IKEA officially plugged-in an expanded solar energy array atop its Boston-area store that opened nine years ago in Stoughton, Mass. The 51,516-square-foot solar panel addition consists of a 318-kW system built with 1,248 panels and will produce 385,900 kWh more of electricity annually for the store. This solar expansion sits atop a 58,575-s.f. store extension completed last summer. Now, IKEA Stoughton’s total 908.8-kW solar installation of 5,468 panels will generate 1,080,900 kWh of clean electricity yearly, the equivalent of reducing 745 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 157 cars or powering 103 homes (calculating clean energy equivalents at www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html).

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Magnolia Solar Corp.’s wholly owned subsidiary, Magnolia Solar Inc., has been recently awarded three additional patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Magnolia Solar Inc. is the assignee of US Patents No. 8,921,687, 8,969,711, and 8,981,207. These three recently-issued patents describe and protect Magnolia’s innovations in the field of high-performance, lightweight flexible solar cells for photovoltaic applications, and expands the intellectual property portfolio to five issued patents.

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i-Energy, a manufacturer of micro-inverters based in Taiwan, announces its arrival into the United States market through a partnership with R&R Solar Supply in Hawaii. The partnership is an advancement for i-Energy since R&R Solar Supply covers over 60% of the photovoltaic market in Hawaii. i-Energy foresees the partnership as a first stop in the US market, and plans to expand to the mainland in the future.

R&R Solar Supply was founded in 1988 and is one of the largest energy equipment suppliers in Hawaii. It has connections with over 300 installers and a 25,000 square-foot warehouse. The company began with the selling of solar hot water systems and since 1990 has provided photovoltaic technology to its customers. The owner of the company, Rolf Christ, is an influential man in the solar industry in Hawaii. He has a good relationship with the local utility company and serves as treasurer of the Hawaii Energy Association. With the distributor’s beneficial connections and consistent increase in sales, i-Energy anticipates an advantageous partnership.

“We are most fortunate to have R&R Solar Supply as a partner in Hawaii,” said Dr. Steven Huang, CEO of i-Energy. “Their extensive industry experience, technical expertise, and rapidly expanding customer base will be of great help in expanding our business. With R&R Solar Supply ‘s strong customer service and channel reaches, we are confident we can become the leading micro-inverter brand in Hawaii in the near future.”

Rolf Christ, CEO and founder of R&R Solar Supply commented: “We are very excited to partner with i-Energy to bring the most advanced micro-inverter technology to the rapidly expanding Hawaiian market. i-Energy develops a high quality micro inverter with Swiss product ID design, made by 100% die-cast aluminum casing and extra strength main components use that can achieve the highest reliability, 250W high AC output power can work with wide range of solar panels, ease of use and less installation steps. We are very confident that i-Energy’s strong product position can offer the greatest performance-cost balancing value and can surely become the most installers/users friendly micro-inverter brand in Hawaii.”

Founded in 2009, i-Energy is a pioneer in advanced photovoltaic power optimization and conversion products for residential and commercial applications. The company is dedicated to the concept of solar technology as a consumer green appliance; making Smart Energy available to all. I-Energy’s solar micro-inverter solutions offer high reliability, increased energy optimization, enhanced safety, simple installation, and easy services.

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SunEdison announced the completion of a 2.1-MW solar energy system that will supply electricity to Pocomoke City’s wastewater treatment plant via a 20 year power purchase agreement in Maryland. These projects were on the TerraForm Power call right list and have been acquired and are now owned by TerraForm Power. Also completed was a 2.5-MW system for Cecil County School of Technology via a 20 year power purchase agreement, and it is also now owned by TerraForm Power.

The Pocomoke City solar system is designed to produce more energy than the on-site facility needed. Under aggregated net metering, other buildings owned by Pocomoke City can share the output of these solar systems, even if they are not physically connected to them or are on a different meter.

“Aggregated net metering is an innovative way for nonprofits, farms, and municipalities to maximize electricity savings and meet their carbon reduction goals with minimal capital up-front,” said Michael Volpe, Sales Director at SunEdison. “We’re proud to be working with Standard Solar, our development and EPC partner, on these opportunities.”

“Pocomoke City calls itself The Friendliest Town on the Eastern Shore, and, thanks to the foresight of city officials, it is well on its way to being known as the Greenest Town on the Eastern Shore,” said Tony Clifford, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Solar. “With no financial outlay required by Pocomoke City, sizeable savings in electricity costs, and positive contributions to its citizens’ environmental future, more and more municipalities are seeing the short- and long-term advantages of going solar.”

“Our appreciation goes out to SunEdison and Standard Solar, who introduced us to this innovative solution,” said Russell Blake, City Manager for Pocomoke City. “We’re using aggregated net metering to maximize savings on our electric bill.”

