January 2024
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
Technology • Development • Installation
2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR H E AV I E R G L A S S - G L A S S PA N E L S L A N D O N M O R E RO O F S
I N D U S T RY R E P S C O M E TO H AWA I I ' S A I D AF T E R W I L D F I R E A LO O K AT C O M M E RC I A L S TO RAG E ' S S LO W R I S E
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#05-323 - 2023 NEC 110.22(A)
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#05-213 - 2023 NEC 705.82
#02-316 - 2023 NEC 690.12(D)(2)
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#03-308 - 2023 NEC 690.7(D) & 690.8(A)(1) THE DISCONNECTION OF THE GROUNDED CONDUCTOR(S) MAY RESULT IN OVERVOLTAGE ON THE EQUIPMENT pvlabels.com
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#05-803 - 2023 NEC 690.31(B)(2)
NOMINAL OPERATING AC VOLTAGE
A
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DC JUNCTION BOX
MAXIMUM VOLTAGE MAX CIRCUIT CURRENT pvlabels.com
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD DO NOT DISCONNECT UNDER LOAD
05-234
#05-322 - 2023 NEC 690.4(B)
05-806 05-806 05-806 05-806 05-806 05-805 05-805 05-805 05-805
MAXIMUM DC VOLTAGE
#05-406 - 2023 NEC 690.15(B)
05-232 05-406
Includes 2023 Placement Guide
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#03-305 - 2023 NEC 706.15(C) ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM DISCONNECT #03-303 - 2023 NEC 690.7(D)
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD DO NOT DISCONNECT UNDER LOAD pvlabels.com
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NOT FOR CURRENT INTERRUPTING
#03-326 - 2023 NEC 690.15(B) DO NOT DISCONNECT UNDER LOAD
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#03-327 - 2023 NEC 690.13(B) PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM DISCONNECT
VDC AMPS
DC JUNCTION BOX
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE
#03-396 - 2023 NEC 225.41(C) EMERGENCY DISCONNECT
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MAXIMUM DC VOLTAGE OF VOLTS PV SYSTEM:
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PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE
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MAXIMUM OVERCURRENT DEVICE RATING FOR AC MODULE PROTECTION PER CIRCUIT
#05-208 - 2023 NEC 690.7(D)
#05-326 - 2023 NEC 690.15(B)
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MAXIMUM AC POWER MAXIMUM AC CURRENT
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DO NOT TOUCH TERMINALS TERMINALS ON BOTH THE LINE AND LOAD SIDES MAY BE ENERGIZED pvlabels.com IN THE OPEN POSITION 05-219
#05-234 - 2023 NEC 690.7(D) DC DISCONNECT
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NOMINAL OPERATING AC FREQUENCY
CAUTION SOLAR CIRCUIT
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AC JUNCTION BOX
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RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEM
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WARNING
SINGLE 120-VOLT SUPPLY DO NOT CONNECT MULTIWIRE BRANCH CIRCUITS
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MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD
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#05-219 - 2023 NEC 690.13(B)
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SOURCES: UTILITY GRID AND PV SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM
#05-355 - 2023 NEC 690.4(B)
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MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER
#05-216 - 2023 NEC 705.12(B)(2) 05-346
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#05-307 - 2023 NEC 705.10(3)
#05-346 - 2023 NEC POPULAR ITEM
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#05-809 2023 NEC 690.13(B)
SOLAR PV DC CIRCUIT pvlabels.com
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NEGATIVE
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MAXIMUM DC VOLTAGE OF VOLTS PV SYSTEM: pvlabels.com
NEGATIVE
SOLAR PV DC CIRCUIT
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#05-235 - 2023 NEC 690.7(D) SOLAR INVERTER
NEGATIVE
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POSITIVE NEGATIVE
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OF PV SYSTEM
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MAXIMUM DC VOLTAGE
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THIS EQUIPMENT FED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES. TOTAL RATING OF ALL OVERCURRENT DEVICES, EXCLUDING MAIN SUPPLY OVERCURRENT DEVICE, SHALL NOT EXCEED AMPACITY OF BUSBAR.
