Schneider Electric Solar Business, announces that it has provided the complete electrical balance of system (BOS) for a 17 MW project in Japan.

Schneider Electric will provide a complete solution including PV Boxes, Array Boxes, and Monitoring and Control, using Schneider Electric’s SCADA solution, Conext Control. Schneider Electric’s offer results in a reduction of on-site labor costs and improves project execution time by providing packaged containerized power conversion systems, which houses Conext Core XC inverters, DC re-combiners, medium voltage switchgears, and a transformer.

For this project, Schneider Electric is working with saferay, a leading solar company, on their first PV project in Japan.

“We believe that through this project with saferay, we have once again proven that our fully integrated solution has significantly contributed to a decrease in the installation costs and verification tests at site, while ensuring a high level of quality, reliability, and compatibility for the customer”, said Daniel Chua, Vice President, Commercial – North Asia for the Solar Business.

This is the first project above 10 MW in Japan for Schneider Electric where they will deploy their full solution of PV Boxes, Array Boxes, and Monitoring and Control.

“For our mega solar projects, we are looking for high quality, compact PV power solutions provided by a reliable and bankable partner. Schneider Electric has our trust and confidence through years of collaboration in the European market”, said Dr. Thomas Gnefkow, Director, saferay K.K., continuing, “We are very happy to be able to extend this partnership to projects in Japan where Schneider Electric greatly supports us, not only with their solutions and services capability, but with thorough knowledge around local regulations, codes, and standards related to power conversion, electrical distribution, and grid connection.”

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Cleantech startup Domino is bringing its Energy Concierge service for low-carbon living to New York. All New Yorkers can benefit from Domino’s tailored plans for serious carbon reduction, maximum cash savings, and zero lifestyle compromises.

Domino helped the Millers go solar, then save even more with an electric car.

Currently, only 10% of New Yorkers are using renewable energy in their private lives, according to a recent poll conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs. Another 60% would like to. But most don’t know where to start – or if they can afford it.

That’s where Domino comes in. The company recently launched its first-ever personal Energy Concierge service in California. Unbiased concierges advise consumers on what works for their home, family, and lifestyle – from smart thermostats to solar panels, and everything in between. The service is free to consumers.

To further help consumers save with clean energy, Domino is working on an innovative, one-of-a-kind financing bundle for energy efficiency upgrades.

The financing bundle will be an important step in making clean energy accessible and affordable to 100% of the people. Domino is partnering with the 100% Campaign to expand access to clean energy and efficiency in New York and across America. The campaign launched in June in New York City and will be rolled out in other states in the coming months. The 100% campaign is managed by The Solutions Project, a non-profit organization co-founded by the New York-based actor Mark Ruffalo.

Consumers need personalized help, especially for big-ticket items like solar and electric vehicles. Domino’s Energy Concierge service provides that missing link.

Domino works independently as a neutral third party, and doesn’t represent any company, product, or service.
Concierges aren’t salespeople and don’t work on commission, so they won’t push actions on customers.
Domino CEO Stephen Torres notes, “For consumers, it’s this simple: One: You reserve a time for a chat with a concierge. Two: Relax and let us do the work. Three: Start saving.”

Domino energy concierge Dan.

“With Domino, I didn’t have to think too hard about all my options. They pointed me to the information I needed and made it easy to take action. With very little effort on my part, I’ll be saving hundreds a month and using clean energy,” says Domino customer David Hough in San Jose, CA.

Domino’s revenue comes from referral fees paid by vendors. Those fees cost the vendors less than acquiring customers in traditional ways, so consumers save.

“Modern consumers want to vote with their pocketbooks,” says founder and Chairman Tom Dinwoodie. “Domino helps them learn about their options and take action, pocketing the savings along the way.”

Domino’s goal is to help 1 billion people power their lives with clean energy. Dinwoodie is one of the most successful green entrepreneurs in the U.S. He built his Berkeley-based PowerLight Corporation from a one-man shop into an INC 500 Hall of Fame company, prior to merging with solar giant SunPower.

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S-Energy Co., a Korean manufacturer of high-quality PV solar modules, will be introducing some of its most recent, innovative products into the U.S. market during Intersolar North America.

S-Crane (PRNewsFoto/S-Energy Co., Ltd.)

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AlsoEnergy is proud to introduce the industry’s most accurate virtual weather data stream, including localized available irradiance data as well as 5-day predicted power forecasts. Solar industry professionals now have access to the same breakthrough technology already being used by industrial utilities, agriculture, and transportation industries. AlsoEnergy has developed these new features in partnership with Global Weather Corporation (GWC), providers of the most accurate weather forecasts in the commercial marketplace.