The Pocomoke City project was made possible through Maryland’s Aggregated Net Metering Program, which is available for municipal institutions, agriculture and non-profits. Through its Renewable Portfolio Standard, the State of Maryland hopes to generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

The Cecil County School of Technology’s solar system is designed to produce more energy than the on-site facility needed, also under aggregated net metering.

“Our school system is achieving electricity savings through the use of aggregated net metering,” said Perry Willis, Executive Director of Support Services, Cecil County Public Schools. “SunEdison’s expertise has helped us achieve our goals and we look forward to enjoying energy savings for many years to come. The extra savings means more resources for our teachers and students, which we’re thrilled about.”

“Standard Solar is excited to be working with Cecil County Public Schools and SunEdison to make this project a reality,” said Scott Wiater, President of Standard Solar. “We’re always honored to work on projects like this which benefit students and teachers.”

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

Ah, the sunny south, the land of peaches, oranges and solar potential. I’m talking about Georgia and Florida here, and the key word is “potential,” unless you just really like fruit salad. Both rank very high on sun index research that ranks states based on amount of high quality sunshine they get, yet both have faced major challenges in harnessing this potential and adopting solar energy as a power source in the state. Georgia has made tremendous progress in overcoming these challenges, with the most recent step being the Georgia Senate’s unanimous passing of House Bill 57 following the Georgia House’s unanimous passing in February. This piece of legislation allows for third party sale of solar power, a commerce-focused policy already in place in the majority of the country. [Third party sale of solar power is commonly referred to as a power purchasing agreement, or a PPA. You can learn more about how a PPA actually works in this short video explanation we made at US Solar Institute: What is a PPA?]

The timing of this legislation is interesting, given that Florida is currently trying to do the same thing–bring solar power to the Sunshine State through the legalization of PPAs. If you look at the history of the Georgia and Florida, the oranges have followed in the peaches footsteps before; perhaps we will see this happen with PPAs as well. I can’t help but think of a young kid taking after their slightly older sibling–they’re still both figuring out how to be cool, the younger one always a few steps behind the older.

It’s important to note that this recent Georgia legislation was not a free-for-all green light for solar. Residential PPAs are limited to 10 kilowatts and commercial PPAs are limited to 100 kilowatts. These restrictions and regulations are hardly surprising given the often-repeated rhetoric from Georgia utility companies about the costly burden that solar will place on “the rest of us.” Setting aside the cost of NOT going solar, some might call that rhetoric nothing but un-founded fear mongering from monopolies at risk of losing their profits, but I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Regardless of personal and corporate economics and opinions, PPAs are a financing mechanism designed to give consumers more choices about where they get their power from. The fact that the Georgia Legislature has passed this bill, and that their governor intends to sign it, means that there will now only be FOUR states in which PPAs are not allowed: Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Florida, the ever-ironic Sunshine State.

This is not a cool club to be in.

Current efforts in the state of Florida are gaining momentum to join Georgia and the rest of the country. The Floridians for Solar Choice, along with a wide range of bi-partisan political and non-political groups, organizations, and volunteers, are championing a petition to put a measure on the 2016 November ballot that, if passed, would allow for PPA’s in Florida. The petition initiative has passed the important first milestone of collecting over 70,000 signatures. A minimum of 68,000 was needed to get the measure reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court. These signatures were collected in an astonishingly short time period–less than two months–and represent the incredible demand for solar that is currently not being met in the state of Florida.

Production restrictions or not, the solar news out of Georgia, alongside the progress that Florida petition initiative is making, are steps in the right direction. It is important that this momentum and progress continues. If you are a registered Florida voter, I encourage you to get involved in the petition initiative yourself! US Solar Institute is proud to be a volunteer center for South Florida and welcomes your questions and participation! You can email us at info@ussolarinstitute.com, and we’ll be happy to send you more information on how you can get involved. If you are not located in South Florida, you can also check out Floridians for Solar Choice to find volunteer centers close to you!

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Power management company Eaton introduced its new Bussmann series 1000 volts direct current (Vdc) NH size photovoltaic (PV) solar fuses specifically designed for protecting and isolating array combiners, re-combiners, disconnects and inverters. With the industry’s highest current density and two available mounting options, the NH PV fuses provide design flexibility in a compact size.

Eaton’s NH PV fuses meet global agency standards, simplifying designs for worldwide markets, and are available in traditional blade and bolt-on versions. The traditional blade version can be used with a fuse block to provide quick, tool-less replacement for easy maintenance. The bolt-on version can be bolted directly to a bus bar, reducing components and assembly time. With a common bolt pattern, the NH PV fuses are designed to easily integrate into a standardized bus bar design, regardless of fuse ampacity.