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POSITIVE NEGATIVE
SOLAR PV DC CIRCUIT
#05-324 - 2023 NEC 110.22(A)
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#05-108 - 2023 NEC 705.12(B)(3)
05-330
02-316
MAXIMUM DC VOLTAGE OF VOLTS PV SYSTEM:
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POWER SOURCE OUTPUT CONNECTION DO NOT RELOCATE THIS OVERCURRENT DEVICE
#03-313 - 2023 NEC 690.31(D)(2)
POSITIVE
05-347
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#05-233 - 2023 NEC 690.7(D) DC COMBINER BOX
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03-315
POSITIVE
05-805
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INVERTER OUTPUT CIRCUIT
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PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE
VOLTS
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ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD TERMINALS ON THE LINE AND LOAD SIDES MAY BE ENERGIZED IN THE OPEN POSITION
03-315
AMPS
#05-330 - 2023 NEC POPULAR ITEM
05-215
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PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE pvlabels.com
POSITIVE
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RATED AC OUTPUT CURRENT NOMINAL OPERATING AC VOLTAGE
03-315
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#05-383 - 2023 NEC 690.31(B)(1)
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD TERMINALS ON THE LINE AND LOAD SIDES MAY BE ENERGIZED IN THE OPEN POSITION
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PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM POWER SOURCE
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03-315
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE
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#05-215 - 2023 NEC 690.13(B)
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THIS IS BUILDING IS SUPPLIED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER WITH DISCONNECTS LOCATED AS SHOWN:
#05-379 - 2023 NEC 690.31(B)(1)
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05-341
#03-306 - 2023 NEC 690.31(D)(2)(c) AC DISCONNECT
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CAUTION
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MADE IN USA
05-109
TURN RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH TO THE “OFF” POSITION TO SHUT DOWN PV SYSTEM AND REDUCE SHOCK HAZARD IN THE ARRAY
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Reflective
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD TERMINALS ON THE LINE AND LOAD SIDES MAY BE ENERGIZED IN THE OPEN POSITION pvlabels.com
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE
PV SYSTEM kWh METER
PV SYSTEM DISCONNECT
#05-805 & 05-806 2023 NEC 690.31(B)(2)
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Largest Selection
#05-341 - 2023 NEC 690.4(B)
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Metal Signs
#03-315 - 2023 NEC 690.31(D)(2) SOLAR ELECTRIC PV PANELS
05-109
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Code Compliance
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Vinyl Labels
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD TERMINALS ON THE LINE AND LOAD SIDES MAY BE ENERGIZED IN THE OPEN POSITION
Special Price
WARNING
TURN OFF PHOTOVOLTAIC AC DISCONNECT PRIOR TO WORKING INSIDE PANEL
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Same Day Service
SOLAR PV SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN
SALE
$39.00
#05-372 - 2023 NEC 110.27(C)
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Plastic Placards
#05-112 - 2023 NEC 690.12(D)
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UV Film Lamination
#05-109 - 2023 NEC 690.13(B) PV SYSTEM DISCONNECT
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Custom Items
2023 Pack - 88 Pieces
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NEC 2023 PACKS NEC 2020 PACKS NEC 2017 PACKS NEC 2014 PACKS NEC 2011 PACKS IN STOCK - NOW
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OF PV SYSTEM
03-303
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Maximize Solar Yield for C&I Projects
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Hoymiles 01-24_SPW.indd 1
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1/16/24 2:07 PM
6.8 MW Barnstable County, MA | Featuring Quest Renewables Double Cantilevers and Long Span Truss
QUEST RENEWABLES DELIVERS AWARD WINNING SOLUTIONS
@questrenewables
Quest Renewables 01-24_SPW.indd 3
1/14/24 7:46 PM
STAFF PUBLISHER Courtney Nagle cseel@wtwhmedia.com 440.523.1685
EDITORIAL Editor in Chief Kelly Pickerel kpickerel@wtwhmedia.com @SolarKellyP Managing Editor Kelsey Misbrener kmisbrener@wtwhmedia.com @SolarKelseyM Senior Editor Billy Ludt bludt@wtwhmedia.com @SolarBillyL
CREATIVE SERVICES & PRINT PRODUCTION Senior Graphic Designer Mariel Evans mevans@wtwhmedia.com
FINANCE Controller Brian Korsberg bkorsberg@wtwhmedia.com Accounts Receivable Specialist Jamila Milton jmilton@wtwhmedia.com
MARKETING VP of Digital Marketing Virginia Goulding vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com Webinar Manager Matt Boblett mboblett@wtwhmedia.com