AlsoEnergy is integrating this virtual weather data into both lines of solar monitoring software, PowerTrack and DECK Monitoring. AlsoEnergy customers with current version software will receive a free real-time data feed showing localized irradiance, ambient temperature, and module temperature (free service will not integrate virtual weather data into power analysis software tools).

Users may also choose to add one or both optional SolarSight packages, which add precipitation and humidity to the data stream. More importantly, the SolarSight packages integrate virtual weather data with analytic suite software tools, giving you all the same functionality you would expect from an on-site weather station.

• SolarSight Log:  This feature adds access to localized historical weather data in hourly granularity. With full integration for both historical and real-time weather data, you will be able to see real-time production baseline calculations, and analyze historical performance in your system. Some users may find this to be an acceptable replacement for on-site weather stations.
• SolarSight Forecast:  As more and more PV is being introduced onto the grid, professionals who manage power distribution are challenged to integrate solar energy resources that are difficult to predict. We can help with 5-day predicted power forecasts calculated by combining virtual weather forecasts with the AlsoEnergy production model. These solar production forecasts are customized to the unique specs of each array, so utility and distributed solar customers can use this feature to manage energy output and minimize energy costs.

Users who have upgraded to the latest version of DECK Monitoring software will notice a new benefit: you can now access native application displays on virtually any mobile device!

This feature is now available because current version DECK Monitoring software has been written using the latest web technology (HTML5). That means you will enjoy faster page loading times and a smoother user experience across multiple web platforms.

More importantly, because current version DECK software is built on an HTML5 platform, you can access all Admin Panel screens through your web browser on virtually any phone or mobile device!

Users with systems on the historical DECK Monitoring platform can redeploy to the latest version software remotely (assuming no independent issues demand a site visit). Time frame to redeploy varies depending on the size of the job. Current version DECK Monitoring software does not support all features of the historical DECK platform, including some DECK Dashboard customizations. Talk to your Account Executive for details.

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During a recent product activation in the cleantech city of Moutier in Switzerland, PWRstation succeeded in doing what the industry is striving to achieve: install solar energy systems in record time.

While global demand for solar energy continues to reach record levels, today’s solar installation require custom design, engineering and implementation, making the acquisition and activation process long, complicated and costly.

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and with offices in Miami, Florida, PWRstation designs and manufactures preassembled, transportable, activation-ready solar gensets for residential, commercial and off-grid use; uniquely engineered to remove the complexities, time and costs associated with fixed solar installation.

“Today, speed to market is an important competitive advantage in the solar industry, and one of PWRstation’s hallmarks,” says Robert Albertella, co-founder and CEO of PWRstation. “In fact, at PWRstation we typically use the term ‘time to activation’ because there is really no need for us to complete a lengthy installation process.”

Moutier’s grid-tied, rooftop PWRstation activation took less than 30 minutes.

When the city building where the PWRstation is currently position is knocked down later this year for renovation, the PWRstation will be relocated and reactivated at another location.

PWRstation Genesis models come with 3 and 5 kW power ratings and are characterized by their proprietary PV racking systems, which allow them to retract for transport and unfold for power generation. Early next year, the company introduce the Oasis line with power rating of 50 and 100 kW.

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SolarEdge Technologies, provider of PV inverters, power optimizers, and module-level monitoring services, and Sunrun have formed a strategic supply relationship. As part of the agreement, SolarEdge will serve as Sunrun’s preferred supplier of optimized inverter solutions available for use in Sunrun’s home solar installations and through its distribution business, AEE Solar.

“Sunrun has focused on integrating innovative technologies into our business so we continue to deliver the best experience to new and existing customers,” said Paul Winnowski, chief operating officer of Sunrun. “We’re excited to partner with SolarEdge to ensure Sunrun customers have high quality home solar systems resulting in increased energy production and lower electricity costs.”

SolarEdge’s optimized inverters enable Sunrun customers to benefit from more flexible system designs, enhanced rooftop safety, and increased home energy production levels through features like SafeDC, integrated rapid shutdown, cellular connectivity and storage readiness. The technology also provides homeowners with remote troubleshooting and access to real-time performance data through the SolarEdge cloud-based monitoring platform.

