AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
AEG POWER SOLUTIONS: INTRODUCING A WHOLE NEW TYPE OF INVERSION
Enrique de la Cruz, general manager of Solar Solutions at AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS), talks about selecting the right utility-scale inverter.
Oser Communications Group
HUCK BLIND RIVETS ARE FASTENERS OF CHOICE FOR CSP AND PV MARKETS
Troy Pierce, Senior Design Engineer for Huck in Waco, Texas, a division of Alcoa Fastening Systems, discusses the superiority of Huck’s application-specific fasteners.
SPDN: What’s the most important criteria in selecting an inverter for utilityscale projects?
SPDN: Describe Huck. What is your primary line of business?
GEHRLICHER SOLAR AMERICA SEES A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD IN THE U.S.
ED: Bankability, but a buyer should consider a variety of things prior to purchasing. First, the inverter must have high
Continued on Page 82
TP: Huck is a division of Alcoa Fastening Systems, specializing in engineered fasteners and associated
JETION SOLAR USA STRIVING TO BE THE LEADER IN PV MODULES
LITTELFUSE CIRCUIT PROTECTION COMPONENTS ENGINEERED TO PERFORM
SONALI: A LEADER IN PRODUCT VALUE AND PROMOTIONAL GIVEAWAY IDEAS
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SP: Gehrlicher is one of the oldest European PV system integrators (founded 1994 by Klaus Gehrlicher) and is still 100 percent family-owned. We have
JF: Jetion Solar USA is a subsidiary of Jetion Solar China Ltd. and one of the largest designer, manufacturer and supplier of high efficiency solar cells and
MERSEN: A LEADER IN CARBON, GRAPHITE AND CIRCUIT PROTECTION
Stephen Colvin, Vice President of Marketing for Mersen’s North American Electrical Protection discusses why his company recently changed its name and how that name change reflects a corporate vision.
SPDN: Why did Ferraz Shawmut change its name to Mersen?
SC: Our name change reflects a corporate-wide strategic initiative to unify our
Continued on Page 71
SPDN: Baja Construction—what do you do?
From Parking Lot to Power Plant: Inovateus Helps GE Energy Industrial Solutions Build a 100kW Solar Energy Carport in Plainville, Connecticut
BH: Baja, established in 1981, is a construction company engaged in the business of highly specialized and engineered high-tensile, light gauge steel structures. We design, engineer, supply and install
Solar Power Daily News recently had the chance to interview Jetion Solar USA President and CEO Juergen Fehr about his innovative line of solar cells and modules.
Continued on Page 39
Bob Hayworth, Chairman and CEO of Baja Construction, shares why his company is so prolific in the solar industry.
INOVATEUS SOLAR AND GE CARPORT
GE Energy Industrial Solutions recently unveiled a solar carport for electric vehicles (EVs) at the company’s Plainville, Conn., headquarters. GE used the expertise of Inovateus Solar, a solar industry leader, to collaborate on this exciting project. Inovateus Solar helped install
Dr. Stefan Parhofer, CEO of Gehrlicher Solar America Corp., tells us about this family-owned European PV system integrator. SPDN: What’s your company’s main line of business?
BAJA—WHY ARE THEY WINNING SO MANY SOLAR DEALS?
Dallas • 10¢
SPDN: Tell our readers a little about JETION SOLAR USA.
Continued on Page 66
REC SOLAR GROWING TURNKEY SOLAR FOR BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT
Dave Morosoli, VP and GM, REC Solar, talks about REC Solar’s strong growth in U.S. commercial and government turnkey installations.
SPDN: Tell our readers a little about your main line of business?
DM: REC Solar is a leading provider of large-scale solar electric systems with over a decade of proven performance helping federal and local government agencies, retailers, manufacturers, Continued on Page 39
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Gordon Hunter, CEO, Littelfuse, Inc., discusses how Littelfuse equipment provides circuit protection options that others cannot offer.
Pankaj Desai, CEO of Sonali Solar, discusses what you can expect to see from his company at Solar Power International.
GH: Several years ago, Littelfuse began
PD: Sonali Solar is a vertically-integrated company spanning different phases of the photovoltaic supply chain; we design,
Continued on Page 71
Continued on Page 18
SPDN: Littelfuse is known as the world’s leading provider of circuit protection components and solutions. How did Littelfuse get involved in the solar photovoltaic market?
TENKSOLAR SYSTEMS REDUCE OPERATING COSTS, ENHANCE SAFETY
SPDN: Tell our readers a little about your company. What’s your main line of business?
UNDERWRITERS LABS: A KEY PLAYER IN GROWING SOLAR INDUSTRY
tenKsolar CEO Joel Canon talks about his company’s RAIS WAVETM system.
Jeff Smidt, VP/GM for UL’s Global Energy Business, talks about his company.
JC: tenKsolar designed the RAIS WAVE system to lower the cost of energy and improve reliability. Solar hardware manufacturers have traditionally focused on reducing costs and efficiencies for their piece of the puzzle, and over time the
JS: UL has been working with leaders in the solar industry for more than two decades to set the standards for safe PV technology. As a leading safety testing
SPDN: What is unique about tenKsolar?
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SPDN: What role has Underwriters Laboratories [UL] played in the growing solar industry?
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SOLARDOCK GOES FULL TILT TO DELIVER MORE POWER AND SERVICE 4
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
An interview with Scott Johnson, President of SolarDock®. SPDN: How did your business get started?
SJ: Our introduction to solar came through our real estate development practice. Seven years ago, while constructing a building to house the world headquarters of a solar panel manufacturer, we acquired the only flat roof system that was available in the market. We were perplexed and frustrated with the engineering requirements and installation lead- time, but we were excited about the opportunity to embrace renewable technology. From that experience, we developed our product and received the patent, and the Solardock non-penetrating racking system was
born. As President of Solardock today, I am pleased to work with a team of talented professionals who have delivered over 30 megawatts of SolarDock product to Fortune 500 companies, K-12 schools, universities, non-profit organizations, commercial businesses, public institutions and building owners (under purchase power agreements).
SPDN: What would you say makes your company unique?
SJ: We’ve recently adopted a tagline that really defines our approach: “Going full tilt to bring you more power.” With every installation, the optimal tilt angle is calcu-
COPPER STATE BOLT & NUT: THE PARTS TO DO THE JOB
Copper State Bolt & Nut Co. (CSBN) is a distributor and manufacturer of fasteners, industrial and construction products, cutting tools and abrasives, power tools, fluid sealing products, and related items.
CSBN provides products and service in support of mining, industrial, construction, utilities and telecommunications, automotive, maintenance and repair, OEM, and government accounts.
Solar Power Daily News lated and built in to the SolarDock mounting system to maximize power production for our customers. “Going full tilt” also describes our commitment to product excellence and service. With seven years of experience, we bring broad industry expertise to all our partnerships. Our customers enjoy lower upfront capital cost, minimal maintenance cost and the confidence of a long-term asset, lasting beyond the panel warranty period. Our 25-year warranty is unmatched in the industry. SPDN: Where is your current product emphasis?
SJ: Continuing to focus on overall value for our customers is our mission. Today, our systems allow installers to be highly productive, installing 40-percent more kW/year than a typical rooftop system. The roof-friendly features of SolarDock’s non-penetrating mounting system protects the surface membrane and roof structure and is the only system that allows for weight to be distributed Continued on Page 23
CSBN’s operations include nearly 400 employees throughout 21 locations in Arizona, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, with production facilities in Phoenix, Ariz. The company also has a Mexican subsidiary supporting the border region and mining properties throughout Mexico. Continued on Page 100
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION
Lee M. Oser CEO and Editor-in-Chief Steve Cox Lyle Sapp Kate Seymour Senior Associate Publishers Kim Forrester Associate Publisher Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director Jennifer Miller Lorrie Brownstone Dirk Deppey A.J. Flick Associate Editors Valerie Wilson Art Director Yasmine Brown Graphic Designer Selene Pinuelas Traffic Manager Paul Harris James Martin John McQuaig Bill Morris Deborah Yarbrough Account Managers Enrico Cecchi European Sales Solar Power Daily News is published by Oser Communications Group ©2011. All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300 www.oser.com European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.
SOLAR BEAM DISH REPLACES 15 TO 15 FLAT PANELS 8
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Solartron Energy Systems Inc. (Solartron) is the designer and manufacturer behind the revolutionary SolarBeamTM parabolic dish. The SolarBeam is the first parabolic dish to achieve SRCC certification. The designers and engineers behind the SolarBeam foresaw the need to engineer an affordable system capable of high thermal energy and electricity production – a hybrid system. The SolarBeamTM Concentrator achieves peak 39,239 BTUs of thermal heat per hour by tracking the sun with flawless precision and collecting the sun’s radiation from a 15.8 m2 (160 sq.ft) surface area and focusing the energy on a 25x25 cm (10” x 10”) absorber. Based on SRCC data, the SolarBeam outperforms glazed flat plate, evacuated tube, or concentrated thermal systems for efficiency and kW output. In addition to the instantaneous energy output performance, the SolarBeam is 30 percent more efficient than systems that do not track the sun. The SolarBeam also has Advanced Protection System (APS), which prevents heat stagnation from occurring. Multiple sensors monitor the fluid temperature and the system will automatically move away from the sun if the temperature of the primary loop has been achieved. When additional heat is required, the SolarBeam automatically resumes tracking.
The SolarBeam Concentrator was designed as a low maintenance system capable of providing water temperatures up to 93 degrees Celsius (199.4 degrees Fahrenheit).The SolarBeam can be used to provide: process heating, space heating and air conditioning (with Absorption chillers). Installations of SolarBeams have occurred in Canada, USA, Europe and Australia. Generating high thermal efficiency is one thing. Generating electricity is another. SolarTron’s engineers merged the two to provide a hybrid system all packed into a small area. The future CPV (Concentrated Photo-voltaic) add-on will provide peak 3.5 kW per hour of electricity. This breakthrough technology utilizes a triple junction CPV cellwith an operating efficiency of 31 percent. With a dish collector area of 15.8 square meters, focusing on a CPV panel area of 226 square centimeters, the SolarBeam drastically reduces space requirements and maintenance as compared with PV panels. The reflective petal’s patent-pending curvature makes the SolarBeam the only system in the world to maximize the solar potential for thermal and concentrated photo-voltaic power. Continued on Page 82
ADHESIVES RESEARCH ADVANCES PV CELL TECHNOLOGY: NEW BONDING ADHESIVES ENHANCE PERFORMANCE AND CAPABILITIES
Solar Power Daily News
Adhesives Research (AR), a leading developer and manufacturer of custom pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes (PSAs), specialty coatings, films and laminates, announces several sophisticated bonding technologies to enhance the capabilities and performance of a variety of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The company’s bonding technologies are being displayed during Solar Power International at booth 4743. Among the technologies offered is AR’s conductive PSA bus bar technology. This technology is an alternative to traditional bonding methods, such as soldering, for electrical interconnects and liquid epoxies. ARclad[R] 92708 is a highly conductive PSA supported by a tin-coated copper foil carrier, which provides panel manufacturers with reliable performance under a wide variety of conditions such as damp heat (85C / 85%RH) and high temperatures (120C) and has the ability to function reliably under rigorous thermal cycling conditions. This adhesive demonstrates improved current carrying capacity and thermal properties when compared to first generation bus bar tape technologies.