ONLINE DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION Web Development Manager B. David Miyares dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com Digital Media Manager Patrick Curran pcurran@wtwhmedia.com
CUSTOMER SERVICE Customer Service Manager Stephanie Hulett shulett@wtwhmedia.com Customer Service Representative JoAnn Martin jmartin@wtwhmedia.com Customer Service Representative Tracy Powers tpowers@wtwhmedia.com
FIRST WORD
Following trends along splitting paths Is it possible for time to feel like it’s simultaneously ceased moving and blasting forward at unsustainable speeds? Three months ago, I completed my fifth year writing for Solar Power World, and part of me feels like I’m still that person in his mid-twenties just being introduced to the word “photovoltaic.” This is the longest I’ve ever worked anywhere, yet another part of me is still stuck in March 2020 and expecting this whole pandemic thing to run its course in a couple of weeks, even though just last week I had my latest COVID-19 vaccination. So, here I sit at my home office, writing an editorial introduction to the 36th SPW magazine in which I’ve contributed work. Over half a decade, I’ve witnessed a series of ebbs and flows of momentum within this industry. The great fear plaguing U.S. solar when I first started at SPW was that the ITC wouldn’t be renewed at full capacity and national installation would suffer from it. Shortly after, steel tariffs were threatening to increase the cost of components like racking, the solar technology I primarily cover here at the magazine. Now, the Inflation Reduction Act has reinstated those project subsidies and tacked on bonus credits for domestic manufacturing and certain tracker components. The point I’m trying to make is that in its decades of existence, the solar industry has lived what feels like many lifetimes. This work and this technology live and die by forces acting outside of their control. While U.S. solar installation capacity broke another annual record, residential contractors in the country’s largest state market are trying to stay in business. Where one segment is thriving another may falter, and momentum or roadblocks can alter this landscape in a matter of months. Every January, we cover a series of trending topics that the industry is experiencing as we enter a new year and hope they are accurate indicators for what is to come. These are trends in the technology, policy and markets that shape this industry. While we aren’t the ones out there “slapping glass,” we do hope this magazine and website offer you some guidance as we Billy Ludt start another year. We’ll be here to Senior Editor keep you up to date on anything bludt@wtwhmedia.com worth knowing in the U.S. solar @SolarBillyL @SolarPowerWorld industry. And as always, thanks for reading. I hope I’m doing this for many, many more years. SPW
Customer Service Representative Renee Massey-Linston renee@wtwhmedia.com Customer Service Representative Trinidy Longgood tlonggood@wtwhmedia.com
4
SOLAR POWER WORLD
First word 01-24_SPW_v5.indd 4
JANUARY 2024
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
1/14/24 7:53 PM
Forever young. 25 Years of peak performance and still going strong It is not every day that something stays as powerful as it was in its prime, but that is precisely what defines Meyer Burger solar modules. Celebrating a quarter-century of excellence, our modules continue to shine just as brightly as they did on day one, delivering over 92% of their original efficiency, all thanks to our unique Heterojunction SmartWire Connection Technology (SWCT®). meyerburger.com
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CONTENTS
13
JANUARY 2024 • VOL 14 NO 1 w w w. s o l a r p o w e r w o r l d o n l i n e . c o m
16
OPERATIONS
ON THE COVER Bifacial solar panels and their glass-glass siblings are becoming commonplace in all markets. Installers can expect more of these niche panels in the coming years. Credit: EightTwenty
48 AD INDEX
Contents 01-24_SPW_v4.indd 6
TECHNOLOGY
09 SAFETY ON C&I ROOFS
19 PANELS
INSTALLATION
22 STORAGE
It may be a flat surface, but there are hazards when working at these heights
13 SUPPORTING HAWAII
How the solar community is aiding Lahaina residents after a wildfire
POLICY
16 GOVERNMENT BACKING
The promise and challenge of solar on government-owned property
More manufacturers are ditching backsheets for glass-glass designs
The commercial storage market may be small, but it is growing
24 MOUNTING
Portrait-oriented modules can perform best on certain roofs if mounted securely
27 INVERTERS
NEC updates to rapid shutdown every solar installer should know
From turbulent forces in the residential market to incredible growth in LMI communities and new opportunities with EV products, here is what’s trending in the U.S. solar, storage and energy industries. | PAGE 31
46 CONTRACTOR’S CORNER
SOLAR POWER WORLD
27
SPECIAL SECTION: 2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
04 FIRST WORD
6
24
JANUARY 2024
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1/14/24 8:27 PM
Cable Management for Solar
LET THE PHYSICS OF SOLAR SNAKE MAX XL™ HELP YOU HARNESS MORE ENERGY AND MONEY FROM THE SUN!