“As one of the largest inverter companies supplying the U.S. residential market, we’re pleased that our optimized products are part of the Sunrun family product offering,” said Peter Mathews, North America General Manager for SolarEdge. “We are proud to align ourselves with a respected organization like Sunrun and look forward to working together to elevate the solar experience for more consumers nationwide.”

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Brooks Utility Products, a supplier of electric metering products for the utility industry for more than 142 years, is providing design and manufacturing expertise to innovative startup ConnectDER, (formerly Infinite Invention).

ConnectDER’s core product, the ConnectDER consists of a collar like device that installs between the meter and socket, providing rapid connectivity for solar and other distributed energy resources (DER). It optimizes the installation process by:
· Reducing costs by removing some balance of system components and premises wiring upgrades

· Minimizing logistics headaches & site inspection time

· Eliminating one of the primary areas of inspection failures, the load-side wiring

A second product, the SMART ConnectDER, adds metering, communications and data interfaces that customers use to turn DERs into grid-interoperable assets.

“As utilities around the nation look for safe, reliable metering products for rooftop solar and other forms of distributed energy, we chose Brooks as our design and manufacturing partner for their leadership in socket safety and long history of working with customers to create products that meet new or evolving needs,” said ConnectDER CEO Whit Fulton. “Brooks’ reputation for quality also helped give our utility customers the comfort to work with a new vendor.”

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, a new solar project was installed every 2.5 minutes in the U.S. in 2014.

“There is a clear need for products that allow rapid installation and uphold the highest safety standards,” said Scott Mann Brooks Utility Products director of marketing. “The opportunity to work with a company like ConnectDER is a continuation of what Brooks is most passionate about – innovating to meet the evolving needs of the energy industry.”

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Wuxi Suntech, a subsidiary of Shunfeng International Clean Energy, Ltd. (SFCE), has achieved a new round of efficiency breakthroughs for its silicon solar cells. The Hypro modules that use these solar cells, together with Sunways inverters, will contribute significantly to the optimized and integrated EPC solar solutions that SFCE is rolling out around the world. Tested by the National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic Products Quality, the conversion efficiencies of Suntech’s monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells have reached yields as high as 20.82% and 19.11% respectively, positioning Suntech as a leader in the global photovoltaic industry.

These advances come only two months after Suntech first introduced its high-efficiency HyPro monocrystalline silicon cells, which at the time had a 20.5% efficiency yield. Suntech’s HyPro is available in 60 cell and 72 cell modules with 290W and 330W output power respectively, which represent an average of 20W power increase, or 7.4% and 6.5% respectively, above the industry standards, thus marking Suntech’s HyPro module as one of the most superior panels in the solar market.

As part of the SFCE group, Suntech and other subsidiaries are in the unique position to achieve even greater output in electricity generation through leveraging technological synergies. The group’s EPC solution, led by Suntech’s fellow SFCE subsidiary SAG, offers clients a one-stop shop for EPC needs, connecting up-stream PV manufacturing and down-stream solar services and plant development, creating comprehensive and integrated solar solutions. Coupling Suntech’s new high-efficiency modules with Sunways’s inverters delivers 3% more electricity generation. Moreover, SFCE’s EPC solutions deliver additional output yields of over 20% when used alongside Sunways’ Smart Linkage Tracker, and an additional 3% from the use of meteocontrol’s O&M systems. Through the full integration and synergy of SFCE’s comprehensive solar technologies spanning the entire solar value chain, the group can increase EPC customers’ investment returns by 3%.

As a subsidiary of SFCE, Suntech makes use of its robust financial backing and resiliency to strengthen product quality and reduce costs all while injecting capital into R&D. Suntech provides world-class anti-PID products that boast high performance yields with enhanced low-light performance, and is devoted to reducing the generation costs of modules. Meanwhile, under its strong management team, Suntech is strengthening relationships in key markets, sourcing valuable partnerships and expanding its project portfolios as a means to enhance its presence and generate more value to its clients.

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Suncycle GmbH, a provider of testing, maintenance and repair of photovoltaic systems, has established its subsidiary in the United States. Targeted customers include manufacturers of PV components as well as planners, operators, owners, investors and YieldCos. Suncycle USA after-sales services includes solar power system appraisals, field performance diagnostics, system and module repair, refurbishment and recycling. At Intersolar in San Francisco the newly founded company stages its first official appearance.