“Eaton delivers a range of overcurrent protection devices for solar applications that protect valuable balance of system equipment and support uptime,” said Kevin Calzada, product manager, solar fuses, Eaton’s Bussmann Division. “Our latest NH fuses for PV applications maintain Eaton’s industry-leading efficiency and low-operating temperatures.”

Both fuse versions come with system monitoring accessories that provide dual visual indication and optional microswitches (for traditional blade version only) to make it easier to monitor system processes. To learn more about Eaton’s Bussmann series 1000Vdc NH PV fuses, please visit www.bussmann.com.

Eaton develops and manufactures Bussmann series critical circuit protection, power management and electrical safety products designed to provide innovative circuit protection solutions. These products serve customers in the industrial, commercial, alternative energy, high reliability and other markets.

Eaton’s electrical business is a global leader with expertise in power distribution and circuit protection; backup power protection; control and automation; lighting and security; structural solutions and wiring devices; solutions for harsh and hazardous environments; and engineering services. Eaton is positioned through its global solutions to answer today’s most critical electrical power management challenges.

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Greensmith, a provider of grid-scale energy storage software and integration solutions, announced the addition of two new applications to its GEMS4 software technology platform. The new StorageModel and StorageView applications offer advanced simulation and visualization capabilities to energy storage developers and owners. With the new applications, energy storage developers and owners can test alternative energy storage system designs and gain valuable real-time intelligence on performance, helping them optimize system design and maximize return on investment (ROI).

StorageModel, the new simulation application, leverages system design data, technical specifications and information about battery life, similar historical storage deployment data and lessons learned from Greensmith’s past storage deployments to develop a comprehensive model of expected battery and energy storage system performance over the system’s lifetime. The StorageModel application enables Greensmith to test different design decisions, helping customers and partners to develop the best possible system for their particular use case.

“Like a wind tunnel for automobiles, the GEMS StorageModel application allows energy storage system developers and owners to evaluate alternative designs before committing procurement dollars to components such as batteries,” said Greensmith CEO John Jung. “Similar to advanced simulation systems used in other technology industries, the GEMS StorageModel application can improve the success of grid-scale energy storage systems by exposing key design trade-off decisions, from battery selection to sizing to application mix. As an integral part of the current GEMS platform, the StorageModel application reflects the maturity of the Greensmith technology and offers immediate economic advantages to our customers and partners.”

In addition to the StorageModel application, Greensmith has added StorageView, a visualization application, to version four of its GEMS energy storage software platform. The StorageView application provides customers with unprecedented visualization based on GEMS’ data-rich environment. Customers can use this visualization to better understand the performance of complex, grid-scale systems, identify technical problems, anticipate maintenance requirements, reduce operational costs and improve overall energy storage system returns.

“The GEMS StorageView visualization application provides energy storage owners with a navigable, real-time 3D model of their energy storage systems,” said Greensmith VP of Engineering, Sen Zhang. “As the industry is beginning to understand the importance of software control and design, energy storage owners now have a new management tool to help them discover valuable performance characteristics of their energy storage system down to the battery module level, across their fleet of systems, all from a central console.”

Both the StorageView and StorageModel applications are now included in version four of the GEMS energy storage software platform. The GEMS software platform manages the complete life cycle of energy storage systems. The technology-agnostic platform integrates all storage system components including batteries and inverters, manages storage assets to optimize battery performance and provides connectivity with utility SCADA systems. GEMS offers applications for tasks such as frequency regulation, ramp rate control and renewables smoothing. In its fourth generation of development over six years, GEMS uses advanced, proprietary algorithms to maximize “battery-dollars.”

Energy storage’s ability to ensure a more resilient power grid is increasing its adoption in North America and around the world. The recent U.S. Energy Storage Monitor from GTM Research and Energy Storage Association (ESA), reported that 61.9 megawatts of energy storage came online in the U.S. in 2014. Of that, over one-third was delivered by Greensmith and is managed using the GEMS platform.

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The Energy Alternatives Division of Cupertino Electric Inc. announced it has installed the last of more than one million modules at Sempra U.S. Gas & Power and Consolidated Edison Development’s 250-MW AC Copper Mountain Solar 3 project in Boulder City, Nevada. Working alongside international engineering and project management company Amec Foster Wheeler, Cupertino Electric has completed installation of more than one million photovoltaic (PV) solar modules on the 1,400-acre, fixed tilt, ground-mount project that broke ground in early 2013.

“This is a significant project in the solar market,” said Tom Dodson, vice president, construction for Amec Foster Wheeler. “We are delighted to have partnered with Cupertino Electric to leverage our global design, engineering and project management expertise to jointly deliver this prominent project to Sempra U.S. Gas & Power and Consolidated Edison Development.”