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407 Hand Bendable Solar Snake Tray®
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CALL 800-308-6788 TO DISCUSS YOUR NEXT PROJECT www.snaketray.com | Made in the USA Snake Tray® products are covered by one or more of the following patents:#5839702, #5953870, #6019323, #6347493, #6361000, #6449912, #6460812, #6463704, #6637165, #6637704, #6926236, #7168212, #7959019, #8622679, #8783628, #8985530, #8985530 B2, #9074707, #10225947, #10225947 B2, #10666029, #10666029 B2, #10944355 B2, #11271519 B2, #20180313469 A1, #20180317336 A1, #20190229507, #2020030461, #20200403390, #20210126445 A1, #20210194419 A1, #20210336430 A1, #20220112969, #20220221174. Foreign Patents: Australia #737813, #748160, #749488, #776643, #776644. Canada #2251732, #2319624, #2303081, #2396792. Japan #3723224. Mexico #204995, #229386, #220889. Europe #1012938, #1012937. Other Patents Pending.
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SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY WITH THE STRENGTHS OF OUR PAST
CONTACT SAULSBURY TODAY TJ Stewart, Director Business Development
Engineering | Procurement Construction Services Saulsbury 01-24_SPW.indd 8
(701) 471-6388 tstewart@saulsbury.com
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1/14/24 7:48 PM
OPERATIONS
SUNation Energy
KEEPING SAFE ON COMMERCIAL ROOFS B I L LY L U D T | S E N I O R E D I T O R
Being a solar contractor can mean spending a lot of time on rooftops. With industry tailwinds from federal subsidies, this market is expected to grow, so that means more solar installer boots on commercial roofs. There are safety risks at any worksite, but commercial rooftops have a set of unique hazards and the inherent risk of working at height. Despite being flat in many cases, commercial roofs still pose fall risks, but there are industry guidelines and safety equipment to mitigate the dangers of working on these rooftops. Identifying fall risks The most obvious location for fall risk is the roof’s edge, but there are other common trip hazards found on commercial rooftops around ladders, rooftop hatches, skylights and vents that contractors should be aware of. “Depending on the solar installation, you might have a lot of dunnage and a lot of other steel work on there that someone will have to walk over, which could be a trip hazard,” said Julian Adams, digital marketing specialist with Simplified Safety, a safety equipment distributor. “You want to
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Operations 01-24_SPW_v7.indd 9
make sure you have appropriate ways to get around that.” OSHA notes that installing solar minimizes the amount of walking area on a roof, putting people in more frequent contact with trip hazards. TPO, or thermoplastic polyolefin, is a common roofing membrane used on commercial and industrial buildings. Like other surfaces, it’s prone to becoming slippery when wet or covered in ice. Then there are pitched commercial roofs. Depending on the angle of the roof, contractors will have to secure themselves with lanyards to attachment points. On corrugated metal roofs, the seams between roofing panels are another trip hazard to be mindful of. Industry guidelines and equipment When working on commercial roofs, contractors should consult OSHA, International Building Code and any relevant local building regulations. OSHA’s general rule (1910.28) for working on elevated surfaces like commercial roofs is to have a fall protection system, meaning a guardrail, safety net or personal fall protection system like a harness.