The headquarters of Suncycle USA is located in Maryland and will maintain a network of service providers located across the U.S. covering the east and west coasts. Eric Daniels is the appointed CEO of Suncycle USA. Eric’s experience within the solar industry counts more than 20 years includes a variety of senior technical and commercial roles. Most recently he served as regional president for Bosch Solar Energy North America leading PPA financed system and commercial sales. He also served as the CTO for BP Solar where he and his team developed numerous advanced module technologies leading to higher performance and field reliability. As vice president of sales, Eric led global commercial distribution activities.

“Suncycle USA combines the best of two worlds: system operation and maintenance experience, engineering and organizational know-how from Germany with sound knowledge of system and component technology and US markets. We are able to support our clients with cost-effective services yet maintain a high quality standard” underlines Eric Daniels. Managing Partner and co-founder of Suncycle GmbH Dr. Mischa Paterna adds: “With the new branch we follow our international growth strategy also in the US, one of the currently most important solar markets worldwide.”

Suncycle’s unique capability includes development of its own field testing technologies for PV power plants. This includes the Suncycle Compact Test Unit (CTU) – a mobile test laboratory for testing of photovoltaic modules. This makes it possible to determine directly at the project site the electric power (STC performance) of PV modules and identify defects through Electroluminescent EL testing at any time over the life of the system. The CTU lab and the new CTU flexEL allow very quick EL defect detection during the day or night without module removal.

When defects are discovered, Suncycle offers proprietary and certified repair procedures for damaged components. All processes are designed to enable the efficient examination of small and large quantities with minimal site and system disruption. Suncycle’s capability allows informed system O&M as well as proper appraisals for commissioning and acquisition.

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Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation (TMEIC) is attending the Intersolar North America conference next week, July 14-16, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Those attending the conference may visit the company in booth 8733.

Offering solutions for Photovoltaics, including inverters, monitoring systems and energy storage, TMEIC has seen 1.5-fold increases in its orders and shipments in 2014, reaching orders of approximately 3 GW and shipment of approximately 2.5 GW in utility scale PV inverters.

The company is the first Japanese company to receive the “Most Outstanding 2014 Global Company of the Year Award” by California-based Frost & Sullivan for its establishment in Japan, the United States, China and India, as well as its sales performance, cost optimization of power producers and customer satisfaction.

TMEIC will present its Samurai series of inverters at the conference, offering three new power classes:

• 2500 kW – 2700 kVA (1500 V)
• 2300 kW – 2500 kVA (1500 V)
• 1833 kW – 2000 kVA (1000 V)

These multilevel inverters maximize and optimize efficiency at high loads, offering a wide MPPT range and a flexible DC-input configuration to meet complex array configuration.

The 1.833 MW Solar Ware Samurai inverter will be on display at Intersolar.

Tuesday July 14th and Wednesday July 15th at 3:00 p.m. TMEIC will be serving traditional Japanese sake at its booth.

View the conference program at this link.

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Earlier this week, the Obama Administration released a fact sheet concerning a new federal initiative to increase access to solar energy for Americans. The Administration claimed it is committed to addressing climate change, promoting clean energy and creating good-paying jobs.

The initiative has a particular focus on low and moderate-income communities, as well as expanding opportunities to join the solar workforce.

According to the Administration, in 2014 the U.S. brought online as much solar energy every three weeks as it did in all of 2008, and the solar industry added jobs ten times faster than the rest of the economy.  Since 2010, the average cost of a solar electric system has dropped by 50%, it claimed.

The executive actions and private sector commitments that the Administration announced have aims to “scale up solar for all Americans,” including renters, individuals lacking startup capital or those who lack adequate information on using solar energy.

Key components of the initiative are:

• Launching a national community solar partnership to encourage solar access for the nearly 50% of households and business that are renters or lack adequate roof space to install solar systems, including issuing a guide to support states in developing community solar programs.
• A goal to install 300 MW of renewable energy in federally subsidized housing, as well as providing technical assistance to ease solar installation, including federal funding clarification.
• Housing authorities, rural electric co-ops, power companies and organizations in more than twenty states across the U.S. are committing to 260 solar energy projects, including projects to help low and moderate-income communities save on energy bills and expand community solar.
• $520 million in independent commitments from philanthropic and impact investors, states and cities to advance community solar and increase solar and energy efficiency for low and moderate-income households.

To continue enhancing employment opportunities for U.S. citizens in the solar industry, the Administration is also announcing the following executive actions and private sector commitments:

• AmeriCorps funding to deploy solar and create jobs in underserved communities
• Expanding solar energy education and opportunities for job training
• The solar industry is also setting a personal commitment to diversity, and a number of companies are announcing efforts to build a more inclusive solar workforce.