The adhesive was developed using Adhesives Research’s extensive experience in electrical interconnects and grounding applications. The new bonding technology is supported and validated by a variety of testing methods to evaluate performance, strength and reliability. AR’s testing process is available to potential customers during the design phase of a project. Technology highlights include: • Reduced T-joint resistance • Lower resistance and excellent joint stability in hot ampacity testing (10 amps, 120 ºC, 6-days) • Good thermal shock performance (IEC 61646, -40 – 85 ºC) • Very stable damp heat resistance (85 ºC/85% RH). Founded in 1961, Adhesives Research offers problem-solving capabilities and custom solutions in adhesive polymerization, mixing, adhesive coating and release liner design supported by extensive product development and analytical support. The company’s North American and Limerick, Ireland, facilities are certified
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NEARLY 20 YEARS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPERIENCE BEHIND MAGNETEKʼ E-FORCE PV INVERTER 16
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Magnetek’s E-Force® utility scale PV inverter prototype is on display in booth 709 at Solar Power International. Magnetek has been in the renewable energy business for nearly 20 years, having shipped over 750MW of power conversion systems, including 600MW of the second generation E-Force power conditioning system for wind applications. This field-proven design efficiently converts the electrical power that is available from renewable sources, reduces the time and cost of installation and assures a long service life. Magnetek’s compact, air-cooled EForce photovoltaic inverter is designed for grid-tied large solar applications such as ground mount installations. E-Force inverters have generous de-rating criteria on critical components, achieving a robust and reliable inverter capable of delivering maximum power availability
on a continuous basis. E-Force units achieve peak and CEC efficiencies of 97.8 percent and 97 percent respectively, subject to NRTL validation. Total current harmonic distortion is less than 5 percent through E-Force’s control switching technology. E-Force offers two Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms maximizing energy produced under varying light conditions. Unique switching technology includes large capacity Insulated Gate Bi-polar Transistors (IGBTs) to improve service life. Magnetek’s E-Force PV utility scale inverter is designed to integrate easily into a shelter minimizing heat generation and overall shelter footprint. Sophisticated self-diagnostics and remote-monitoring capabilities allows customers to monitor energy generation and operational status. Grid support options include VAR control and LVRT.
TRANSFORM SOLAR: THE WONDER OF SLIVER TECHNOLOGY Interview with Phil Mackey, Executive Manager, Transform Solar
SPDN: Tell our readers about your company. What’s your main line of business?
PM: Transform Solar is bringing its solely-owned, innovative SLIVER photovoltaic technology to market. We have substantial manufacturing assets in the U.S. and are backed by two major and complementary companies: Micron Technology and Origin Energy. We are in production and within the next two to three years will be scaling our SLIVERbased solar module production capacity to over 300 MWper year. SPDN: What would you say makes your company unique?
PM: SLIVER technology is a novel way
to make bifacial, very thin, monocrystalline silicon solar cells. These cells are distinctively different; they are smaller, thinner, and more flexible than conventional cells. Using these points of differentiation, we can offer lightweight, flexible modules that better meet our customers’ needs because they are competitive in price and they deliver higher energy yields, better partial-shading performance, and lower module-to-module mismatch. SPDN: Are you introducing any new products?
Despite significant recent declines in module pricing, cost still remains a major prohibitive factor for largescale development of solar projects. Balance of system (BOS) and installation costs must now be reduced to sufficiently lower overall system costs. The utilization of super-sized (1 kW+) modules manufactured on-site at a “solar breederh factory is a promising approach for significantly reducing systems costs to levels that will drive expansion of the
E-Force PV inverters are pending UL 1741 approval. An Ontario FIT compliance option will be available. Durable E-House™ shelters will also be available to house balance of plant components including transformers and switch gear. These modular shelters are designed for quick, easy installation, minimizing field wiring and installation costs. They are built to withstand local conditions, whether it’s snow load or desert sun, delivering long system life. Magnetek provides complete service from start to finish, including commissioning, installation and technical support, remote diagnostics, unit history tracking, training, and upgrading. Magnetek, Inc. is a leading provider of digital power and motion control systems used in energy delivWe plan to introduce other new products in 2012―in particular, a lightweight flexible product with less than13 percent efficiency and a high-voltage module designed to unleash the simplicity and performance advantages of an all-parallel system design.
SPDN: How do you handle sales?
PM: We sell SLIVER panels through select distribution partners. We have secured key relationships in Europe, Japan, and Australia, and we are currently building partnerships in the U.S. SPDN: Who are your target end-users?
PM: We just received UL standard certification for our SLIVER Series IV modules, and we are in the process of commercializing them globally. First shipments will be made to our distributors in Europe and Australia, and they will be showcased at SPI for the U.S. market.
PM: The key difference with SLIVER panels is their superior performance when systems encounter partial shading. For this reason, we intend to focus largely on rooftop applications. It is difficult for customers to be fully confident that
industry and permit utilities to meet increasingly stringent renewable portfolio standard targets. The solar utility PV market is experiencing significant growth that will continue for the foreseeable future. Utilities are expected to add over 20-GW of solar PV to their generation portfolios by 2020. The rapid growth in market demand is driving development of utility-scale solar projects such as grid-tied solar farm systems of 25 to 200-MW. These farms will consist primarily of crystalline silicon (x-Si) modules due to
utility demands for reliability, high efficiency, a proven track record, and demonstrated 20-year life span, as well as overall cost considerations. Conventional PV modules provide a maximum power output of between 230270 watts. Larger modules, up to 400 watts, have been recently introduced and are targeted specifically at the utility market. Super-sized modules, more than double this size, can provide even greater benefit for PV utilities. Such larger modules, approximately 5.5-ft by 12.5-ft (Figure 1), provide significant cost savings by lowering materials, BOS, and installation expenses. Total predicted savings approach $0.50/watt. This cost reduction would translate into billions of dollars in cost savings over the next decade for the rapidly growing utility market segment. In particular, supersized modules offer: • Fewer field failures/Higher reliability
SUPER-SIZED MODULES FOR COST REDUCTION OF UTILITY-SCALE PV INSTALLATIONS By Eric Tobin and Roger Little, Spire Corporation
Solar Power Daily News ery, overhead material handling and elevator applications. In addition to power conditioning products for renewable energy applications, the company is North America’s largest supplier of digital drive systems for industrial cranes, hoists and monorails. Magnetek provides Energy Engineered® drives, radio remote controls, motors, and braking and collision avoidance subsystems to North America’s foremost overhead material handling crane builders. Magnetek is also the world’s largest independent builder of highly-integrated digital motion control systems for high-rise, high-speed elevators and is a leading independent supplier of digital motion control systems for underground coal mining applications. Magnetek is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., in the greater Milwaukee area and operates manufacturing facilities in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Canonsburg, Pa., as well as Menomonee Falls. For more information, please contact Ed Butte Director, Renewable Energy 262-252-2905, or email ebutte@magnetek.com. some unforeseen source of shade won’t be a problem over the long life of their rooftop system. Our products decrease this risk while increasing confidence in long-term energy yields.
SPDN: Tell our readers about your trade show objectives, plans, products, promotions, etc. PM: We are showcasing our current products and prototypes of future products at our booth 6809. In particular, we are demonstrating novel concepts like an all-parallel design module and a lightweight, flexible panel that fits metal/flat roofs without the need for penetration or heavy framing. These concepts leverage the unique features of SLIVER technology to deliver a better outcome to our customers. For more information, visit www.trans formsolar.com or stop by booth 6809.
• Fewer DC connections and grounding points • Reduced wire management • Reduced handling • Significantly fewer mechanical fasteners • A single DC/DC power conditioner or DC/AC inverter
Due to their size, it is more difficult and expensive to transport very large modules over long distances. This provides an incentive for local module manufacturing at the solar farm site or at centralized locations with multiple customers nearby. For on site production, a module factory would be situated adjacent to or within a solar farm site. Solar cells would be delivered to the site, and modules would be manufactured and transported short distances from the factory to the Continued on Page 100
DYNALENE MOLTEN SALT FOR SOLAR APPLICATIONS 18
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Today concentrated solar power (CSP) plants are becoming more common, and the need for more efficient and affordable technology has taken center stage. CSP plants need efficient and high temperature fluids to capture the maximum amount of energy produced by the sun’s radiation. Typically, hydrocarbon fluids are used in these systems to transfer heat. These have problems with thermals degradation, flash point, toxicity and cost. Molten salt technology could replace these fluids. Molten salts are environmentallyfriendly heat transfer salt fluids and thermal storage media designed for ultrahigh-temperature applications. Dynalene has developed two molten salts: Dynalene MS-1, which is a binary salt mixture designed for energy storage of heat overnight when there is no sun to Adhesives Research (Con’t. from p. 8)
to the updated ISO 9001:2000 standard. Adhesives Research’s pressure-sensitive adhesives are used around the world in electronics, displays, wireless telecommunications, window fabrication, and the pulp and paper industry, as well as in medical diagnostics and devices, wound care and pharmaceuticals/transdermals. Based in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, Adhesives Research also
heat the system, and Dynalene MS-2, which is a ternary eutectic salt mixture engineered as a heat transfer fluid to move the heat form the collectors to where it can be used to generate electricity. Dynalene molten salts are specifically engineered to safely withstand excessive heat loads far above the boundaries of most alternative heat transfer fluids and exhibit negligible vapor pressure near peak operating temperatures and are non-toxic and non-flammable. The melting points of a Dynalene’s molten salts are designed to fit the application. Dynalene MS-1 has a melting point of 237 degrees C. The melting point of the Dynalene MS-1 is higher because it is designed for energy storage and not meant to be a working heat transfer fluid, Continued on Page 82
operates manufacturing facilities in Ireland and Colombia, has sales and marketing offices in Great Britain and Singapore, a representative office in Shanghai, China and sales representation in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. For more information on Adhesives Research and its products, call 800-4456240 (717-235-7979 outside North America) or visit its website at www.adhesivesresearch.com. Stop by Solar Power International booth 4743.
Solar Power Daily News Sonali Solar (Con’t. from p. 1)
manufacture and market highly efficient mono and poly-crystalline PV modules. We own and operate a state of the art manufacturing facility with an automated production line to supply our customers with the highest quality solar modules on the market. SPDN: What would you say makes your company unique?
PD: Sonali Solar is uniquely positioned to provide high quality modules at an extremely competitive price. Our manufacturing facility is located in India, which helps keep our costs down, but our panels are made on an automated, state-of-the-art production line, which includes one of the first electroluminescence testers in India. This combination of low cost and high manufacturing standards allows us to deliver the best value to our customers.
SPDN: Tell our readers about your trade show objectives, plans, products, promotions, etc.
PD: Trade shows have played a very important role in our business. We enjoy meeting buyers personally, showing them our product and discussing business opportunities with potential customers. This year we are running a very exciting promotion involving free diamonds. We plan to exhibit at trade shows in Dallas 2011 (Booth #3900), San Diego 2012 (Booth #623), Germany 2012, and India
2012.
SPDN: What is your outlook in general for this product line?
PD: We plan to bring out a 300W line of modules in the next couple of months. Our research team is always working to bring higher wattage modules to market at very competitive prices. SPDN: Please assess the marketplace as it relates to your product line.
PD: We are currently focusing on the U.S., European and Asian markets. We are particularly excited by the Indian government’s recent announcement of additional incentives there. We believe that by having an established manufacturing facility already in India, we will be able to take full advantage of the incredible growth that the Indian market will see in the next few years. SPDN: To what do you attribute your company’s success?
PD: Full credit goes to our employees. Having the right team is critical to the success of any company, and we believe that we have assembled an outstanding group of professionals who will make Sonali Solar a highly successful company that provides the best value for our customers. Visit Sonali Solar at Solar Power International booth 3900.
BUREAU VERITAS―ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT OF SOLAR PROJECTS Solar Power Daily News
Bureau Veritas is pleased to announce that it has been selected to act as Compliance Manager by the Department of Interior―Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the Ivanpah Solar Power Complex and the Genesis Solar Energy Projects located in California. These projecst are a great step in the move toward renewable, environmentally-friendly power solutions for California,” said Kevin Wedman, Vice President of Power and Utilities for SolarDock (Con’t. from p. 4)
broadly and evenly. SolarDock can customize the angle of the system. The angle allows users to maximize the kWh production on the roof and REC value, while lowering upfront capital cost.
SPDN: What distinguishes your product from the competition?