Guardrails must be 42 in. tall, give or take 3 in., when installed on the work surface and must withstand 200 lbs of force. If the roof or opening already has a parapet that is this height, then a guardrail isn’t necessary. Safety nets must extend 8 ft off the side of a building and must use a mesh with gaps no larger than 6 in. Personal fall protection, like body belts or harnesses, are straps a person wears that can attach to tie-off points using lanyards and carabiners to secure them while working at heights. These are common on pitched roofs and in the residential solar installation market. Simplified Safety specializes in connecting contractors with whatever fall safety equipment they need for their worksite and can familiarize workers with the products. Adams said that solar contractors can feasibly install safety equipment themselves after being trained, and that they should consider building permanent fall protection systems on commercial roofs. “One of the things with contractors doing solar installations is once they’re done, maintenance and other things are going to need to happen on that roof anyway,” he said. “Having a permanent
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OPERATIONS
® PROVEN, TESTED, TRUSTED SINCE 1994
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fall protection system installed before they even do their installation often makes sense.” As another layer of safety, SUNation Energy, a commercial solar contractor serving the Long Island region of New York, uses a monitoring system composed of high-visual rope and flags to highlight the space within 6 ft of a roof’s boundary. “Anytime a worker goes outside of that 6-ft boundary on a flat roof, they have to wear full fall protection, be completely roped up and make sure that there’s a spotter,” said Beth Graziani, director of commercial operations at SUNation. OSHA requires a “competent person,” or an expert on rooftop safety, to determine what safety measures must be taken to work at a site. SUNation outsources safety inspections to a service called 2SAFE Consulting. After the contractors have installed safety equipment on the worksite, 2SAFE will inspect it. An inspector will also make routine stops at active construction sites to ensure everything is staying up to code. “As a company, you always want to push and get things done, and it’s a nice way to have somebody just looking to make sure that everything is done correctly and that everybody is safe,” Graziani said. “I always like knowing that somebody else is going there, even though I’m pushing them to make sure that they’re always doing the right thing. But they always know someone could possibly show up, so it’s like having that extra parent.” One fall risk unique to solar installation is related to handling solar modules. PV panels continue to grow in scale and watts, the former making them more prone to wind uplift. A common practice at SUNation is using two tie-off points while handling solar panels, one for the contractor and the other for the panel, so that neither are at risk of falling from a great height. Working on commercial rooftops isn’t a new practice among construction trades and using the many resources available to these industries — be it equipment or workplace safety guidelines — can better protect solar contractors. “The most important thing is that you know what the safety plan is and what tools you have to do your job safely,” Adams said. SPW 10
Operations 01-24_SPW_v7.indd 10
SOLAR POWER WORLD
JANUARY 2024
1/14/24 7:56 PM
END-TO-END OPERATING SOFTWARE for residential and commercial solar Remote Design Produce unlimited preliminary designs, with LiDAR, Nearmap, and construction blueprints.
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Maintenance
John & Sara Smith 6923 Ridge Drive Richmond, VA 23238
Maintenance Technician James Smith
Record and annotate system health, including infrared scans, and share results directly with clients.
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Scanifly 01-24_SPW.indd 11
1/14/24 7:45 PM
Standing up to the elements
EVERY DAY.
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electronic controls, instruments, or components for indoor and outdoor applications
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www.alliedmoulded.com Allied Moulded Products 01-24_SPW.indd 12
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INSTALLATION
Rebuilding with renewables
How solar + storage technologies are aiding Hawaii wildfire relief. B Y B I L LY L U D T | S E N I O R E D I T O R
In the early hours of August 8, a downed powerline ignited a fire along a roadside on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Wind from Hurricane Dora and dry brush grass fueled the flames that spread through 2,170 acres of Maui’s wooded hills and neighborhoods, leveling the historic coastal town of Lahaina. More than 8,000 people were displaced from their homes, and 100 people died from the wildfire. The morning after it was extinguished, the Family Life Center, a nonprofit social service provider, was already devising plans to build temporary housing for the thousands of people displaced by the wildfire. “We know a lot of people from Lahaina that lost their homes, including some of our clients,” said Ashley Kelly, COO of the Family Life Center. “We tried envisioning a community where they would live, and so we thought of certain
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Installation 01-24_SPW_v5.indd 13