President Obama committed to a goal to train 75,000 workers to enter the solar industry by 2020 and the Solar Ready Vets program that will train transitioning military personnel for careers in the solar industry at ten military bases.

The fact sheet can be read in detail at this link.

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LEICHTmount flat roof frame for systems facing south or east-west.

S:FLEX, a U.S.-based manufacturer of racking solutions for photovoltaic rooftop and ground mount systems and trading partner for wholesalers and installers, has released both LEICHTmount EU S for south-facing roof orientations and LEICHTmount EU EW for east/west-facing orientations versions of its reputable LEICHTmount EU flat roof mounting system.

The new systems are structurally optimized and use less material with an aerodynamic design and pre-assembled aluminum coated safety membrane. The results equal lower cost for materials and shipping, quick and easy assembly, less ballasting without penetration and a choice of orientation.

“These new additions LEICHTmount EU S and LEICHTmount EU EW are our most competitive aerodynamic mounting solutions for framed PV modules,” said Nils Wollenberg, managing Director of S:FLEX. “Both systems are in high demand because of their ingenious design to make every aspect of installation affordable, quick and highly effective.”

With a two-person team, LEICHTmount EU S can be assembled in 10 minutes per kWp while LEICHTmount EU EW can be assembled in half the time. Both have been wind-tunnel tested for up to 150 mph, conform to the UL 2703 certification, provide effective water drainage and module ventilation, and are suitable for roof edge zones.

The systems are preassembled and S:FLEX provides a complimentary ballast calculation with roof layout and optional wet stamp when requested. LEICHTmount EU S and LEICHTmount EU EW have a long product life with a 25 years limited product warranty.

For more information about the 12-Kit and S:FLEX’s mounting solutions, visit S:FLEX at Intersolar North America, 3rd Level, Booth 9733.

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The VARTA Micro Group, a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of an extensive variety of high-technology rechargeable and primary batteries, has announced that its subsidiary  VARTA Storage GmbH has expanded its compact and powerful engion product line of energy storage systems to include engion sentry automatic backup power battery storage system, which features 6.8 kW output power.  The engion sentry will be exhibited at Intersolar North America, July 14 through 16, 2015 in San Francisco, CA.  Additionally on display will be VARTA’s engion flex power and engion element battery storage systems designed for commercial and residential applications, respectively.  All members of the engion product line can be remotely monitored from a smartphone or the Internet.

“We are excited to add engion sentry to our safe and dependable engion energy storage product line,” said William Flanagan, President and CEO of VARTA Microbattery. “VARTA Storage GmbH is dedicated to engineering the industry’s most efficient and cost effective options for storing and accessing energy from PV systems or the power grid.  Notably, engion systems may be remotely monitored so users can always confirm critical power circuits are receiving power during an outage, and verify the system automatically switched back to the grid when the outage ended and recharged itself from solar,” he concluded.

Housed in a sleek, tasteful and lockable cabinet, engion features state-of-the-industry lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lead acid battery technology to allow residential and commercial property owners and managers greater independence from public utilities by storing energy generated by new or existing photovoltaic (PV) systems.  The engion sentry backup power system combines German engineering with solid American manufacturing.  It assures that power is available in the event of a power grid fault and is an extremely safe and robust alternative to backup generators.  The engion sentry eliminates noise emission and the increasingly common occurrences of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Due to the modular configuration of the battery modules, engion sentry is offered with usable battery capacities up to 18 kWh. The engion also boasts redundant mechanical and electrical functions, along with flame-retardant housing and automatic overvoltage cutoff.  The system is engineered specifically to allow existing battery modules to be combined with future battery technologies.

VARTA’s engion sentry energy storage system measures 23.6″ (W) x 23.6″ (D) x 72.8″ (H).

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A solar irradiance simulation from the Aurora Solar design software.

Solar Power World caught up Christopher Hopper, co-founder of the solar design platform Aurora Solar to learn more about the company’s product and what he hopes to share with attendees at Intersolar North America. This is what Hopper had to say:

SPW: What will you be sharing with the Intersolar audience when they stop by the Aurora Solar (booth No. 7237)?

Hopper: We will be demonstrating how solar installers can boost their sales, perform sophisticated engineering design and streamline their operations using Aurora. We will be giving demonstrations of our software to anyone interested in learning how Aurora can meet the needs of his or her organization.

Sophisticated solar design software seems like a no-brainer, but how much of the residential solar industry is actually using a program like yours?