“Having worked with Sempra U.S. Gas & Power previously on its jointly-owned Copper Mountain 2 Solar project as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) subcontractor, we were pleased to continue our successful run on this latest project,” said John Curcio, chief commercial officer for Cupertino Electric. “As our portfolio of utility-scale solar projects we have worked on has grown exponentially in the last few years, so has our ability to innovate and safely deliver the highest-quality solar projects across the U.S. on schedule for the best value. We are proud to work with Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, Consolidated Edison Development and Amec Foster Wheeler on what we believe will prove to be the gold standard for solar project design and construction.”

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The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is pleased to announced the release of practice exams for the PV Installation Professional Certification and PV Entry Level Exams.

By offering practice exams, those preparing for the exam have the opportunity to become comfortable with the format of certification and entry level exams. It also allows test-takers to become more comfortable with the timing of the exam and knowing how long to spend on a given question. The practice exams were written using the same specifications as the full exam.

The practice exams are available for online purchase on NABCEP’s website. From the time of initial access, test-takers will have a 48-hour window to complete the exam. They consist of 35 sample questions similar in type to those found on the actual examination. Those who purchase the practice exams will have twice the amount of time as they would during the official examination. Once the exam is submitted, a full score report will be immediately available. This report will inform the test-taker of how many questions they answered correctly in each area of the practice exam.

The online format of the practice exam will be especially beneficial for the PV Entry Level candidates, as they will be able to experience an online-computerized testing environment. For many of the PV Entry Level Providers, this is how that exam is administered.

NABCEP is excited to be able to make this option available for the PV Installation Professional and PV Entry Level exam.

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With the Ultraverter concept, KACO new energy, has combined the advantages of module and string inverters in a new “AC serial switching” system architecture. The concept was awarded the Innovation Prize at the “30th Photovoltaics Solar Energy Symposium” in Bad Staffelstein, Germany, for being one of the rare key innovations in the branch.

An industry expert jury chose to award KACO new energy GmbH the prize for the Ultraverter blueplanet Flex and blueplanet FlexGate PV inverter concept. The technology can be classified as MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) and differs from conventional approaches by means of lower voltage DC-AC conversion at module level, with resulting advantages of high efficiency, lower switching losses, decreased heat dissipation, reduced material stress on the components and overall improved reliability.

The Ultraverter consist of two key components, the blueplanet Flex module inverter and the blueplanet FlexGate grid connection box. The blueplanet Flex is a low voltage inverter, which turn almost any commercially-available PV module into a pure AC source. The units can be mounted onto existing module racks or can be pre-installed as an integral module component, turning PV modules into “smart AC panels”. The communication and grid management brainpower is integrated in the blueplanet FlexGate grid connection box. The blueplanet FlexGate controls all connected modules, the interface to the power grid and all communications with a remote operator. The output power of each blueplanet FlexGate is widely and easily scalable: single-phase solutions range from 1kW to 11 kW with three-phase solutions offering from 3kW to 20 kW.

A unique advantage of the concept is that the Ultraverter hardware is compatible with essentially all grid voltages and grid frequencies world-wide. The number of modules per system is simply determined in accordance with the grid voltage and the desired system size. A universal inverter for all grids also means that system design and logistics schemes become easier than ever with the Ultraverter.

The Ultraverter also addresses all current and many future demands when it comes to reliability and operational safety. The system will continue to work through partial shading, panel soiling and even more serious fault situations. Highest safety is assured thanks to the ability to disconnect power right at the module level, for example, during maintenance or an emergency shutdown.

The award-winning highlights of the KACO new energy Ultraverter concept at a glance:

• Very high efficiency and increased reliability
• Compatible with all grid voltages and frequencies, world-wide
• Safe operation due to low voltage levels and switch-off features
• Easy system layout and fast mounting
• Advanced grid management feature support
• High shade, soil and fault tolerance
• Available as stand-alone unit or “module-attached”
• Improved value for money vs. other micro-inverter concepts

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Rio Tinto Stadium, the home of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake as well as the USL Real Monarchs, announced a partnership with Auric Solar to install the State of Utah’s largest privately-owned solar array at the world-class Sandy venue.

Rio Tinto Stadium’s 2,020-kW system of solar panels installed on existing stadium structure as well as new covered parking areas nearby will offset 73% of Real Salt Lake’s total annual stadium power needs–the largest offset in North American professional sports. The ambitious project expected to be completed in six months and operational in October 2015.

“We are partnering with Auric Solar to increase our power efficiency while hosting more than 50 massive events each year in Sandy,” said RSL and Monarchs Owner Dell Loy Hansen. “The new solar covered parking structures will improve the quality of parking options for our 15,000+ season ticket holders and provide our state and the surrounding environment with the largest solar energy offset for any U.S. professional sports venue.”

The environmental impact of the new solar array carries the equivalent of removing 450 cars from the road, or planting 47,278 trees annually.