clients of ours and reflected on their lifestyles and what they would need.” With the help of Hawaii Off Grid, a carbon-neutral architecture firm based in Maui, the Family Life Center is spearheading a temporary housing community project called Ohana Hope Village. Hawaii Off Grid provides pro bono architecture services for the Family Life Center and designed an 88-unit offgrid housing project powered by solar + storage technologies. The housing units are pop-up containers that erect into 20-ft living spaces and will be outfitted with plumbing, bathrooms and a kitchen; a wooden veranda — or a lanai, as it’s locally called — will be built off the side of the building and solar panels will provide shading and additional living space. The goal is to give people a place to live with all the basic amenities expected from a home while the city rebuilds. Construction
on the off-grid village is happening right now and the Family Life Center hopes be completed in the next few months. “If we were to follow what the utility wants us to do and have a 100- or 200amp service and a meter on every single dwelling unit, or a massive master meter and conductor and transformer and the distribution, we’ll be looking at three- to four-times the cost,” said David Sellers, principal architect for Hawaii Off Grid. “Even though it’s not cheap, obviously, with batteries and PV … but it’s actually cheaper than us installing all of that heavy-duty infrastructure.” A global and local effort As the Ohana Hope Village project started to take shape, Kelly identified viable housing units from emergency shelter manufacturer Continest. The Family Life Center purchased the shelters, but none were available in the
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INSTALLATION
United States at the time. Continest’s other plant in Hungary had stock, so the company contacted the Hungarian minister of defense to coordinate with NATO to have a C-17 military aircraft transport the shelters to Lahaina. “When that NATO C-17 landed and the multinational crew came out, I know we were all just crying,” Kelly said. “It was clearly from the other side of the world — help was coming, and our architects really needed the homes on site to really get our plans going.” The site where the Hope Village is being built is 10 acres of land leased to the Life Center from King’s Cathedral Church for $1 a year. There is no electrical infrastructure on the property, so off-grid solar and energy storage will power the entire community. The project is engaging regional contractors with a focus of including locals displaced by the wildfire in the workforce. “We also felt it was very important that the local community got to be part of the build,” Kelly said. “We weren’t bringing anyone in from the mainland or anything to build this. We really felt that was part of the healing process.” Support has been extended from other laborers and material suppliers including RevoluSun, a solar contractor based in Oahu. Along with the nonprofit Footprint Project, RevoluSun has been sourcing and donating solar technologies and construction time to the Hope Village project. Hans Harder, director of electrical at RevoluSun, is overseeing solar array design and construction, and helped build the system on the first housing unit at the Hope Village. The 7-kW array built on this single-dwelling unit is composed of JinkoSolar 410-W modules, IronRidge racking and Tesla Powerwall 2 battery backup. The remaining houses will have a similar solar wattage. The roof surface of the Continest shelter requires a few different mounting
methods to secure the modules. Since these units are modular and expected, at some point, to fold back into the flat position in which they arrived, the solar installers cannot penetrate the roof. The attachment on the roof surface itself is a stainless-steel welded tab that is adhered to a silicon roof membrane. All four top corners of the shelter have attachment points, like those found on shipping containers, so Harder ran a U-bolt through those gaps and secured them to the array’s mounting rail. Then to prevent wind uplift, steel wire comes down from the corners of the array and mounts to the bottom of the container. These shelters will be outfitted with all electric appliances, so solar + storage will cover those energy needs. Every six housing units will be built around one community center composed of two 20-ft Continest shelters that will act as a gathering space with laundry facilities. Those will have a 17-kW solar array and energy storage for additional backup for the houses. “I can’t wait to see it when it’s done,” Harder said. “Right now, it’s still hard to imagine that it’s going to be somewhere that people would want to live. But every time I go there, it does look a little bit closer to what the fancy architectural drawings look like.” Making it work with what they have There’s still plenty of work ahead for everyone involved in the Ohana Hope Village project. Sellers said Lahaina was already experiencing a housing crisis prior to the wildfire, and at last count, there are still more than 4,000 displaced Lahaina residents living in hotels. Ohana will house, at most, 88 families and has already received 500 applications for residence. But it is poised to provide viable relief for Lahaina before the city can repair some of its destroyed infrastructure. “We want to think about how we’re
Solar was installed on the prototype unit at Ohana Hope Village. RevoluSun
building in the temporary for emergency housing to show people how we should actually rebuild,” Sellers said. That quickened construction timeline is possible partially through using renewable energy sources like solar. RevoluSun’s Harder said he witnessed Lahaina residents gathering at homes spared by the fires that were powered by solar, because nothing else around them had electricity. Solar contractors were among the first people to respond after the wildfire, and they powered portable Starlink internet routers with PV so people could contact their families. The Ohana Hope Village is the next example of solar keeping the power flowing where other infrastructure has failed in Lahaina. “Usually there’s this anxiety about having solar being completely off-grid, but that was one of the first decisions that was made,” Kelly said. “We had a lot of roundabouts with water and sewer, and the solar was solutioned pretty quickly. Once that decision was made, it was set.” The Life Center hopes to have the housing project completed in the next few months. Kelly said monetary donations are the best way to support the Ohana Hope Village to help subsidize the cost of materials and labor. Donations can be made at ohanahopevillage.com. SPW