SJ: We’re constantly pushing the envelope to make the product better. Recently, we received an NRTL listing for SolarDock with a new grounding clip approved and currently in use. We’re proud of our next generation technology that is: • TUV Rheinland certified
Bureau Veritas. “We are always excited to participate in a project that provides viable energy sources for today and the future.” As Compliance Manager, Bureau Veritas will ensure that the project adheres to construction and environmental requirements during the construction phase of the Ivanpah Complex. In addition, Bureau Veritas’ role as Compliance Manager for the BLM will involve working with other agencies in the environmental compliance monitoring program
• Certified for winds up to 120 mph • California DSA pre-check approved • OPA Fit compliant in Canada • Lightweight • Ventilated in way that ensures no energy degradation due to heat build up • Made in USA and Canada • Made with no exposed wires or ballast— the most attractive system in the market
SPDN: How do you see the next year in terms of the economy, sales, technology and product evolution? SJ: In the next year, we expect to expand our manufacturing footprint to add the West Coast to our current East Coast and Detroit locations. We’ve found that licens-
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 (e.g., the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Game, etc.) to the extent requested by those agencies and authorized by the BLM. The Ivanpah Solar Power Complex Project is one of 34 fast track projects that are being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help the Obama Administration to achieve its initiative of making a rapid and responsible move to large-scale production of renewable energy on publicly owned lands. The Genesis Solar Energy Plant will be one of the largest solar energy plants in the nation. The electricity will be generated solely by solar thermal technology, without the need for supplemental fuel for electricity production. The result ing the Solardock to qualified partners is a great way to grow the company. We are looking to expand the licensing footprint in Europe and other geographic markets that make sense. Our business model allows us to be flexible with changes in solar programs, markets and incentives. We’ll maintain our focus on exceeding the quality and service expectations of our customers. SPDN: To what do you attribute your company’s success?
SJ: The face of SolarDock is our great team of people—they really care about how customers benefit from our product. Many times we’ve had the privilege of walking a new client (installers and end
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of this clean energy production technology will be an annual reduction of 330,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Bureau Veritas is a global company specializing in the fields of quality assurance, health, safety, and environmental (QHSE) services. Bureau Veritas’ 47,000 employees across the globe provide industry, technical, and local expertise that is unsurpassed. With over 2,400 QHSE professionals in over 80 offices across the United States, and operations in over 1,000 offices in 170 countries, Bureau Veritas develops solutions that contribute to risk prevention and performance improvement to help organizations create long-term value through our technical and regulatory expertise. Visit Bureau Veritas in booth 6311 at Solar Power International.
users) through their first installation— including getting up on a roof to help lay the first pieces of a system. We have experienced sales people throughout the US and Canada to guide customers through every step of the process. Our inhouse design experts help our customers understand how to maximize the value of a SolarDock installation on each roof. Our flexible manufacturing model allows us to meet demanding schedules and provide customized solutions along the way. Information about how SolarDock can increase your power production by 1020 percent over low-angle or flat mounting systems, stop by booth 5309 or visit: www.solardock.com.
BOSCH SOLAR ENERGY TO EXPAND IN NORTH AMERICA WITH NEW OFFICE, PRODUCT PORTFOLIO AND TURN-KEY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT 34
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
New products and high-quality project solution offerings are what Bosch Solar Energy brings to the table in the year ahead. The vertically integrated module manufacturer is backed by a 125-year history of technological excellence and is all set to take on the North American solar industry with a bang. As a leading provider of photovoltaic products, Bosch designs stateof-the-art solar modules that reduce production costs while delivering optimal performance. Transforming solar energy into electricity, Bosch’s photovoltaic products, such as monocrystalline silicon solar cells meet the needs of both residential and commercial customers, reducing the use of fossil fuels and helping stem climate change. Among Bosch’s latest products that will be launched at SPI is a highefficiency 60-cell monocrystalline module powered by Generation 3 cells. These cells have a textured surface with a silicon nitride anti-reflective coating which greatly improves their performance. The module has a high performance of up to 245 Wp
output and an efficiency of 14.91 percent. Both versions of the module- a silver frame, white backsheet model and all-black panel - are currently on display at the Bosch Solar Energy booth. In addition, Bosch Solar Energy offers turn-key solar project solutions. Given a suitable site, Bosch provides all other facets of realizing a solar system. With its own module supply and experienced in-house technical team, Bosch delivers a solar system with fully wrapped warranties. Bosch has the capabilities to take on development and permitting and secure financing for the system through thirdparty financing partners. Bosch Solar Energy has also recently opened a second office in Mooresville, NC, in addition to its existing sales office in San Mateo, Calif. to expand its presence in North America. Bosch Solar Energy will be exhibiting its products at Solar Power International, Booth 5115, Hall D. For more information, please visit www.bosch-solarenergy.com or call 650-356-3100.
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY FOR A SECURE UTILITY SCALE PV SYSTEM
Solar Power Daily News
By Bret Dianich, Technologies, Inc.
FreeWave
The Photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to expand as a result of growing public support, advances in technology and efficiency, declining equipment costs, investment tax credits and other incentives. As this utility-scale market grows, there is new focus on reducing solar plant capital expenditure (capex) infrastructure costs and keeping overall operational expenses (opex) to a minimum. Implementing a secure wireless network within the PV plant can help to increase operational efficiency while lowering opex expenses. Secure wireless technology that has been proven in the military and high noise/interference environments is now being used for utility-scale solar plants. This wireless technology uses Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS), which is a method of transmitting and receiving radio signals by rapidly switching among many frequency channels. It uses a pseudorandom sequence known only to both transmitter and receiver. Using FHSS, filtering and encryption, radio manufacturers can give plant operators maximum uptime of the wireless network, also while providing a high degree of security and resiliency. Because the radios transmit by rapidly
changing channels, it is virtually impossible to jam or intercept radio transmissions. All systems have to be acceptably secure and reliable. Every wireless protocol is, by its very nature, open to noise, interference and security challenges. A properly architected and deployed wireless system will mitigate these issues very successfully. Wireless systems, such as those with FreeWave Technologies radios, have been the only link to many remote sites for many years. PV system operators also can use wireless systems for security. Specific alarms can be triggered if a PV panel output power is measured at zero (PV panel is disconnected by vandal or thieves). Perimeter intrusion detection systems can be installed using motion-detection and video cameras. Bandwidth requirements can vary depending on the resolution, color level and frame rate of the video. Some low bandwidth systems use infrared sensors to detect movement, and upon movement will take a black and white image of the area under surveillance. This image is then wirelessly sent to the operations office for further analysis or action. These types of wireless systems offer a high degree of flexibility and avoid the costs of new trenching, new conduit and wiring. Wireless security systems have been used for many years Continued on Page 100
INOVATEUS SOLAR IS INTEGRATOR OF CHOICE FOR STERMAN MASSER POTATO FARMS Solar Power Daily News
Inovateus Solar is the integrator of choice for a 3.5 acre ground-mounted solar array for Sterman Masser Potato Farms located in Sacramento, Penn. For more than 250 years, the sun has helped eight generations of the Masser family grow potatoes on their family-owned farm. Now the sun, with a new one-megawatt groundmount solar project, will help pay the energy bill to operate one of the nation’s largest potato processing facilities The decision to go solar was a natural evolution for Keith Masser, Chairman and CEO of Sterman Masser Inc. REC Solar (Con’t. from p. 1)
agriculture and cold storage operations, and others benefit from going solar. We have over 7,000 installations nationwide including agencies and businesses such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, COSTCO, Nestle, DuPont, Longs Drugs, IKEA, and Safeway. PV solar is all we do, and we know how to make going solar easy for our clients. We have been in business since 1997. SPDN: What would you say makes your company unique?
DM: Our history of solar expertise and relentless focus on value for our customers makes us the trusted solar partner of choice. REC Solar’s unmatched industry experience allows us to deliver energy savings that clients can trust will make a difference to their organization with clean, renewable solar power. Our team of design professionals, engineers, and financial and energy specialists works to first understand our client’s operation energy consumption and corresponding utility rate tariffs, and then collaborates to apply best practices in designing the optimal system for their site. In addition, REC Solar selects the best technologies Gehrlicher Solar (Con’t. from p. 1)
more than 430 + employees worldwide and our global revenue is approximately $500 Million USD. We currently have field offices in the U.K, Italy, Spain, Africa, South America, India and the United States. Gehrlicher covers the complete downstream value chain of PV – from project development to design, procure, install, O&M and finance. We also recently opened a distribution center in New Jersey, to serve installers and smaller EPC’s through a Value Added Reselling (VAR) business model.
SPDN: What would you say makes your company unique?
SP: I would say there are two distinguishing characteristics: First, bringing down installation costs has been one of our core goals. The experience of our world-class engineering groups in Germany has enabled us to develop many innovative solutions for mounting and cabling. Second, we can combine a
Sterman Masser Inc. employs 200. The company is “green-minded, earning an EPA award in 1998 for implementing Integrated Pest Management practices on the 4,600 acres of farmland. Chemical use is limited and the company employs erosion control and crop rotation. Masser also compacts and recycles discarded packaging material. Workers store, wash, size and package 300 million pounds of potatoes each year at the Sacramento plant and at a sister facility in White Pigeon, Mich. “In 2009, Pennsylvania Power & to be incorporated into the system to deliver consistent performance for decades.
SPDN: What was the most significant event or series of events affecting your company in the past year?
DM: We’ve had a tremendous year across all our commercial, government, and utility segments. For commercial projects we continue to build out installations nationwide for COSTCO, IKEA, Fresh and Easy, and others. For government, we continue to see growth serving the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) among other agencies. For example, the VA has awarded us with new two contracts to design and install turnkey rooftop, ground mount and carport solar arrays for VA hospitals in California and Texas. The contracts total 6.6 MW (megawatts) and include a 4 MW addition at the West Los Angeles Medical Center, bringing that total system size to 9 megawatts—making it the largest installed solar energy system nationwide for the VA. In the utility segment, we completed a 1.21 MW solar installation, the largest single system of its kind in the state of Hawaii and the first strong European legacy of almost 20 years and many hundred megawatts of installed base with an equally strong and experienced U.S. team. Although we are fairly new here, our combined team experience here in the US is almost 50 MW.
SPDN: What was the most significant event or series of events affecting your company in the past year?
SP: Obviously the oversupply of crystalline panels, which came not as a surprise, and the subsequent price drop has had a big impact. As a system integrator in principle we are happy about everything that drives the cost of a PV system down. But they way it occurred showed that the PV industry, although it is a multi-billion industry on a global basis, is not yet really a mature industry. It is a challenge to drive business in such a volatile environment.
SPDN: Describe your current marketing strategy.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 Light was deregulated, and we knew we were looking at paying more for electricity,” Masser says. “Solar could hedge against the expected higher rates. We decided the solar project was feasible when economic development funding became available last year.” Masser hopes to sell back energy credits in Pennsylvania and possibly in Ohio. He expects his first solar project, which was completed in late May, to pay for itself within five to 10 years. Inovateus Solar supplied the engineering, procurement and construction for the project on land marginally suitable for farming. A key partner was Secco, Inc., a local general contractor, chosen for its expertise and knowledge of permitting and local resources. “We’ve worked with Secco before,” says Nathan Vogel, project manager for Inovateus utility-sponsored large scale solar farm for Kaua’i. What really makes this project unique is the fact that this solar farm has at times supplied 100 percent of the entire circuit’s 1MW load during peak solar hours of the day.
SPDN: What do you anticipate to be your greatest challenge in the year ahead?