“This project will put Real Salt Lake at the forefront of energy production in all of professional sports,” said Jess Phillips, principal of Auric Solar. “Auric Solar is helping the club harness the power of the sun to reduce its power consumption on a grand scale. It is impressive and ambitious to see the organization’s commitment to the community and environment.”

“Auric Solar’s expertise make them the perfect partners to make Rio Tinto Stadium energy self-sufficient, while also improving the fan experience with the addition of covered and lit parking,” said Andy Carroll, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for RSL. “Our unique ability to assist Auric Solar in building brand awareness, both locally and across the industry, makes this partnership fully-integrated, mutually-beneficial, and uniquely symbiotic.  The entire Auric team–led by founders Trent Vansice and Jess Phillips–consists of great people, providing all of the ingredients for an exceptional long-term partnership.”

Nearly 95% of the solar array (made up of 6,414 solar panels) will be installed on new solar-covered parking structures, including an entirely new parking lot on the north side of the stadium.

Auric Solar at Rio Tinto Stadium Fact Sheet

• 6,414 solar panels at 315 watts each (2.02 MW)
• 94% of the system installed on new solar-covered parking structures (South, South West and North of venue)
• System will offset 73% of the stadium’s power needs, the largest solar offset for any professional sports stadium in North America
• Rio Tinto Stadium will boast the 4^th-largest solar array of any professional sports stadium in North America
  • No. 5: FedEx Field, 2,000 kW (Landover, Md.)
  • No. 4: Rio Tinto Stadium, 2,020 kW (Salt Lake City, Utah)
  • No. 3: Pocono Raceway, 3,000 kW (Blakeslee, Pa.)
  • No. 2: Lincoln Financial Field, 3,000 kW (Philadelphia, Pa.)
  • No. 1: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 9,000 kW (Speedway, Ind.)

• Rio Tinto Stadium will now own the largest solar array in Major League Soccer–double the size of Gillette Stadium’s 1,000-kW array in Foxborough, Mass.

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Building on a strong partnership of approximately five years, Flextronics has once again been selected to partner with SunEdison to manufacture its solar modules—this time in Mexico. SunEdison is the world’s largest renewable energy development company and these solar modules will be primarily used in the USA for residential, utility and commercial photovoltaic (PV) projects.

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S&C Electric Company, a smart grid leader shaping the future of power delivery, and Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, have announced the unveiling of one of the most advanced microgrids in North America for Oncor, an electric transmission and distribution company serving 10 million customers across Texas. The microgrid is engineered to maximize newly installed energy storage, renewable generation and improve reliability. S&C teamed with Schneider Electric to combine new hardware and software technologies for the state-of-the-art facility, which includes an integrated demonstration center for Oncor to showcase the microgrid’s advanced capabilities and customer benefits.

To watch a video and learn more about Oncor’s microgrid, please click here.

S&C and Schneider Electric built the microgrid at Oncor’s System Operating Services Facility (SOSF) near Lancaster, Texas. The innovative system consists of four interconnected microgrids and utilizes nine different distributed generation sources, including two solar photovoltaic arrays, a microturbine, two energy storage units and four generators. To turn these diverse generation assets into a microgrid, S&C and Schneider Electric developed a distribution automation scheme that leverages multiple intelligent grid solutions from both companies—enabling the four microgrids to effectively operate independently or as one larger microgrid.

“Improving power reliability and optimizing generation assets requires disruptive technologies that allow customers to work on and off the grid,” says David Chiesa, director, Microgrid Business Development, S&C. “Oncor’s microgrid is showing the world how utilities can help their communities in the future.”

During a loss-of-power event, a combination of S&C’s advanced distribution automation equipment and Schneider Electric’s Microgrid Controller (MGC) use high-speed communications and distributed grid intelligence to automatically detect a problem on the grid. It starts with S&C’s IntelliRupter and PulseCloser fault interrupter which detects an interruption in  power, tests to see if the issue is temporary or permanent, and if it is permanent dynamically islands the facility. The system then uses S&C’s Scada-Mate CX Switches and Vista Underground Distribution Switchgear to automatically re-configure the distribution system while the MGC autonomously switches to alternative distributed power sources. “It does all of this in a matter of seconds, or faster than a customer could find their flashlight in the dark,” says Chiesa.

The energy storage systems are the backbone of the microgrid, which include S&C’s PureWave Community Energy Storage System. The onsite energy storage – which stores energy from either the utility feed or any of the facility’s generation sources – provides the voltage signal for the site, enables renewable integration, controls the microgrid frequency and is the first generating source to respond during an unexpected loss of power.