It is becoming clear that in order to stay relevant in the market, all installers will need to use some sort of software that helps the streamline their sales and design process. Looking at our case, since launching in January of this year, Aurora has been used to design over 550 MW worth of PV installations. We are now processing over 1,000 projects a week from a growing number of solar installers across the US and overseas.

Our clients are flocking to Aurora for many reasons: Some clients want to win more jobs by generating professional sales proposals with beautiful 3D visualizations. Others want to easily perform sophisticated financial analysis. Everyone wants to reduce truck roll by remotely performing shading analysis. Once they seal the deal, clients want to save time by automatically generating single line drawings of their system designs. One of Aurora’s key selling points is you can do all of these things in one place with just a few keystrokes.

Is the Aurora Solar program more of a prospecting tool or a final-step design tool?

Aurora is a one stop application for both of those functions. Our clients go from prospecting through sales and final engineering in less than 15 minutes.

In your opinion, what’s the most impressive functionality of your program?

We think it is our remote shading analysis. Since we launched the feature Aurora’s shading analysis has been used on over 20,000 sites globally. Several of America’s top 10 solar installers rely on it for calculating solar access percentages and deciding where to place modules. We think our proposal generation is a close second – you can create custom, beautiful proposals with 3D visualizations of the installation within a matter of minutes.

More design tools are coming onto the market for aforementioned reasons: how can a solar installation firm choose a program that’s best for them?

It is important to select an integrated one-stop application – otherwise you will waste a lot of time trying to cobble together several different solutions. Solar installers needs to ask themselves: Which product makes my life easier? What application is easy to use and has strong customer support? Which product helps me create efficiencies, scale my business and drive more revenue? At the end of the day that is all that matters.

How can firms learn more about your product and services?

Visit our website (www.aurorasolar.com) and request an invitation to Aurora.

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Located in Joilet, IL, RES Americas developed and is constructing the 19.8 MW Jake Energy Storage Center, which will have the ability to store 7.8 MWh of energy. Substantial completion is expected Q3 2015. (Image: RES Americas)

DNV GL will provide technical and financial due diligence on two energy storage projects from Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES). These two projects together will comprise one of the largest energy storage deployments in North America. DNV GL anticipates this battery storage technology, when combined with proven PV solar technology, can provide significant benefits to power grids.

The projects, intended to provide energy storage over the course of a decade, will provide frequency regulation service to support grid efficiency. DNV GL will thoroughly vet the technology and financial aspects of the projects, providing services to potential project lenders that include battery technology review, civil and electrical design review, project schedule and capital cost review, commissioning document review, environmental permitting compliance review, site inspection and performance verification.

“As the value of energy storage for grid reliability gains recognition nationwide, projects like the two being developed by RES are playing a growing role by better leveraging existing utility assets,” said DNV GL Due Diligence Project Manager Thomas McNulty. “The ability of energy storage to support grid efficiency through frequency regulation is another important benefit because storage is capable of ramping up and down generation assets within milliseconds. Our work will evaluate the soundness of all aspects of the projects and verify performance against expectations.”

RES is constructing the two 19.8 megawatt (MW) energy storage systems, each able to store 7.8 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy. RES anticipates completing construction on the Jake Energy Storage Center in Joliet, IL, and the Elwood Energy Storage Center in West Chicago, IL, in the third quarter of 2015.

“DNV GL is a globally recognized authority on renewable energy projects,” said Zach Love, Vice President at RES, “and we value the objective, independent analysis they bring to both the engineering and financial aspects of these important energy storage projects.”

Learn more about DNV GL’s energy storage expertise at Intersolar North America in booth #7444 July 14-16 in San Francisco, or visit www.dnvgl.com/energystorage.

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To streamline installations around the U.S., the Spice Solar Series 300 integrated racking system and components are certified to all applicable UL-1703, UL-2703 and UL fire requirements.

Solar panels and mounting systems have to pass an exhaustive series of Underwriters Laboratory (UL) tests in order to be code compliant in the thousands of different building departments around the U.S. Recently, these requirements have intensified with new fire resistance and electrical safety standards. The tests require that the specific panels installed on the roof be compliant with the specific racking system securing and grounding the panels.

“It’s a solar installer’s nightmare when a local building department denies a permit for solar panels because they are not fully code compliant with racking from another manufacturer,” said Barry Cinnamon, a solar industry veteran and CEO of Spice Solar. “By combining the solar panels and mounting components into one integrated system and testing them together, Spice Solar systems eliminate this substantial installation risk.”