DM: As the industry continues moving down the price-demand curve with lower installed dollar prices per watt at larger quantities sold, leading installers like REC Solar need to continue to adapt to change. Solar companies have to continually increase operational efficiencies to accommodate the lower prices required to compensate for declining incentives and rebates. We must adapt to lower margins at higher volumes throughout the value chain in order to continue to bring the cost of going solar down—quite simply, we must continue to show how solar makes sense on an economic level in order for us to continue our growth. REC Solar is well positioned to handle the transition due to our many years of experience delivering value to thousands of clients nationwide. In fact, because we have been so skilled at continuing to SP: As Gehrlicher Worldwide, our focus in the last 12 months has been clearly to expand into markets outside Europe. Although Europe is still by far the biggest market, markets like Germany are not growing any more and are extremely price-competitive. However, in India, Latin America and the U.S. there is a large untapped potential for PV. Here in the U.S., we are currently mainly active on East Coast distributed generation projects in the 400 kW to four MW range, but are also looking into larger projects and expanding into the Southwest. SPDN: What do you anticipate to be your greatest challenge in the year ahead?
SP: We still do see a lot of inefficiencies in the U.S. market, related to financing and permitting. Due to the uncertainties in the revenue streams (mainly SRECs), many projects do not get built, even though they are viable. The expected termination of the 1603 Cash Grant program will also impact the market. But as
39
Solar, “and knew of their abilities.” Inovateus chose Schletter racking, two Xantrex GT500 inverters, and Schott Solar 230 watt polycrystalline modules for the solar panels. Shoals Technology also supplied some of the electrical components. Xantrex encased the inverters, including all electrical components, in concrete. “This ‘megawatt in a box’ was a first-time use of concrete,” Vogel says. “Xantrex has always used metal in the past.” “Inovateus Solar was the contractor of choice,” says Keith Masser. “We selected them because they were cooperative, and we were able to negotiate a mutual contract with ease. We liked their connections with Schneider Electric and Secco. Little did Keith’s great, great, great, Continued on Page 101
move down the cost curve, many project developers are now approaching us to serve as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for their projects – something we are very willing to do to fulfill our vision of bring solar to the mainstream. SPDN: To what do you attribute your company’s success?
DM: Our experience installing thousands of large plant and distributed PV systems throughout the U.S provides an assurance to customers that projects are completed on time and perform over their expected life. We are trusted by large commercial brands, federal government agencies, utilities, and thousands of homeowners throughout the U.S. The company has a strong balance sheet and relationships with more suppliers than any other company in the industry. Our association with our parent company, Mainstream Energy, makes us one of the largest buyers of solar components in the U.S. We have the experience and that matters most to those interested in going solar. For additional information on REC Solar visit www.recsolar.com or call 888.OK.SOLAR (888.657.6527).
a large player, we can overcome some of these challenges with innovative financing solutions, so we are optimistic
SPDN: How do you see the next year in terms of economy, sales, technology, and product evolution?
SP: There are many exciting developments on the technology side, but we do not expect them to have a big impact on the market already in 2012. Conventional technology will dominate in the short term and prices may fall further. Regarding the overall U.S. PV market, we expect significant growth, but the many variables regarding the financing and changes in federal and state incentive schemes certainly will bring us a few surprises.
In a nutshell: it still will be a challenging and partially unpredictable market, but full of opportunities. Like the past 20 years. For more information, call Gehrlicher Solar America Corp. at 908-219-4379.
THE PHOTOVOLTAIC SECTOR: GEFRAN ARRIVES ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET 66
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Gefran’s RADIUS family of inverters are specifically designed for the photovoltaic sector. The series delivers technological know-how, and meets future challenges, by applying over 45 years of experience in the electrical drive and energy management segments. The RADIUS Series inverters offer a range of 10kW to 330kW for industrial applications and 1.5kW to 5kW for residential use. Gefran’s made in Italy technology includes a voltage range that extends up to 1000 VDC, providing maximum efficiency, up to 98.5 percent and full power up to room temperature of 50°C. The “RADIUS System” container line offers standard turnkey system soluBaja Construction (Con’t. from p. 1)
solar support structures as part of a solar ground-mount, carport and RV/Boat Storage solution; and continue to build carports, RV/Boat and Self-Storage facilities. SPDN: Why is Baja winning most of the solar structure business?
BH: We are a nationwide company, operating under 43 years of experience building light gauge, high-tensile steel structures. In 1981, we were building carports and then expanded our business to include the RV and Boat Storage, and Self-Storage markets. As the solar business grew, we also emerged as the leader in solar support systems up to 17’ clear height.
SPDN: What are most significant wins for your company in the last year?
BH: Well, I would have to say that every JETION SOLAR USA (Con’t. from p. 1)
reliable solar modules which convert sunlight directly into electrical energy. We supply products worldwide from our production facilities in China as well as in Charlotte, NC. SPDN: What would you say makes JETION SOLAR USA unique?
JF: Jetion Solar owns and controls the manufacturing of all our products from beginning to finish so that we can guarantee the extremely high standards we have set out for our modules. We also maintain our own R&D department which develops the latest in PV technology and we have incorporated a number of our own patents into our products. We maintain a sales and service facility at our plant in Charlotte, NC in order to provide better customer service for our US customers.
SPDN: What has JETION SOLAR USA done to penetrate the US market?
JF: Jetion Solar’s decision to make a major investment in a manufacturing,
tions for photovoltaic arrays from 500kW to 1.3MW. Its main advantages include an AC circuit breaker, an integrated DC fuse input and low-cost operation since there is no need for air conditioning up to 50°C. The standard settings for the Radius include network connection, accessibility of system components and a guarantee of plug-and-play start-up. The RADIUS offer is completed by a series of equally innovative services, such as design consulting for systems, and constant customer service guaranteed throughout the world. GEFRAN is committed to respond to the growing demands from the internaContinued on Page 101
job we do is significant and we treat all jobs with the same intensity. That being said, Baja was awarded the solar structure business for LIPA’s 19MW solar carport project; and the solar structure business for General Motor’s electric vehicle solar carport/EV charging solution. SPDN: Any new and improved products?
BH: Not only are we improving our original designs to incorporate grounding, wire management, direct attachment (racking elimination) and accessory options (e.g. security cameras, facia, etc.); we also focusing on DSA structures. We have completed several solar carport school installations in California, Nevada and New Jersey. We also have DSA-approved three Baja designs and six options. SPDN: What distinguishes Baja from its competition?
warehousing and sales facility in Charlotte, NC points to the commitment of Jetion Solar’s interest in servicing the US market. SPDN: What is JETION SOLAR USA’S goal in the USA?
JF: Jetion Solar is striving to become the leading supplier of PV modules in the USA. We are confident our quality products and fair pricing will establish our reputation among the renewable energy industry as a reliable supplier source for PV products as reflected in JETION SOLAR’s receiving the award for being the “FASTEST GROWING COMPANY” from Deloitte Technology FAST 50 CHINA 2008. SPDN: What is JETION SOLAR USA’S corporate philosophy?
JF: To become a good corporate citizen and a leader in our community in terms of educating the community at large about the importance of adopting a plan for renewable energy and conserving our environment. We hope to accomplish this through a high level of involvement with-
ALUMINUM PROFILE SOLUTIONS FROM SAPA RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar Power Daily News
Sapa, the world’s largest aluminum extrusion company, operates 15 manufacturing facilities in North America (U.S. and Canada), with additional support from 40 facilities in Asia and Europe. As a single source for PV, CSP and CPV components, with one call, Sapa can provide what you need when you need it, no matter where you need it. That includes PV module frames, racking and mounting system components, solar thermal equipment, concentrated solar power collectors, inverter housings and components, and thermal management solutions. Sapa emphasizes its role as a development partner. Providing customer solutions is one of the company’s core values, earning it a strong position among the renewable energy industry. With hun-
dreds of thousands of solutions and nearly 50 years of business in Europe, North America, and Asia, Sapa shares its expertise with customers to develop complete and cost-effective answers, from simple solutions to the most challenging and unique applications. An example is the Sapa Solar Frame which offers a cost advantage in reducing frame weight and fabrication costs with quicker assembly time. Extrusion experts from Sapa, people who understand the applications and advantages of aluminum profiles, are connected to Sapa customers. They develop a deep understanding of the customer’s business and their product requirements. Focusing on “Speed-to-
BH: Our in-house engineering department is able to customize a site-specific structure; our material is light gauge, high-tensile steel—half the weight of structural steel with same amount of strength; and our experience both technically and geographically. There is no other company out there with the depth of experience in terms of labor and geography—most of our employees have been in the business of steel design, engineering and installation for a minimum of 15 years in more than 23 states. Another important fact, we are contracted in the three western states with International Ironworker’s Union.
ondary benefit of shaded parking in conjunction with the generation of solar power is a winning combination. Shaded parking is not just a convenience for car owners; we are continuing to building PV shaded solutions for the essential operations of cattle and dairy farms, RV and boat storage, transportation centers and water districts.
BH: We see a great demand for solar carports, as there is not much difference in price between a solar roof-mounted solution and a solar carport solution. The sec-
For more information, call Bob at 925766-2612, bob@bajacarports.com, visit www.bajacarports.com or stop by booth 143.
in our community with our higher learning education systems such as universities and community colleges. We also plan to contribute to our local community by creating well-paying manufacturing jobs at our manufacturing facility in Charlotte, NC.
JF: Our PV modules are designed for a variety of applications both for commercial projects as well as residential projects. These highly efficient modules can be used for any application from large scale PV projects such as solar farms to residential rooftop applications. The benefits are equally cost effective from a renewable energy generation standpoint as well as provide an excellent return on investment.
SPDN: What is your outlook for your solar support structures?
SPDN: How is JETION SOLAR USA helping the local community?
JF: Jetion Solar is constantly seeking new ways to contribute to the preservation of our environment and one of the things we are doing is through innovation such as our “FULL CYCLE PV” project which is made up of six steps that uses automation to prevent resource wastage, state-of-the-art quality control to insure maximum power generation from our modules, turnkey consultation to our customers to insure proper use of our modules, optimum utilization through our ability to remotely monitor the performance of PV systems and the ability to provide maintenance to our customers for their solar projects. SPDN: Who are the potential users for JETION SOLAR USA’s products?
Continued on Page 100
SPDN: To what do you attribute your company’s success?
BH: I am amazed to find that the solar industry is filled with “construction-lite” companies trying to execute on a construction site. Baja brings more than 40 years of construction experience and reliability to each job.
SPDN: To what do you attribute your company’s success?
JF: JETION SOLAR USA prides itself on our ability to innovate and surround ourselves with reliable partners. We are constantly inventing ways to improve on our products and help make our products relevant to the environment we live in. With the help of our partners in the industry, we know we have helped to increase the level of awareness for renewable energy and contribute to the stabilization of climate change. For more information, visit www.jetionsolarus.com or visit booth 6255.
SONNEN_SYSTEMS MULTI_USE: THE NEXT SOLAR FRONTIER
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Solar Power Daily News
sonnen_systems, Inc. is excited about the expansion of its operations in North America in order to satisfy the growing demand for dual-axis tracking. Space for production facilities and warehousing capabilities are being added with the new buildings located in Richmond, California. In both the US and Canada, sonnen_systems is expanding into new markets with its multi_useTM approach: the combination of a variety of ventures
such as agriculture and parking structures with power generation is made possible by the sonnen_system’s single-pole design and resistance to strong winds and cold temperatures. sonnen_system’s parent company, Germany-based Kirchner Solar Group (KSG), operates a number of its own solar parks. In more than seven years of experience with dual-axis tracking the reliability of the systems has been estab-
DIMERCO EXPRESS: MANAGING YOUR SOLAR POWER INDUSTRY SUPPLY CHAIN
In 2011, Dimerco Express marked its 40th year in the global logistics marketplace. Your global supply chain should include an organization with deep roots and history to closely coordinate Littlefuse (Con’t. from p. 1)
working with some of the leading inverter and combiner box manufacturers to provide solutions for their circuit protection applications that others could not offer. Since then, we have invested in both a dedicated team of experts in R&D, Sales and Marketing, and the testing and manufacturing infrastructure that supports this market.
SPDN: That’s impressive. How different or unique is the circuit protection of solar PV systems?