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THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGE OF SOLAR ON GOVERNMENT-OWNED PROPERTY SARA CARBONE | FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR
POLICY
State and federal agencies have recently embraced the economic and environmental benefits that come with siting solar power on governmentowned property. The Dept. of the Interior (DOI) recently proposed new rules to responsibly boost renewable energy deployment on public lands, showing the federal government can be a leader in combating climate change and contributing to greening and growing the nation’s economy. “Our public lands are playing a critical role in the clean energy transition,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, Bureau of Land Management director, a sentiment increasingly shaping the actions taken by our nation’s policymakers. But just as quickly as government leadership can start a green movement, inconsistent policies can slow progress already in motion. Growth of solar on government land Government support of locally sited solar has been growing quickly. Development on brownfields like landfills is becoming an increasingly common solution for municipalities. In 2021, local governments installed 207 MW of solar power on brownfields, a 10-fold increase on brownfield solar A recent solar installation at a Southern California high school. REP Solar
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installed just one year previously. Local schools are also involved in the trend — about 8,400 American schools, many of them public, had solar in 2022, triple the collective solar capacity they’d had eight years before. Support is also strong at a federal level. The DOI’s new rules promote development on public lands by reducing project leasing fees by about 80%. The Bureau of Land Management has been re-evaluating the amount of public land available for utility-scale solar in the Southwest to accelerate clean energy growth. And the Dept. of Energy recently released clean energy performance standards that encourage federal buildings under construction to incorporate solar. Selah Goodson Bell, energy justice campaigner for the Center for Biological Diversity, said that federal officials seem increasingly receptive to solar on government-owned land and that several agencies have provided direct funding and assistance for a variety of projects on municipal or Tribal-owned land. For example, the Gila River Indian Community is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build community solar systems over the area’s canals. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is supporting a floating solar array on a 10acre reservoir in New York that will power municipal buildings in a town largely populated by low- and moderateincome (LMI) residents. States, regardless of geography or
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politics, are starting to figure out how to support more solar deployment on public land too. Maine is moving forward with three projects along its interstates and near the Augusta State Airport. The projects will reduce the state’s electricity costs by over $7 million over 20 years. “Once online, these arrays will help reduce costs for taxpayers and reduce emissions from state power consumption, in support of Gov. Mills’ direction for state government to lead by example in renewable energy and sustainability,” said Kirsten Figueroa, commissioner of the Maine Dept. of Administrative and Financial Services, in a press statement. California recently floated a $20 million state-funded endeavor to cover irrigation canals with solar panels. The project is predicted to bring multiple economic and ecological benefits to stakeholders and communities, but recent policymaking within the state threatens to halt these mutually beneficial projects. The curious case of California California has largely backed solar in all corners of the state. Late last year Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a provision that encourages solar deployment along the state’s highways, something heralded as a creative way of using available spaces and showcasing the potential of roadsides. However, policy in the state has also been contradictory as of late, with disastrous effects. Recent changes to net metering by the California Public Utilities Commission greatly undermines the economic value of schools and other
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POLICY
A rendering of solar panels spanning the 110-ft-wide Turlock Irrigation District’s main canal as part of Project Nexus in California. TID
government-owned properties going solar. Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar & Storage Association, said rooftop solar is the most cost-effective way to deploy clean energy, as it doesn’t require additional transmission infrastructure. She said it’s confounding for the state to explore solar on government property like freeways and aqueducts while crushing the market for solar on the roof of a government building where the power can be used locally. “I find it really off the mark to be putting so much emphasis on other, more difficult ways to build solar when we should be prioritizing shoring this market back up, getting it back on track before more companies go bankrupt,” Del Chiaro said. “Putting solar up on long highways is cool, but it is not the easiest or most cost-effective way to go solar and shouldn’t come ahead of installing it on roofs and over parking lots.” Equity and ecosystem impact California isn’t the only state experiencing difficulties with renewables policy and siting solar on government land. It can be a challenge to forward government investment in solar and energy storage on public land in a way that does not sacrifice local ecosystems or overlook environmental justice communities. Bell explained that the Center for Biological Diversity presses state regulators “to identify and remedy the social inequities and ecological harm of the fossil fuel-dependent energy