One System For All Roof Types, Orientations, Wind and Snow Loads

Residential rooftops vary tremendously around the U.S., making it challenging for one mounting system to be both code compliant and inexpensive. Installers have completed Spice Solar systems on composition shingle, tile, metal and flat roofs – and saved an average of $0.30/watt on every job.

Spice Solar’s installation flexibility makes it easy to install in both portrait and landscape orientations, even on the same roof, as well as tilt-up (for flat roofs) and reverse-tilt (for north roof) installations.

“I like the fact that I can mix portrait and landscape panels on the roof to maximize coverage, and still stay within the 36” fire setback requirements,” said Mark Suacci of Suacci Solar in San Diego. “The Spice Solar system really went together quickly, including microinverters and wire management. My installers really like it.”

“We are delighted to offer a complete rooftop system that is UL-1703, UL-2703 and Fire Code compliant in both portrait and landscape,” said Cinnamon. “Because of the highly rigid frame design, Spice Solar systems can be installed throughout the U.S. in high wind and snow zones. Ordinary panels flex under high winds when installed with rail less (edge-attached) mounting systems – leading to solar cell microcracks and faster output degradation. However, with Spice Solar’s rigid frame construction there is virtually no module flexing and fewer solar cell microcracks – leading to better long term system output.”

New Solar System Safety Standards

UL-1703 standards test the mechanical loading and grounding of individual solar panels. The Spice Solar design uses a special frame that provides additional rigidity to the solar panel so that it can be attached at the edges of the panel, instead of supported in the middle of the panel by rails. Although all solar panels must be certified to meet UL-1703 requirements, only a very few panels are certified by UL for installation using edge attachment methods.

UL-2703 standards are the most recent solar panel and mounting system requirements. These standards cover the combination of solar panels, mounting systems and accessories (such as microinverter brackets).

There are thousands of solar panel, racking and accessory combinations from different manufacturers; achieving UL-2703 compliance for every combination is challenging. Spice Solar panels are designed with integrated racking and grounding, making it straightforward to pass these combined panel, mounting system and accessory requirements for both bonding and mechanical load.

Finally, California residential building codes now require that all PV systems (the combination of solar panels and mounting systems) must be tested and listed with a fire classification, either A, B or C. Class A roofs are the most fire resistant, and are required in many urban and suburban cities in California (and soon to be the rest of the U.S.). Spice Solar panels and systems were passed the tests and meet these new UL fire requirements on all common residential roof types.

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Meeting demand within the solar, energy efficiency and other distributed energy markets, ENACT Systems and RapidAdvance have partnered to offer working capital to energy services contractors using ENACT’s distributed energy sales and financing workflow automation platform. Called “Quick Working Capital” the solution allows ENACT users with growing project pipelines for distributed energy projects access to loans, cash advances and lines of credit from $5,000 to $500,000, within 72 hours of application, with limited paperwork.

“Residential and commercial solar and energy retrofit projects have long sales and installation cycles, and contractors often limit their growth potential due to slow cash-flow. Through our partnership with RapidAdvance now, contractors can unlock rapid access to working capital funds, based on their business pipeline on ENACT”, said ENACT Co-Founder and CEO, Deep Chakraborty.

ENACT’s end-to-end business process automation solutions empower thousands of distributed energy services businesses to automate their sales, distribution, financing and installation processes for solar and energy efficiency. Users on the platform frequently experience lower customer acquisition, operational and financing costs. Since it’s launch in 2014, the ENACT user base has grown 300%.

“ENACT is committed to advancing the distributed energy marketplace, especially for regional and local installers,” said Chief Revenue Officer Mark Cerminaro of RapidAdvance. “We’re excited to be partnering with ENACT to bring greater financial predictability and stability to its growing installer base.”

A free trial of the ENACT system platform can be found at http://enact-systems.com/

Solar Power World

In an expansion of the company’s trusted fixed-tilt product line, SunLink today introduced the newest addition to its Large-Scale GMS family, Large-Scale GMS Portrait. The new product solves critical ground-mount project challenges like space restrictions, steep or uneven terrain, demanding lead times and module variations.

“We constantly push ourselves to drive total installed costs down while maintaining system quality, and we think a great deal about what support services we can offer to ensure a more successful project and better overall experience for our customers,” said Kate Trono, VP of products for SunLink. “In the ground-mount arena, we are seeing demands for faster lead times and lower material costs paired with a desire for more turn-key services and less site preparation. Large-Scale GMS Portrait tics all of those boxes,” Kate adds.