GH: Solar PV equipment is exposed to extreme environmental conditions and requires the protection of very sensitive devices. Selecting and utilizing products with performance characteristics specifically designed for PV applications is critical, because without proper protection, equipment could be damaged, fires might occur or technicians could be injured. Mersen (Con’t. from p. 1)
vision, product solutions and markets. Over time, we found that our various subsidiaries were catering to the same markets with complementary products solutions. In a global marketplace, it just makes sense to operate under one name. It focuses us all on a common goal. Electricity runs the world; at Mersen our goal is to keep it safe and reliable.
SPDN: How does Mersen serve the renewable energy market?
SC: Mersen is a leader in carbon, graphite and circuit protection solutions for the solar power industry. Mersen’s ultra-pure graphite equipment enables manufacturers of polysilicon, the principal component in photovoltaic panels, to increase their efficiency while cutting their costs. We also offer a dedicated range of protection components specially designed for solar power generation and
the growing demands under today’s economic conditions. Expertise within the changing global balance within the solar power industry is a must. Dimerco has been dedicated to the
Littelfuse has made significant investments in production capabilities, international approvals and engineering, including a 1500Vdc high-current test lab for product development, to support the growing global needs of the solar PV market. SPDN: Why was the new test lab capability necessary?
GH: Customers are demanding higher efficiencies from their systems. Increasing voltage to reduce transmission losses is one strategy to help achieve this. However, it is quite difficult for a circuit protection device to interrupt high DC voltage during a short-circuit condition. We believe having our own in-house design and test facilities is the most effective way to quickly develop these 1500Vdc products that will provide solutions for these PV market challenges. SPDN: Are you developing unique prod-
distribution including, fuses, fuse holders, wire management solutions, disconnect switches, cooling and surge protective devices.
SPDN: How exactly is Mersen the benchmark in solar power circuit protection?
SC: One example of our leadership in the industry is that, early on, Mersen invested countless resources and expertise toward helping to develop the proper codes, standards and products needed by this emerging industry. Research prepared by Mersen delivers a higher level of understanding for solar photovoltaic system behavior, potential fault conditions and how to prevent these same fault conditions from damaging installations. SPDN: Which new Underwriters Laboratories product standard defines the performance characteristics for fuses to be installed in photovoltaic systems?
lished as the main focus of its operation. The tracker design is based on four central features: a sturdy construction, a highly accurate control mechanism, the safety feature safeguard and real-time communication. Reliable operation results in financial feasibility of the investment, while innovation such as the track_appTM enables the system operator to have full control over every aspect of the tracker. The ability to withstand temperatures as low as -40º has been proven by last year’s frigid Canadian winter, where the sonnen_system is the tracker of choice among farmers and ranchers. The track_app, our newest develop-
development of the greater China logistics market since 1991. As “Your China Logistics Specialist,” Dimerco is constantly growing with its customers and partners by providing time-defined international freight forwarding services as well as designing and implementing cusucts for unique geographic markets?
GH: Current PV circuit protection standards are nearly identical globally. We believe it is important to develop products that can be used and accepted throughout the world. New products like our SPF and SPFJ meet both the IEC60269-6 and UL 2579 PV fuse standards. This saves our customers both time and money by eliminating the need to create different string and array combiner options for different geographic markets.
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ment for iPad and iPhone, offers a previously unheard of ease-of-use for solar power generation: since maintenance costs figure strongly into any system calculation, sonnen_systems has devised an app that gives the system operator total control and a complete overview of all relevant information at any time, any place. sonnen_systems provides reliable, cost-effective and effortless dual-axis tracking to North America. If you’re ready for solar, you’re ready for sonnen_systems multi_use. For more information, visit www.sonnensystems.com or stop by booth 5150. tomized logistics management solutions.Today, Dimerco operates 79 offices in greater China providing air, ocean, warehousing, trucking, domestic air/road transportation, cargo insurance brokerage, customs brokerage and AQSIQ inspection services. The objective of Dimerco Express Corporation is to be the most competitive global transportation and logistics Continued on Page 101
at this year’s Solar Power International show?
GH: We are showing the new SPFJ, a class J style fuse for 1000VDC applications from 125A to450A. The global approvals, compact size and flexible mounting options were specifically designed for protection of inverters and array combiner circuits.
SPDN: So your new products are certified to both UL2579 and IEC60269-6?
We are also showing the SPF Series 10 x 38 mm fuses for string protection. In addition to their UL Listing, these fuses are the first string fuses to obtain thirdparty certification through VDE to the IECg PV standard.
SPDN: What products are you showing
Visit Littelfuse at Solar Power International booth 225 or online at www.littelfuse.com.
GH: Yes, our solar related products are third-party certified. We submit our product to UL for listing to the UL standards and to VDE for certification to the IEC Standards. SC: UL 2579, officially titled “Fuses for Photovoltaic Systems,” was first released as an outline of investigation in December 2007. Historically, specifying engineers, integrators and installers have been using circuit protection components and solutions that were originally designed for AC power and control applications. Although these products performed as needed, they were not necessarily the optimal solution for photovoltaic applications. UL 2579 is a product standard written specifically for fuses intended to be used for photovoltaic circuit protection. This standard makes it easier for users to select the proper products quickly and confidently. Most importantly, fuses listed to UL 2579 will deliver improved product performance and system longevity, adding to the overall value of your solar power installation. SPDN: How is this standard different from that of general purpose fuses?
A new UL Listed 1000 VDC touch-safe fuse holder with 90oC rated lugs is also on display.
SC: Unlike general purpose fuses, fuses listed to UL 2579 are subject to additional testing simulating the service environment conditions of photovoltaic installations. There are three new tests that fuses are required to pass within UL 2579.
These tests include: • Verification of freedom from unacceptable levels of thermally induced drift which tests the fuse interrupting capabilities after exposure to numerous night-today climate transitions; • Verification of Functionality at Temperature Extremes, which tests the fuse interrupting capabilities at ambient temperatures higher than 25°C; and, • Current Cycling, which tests the fuse reliability and longevity when subject to constant change in temperature and various current loads. For more information on Mersen’s Solar Power Solutions visit http://us-ferrazshawmut.mersen.com/solarpower.
SOLARBUZZ: U.S. MARKET TO DOUBLE IN SIZE (AGAIN) — REGIONAL AND SEGMENT DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY IS WORKING 82
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
By Junko Movellan, Analyst, Solarbuzz
The US will experience another 100 perUL (Con’t. from p. 1)
and certification organization, UL facilitates global adoption by helping manufacturers obtain the necessary safety certifications to get products to market quickly. Through its safety, environmental and performance testing, UL verifies that PV equipment and systems comply with the industry standards, further enabling the solar industry to fulfill its role as one of the primary energy sources of the future. UL also works with stakeholders to help develop safe and efficient PV infrastructure.
SPDN: How and why has UL expanded its global presence?
JS: According to Renewable Energy World magazine, from 2002 to 2007 annual demand for PV products increased by 44 percent, compounded AEG Power Solutions (Con’t. from p. 1)
efficiency and reliability. It should also support higher (1000V) DC input voltages and have smart grid functionality. Finally, the financial strength of the supplier should be assessed, keeping in mind the needs of the project.
SPDN: How high should the efficiency be?
ED: Recent advances have allowed inverters to reach the 97-to-98-percent range for CEC efficiency. For example, the efficiency on our AEG Protect PV.500 inverter is greater than 98 percent. Inverter efficiency is a fundamental indicator of the performance ratio of a solar system. The performance ratio is the output power that is injected into the grid, divided by the installed PV peak power. Solartron (Con’t. from p. 8)
The collector is made of a special “glass-infused” anodized aluminum specifically engineered for maximum solar reflectance and superior corrosion Dynalene (Con’t. from p. 18)
meaning that it is not going to be pumped through a system. Dynalene MS-2 has a melting point of 127 degrees C, which is much lower than Dynalene MS-1, further preventing freeze-up in high-temperature applications where it is being used as a heat transfer fluid. The upper temperature limits of molten salts are around 565 degrees C for Dynalene MS-1 and 485 degrees C for Dynalene MS-
cent+ growth year in 2011, reaching around 2 GW of new PV installations. Solarbuzz forecasts that the US market
annually, and it’s expected to continue to grow as market adoption becomes more mainstream. The demand for solar technology continues to drive manufacturers to expand capacity and develop products to meet the needs of the marketplace. To accommodate this increase, UL has expanded its presence both domestically and internationally, and will open testing laboratories in San Jose, Calif.; Suzhou, China; Frankfurt, Germany; and, a facility opening later this year in India. UL also recently opened a PV testing and certification facility in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. These new facilities will save customers time to market and money, and allow UL to build long-term business relationships through more effective local service in the same time zone, language and business culture. SPDN: UL recently launched a UL-EU SPDN: How do you ensure reliability?
ED: Reliability starts at the foundation of a product’s design and advances to the component selection. AEG PS designs and manufactures products to meet stringent international standards such as UL, CE, ETSI, IEC, etc. The Protect PV.500 inverter includes features such as lowloss chokes, high-quality components and double-coating of all PCBs. Additionally, quality commissioning and preventative maintenance will maximize energy output. With more than 20 service centers worldwide supported by more than 150 field engineers, the AEG Global Service Team is renowned for its fast response time and troubleshooting efficiency.
Solar Power Daily News could triple in size within the next five years, with California leading. As it grows, the US market has become increasingly geographically diversified, with no single end-market segment dominating. There are also more financing options available. While growth has been impressive given economic conditions, it is not necessarily so when benchmarked against other regions. The “tortoise and hare” fable is a good analogy to contrast the
pace of U.S. PV market growth relative to the demand spurts over the past decade from Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, and Italy. The often-criticized multiple and complex incentive programs have been a driver of steady—rather than explosive—US market growth. However, the sheer number of programs has also helped by spreading market risk. A diverse range of state incentive
Mark as a unified mark for U.S. and European standards. Why did UL launch this mark, and how can manufacturers have products certified?
as a stand-alone Mark.
JS: The UL-EU Mark was launched as part of UL’s global strategy to support manufacturers with the accelerated global market access to bring safe, quality products to market. The Mark allows PV manufacturers to demonstrate modules comply with the European requirements. The Mark gives UL customers selling their products in Europe, Canada and the United States a unique opportunity to earn a combined mark with one product submittal. The new Mark also allows for more testing efficiencies, cost savings and global market access to and within Europe. Manufacturers can obtain the UL-EU Mark either in combination with the UL Listing Marks for Canada and/or the United States, the IEC certification or ideal solar inverters should have DC voltage capability up to 1,000 VDC, along with a compact design that enables optimal power efficiency. For example, the higher the DC input voltages, the lower the associated strings, connections and terminations. The DC wires are reduced in size (and cost). Utility-scale developers in the U.S. are increasingly deploying 1,000-volt systems.
SPDN: What smart grid functionality must be included?
Continued on Page 101
SPDN: Beyond testing and certifying products, how is UL helping to develop safe and effective solar systems? JS: UL recently announced a program designed to train and certify installers of PV modules and systems to help improve the safety and performance of PV systems through a more qualified workforce. The program, led by UL University, will streamline and standardize the PV module installations. The training of the installers provides the human capital needed to continue building upon the rapid and upward progress being made in the field. For more information about Underwriters Laboratories and/or the Global Market Access Program, visit www.ul.com or stop by booth 5535.
SPDN: Tell us more about AEG PS?
ED: AEG Power Solutions is a worldwide provider of innovative premium power solutions. Backed by more than a century of innovation and customer service, AEG Power Solutions offers a fullrange of highly reliable, cost effective solutions, from power conversion modules, solar inverters and solutions to high reliability UPS systems, industrial chargers and DC systems. System solutions from AEG PS are designed to interface with the electrical power grid and to offer power solutions for mission-critical applications in harsh environments, such as utility-scale renewable energy plants, polysilicon manufacturing process, power plants, offshore oil rigs or chemical refineries.
