

“The successful commercialization of these products, as well as aggressive policies and favorable market conditions, has lead to a soaring solar job market. In California alone, there are more than 50,000 solar jobs, prompting the Intersolar organizers to include more installation topics for this year’s event, as well as 20 technical training sessions,” said Markus Elsaesser, CEO of Solar Promotion International GmbH, and Daniel Strowitzki, CEO of FMMI International, the second organizer of Intersolar North America. “We are also encouraged by the significant growth of the mounting and tracking exhibition segment, which has increased 50% since 2011, and look forward to seeing what innovations are on display this year.”

Electrical Energy Storage (EES) Europe, the largest energy storage event in Europe and the world’s largest industry platform for storage devices used in combination with PV, will expand this year to Intersolar North America. Organizers expect 50 energy storage companies to exhibit at EES North America this year, a 255% growth over the past three years, which mirrors the rapid expansion of storage adoption worldwide.

According to GTM Research, the next six years will see a 34% annual growth rate for energy storage in the United States, with an anticipated deployment of 720 MW between 2014 and 2020. The market for solar PV plus energy storage in the United States is expected to grow from $42 million in 2014 to more than $1 billion by 2018. Intersolar North America will showcase key players in the industry, such as S&C Electric Company, Engion by VARTA Storage GmbH, Bosch Energy Storage Solutions LLC, Enphase Energy, Inc., Sonnenbatterie GmbH, and Princeton Power Systems. The EES North America exhibit will be located in Moscone West.

For the eighth year, Intersolar will recognize the innovative solutions on display at its global exhibition and conference series. The Intersolar Award is presented to new technologies and groundbreaking projects that demonstrate a commitment to commercializing cost-effective and efficient solutions to increase solar energy generation around the world. Exhibitors are invited to submit applications in the categories of Photovoltaics, Solar Projects in Europe and Solar Projects in North America.

Powered by Intersolar, the EES Award will recognize revolutionary energy storage products and solutions, including components or technical innovation in the fields of materials, production, systems, applications, second use and recycling. “Every year, we strive to highlight the product innovations and trends driving down solar costs and increasing efficiency and reliability,” said Elsaesser. “The Intersolar Award is one of our favorite parts of our global event series, because it puts these breakthrough technologies and products on the world stage. We’re excited to see this year’s submissions, and look forward to announcing the winners!”

All international Intersolar and EES exhibitors in 2015 are invited to submit their applications online. Applications are due March 27.

InterSolar North America

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JA Solar Holdings Co. will supply 35.1 MW of modules to the second phase of a Guatemala solar farm.

The signing of the contract for the project phase II for another 35.1 MW of modules came after JA’s successful delivery of 59.7 MW to the phase I in 2014. As the largest solar farm in Central America and the second largest in the Latin American region, the Guatemala project requires modules of high reliability, high conversion efficiency and high power output.

Mr. Jian Xie, president of JA Solar, commented, “We are proud that our customers are satisfied with JA’s high efficiency modules and chose us again for the project phase II. 300 football fields of panels not only provides clean power to the people of Central America, but also opens a window for us in the local market. It is a new milestone in our efforts to expand globally into new markets and reflects our ever-growing global influence.”

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IHS announced that 9 percent of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in North America will include attached storage in 2018. Led by commercial systems, IHS expects 700 MW of PV systems with energy storage will be installed by 2018, compared to just 30 MW in 2014.

“The commercial PV energy storage market in the United States has gained huge momentum in recent months,” said Sam Wilkinson, research manager for solar and energy storage for IHS Technology. “Leading suppliers are currently offering highly successful ‘no-money-down’ sales models to customers, and they have also gained the backing of major investors.”

According to the IHS “Energy Storage in PV Report – 2014,” commercial buildings are subject to peak demand charges, which are based on the maximum power drawn from the grid during the billing period. These charges can make up a significant portion of a business’s electricity bill; however, using a battery and PV to reduce peaks in grid power consumption can reduce these costs significantly. “Incentives, like the Self Generation Incentive Program offered in California, are also making the economics of such systems extremely attractive; but there is no guarantee that electricity tariff structures won’t be adjusted, which could affect the economics of existing systems,” Wilkinson said.

The North American residential market for PV systems with attached storage will be limited, as the only real incentive for homeowners to install these systems is to provide back up for power blackouts. Although having a source of back-up power is desirable, particularly in areas that have experienced long blackouts, it is rarely valued enough to justify the high cost of a battery system. In a number of markets in Europe, such as Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, the economics of a residential PV system are improved, when the system owner is able to increase the amount of power that they self consume, which has been the primary reason the PV energy storage market in those regions has developed more than it has in North America.

The market growth for energy-storage PV systems has been largely driven by suppliers like STEM and Green Charge Networks. IHS anticipates that Solarcity, a leading U.S. solar installer, will also be increasingly active in the attached storage market this year. In fact, Solarcity is already offering Tesla batteries with its PV systems, in order to offer peak demand reduction services.

“Solarcity’s third-party ownership business model has enabled it to become the largest residential and commercial solar installer in the United States,” Wilkinson said. “The company already has highly established sales channels and financing agreements in place that will make it another major driving force in the commercial PV energy storage market.”

IHS Technology’s “Energy Storage in PV Report – 2014” provides detailed analysis and forecasts for the potential of energy storage to be adopted in the quickly expanding solar industry. For more information about this report, visit here.

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Conergy, one of the world’s largest downstream solar companies, announces an equity investment by RWE Supply & Trading, the energy trading arm of the giant European utility. The investment comes as part of a larger equity funding round led by Kawa Capital Management and results in RWE owning a minority stake in Conergy.

Kawa Capital Management Inc., which acquired Conergy in 2013, maintains majority ownership in the company. The additional capital will be used to support Conergy’s aggressive global growth plans.