With an industry-leading 20 percent east-west terrain following capability, Large-Scale GMS Portrait can be installed on ungraded sites as well as those with constant slope or rolling terrain. It is also designed for incremental array sizing via smaller tables to streamline project design. Importantly, the new product is module independent to eliminate any delays formerly posed by changes in module choice.

In connection with Large-Scale GMS Portrait, SunLink offers both its highly regarded project management and engineering support as well as a full suite of geotechnical, post driving and mechanical installation options.

Solar Power World

InterSolar North America 2015 conference and exhibition is July 13-16 in San Francisco, and ABB will be exhibiting in booth #8321.

ABB is unveiling new solar technologies and best practices at Intersolar North America 2015 this week. Products on display will include the company’s string inverters for the commercial and residential markets as well as its central inverters for utility scale projects.

New products for this year include a family of Rapid Shutdown devices, a new WiFi logger card and ABB’s new revenue grade meter. Each of these new products are compatible with ABB’ s solar inverters and will aid in the efficiency of the overall PV system.

ABB will also showcase a full line of low voltage components, electric vehicle charging products, substations and transformers and enterprise software for accurately forecasting sun patterns and collecting data, as well as the latest in microgrids and energy storage.

Featured technologies at Intersolar NA include:

• Rapid Shutdown Devices for String Inverters – The Rapid Shutdown box is a low-cost, NEC 2014-compliant accessory that simplifies the code compliance of residential solar. The box can mount directly to the PV panel mounting rail. Shutdown occurs at the rooftop box when utility power is lost or the PV system’s AC disconnect switch is opened.
• VSN300 WiFi Logger Card – The Wifi Logger Card has an advanced expansion board designed for ABB’s UNO and TRIO string inverter product lines, and will benefit both residential and commercial installers with an easy-to-install, cost-efficient card.
• ACS355 Solar Pump Drives – These pumps use solar power to pump water throughout a sunny day and are ideal for remote-access farmland, providing a dependable water supply. This technology – consisting of a PV cell, drive, motor and pump – is designed to work independently from the grid and diesel fuel, though it can operate from the grid when there is not enough sunlight. This pump saves water, energy and comes with minimal environmental impact and operating costs.
• ABB Low Voltage Products – ABB’s Low Voltage Products business, along with Thomas & Betts, is offering a full line of solar converter protection and solar farm connection products, including new technology in circuit breaker and lightning protection solutions. In addition they will feature smart components in grid tie technology and IEC 61850 code compliance.

“ABB has partnered with Intersolar North America for the last several years, and we are pleased to again play a major role in this important industry event,” said Bob Stojanovic, director of solar power solutions in North America for ABB. “This year we’re demonstrating for solar distributors, installers, developers and operators what is now possible across the board – ‘from Sun to Socket’ – and what is proven for making operational decisions, forecasts and reliable grid connections.”

InterSolar North America 2015 conference and exhibition is July 13-16 in San Francisco, and ABB will be exhibiting in booth #8321. More information on ABB’s presence at the event can be found here.

Solar Power World

JB Straubel,Tesla

Talk around Tesla’s Powerwall hasn’t stopped since Elon Musk’s announcement this spring, making the company’s CTO a smart choice for the Intersolar NA 2015 keynote.

Whether excited or hesitant about the technology, a large crowd of curious conference attendees showed up to hear JB Straubel speak at this year’s opening ceremony. Straubel co-founded the EV maker with Elon Musk and sits on the board of SolarCity with Musk as its chairman.

Straubel introduced Tesla Energy—a manufacturer of trendy electric cars for the general public and the creator of a possible revolutionary energy storage innovation to the solar industry. He discussed how energy storage is critical to widespread adoption of solar energy and will ultimately enable a renewable energy economy.

“It’s not one big invention,” he said. “It’s a hundred little inventions.”

Straubel put an emphasis on reducing battery cost and providing some predictions for the future. He noted that Tesla expects battery costs to decrease much quicker than people expect, just like photovoltaic prices dropped quicker than expected. In turn, Straubel holds lower battery cost will make electric vehicles cheaper than gas powered cars. Grid energy storage use is also expected to increase, with batteries as the dominant technology.

The remainder of the ceremony’s line-up included key solar policymakers and advocates, including Bernadette del Chiaro, the executive director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA); New York State Sen. Kevin S. Parker, a champion of solar policy in New York; and Professor Dr. Eicke R. Weber, the director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) / Germany.

Solar Power World