ED: For utility-scale installations, the
ED: Although grid requirements vary from project to project, utilities will begin to request support for real and reactive power control, low-voltage fault ride-through, start and stop ramps and remote power control. The AEG Protect PV.500 is designed so that these features can be easily modified to meet project requirements.
Find AEG Power Solutions in booth 254 at Solar Power International.
resistance. The material is extremely durable and unlike glass, it will not break. The reflective efficiency of the petal is 86 percent - harnessing every ray of the sun’s solar radiation. The SolarBeam has been tested in
the harsh, cold Canadian winters to ensure high performance and durability. The SolarBeam was engineered to handle any weather condition including high and low ambient temperature, snow load and easy snow removal. The system is
designed for 20 + years of low maintenance operation. The SolarBeam is manufactured in Michigan, USA. To learn more, visit www.solartronenergy.com or stop by booth 7129.
SPDN: What are the advantages of higher DC input voltages?
2. This resistance to high temperatures makes molten salt an ideal choice for the capture of the sun’s energy. The higher the temperature, the more energy can be created, thus making the system more efficient. Dynalene molten salts have shown good compatibility with most alloy steel materials up to the maximum recommended operation temperatures of the fluids. They have also shown good compatibility with stainless steels, Inconel, iron aluminides and nickel aluminides.
Carbon steel can be used as long as temperatures do not exceed 350 degrees C; however, it is strongly recommended to use higher-alloy steels.Commercially available aluminized products showed little to no corrosion protection due to surface cracking of the aluminum layers, and porous ceramics are not advised due to salt uptake and crumbling, which can enhance the corrosion rate. Dynalene molten salts are a stable, safe, and efficient alternative to tradition-
al high temperature heat transfer fluids. They are compatible with most materials that have the higher temperature ratings and can be used in tanks for heat storage or as the working heat transfer fluid in the collectors. With a high temperature rating and no vapor pressure, Dynalene Molten salts can help to make the most out of any CSP system. For more information, visit Dynalene at www.dynalene.com or at booth 155 at Solar Power International.
GENTRAN SILENT GENERATOR PROVIDES GREEN, CLEAN BACKUP POWER Solar Power Daily News
When consumers and business owners experience an extended power outage like the one from Hurricane Irene that left millions of people without power for up to two weeks, they often consider investing in a generator to maintain power to critical circuits.
For a quick fix, some choose a portable generator to keep the lights on and the food cold, to keep the pipes from freezing and the basement from flooding. Portable generators can be an affordable lifesaver in a pinch, but they require an attendant for starting, monitoring and
refueling. For a more permanent solution, many homeowners and small businesses invest in a stationary generator and an automatic transfer switch for greater convenience and peace of mind, but at a higher price. Despite their many benefits, generators are also noisy, require a fuel source and a maintenance contract, and release hazardous fumes.
innovative products which strictly comply to UL 1703, IEC 61215, ISO 901, TUV and CE, among other renowned international standards. SOPRAY’s annual combined production of MONOCrystalline and POLY-crystalline solar
cells and modules is 600MW from two factories in Taizhou and Shanghai, CHINA. SOPRAY is expanding its R & D center with the most advanced instruments/equipment from Germany and Italy. The company’s quality and safety record is stellar: • 25 years power output warranty with China Pacific Property Insurance Co Ltd. • Power output tolerance guaranteed + 3 percent with 3 basbar
SOPRAY SOLAR OFFERS SOLAR ENERGY SOLUTIONS THROUGH GLOBAL APPLICATIONS SOPRAY SOLAR manufacturer is dedicated to providing its customers with the highest quality solar energy solutions through global applications of SOLAR modules. As a solar module manufacture, SOPRAY SOLAR leads the industry with Alcoa Fastening Systems (Con’t. from p. 1)
installation tooling. I say “engineered” because the Huck line is very different from conventional nuts and bolts. Our fasteners are designed for very specific applications, delivering high performance, and long life. SPDN: How has Huck been involved in the solar industry?
TP: Our success stories start at the ground floor – in other words, we find we’re best able to provide the most effective fastening solutions for companies in solar panel and parabolic trough manufacturing if we can start working with them from the beginning.
One example is our association with SkyFuel; we’ve been working with them for the past three years, providing fastening solutions for parabolic troughs in high megawatt fields.
SPDN: Why do you think they came to Huck for fasteners? GE (Con’t. from p. 1)
GE’s EV Solar Carport―the first-ever project of its kind for the South Bend, Ind., company―providing industry-leading solar power distribution and integration solutions. “The GE EV Solar Carport Project is an opportunity to deliver a truly sustainable electric vehicle charging solution,” says Paul Singer, general manager industrial technology, GE Energy Industrial Solutions. “Joining forces with Inovateus Solar on the EV Solar Carport helped us deliver one of the largest carports in North America, and we were glad to have both their insight and their dedicated staff on hand throughout the construction process.” “We’re always looking for opportunities like this,” says Peter Rienks, project manager for Inovateus. “To be able to
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
TP: I think they wanted to work with us because of our stellar reputation for engineering. Huck has been proven and is known world-wide for unmatched clamp and tensile strength and vibration-resistant properties. And because parabolic troughs must be extremely precise and efficient, Huck fasteners were a natural fit.
SPDN:Are there specific products Huck designs just for the solar application?
TP: Our blind rivets are the fasteners of choice for both the CSP and PV markets. Specifically, our Magna-Lok, BOM, C6L, and next generation BobTail fasteners are ideal for CSP applications, and Magna-Lok and AutoBulb are used in PV applications. SPDN: What is the end benefit for SkyFuel after using this custom fastener? TP: There are several benefits, actually. SkyFuel’s troughs must withstand at least an 84 mile-an-hour three-second wind gust, and that means there’s no room at
work with GE on this project is really exciting. In addition to charging batteries for vehicles like the Chevy Volt, we connected to the power company’s grid. Now the solar photovoltaic (PV) system can store energy for later use.” Rienks says the solar panels on the 216-foot by 40-foot, 40-stall carport will power all the lighting in the parking lot, offsetting about $10,000 in energy costs each year. Like many other Fortune 100 companies, GE is embracing green-energy technology. Solar carport structures make sense for companies large and small because they are a wise use of existing property and help protect the environment. Adding solar panels to existing roofs costs only $4 to $5 per watt for small commercial installations, which shortens the return on investment. Inovateus hopes to duplicate the solar
all for fastener slippage. The Huck CHFR, called the Huck SolarRivetTM, provides the no-movement fastening solution. Ultimate vibration resistance is another; because of the way the SolarRivet is engineered, we know that the fastener pin isn’t going to come loose.
Another advantage SkyFuel has realized is reduction in labor costs. Huck fastening systems don’t require highly skilled workers for installation. They can be installed quickly, without the “fumble factor” you find with two-piece nut and bolt systems, and they can be installed right in the field. SPDN: Is there a particular benefit to being able to install them in the field?
TP: Absolutely. The customer saves transportation costs, because they don’t have to move the assembled solar frames from one site to another. And because Huck fasteners are so easy and quick to install, you save significant installation time. In fact, SkyFuel estimates that the
carport system at other GE sites. As the general contractor, Inovateus hired Solaire Generation of New York City to install a custom version of its Premium Solar Parking Power Plant. The cantilevered roof design captures and redirects rainwater and snowmelt with its unique decking, gutter and drainage systems. Solaire Generation recently installed the nation’s largest solar parking structure, a 3.6-megawatt project in cen-
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And for people in high-rise or midrise buildings, condos, apartments, multitenant office suites and small medical facilities, there hasn’t been an easy answer to the question of backup power. Until now. GenTran Corporation, the leading maker of generator transfer switches for backup power applications, recently introduced its Silent Generator[TM] Power System as a green alternative to traditional generators. The Silent Continued on Page 101
• 10 years factory products limited warranty
SOPRAY provides many options of longterm financing and a leasing program (of up to $ 25 Million) for its EPC, integrators and installers. For information, contact the U.S. branch of SOPRAY SOLAR USA CORP., 2215 Lee Ave. S. El Monte, CA 91733, phone: 626-279-2229, visit www.sopraysolar.com or email sales.usa@sopraysolar.com. use of Huck fasteners will reduce the total construction budget portion of the total installed cost of the solar field. SPDN: Why Huck? Can’t other companies do this, too?
TP: You won’t find any other fastening company developing such a unique working relationship with its solar customers. Huck is actually partnering with them to provide solutions to problems that don’t even exist yet. That’s pretty powerful.
SkyFuel is asking for solutions, and we’re working hard to provide them. They’re working on the next generation of frames that are much larger than the current frames, so we’re going to have to work just as hard to make sure our fastening systems are up to the task. Truthfully, we make fasteners, but solving problems is what we do best at Huck. Learn more about Huck fasteners at the Alcoa Fastening Systems booth 6513 at Solar Power International.
tral New Jersey that covers more than 1,300 parking spaces. Key Inovateus suppliers included Schott Solar for the PV panels and Satcon for the two 100-kilowatt inverters. Inovateus subcontracted the electrical work to Power Systems Electrical Contractors of Farmington, Conn. “Inovateus was a great company to work for,” says Kevin Drost, a Power Systems partner. “They had the knowledge and resources to give us the support we needed to get the job done. We look forward to working with them again in the future.” See the Inovateus Solar/GE Carport in Booth 831. Contact Inovateus Solar toll-free at 877-876-Solar (76527) or 574-485-1400; fax 574-485-1419; email Photo courtesy of GE Installation at GE Energy HQ in Plainville, Conn.
SOLARCITY IS HIRING ACROSS THE COUNTRY Solar Power Daily News
Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity, discusses the astonishing success of his fullservice solar company. SPDN: What’s new at SolarCity?
LR: A lot is happening. We’re installing a new solar project every 15 minutes of the workweek. We’ve hired 500 people in the last 12 months and we need to hire more. We have 150 open positions to fill right now.
SPDN: But I thought green jobs were a myth! How are you able to hire so many people?
LR: While most solar companies focus on one thing (financing, installation or support services) SolarCity is a full-service solar provider. We provide a custom design for each project and local installation from one of our 24 operations centers. We also provide financing, monitoring and repair services. On top of our solar service offerings, we also provide energy efficiency evaluations and upgrades, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Our customers appreciate a single source for their clean energy needs, and that requires a lot of people, and a lot of hiring. SPDN: Where are you hiring? What kind of jobs are they? LR: Our locations are spread across Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington D.C. We’re hiring salespeople, installers, site auditors, and commercial and residential project and construction managers in most of our regions. We’re hiring in engineering, finance and accounting, sales and marketing, customer care and HR for our headquarters in Northern California. SPDN: What kind of backgrounds do you look for? LR: That varies quite a bit by position. I
would encourage anyone interested in a job to check out www.solarcity.com/jobs, or visit us in booth 715. You can sort by location and position. We also have opportunities for military veterans, and would encourage interested veterans to contact us.
SPDN: What are some of the projects you’re working on right now?
LR: We’re building more than 800 residential solar projects a month. We’re installing a project at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii that will provide energy to 2,000 military homes from several hundred rooftop installations. On the commercial side, we just expanded our relationship with Walmart with a plan to build projects at 60 more stores. We recently broke ground on projects for the City of Sacramento, including City Hall, and were selected to put solar on 28 sites for the City of San Jose. We’re installing on multiple schools on both the East and West Coasts as well. SPDN: What is your financing model?
LR: We provide PPA, lease and purchase options. The customers choose their option. We’ve raised more than $1.4 billion in project financing to back our financing options, including more than $700 million so far in 2011 alone. SPDN: Isn’t Google one of your partners? Can you tell me how that works?
LR: Yes, Google made its largest investment to date in the clean energy sector to create a $280 million fund with us to finance residential solar projects. The key to our financing is that we can enable many customers to pay less for solar than they currently pay for electricity. SPDN: Thanks, Lyndon!