The microgrid system also benefits from advanced grid technologies developed by Schneider Electric, including the PowerLogic load preservation system, the microgrid controller and a new technology called StruxureWare Demand Side Operations (DSO). Schneider Electric’s DSO model delivers economic optimization and dispatch of the microgrid distributed energy resources (DER), allowing the system to maximize renewable energy usage and storage while minimizing energy costs. DSO’s innovative platform makes this possible by leveraging market pricing signals, weather and forecasting information, historical energy usage data and real-time building information.

“Working with Oncor and S&C to demonstrate how DSO cost effectively brings grid scale dispatch and optimization technology to the microgrid is exciting,” says Philip Barton, Microgrid Program Director of Schneider Electric. “By combining S&C’s solutions with Schneider Electric’s PowerLogic load preservation system, microgrid controller and DSO, I am confident that Oncor’s system is one of the most advanced and comprehensive microgrids in the market today.”

To help educate and demonstrate the benefits of microgrids to residents, students, policymakers and businesses, S&C and Schneider Electric were asked to develop a microgrid demonstration facility on the SOSF campus. That facility will be known as Oncor’s Technology Demonstration and Education Center (TDEC) and consists of two exhibits – an immersion room and a demonstration center. In the immersion room, the Oncor microgrid story is brought to life on seven screens for a full cinematic experience. The microgrid story highlights the history of the electric grid and the changes Oncor has made over time.

“Oncor has a rich history of working collaboratively with its vendor partners and this is a great opportunity to showcase those relationships in a state-of-the-art microgrid facility,” says Michael Quinn, Oncor Chief Technology Officer.

The Center, which also serves as the SOSF microgrid control center, displays the new technology that Oncor is using on their system. The demonstration room features a fully functioning SCADA representation of the microgrid to show how the system reacts to a loss of power event such as extreme weather. Once an event is created, the switching devices respond accordingly, clearing the fault, isolating the faulted section and restoring service from an alternate source. The switching devices, controls, communications and software shown are all real and completely functional.

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Yeloha Inc. announces the closing of $3.5 million in Series A funding to launch the Solar Sharing Network, a revolutionary online platform designed to bring the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy to everyone. And that means everyone – whether they live in a house in sunny location, a house in the shade, or an apartment.

The funding was led by Carmel Ventures, a member of the Viola Group, through an investment in Yeloha’s parent company, Generaytor. Ronen Nir, General Partner at Carmel, led the investment and has joined the Company’s board of directors. Generaytor previously raised a $1 million Seed round from angel investors led by Guy Gamzu, all of whom reinvested this round as well.

Anyone who does not have access to solar – for any reason, such as living in an apartment building – could join Yeloha as a “Sun Partner”. The Sun Partners can purchase as much or as little solar energy from the network as they choose, through an online subscription. The clean energy they purchase will be cheaper than the electricity they buy from their local utility. It’s as close to “one-click solar” as you can get.

The energy is produced by “Sun Hosts” in Yeloha’s network. Sun Hosts receive free installation of solar panels on their roofs, in return for sharing access to the solar energy they generate. Each Sun Host is allocated a portion of the electricity generated, and the savings appear on their monthly electric bill.

Yeloha aims to eliminate the main pain points of the solar energy market. It offers a simple peer to peer marketplace solution that connects people who share the goals of saving money and doing the right thing for their families, communities and the planet. There are no burdensome leases, no bait and switch tactics, no endless sales process, and as the obstacles fall away, no limits to who can gain access.

“Our mission is to create and accelerate the confluence of the Sharing Economy and solar energy,” said Amit Rosner, co-founder and CEO, Yeloha. “We’ve seen the extraordinary impact of collaborative connections in many industries – from transportation to travel. Now, the power of sharing comes to solar power.”

“We strongly believe Yeloha will play a leadership role in empowering millions of American consumers to adopt this abundant energy resource,” said Ronen Nir, General Partner at Carmel Ventures. “We are excited to partner with the strong team at Generaytor and build a significant community while transforming the way people consume energy”.

Yeloha is currently available across Massachusetts, by invitation only. The company has opened its headquarters in Boston, where it has already started installing panels on homes, nonprofits and small businesses, providing members with access to the Solar Sharing Network. The company intends to expand across the U.S., where the solar market is projected to double over the next two years.

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ABB, a power and automation technology group, today joins the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and CenterPoint Energy for the successful completion of an initiative to advance the reliability of the Houston, Texas power network by deploying an advanced intelligent grid system.

The deployment includes ABB enterprise software solutions comprising an advanced distribution management system (ADMS), integrated with a mobile workforce management system and an advanced outage analytics package tying the systems together.