Conergy recently announced a profitable 2014 with nearly half a billion dollars in revenue, in expanding its services providing project development, financing, engineering, procurement and engineering (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) globally. Conergy provides these services across all solar segments: utility-scale, commercial and residential, and in both emerging and high-growth solar markets.

Andree Stracke, Member of the Board of RWE Supply & Trading, said: “Having worked with Conergy successfully in Europe, we are pleased to be supporting the group’s worldwide expansion.”

The investment follows the partnering between RWE and Conergy for commercial PV ‘solar rentals’ partnership which targets business customers of RWE Group, initially in Germany, and the finance, construction and sale of one of the UK’s biggest solar farms, at Kencot Hill in Oxfordshire.

Andrew de Pass, Chief Executive Officer of Conergy, said: “We are pleased to have RWE’s financial backing and endorsement of Conergy as one of the most strategic and fastest-growing downstream companies in solar. We look forward to using this capital to develop more projects with new and existing partners in the solar industry as our global pipeline approached 4 GW. With this important stamp of approval, it is clear that the turnaround of Conergy is complete and our growth trajectory is certain.”

Alexander Gorski, Chief Operating Officer of Conergy, said: “We’ve had a very successful business relationship with RWE over the last two years and are pleased to build on that with this equity partnership.”

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This article is written by Alissa Jean Schafer, Marketing & Media Director of US Solar

Solar is a matter of national security and saving lives. This statement may sound like a dramatic hyperbole, but it’s not. Dependence upon oil is one of the costliest and deadliest threats that the U.S. military currently faces, and development of clean energy, such as solar, is key to reducing this threat and keeping our men and women in uniform safe. That’s the truth, not an exaggeration.

Premiering later this month at the Environmental Film Festival in Washington D.C., The Burden is a groundbreaking documentary that gives an up-close view of this important side of solar.

Currently one out of every 24 military convoys results in a casualty. The mission of the majority of those convoys is to deliver or secure fuel. As a result, the death toll of our men and women who have died over oil is staggering. In addition to the lives lost, the cost to obtain and protect oil around the world is very high: $85 billion annually, about 17% of Defense Department’s total budget.

Veterans who have faced the reality of the situation explain it best. “We knew the risks, and we were prepared to give our lives for our country in Iraq,” said Jon Gensler, West Point grad and Iraq War Army Veteran. “But we were unprepared for how much of our time was wasted on getting and protecting fuel.”

Military leaders have identified oil dependence as the greatest long-term threat to national security–not just dependence on foreign sources, but on all oil, period. The film presents the serious consequences of maintaining an untenable status quo, while illuminating the economic opportunities offered by a renewable energy economy, a solution that would save money, and, most importantly, save countless lives.

“The Burden opens doors to meaningful discussions about the military’s reliance on fossil fuels and vividly illuminates how oil dependence is increasingly a national security concern,” said Stephanie Kline, USMC veteran and current environmental defense fund military energy analyst. “The Burden is a compelling film that candidly documents the dangerous costs of fossil fuels in a way most people have never seen before… Our country supports its troops, and this film skillfully demonstrates how our energy choices affect the safety and welfare of our men and women in uniform. I have spent the last 10 years pushing for policies that protect the warfighter.  The Burden spends 40 minutes expertly documenting why reducing military reliance on fossil fuels is critical to us all.”

When Ray Johnson of US Solar (a solar college, contractor and distributor) was contacted by writer and director Roger Sorkin about the film, the choice to support the project and step in as a producer was an easy one. A portion of the filming was actually done in Fort Lauderdale, at US Solar’s headquarters. “Over the years of training active duty and veteran men and women of the armed forces, the story of this very real burden is one that we have heard time and time again,” Johnson said. “I see it as both an honor and a responsibility to work to advance our national security by enabling the military to have reliable alternatives to fuel, and working with Sorkin on this project is part of that bigger picture.”

Solar power is more than a way for homeowners to lower their energy bill. It is a way to increase national security and save lives. The burden must be lifted, literally and metaphorically speaking. Watch the trailer for The Burden HERE, and see for yourself.

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Ideal Power Inc., a developer of a disruptive power conversion technology, today announced it signed a Strategic Supplier Agreement to provide power conversion systems to Green Charge Networks and received a multi-unit order for its 30-kW Battery Converter. The units will be used to support Green Charge’s intelligent energy storage solution at several California schools in the districts of Mountain View and Tulare. The installations will help the schools reduce costly peak demand charges with a projected cumulative energy savings of more than $1.5 million over the contract term.

“Peak demand is a critical issue in California and Green Charge is at the forefront of delivering intelligent energy storage solutions,” commented Dan Brdar, CEO, President and Chairman of Ideal Power. “We are seeing significant traction in product orders for energy storage systems and this reflects a growing market demand for our products.”

Ideal Power’s 30-kW battery converter offers high efficiency with the smallest footprint in the industry. Utilizing the company’s award-winning Power Packet Switching Architecture (PPSA), the 30-kW Battery Converter provides electrical isolation while eliminating the need for a transformer, making it smaller, lighter and more cost effective than traditional power converters. It is ideal for commercial and community-scale energy storage systems and can smooth intermittent renewable generation, provide load shifting, reduce peak demand and buffer EV fast chargers.

“We are committed to using the best of breed technology in our intelligent energy storage systems,” said Vic Shao, CEO of Green Charge Networks. “Green Charge’s system requires a power conversion solution that can scale and adapt to multiple applications in order to meet the growing demand for energy storage. We are pleased to be working with Ideal Power.”

Ideal Power has worked closely with Green Charge Networks since 2013, providing systems for more than a dozen California customers including municipal buildings, schools, and electric vehicle fast charging installations.

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