For more information about SolarCity, call 888-765-2489, visit them online at www.solarcity.com or stop by booth 715.
HENKEL CORPORATION: ADHESIVES, SEALANTS AND CLEANERS HELP HARNESS THE POWER OF THE SUN Comprehensive line of Henkel products support solar cell and module assembly and installation.
To reduce costs and improve the reliability of sensitive photovoltaic devices, Henkel Corporation offers a comprehensive line of adhesives, sealants and cleaners for photovoltaic manufacturing and installation. These high-tech products comply with relevant standards of the photovoltaic industry and are widely used in a range of applications from silicon wafer production to installation of huge solar arrays. Henkel products include structural adhesives, elastomers, thermally and/or electrically conductive
materials, die attach adhesives, encapsulants, sealants, molding compounds and cleaners. Henkel products for solar production are offered under the Loctite®, P3®, Teroson®, Multicore®, Hysol®, Macromelt®, Purmelt® and Liofol® brands. For more information on Henkel products for solar cell production, call 800-562-8483 or visit www.henkelna .com/solar. A copy of the company’s brochure on solar products, Solutions for the Photovoltaic Industry, is available online at www.henkelna.com/solar or by calling 888-427-3676 or emailing literature.marcom@us.henkel.com and requesting LT-6101.
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Solar Power Daily News
MEYER BURGER PEAK PERFORMANCE IN SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES True system integrator in PV manufacturing
Meyer Burger stands for leading-edge photovoltaic technologies. The Swiss company is the only equipment manufacturer in the world who owns all key technologies in the photovoltaic value
Wafer process • Highest yield in the industry • Process and technology leader • Setting quality standards in photovoltaics
Cell process • Leading cell coating and technologies • Highest through put and excellen layer quality • Outstanding hetero-junction technology
chain - wafer, cell, module, systems. The core competencies and process know-how of all members in the group help contribute to a sustainable reduction in manufacturing costs for solar systems, which promotes the application of clean technology worldwide.
Module process • Leading lamination technology • Soft touch soldering technology • High-end module and cel testing equipment
Improving efficiency—reducing costs The Meyer Burger Group has set itself the goal of lowering manufacturing costs throughout the entire photovoltaic value chain while improving the efficiency level of solar systems. Based on its broad process expertise, Meyer Burger is developing integrated system solutions which incorporate several processes. The group's intensive research and development activities are setting new standards in production methods and are driving the industrialisation of solar technology forward. The resulting reduction in manufacturing costs increases the possibility of actively utilising the process of converting sunlight into electricity worldwide as an important element of energy production.
Integrated systems • PV tracking systems (WTS) • Process and production quality management systems (PQMS) • Buildingintegrated photovoltaics
Wafer Tracking System WIS
Process Quality Management System PQMS
LOCHINVAR/TiSUN SOLAR THERMAL PRODUCTS
Bill Vallett, Jr., President of Lochinvar Corporation, sat down with Solar Power Daily News to tell us more about how his company became involved in the solar market.
SPDN: Since Lochinvar is relatively new to the solar market, can you share some background on the company? BV: Lochinvar Corporation is a leading tenKsolar (Con’t. from p. 1)
improvements in system output have reached a level of diminishing returns. In contrast, tenKsolar started with a clean sheet to focus on delivering a quantum leap in solar reliability and efficiency in order to lower the overall cost of energy. We achieved a proprietary breakthrough in the industry by creating a solar PV module with a cell-independent design that is cost-competitive with serial solar modules. SPDN: Aren’t higher voltages necessary? Hasn’t that been a path for the industry to find greater efficiency?
JC: At first, you might think so, but high DC voltages – today 400 to 600 VDC are common in the US and up to 1000 VDC in Europe – are lethal and are prone to
manufacturer of high-efficiency water heaters, boilers and pool heaters. In 2010, we partnered with Austria-based TiSUN to bring new solar thermal systems to the North American commercial market.
Our headquarters in Lebanon, Tenn., which is just outside of Nashville, occupies more than 385,000 square feet, including a world-class manufacturing arcing. A conventional solar array is the only electrical system you can install that cannot be turned off, and we think it’s a risk a building owner should avoid on their roof. In contrast, a tenKsolar system always operates at a safe low voltage of under 60VDC, and when you pull the meter, the system turns off.
SPDN: What markets and applications are you addressing?
JC: We’ve been primarily focused on distributed generation for commercial rooftops, but also see our system extending easily to ground mount and carport solutions. Not only do we have an unmatched value proposition on the rooftop: industry leading energy density, low weight, no-roof penetrations and ease of install, but our system is also 100percent safe.
operation, commercial storage tank production plant, engineering development lab, stateof-the-art training center, distribution center and administrative offices. Our team is comprised of approximately 400 people, the great majority of whom work at corporate headquarters.
SPDN: In addition to corporate headquarters in Lebanon, Tenn., where else does Lochinvar have facilities?
SPDN: Why don’t other solar companies do the same as tenKsolar?
JC: What we do looks simple but it’s actually an extremely sophisticated and proprietary system. It all starts within our module’s patent pending technology in the way the cells are connected and the way we optimize cell level output by embedding redundant microelectronics into the panel. Also, our technology is not tied to any one particular solar material. We use conventional poly and mono silicon because those happen to be the cheapest solar materials available today. SPDN: You mentioned better reliability – why is that?
JC: Put simply, most of the things that cause failure and degradation in conventional solar panels simply do not exist in
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Closing the gap—expertise in solar cell technologies from Roth & Rau The friendly take over of Roth & Rau will be a further important step for Meyer Burger. With Roth & Rau the company will expand its know-how and its existing services in the solar business. Due to the increase in size and expertise in solar cell coating, the Meyer Burger Group will be able to ensure the further reduction of costs per kilowatt hour of electricity. The German company, Roth & Rau, has outstanding technological know-how as well as the suitable production procedures for the processing and coating of solar cells. This includes: • Comprehensive know-how in the development and application of plasma processing systems for surface treatment in various industrial sectors • More than 10 years of experience in plasma technology for solar cell manufacturing • Supply of processing systems based on plasma and ion beam technology for other sectors such as the semiconductor and optical industries.
Within the enhanced Meyer Burger Technology Group, all essential technologies will be combined along the photovoltaic value chain, creating a service offering of completely integrated production solutions from a single source for the solar industry. The unification of the two companies gives rise to a technology group with about 2500 employees. For more information, please contact: Meyer Burger Technology Ltd., +41 (0)33 439 05 05, mbtinfo@meyer burger.ch or visit www.meyerburger.com. Please visit us at booth 5156. BV: We also have distribution centers in Detroit, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Pompano Beach and Dallas. SPDN: Tell us about your partnership with TiSUN.
BV: The partnership between Lochinvar and TiSUN is a natural fit and has been highly successful. By harnessing Continued on Page 100
tenKsolar modules. Each cell is independent; there are no bypass diodes to fail; there are no serial connections to fail; and instead of plastics-based materials, we use solid aluminum as a backsheet. The entire array has redundancy, so any individual failure or damage or soiling is limited to the area it affects and does not impact the rest of the module or array. SPDN: What’s the practical benefit for installers in selling tenKsolar?
JC: By selling a tenKsolar RAIS Wave an installer can sell a system that is better for the end customer, giving them a differentiated solution that produces lower cost of energy, and thus a better opportunity for more profits and more business. Visit www.tenksolar.com or booth 1307 for more information.
AETI LAUNCHES 1 MW 1000 VOLT INVERTER WITNESS TESTED TO UL 1741 100
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
For several years, North American utilities and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) firms have resisted the newer 1000 volt over legacy 600 volt solar farm designs due to the lack of 1000 volt utility grade UL 1741 tested solar inverters on the market. Most firms are reluctant to use solar inverters above 600 volts that are not witness tested to this UL standard by a national laboratory. With AETI’s 1 MW solar inversion station becoming the first system witness-tested to UL 1741 at 1000 volts, financiers, developers, utilities and EPCs are able to build utility-grade solar farms with higher ROI when designing with higher voltage 1000 volt UL tested photovoltaic panels. Yet, they are able to retain all of the electrical safety and lifetime reliability benefits of legacy 600 volt UL tested systems.
Copper State Bolt & Nut (Con’t. from p. 4)
The people who work at CSBN are what make their company unique. Most of CSBN’s sales representatives have more than 15 years experience and are typically considered experts in their fields. This gives CSBN an advantage over their competition when customers are looking for advice and expertise on products. Diversity allows the company to provide both products and services that most of competition cannot provide. CSBN focuses on quality throughout the organization, including the products the company offers, the services provided, and the professional relationships that CSBN establishes with customers, vendors, and employees. CSBN’s current marketing strategy for the solar industry is to team with other companies with a strong focus on quality. CSBN believes that if quality is not one of a company’s primary focuses, that company will not last long in the solar business. As a distributor it is often hard to “pick your customer,” but CSBN intentionally solicits those companies known to be focused on delivering a quality product to their customers. Aside from being a fastener distributor, CSBN is also a fastener manufacturer. With full A2LA- accredited laboratory Sapa (Con’t. from p. 66)
Market” allows Sapa to go from print to production, quickly and economically, because Sapa already understands the product solutions that they can provide. Over the past three years, significant investments have been made in people through establishment of Sapa’s dedicated Renewable Energy Team. A focus on the RE industry allows the company to facilitate the sales and supply process by communicating with customers in their own nomenclature. Another resource is the Sapa North American Technical Center that works to establish finished designs for innovative custom features and improved end-use applications which help customers to optimize the value of their products. In North America alone, Sapa’s capital expenditure for 2011will be $50 mil-
AETI has shipped more than one GW of power distribution and conversion systems into the world’s harshest environments during its 65 years in the energy industry. Its power conversion expertise in multi-megawatt power conversion systems is key to the design of the industry’s first 1 MW Integrated Solar Inversion Station (ISIS) tested to the UL1741 year 2010 standard at 1000 volts. Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) developed UL 1741 Standards 2000, 2005 and 2010 as an independent witness testing organization, which has been writing and testing products to their electrical compliance and safety standards for more than a century. The United States Occupational Safety & Health Continued on Page 101
facilities, CSBN can also test products that have been imported or obtained through another domestic source to ensure that each product meets its specification. CSBN is certified ISO 17025, and currently seeking ISO 9000:2008 accreditation. The company is also NQA1compliant as an ML1-4 nuclear facility supplier. The warehouse and distribution operation is really what separates CSBN from the current market. Since CSBN is a manufacturer of fasteners, CSBN takes great pride in packaging and assembly. Whether CSBN acquires the product domestically or imports from overseas sources, the products and packaging must meet a very high standard. Customers appreciate that their pallets of material are organized and labeled, making them easy to read and interface with most radio frequency scanners. CSBN understands that no one needs to waste time handling penny parts and strives to make handling more efficient for customers. CSBN is here to serve you. Competing on cost and quality customer service, CSBN can meet all of your fastener needs. For more information, visit Copper State Bolt & Nut Company in booth 3912 at Solar Power International or online at www.copperstate.com. lion, providing increased capacity and further expanding the company’s offerings to the RE industry. To be a turnkey supplier, investment in high speed production equipment is being completed in several locations: two TekFab machines, a Joseph Machining Center, high speed PV frame cell, long bed machining centers and a Joseph double cut miter saw. Additionally, Sapa continuously utilizes the Genesis Production System (Lean Manufacturing) to optimize production methods that increase throughput and product quality. Using its global footprint, Sapa is expanding the value chain for supply to customers and working as “One Company” to deliver its combined experience and increase the speed to market. For more information, visit Booth 5436 or go to www.sapagroup.com/solar.