Five years ago, CenterPoint Energy was awarded a $200 million Smart Grid Investment Grant to deliver valuable benefits to consumers and the environment through the company’s Advanced Metering System (AMS) and Intelligent Grid (IG). The IG, which includes the ABB software solutions, is designed to improve service to the utility’s 2.3 million metered customers, and includes installation of31 substations and 771 intelligent grid-switching devices on 188 distribution circuits – making this deployment one of the world’s largest ADMS systems in operation. Leveraging the ADMS software from ABB, this intelligent “self-healing” grid can more quickly identify, isolate and restore power outage locations. Since 2011 it has helped customers avoid more than 100 million outage minutes.

“We are proud to have contributed to CenterPoint Energy’s vision to transform the delivery of electricity for their customers,” said Claudio Facchin, President, ABB Power Systems division. “The deployment of these advanced enterprise software solutions sets a benchmark in terms of predicting, reacting to and minimizing the impact of outages.”

ABB’s Network Manager DMS provides real-time monitoring and control, network analysis, network optimization and outage management for sub-transmission, medium and low voltage distribution networks, in an integrated software platform. By efficiently managing their distribution assets, utilities can better cope with the continual changing world of distribution – improving reliability and efficiency, and reducing the impact of outages.

“Collaborating with companies like ABB allows us to automate the grid and improve the way we operate,” said Kenny Mercado, Senior Vice President Electric Operations, CenterPoint Energy. “Last year we saw power reliability improve by more than 28 percent, and we expect this trend to continue.”

Additionally, ABB’s Service Suite mobile workforce management system built specifically for the energy and utility industry – allows field operations and dispatch personnel to “do more with less” by proactively serving customers and maintaining field assets, reducing operating costs and improving customer service. ABB’s advanced business analytics platform delivers industry-specific insights and analysis, derived from the myriad data and signals across the utility distribution network, helping utilities restore power more quickly and safely.

Solar Power World

Installations are never one-size-fits-all, and training for solar contractors should be equally diverse.

That’s why Solar roof-mount attachment provider S-5! and Solar Power World will host SOMO, the first training conference dedicated solely to the art and science of mounting rooftop and ground solar, this August in Las Vegas.

The solar industry’s top 25 to 30 racking and mounting manufacturers, including S-5!, Zilla, Mounting Systems, IronRidge and many more will provide 24 hours of hands-on training courses, and over 90 hours of classroom instruction, many of which are NABCEP recognized.

“The companies participating in and providing training courses at SOMO represent the gold standard in solar mounting, and there is no better place to learn best-practices than this event,” said Keith Lipps, vice president of marketing and sales at S-5!. “Attendees can be assured that direct instruction from these tier-one solar mounting companies will be the most comprehensive training they can receive in one place.”

Attendees can expect to learn the proper and safe installation techniques for a variety of roof- and ground-mount applications during a day of hands-on workshops and two days of classroom instruction and training.

Each day begins with a breakfast, includes a keynote speaker during lunch and closes with a networking and cocktail hour.

Solar professionals interested in increasing their skillset and solar mounting knowledge at SOMO can find more information here.

Solar Power World

Roof Tech has become the newest member of the nation’s largest state solar power trade association, the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA).

“We are proud to have Roof Tech join CALSEIA to support its mission of expanding the use of clean, solar technologies throughout the state. CALSEIA members are recognized as being true leaders in the California market as they promote high standards within the industry and advocate fair policies for solar consumers. We look forward to working closely with Roof Tech Inc. in continuing this work,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director of CALSEIA.

Roof Tech was founded on a 40-year legacy of innovative roofing technologies. Today Roof Tech develops and manufactures a unique line of PV mounting solutions for pitched-roof installations. The RT-[E] Mount is the revolutionary, 100% code compliant mounting system based on a completely rail-less design.

We are excited to have achieved the certifications for quality and safety such as the ICC evaluation report ESR-3575 and the UL 2703 and we look forward to train and educate as many installers we can.

Solar Power World

OutBack Power Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of advanced power electronics for renewable energy, backup power and mobile applications, today announced SystemEdge, its new energy storage incentive program designed to encourage installers to integrate energy storage into their renewable energy systems. A recognized leader in the off-grid power generation industry, OutBack Power is taking a leadership position to advance the use of energy storage one project at a time. The incentive program will run through October 31, 2015.

Utilities and other regulatory bodies are discussing the future of energy storage and trying to figure out how to incentivize it at the state and utility level. OutBack Power is thinking locally by incentivizing installers to add storage to their renewable energy installations. Installers who participate in OutBack’s SystemEdge program can use the incentive any way they want to build their businesses.

“OutBack Power has a track record of supporting successful renewable energy projects in the U.S. Rather than waiting for utilities to make a decision regarding energy storage, OutBack Power is taking a proactive stance. We’ve listened to our installers and know that energy storage will be a big driver in the market,” said Glenn Baker, vice president of sales and support for OutBack Power. “Our SystemEdge incentive program will help installers stay one step ahead, while supporting market adoption of energy storage one installation at a time.”