TIGO ENERGY ANNOUNCES TWO NEW PRODUCTS
Solar Power Daily News
Tigo Energy, the market leader in module-level DC power electronics, has announced the introduction of two higher-powered products in their Maximizer line. The 350-watt Maximizer (MM-ES) can be used with modules up to 350 watts, while the 600-watt Maximizer (MM2-ES) can provide Maximium Power Point Control for two modules at once. Both products are compatible with Tigo Energy’s industry-leading Maximizer System, which offers unmatched efficiency, cost and reliability. As module power continues to grow, power electronics must support correspondingly higher power levels. If not, the electronics will clip power when the modules are producing at their peak—which not only sacrifices Spire (Con’t. from p. 16)
install location. Importantly, the transportation constraint does not apply to the key materials that go into a solar module, i.e., the solar cells, which are small, light and can be tightly packed. Capital expenditures for a module factory are modest in comparison to the overall expenses associated with a solar farm installation. The building expenses are quickly offset by savings realized from the larger module design. Furthermore, at the completion of the project, the factory can be FreeWave (Con’t. from p. 34)
by airports, utility substations, power generation plants, public works facilities and warehouses. As there is more push to reduce operational expenses and increase the efficiency of utility-scale solar plants, operators are looking to wireless technology to provide real-time metrics, operational data and plant security. This data Lochnivar (Con’t. from p. 97)
TiSUN’s two decades of experience in the solar market and combining that expertise with Lochinvar’s support to design engineers, distributors, contractors and end users; this advanced line is offered by two manufacturers known throughout the world for superior quality, energy-efficient products. SPDN: Why did Lochinvar decide to enter the solar thermal market?
BV: We recognize the need to develop a renewable energy strategy for our company. Commercial solar thermal represents the greatest opportunity to capitalize on this sector by offering our highefficiency water-heating and hydronicheating systems integrated with supplemental solar energy. We feel supplemental solar is the way to go because pure solar has too long of a payback. Our partnership with TiSUN allows us to use our expertise in solar applications to assist engineers with the design of their
power, but also generates additional heat behind the module. Modules often produce higher power than their nameplate capacity (particularly with cloud edge effects, when light intensity can be 1,200 w/m2), so it is best to leave a buffer between the power rating of the module and the power rating of the electronics. Tigo Energy’s ability to offer higherpower products is due to its patented Impedance Matching technology, which achieves an industry-best 99.5-percent efficiency, and can easily scale to any power level necessary. In contrast, microinverters have much lower power limits, typically around 215 watts. For more information, visit Tigo Energy at www.tigoenergy.com or email sales@tigoenergy.com. decommissioned and the equipment relocated to another solar farm site to continue production. Module manufacturing equipment required to produce super-sized modules is similar in design and cost to that used for conventional modules. The overall cost savings provided and modest investment required makes a solar breeder factory with capability of producing super-sized modules a compelling alternative for construction of utility-scale solar farms. For more information, visit Spire at booth 4935 at Solar Power International.
can help identify issues before they become problematic, assist with diagnostics and even recommend preventive maintenance. Keeping the plant uptime to a maximum, while making sure power production is maximized, is a great way to increase the ROI. For more information contact Bret Dianich at bret@freewave.combret @freewave.com, visit www.freewave.com or stop by booth 426. efficient space-heating and water-heating systems. Our focus is on commercial applications because there’s so much attention now on residential.
SPDN: What do you see as Lochinvar’s greatest accomplishment or most distinguishing feature?
BV: Lochinvar’s greatest accomplishment is the fact that we’re a sales-andmarketing-based company that is committed to innovation and new product development. Our most distinguishing feature is our people. We have a great team of people who buy into the company’s success. We continue to train and educate them to ensure that all employees can be effective in their responsibilities. For more information about Lochinvar, contact: Lochinvar Corp., 300 Maddox Simpson Parkway, Lebanon, TN 37090; Phone: (615) 889-8900; Fax: (615) 5471000; www.Lochinvar.com. You can also stop and meet them at booth 3833 at the 2011 Solar Power International Show
NTS POWER & ENERGY: THE ENERGY PRODUCTS OF THE FUTURE Solar Power Daily News
What happens when a 50 year old engineering services and testing company focuses its expertise and resources on exciting opportunities in the field of power and energy? New solutions emerge. New solutions that enable companies designing the energy products of the future to move from the design stage to market dominance without skipping a beat. NTS provides complete product life-cycle solutions for the power and energy industry, starting with design phase consulting services, followed by product testing and certifications and rounded out with a wide range of supply chain management services. Together, this comprehensive array of service offerings enables NTS customers to rapidly execute new concepts, validate them through testing and bring them to market quickly and efficiently. NTS knows that good ideas don’t have time to wait around so the company’s purpose is to help you increase the velocity between concept and execution, Inovateus Solar (Con’t. from p. 39)
great grandfather Mathias Masser know that more than 250 years after he brought his special knowledge of potato farming to America, German ingenuity from companies like Schott Solar and Schletter would help his descendants carry on that farming tradition. Gefran (Con’t. from p. 66)
tional solar energy market for long-term solutions, greater efficiency, and lower plant installation costs, by offering a truly innovative package of specific soluSolarbuzz (Con’t. from p. 82)
policies are now being driven by Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), requiring electricity providers to use or obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources by a certain date. Having already been enacted by 29 states and Washington DC, state RPS policies were the reason behind completion of the 45 MW Avenal Solar Generating Facility in California, the 20 MW Roadrunner Solar Generating Facility in New Mexico, and the 20 MW Copper Crossing Solar Ranch in Arizona. They also drove numerous residential and commercial systems in many states to meet RPS distributed generation requirements. Just two years ago, the U.S. on-grid market was fueled almost solely by statelevel policies. However, more recently, the U.S. federal government has played a critical role in the U.S. solar marketplace, providing investment tax credits (ITC), cash grants, depreciation bonuses, and loan guarantees as vehicles to make PV more financeable. While the elimination of federal cash grants by the end of this
because helping you achieve your goals is how NTS achieves its own goals. Operating the largest network of commercial test laboratories in North America, NTS has the technical infrastructure in place to address a broad array of different engineering challenges. The company has expertise with largescale solar energy capture, storage and transmission systems, covering everything from product design consultation to performance and compliance testing services. As an A2LA-accredited test laboratory NTS is also authorized to issue a broad array of product certifications to help its customers meet the regulatory requirements in virtually any market where they intend to sell their products. As the field of solar energy continues to evolve, so too do the services and solutions that NTS offers its various customers in the power and energy markets. For more information please contact sales@nts.com or visit NTS online at: www.nts.com/energy. For more information Contact Inovateus Solar toll-free at 877-876Solar (76527) or 574-485-1400, fax 574485-1419, email info@inovateus solar.com, or visit them online at www.inovateussolar.com. Stop by booth 831 and visit Inovateus Solar at Solar Power International. tions and products, giving installers maximum operating flexibility and the guarantee of technological competitiveness For more information, visit www.radius-gefran.com or stop by booth 7055.
year is not good news, there are enough companies with strong balance sheets that can ride this wave, just by utilizing the 30 percent in investment tax credits. Large-scale PV projects will be financed and installed in phases, taking advantage of the scalability of PV. Declining state or utility-based incentives will not curtail growth in residential and commercial segments, as declining module costs, rising electricity rates, and availability of third-party financing provide growth. With prices now on a rapid downward path, state regulations need to be streamlined and standardized, specifically, permitting and interconnection agreements. In addition, stakeholders in the U.S. PV industry need to invest in improving the grid infrastructure. The U.S. PV industry still looks like that tortoise, but its current path indicates that it will win the race. This article is based on the Solarbuzz United States PV Market report. For more information, visit www.solarbuzz.com or on Twitter, @Solarbuzz. Global solar energy market research and analysis since 2001.
TÜV RHEINLAND PTL: A SOLAR LEADER
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Based in Tempe, Arizona, TÜV Rheinland PTL® is a partnership between Arizona State University, with its more than 30 years of solar energy research and testing, and TÜV Rheinland, the $1.5 billion global provider of independent testing, assessment and certification services. Founded in 1992 and operated by its College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, ASU’s Photovoltaic Testing Lab (PTL) was the only major North American test facility and was instrumental in the development of many of the major standards in the marketplace today. In 2008, ASU and TÜV Rheinland entered into a joint venture to create TÜV Rheinland PTL, adding the world’s most comprehensive, sophisticated, state-ofthe-art facility to the largest network of solar energy laboratories worldwide. Approximately 80 percent of all solar module manufacturers have their products tested at TÜV Rheinland to obtain national and international market licenses. TÜV Rheinland operates test laboratories for solar modules and systems in Tempe and five other locations Dimerco (Con’t. from p. 71)
provider throughout the Asia-Pacific Region and North America, with particular focus on the greater China market. Dimerco has continually met and exceeds its customers’ expectations by staying true to its core competences: (1) flexibility, (2) teamwork, and (3) professionalism. This approach is supported by the beliefs and adherence to the Dimerco Corporate Culture: (1) the spirit of service and concept of cost, (2) internal and customer communication, (3) market-orientated marketing strategy and operation, (4) responsible instantaneous actions, and (5) modest self-expression. By adhering to the Dimerco Express Core Competence and Corporate Culture, Dimerco has maintained a proactive role in the ever-evolvGenTran (Con’t. from p. 87)
Generator is a battery-powered backup system for use when backup power is required and a regular combustionengine generator is not practical or allowed. GenTran’s Silent Generator Power System provides 4.000 watts of instantaneous power ideal for office computers and servers, refrigeration, medical equipment, aquariums and other applications where reliable power is critical. When connected to AC power, the Silent Generator is constantly recharging so it’s AETI (Con’t. from p. 100)
Administration (OSHA) and California Energy Commission (CEC) today approve of few Nationally Recognized Test Laboratories (NRTLs) to perform UL 1741 testing for solar inverters. As a glob-
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worldwide, including Cologne, Germany; Shanghai, China; Taichung, Taiwan; Yokohama, Japan; and Bangalore, India. TÜV Rheinland PTL provides its clients with state-of-the-art technology, global expertise and the advanced testing solutions required to ensure safety, reliability and performance of solar power technologies. TÜV Rheinland PTL is an ISO 17025 accredited facility by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA,) and performs tests of many critical standards required to bring products to international markets, including IEC 61215, IEC 61646, IEC 61730, IEC 62108, ANSI/UL 1703, EN 12975., EN 12976, ENV 12977, ISO 9806, ISO 9459, SRCC Standard 100-08, SABS 1210, PowerMark, California Energy commission and others. TÜV Rheinland PTL employs more than 40 experts working in a modern 40,000 square foot facility—the largest of its type in the world. The laboratory also performs many tests outdoors in a multi-acre secured location, taking advantage of Arizona’s average of 325 days of sunshine per year. ing solar energy transportation and logistics market. With this in mind, the company is committed to the continuous search for excellence that offers efficient and effective total solutions. Dimerco dedicates itself and its resources to meet the diverse needs of its customers with flexibility in a costconscious and professional manner. A forerunner in energy conservation, with a corporate green policy that guides how it performs business, Dimerco Express understands your need to source globally and deliver on time. >From PV materials to solar thermal collection, Dimerco Express customizes logistic solutions to handle your solar energy supply chain efficiently and effectively. To learn more about Dimerco Express, please stop by booth 4932 and visit its website: www.dimerco.com. ready for the next power disruption. It works indoors, releases no harmful emissions, and is portable so you can take it with you when you move. Additionally, the Silent Generator can be recharged with most any renewable power source such as solar, wind or hydro and qualifies for up to a 30 percent federal tax credit or a Section 1603 grant in lieu of Renewable Energy Tax Credits, significantly reducing the initial investment. Visit GenTran in booth 539 at Solar Power International or online at www.gen-tran.com, or call toll-free at 1888-GEN-TRAN. ally recognized NRTL, TUV Rheinland is able to provide a test report that validates AETI’s 1 MW ISIS meets all UL 1741 year 2010 standard criteria, which are far more rigorous than the earlier year 2000 and 2005 UL 1741 standard test criteria that legacy solar inverters currently meet.