OutBack Power’s storage-backed renewable energy systems of at least 4 KwH are eligible for the incentive. The incentive scales based on the amount of storage and systemcapacity present, but will range from $200 to $800 per project. The program will run from April 6 to October 31, with a grace period until December 15 to submit claims.

As the only solar industry brand that offers both power conversion and energy storage, OutBack Power is able to provide a one-stop resource for installers who want to be part of the energy storage future. An example of the energy storage advantages that OutBack Power offers its installers, the SystemEdge incentive joins OutBack’s OnSite Direct shipping program to address the challenges installers face with installing or stocking batteries.

Solar Power World

PetersenDean Roofing & Solar, a solar and roofing company, has formed a partnership with Enphase Energy that will include products assembled in America. Under the agreement, Enphase will supply microinverters assembled in its contract manufacturer’s Milpitas, California location for deployment in PetersenDean residential and commercial installations.

“We made a decision at PetersenDean to only source products made or assembled in North America”

The partnership is a key element of Solar4America, PetersenDean’s initiative to support American jobs, manufacturing and energy independence by sourcing all system components from domestic producers. Along with SolarWorld panels, each PetersenDean solar system includes inverters and racking that complies with the Buy American provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and installed by the company’s U.S. workforce.

“We made a decision at PetersenDean to only source products made or assembled in North America,” said Jim Petersen, founder of PetersenDean. “As a result, we are supporting the American economy, supporting the American worker and reinvesting those dollars back in America. It’s that simple. I want to make sure that our products stand the test of time and that our customers are happy. That’s why we choose to go American. It is time to take matters into our own hands. Once Enphase opened an assembly line here, we made the decision to source supplies through them so we can continue to deliver products made or assembled here to our customers.”

“PetersenDean’s partnership with Enphase brings together two leaders in the fast-growing U.S. residential and commercial solar markets who share a strong commitment to American technology, domestic job creation and the emerging clean energy economy,” said Paul Nahi, president and CEO of Enphase. “We look forward to continued work with PetersenDean to optimize exciting opportunities for U.S. economic growth.”

PetersenDean and Enphase serve as compelling examples of the solar industry’s ability to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. With industry analysts expecting U.S. residential solar installation to increase by about 50 percent in 2014, PetersenDean recently announced plans to expand its business into five new state markets and hire 4,000 additional workers. With the expansion, the company expects to install more than 200,000 roofs and solar systems in 2014, doubling its mark in 2013.

“This year, we will have put over 1,000 American workers back to work, and all of our partners supplying Recovery Act Buy American-compliant products are planning expansions over the next few years. Solar4America has also hired over 300 American workers, with plans to hire thousands more over the next three years,” said Erin Clark, president of PetersenDean Roofing & Solar.

Solar Power World

Gabe Abbott, director of business development at Locus Energy.

In a recent webinar Gabe Abbott, director of business development at Locus Energy, offered four predications he saw for the future of solar monitoring. Here’s a recap of his presentation. You can watch the full webinar here. 

1. Deeper cross-band technical integrations

Abbott believes the industry will start to see deeper technical integrations to help streamline business processes even more. This can cover everything from O&M to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and asset management. “Monitoring providers need to recognize that they may not be able to build the best ERP and CRM system within their platform, and their customers may not want them to do that,” he said. The same thing goes for O&M and asset management. “There may be other providers that their customers would rather use. As a monitoring provider, I think it’s important to be open to building out those integrations with third party platforms and services so that your customers can get the full value of those elements and the best solution for their business use case.”

2. Financers are more interested in fleet analytics

Abbott expects fleet analytic capabilities will continue to evolve and improve. “We’ve seen a lot of advancement in this realm and monitoring players and other players that are coming to the forefront in terms of having these capabilities,” he explained. Continuing providing deeper insights into causes of underperformance will also be of particular interest to the financial community. “Financial communities are becoming more engaged in discussions, and want to understand more what the characteristics of solar are, as well as what insights one can drive out of the performance data. They want to understand how they should expect these assets to perform over the long term especially since this is still a very, very young industry.”

3. Increased inverter control requirements

Inverter control requirements are increasingly seen on large-scale sites and even some smaller sites down to the rooftop level. “We’re already seeing some providers allowing control of their products via third party integration,” Abbott said.

4. Monitoring working with storage

Lastly, Abbott discussed how monitoring will work with increased storage and home area network devices. “As homes incorporate more smart devices, the monitoring companies will need to figure out how they fit in the picture, and whether they are the brain or an important component that talks to the other pieces,” he said. “This will be one of the interesting developments to watch over the next couple of years. “It’s certainly an exciting time for monitoring.”

Also read:
Why is solar monitoring important?
How and why solar inverters and monitoring work together

Solar Power World