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system” and cease their habit of “ignoring vulnerable communities, air and water pollution in deference to a lopsided cost-benefit analyses that benefits polluting industries and for-profit utility companies.” He pointed to Florida, Indiana and Georgia as examples of states where investorowned utilities have extensively lobbied to gut incentives for distributed solar. However, some cities, municipalities and Tribes across the country are successfully deploying solar on government-owned land in ways that benefit nearby disadvantaged communities. Bell explained that state and federal stakeholders tend to serve as important sources of funding and technical assistance. One of the Center’s main focuses, he said, is limiting government investment only to responsibly cited and well-planned renewable energy projects that protect the desert, public lands, wildlife and communities. “[Ideal projects] are paired with storage and sited in or near the community, prioritize communities for which the community solar can displace fossil fuel generation and provide pathways to community ownership of the project,” Bell said. Bell spotlighted a few projects located on government-owned land or property that come close to meeting these criteria: • A Brooklyn-based community solar project across 40 NYC Housing Authority buildings that guaranteed utility bill savings to about 500 LMI households. • A microgrid of solar + storage systems for an East Salinas, California, school district that provided workforce training to residents and serves as a community resiliency center.
• A Denver community solar program on municipal properties that included paid workforce training and 20% of subscriptions set aside for LMI residents. Bell also highlighted one of the few model projects that fully meets the above criteria — a Tribal-owned solar + storage system in Alaska. The system displaces fossil-fuel generation and uses energy democracy to maximize the financial and climate resiliency benefits of distributed solar and storage in a disadvantaged community. It makes the community more resilient to power outages and reduces its reliance on diesel generators, thus improving local air quality. Additionally, the system generates excess funds by selling the array’s electricity to a nearby isolated microgrid and repurposes that money to offset households’ energy bills with energyefficient home upgrades. “Ultimately, it empowers the Tribal community to envision and actualize its own energy future and serves as a model for the development of more Tribal, independent power producers throughout the Northwest Arctic Borough,” Bell said. Looking to the future Solar and storage in government-owned spaces hold considerable potential, offering an almost unlimited variety of deployment opportunities. The majority of our nation’s waterways and reservoirs, brownfields, roadsides, government facilities and schools remain untapped. Bell pointed to energy democracy models that can be explored further like co-ops, community choice aggregators, consumer-owned utility boards and Tribal ownership. However, CALSSA’s Del Chiaro stated that the lessons of California are relevant across the country: The nature of government engagement and leadership can either make or break our country’s efforts to combat climate change. SPW
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Solar installers, for better or worse, will literally be slapping more glass on roofs
Panels are getting rid of backsheets and going dual-glass.
to data from the Dept. of Commerce, 32% of solar panels imported into the United States in 2021 were bifacial. One year later, 87% of imported modules were bifacial, and 93% were bifacial in the first half of 2023. Most solar installers have now likely handled glass-glass panels, even when their bifacial attributes aren’t leveraged, as noted by Michael Perkins, senior VP of business development for commercial contractor Radiance Solar. “We have utilized bifacial panels on projects, even a rail-mount roof array. This was driven less by the albedo effect than by the cost of the modules themselves. For a while, the bifacial exemption on tariffs made them costcompetitive,” he said. Eight Twenty
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TECHNOLOGY
Utility-scale solar installers are well-versed in handling glass-glass (or dual-glass) solar panels. These panels use a second glass layer on their backsides instead of traditional polymeric backsheets. Uncovering a solar panel’s backside is obviously ideal for bifacial solar designs, where solar power can be generated from both sides of the solar cells. Bifacial solar panels are abundant on utility-scale projects, especially when the panels can be tilted and spaced optimally for bifacial gains. But these once “niche” solar panels are becoming commonplace in more areas than just deserts and on tracking systems. Due to bifacial’s exclusion from Section 201 tariffs, a surge in imports of the specialty panel is hitting commercial and residential roofs too. According
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PANEL TECHNOLOGY
Meyer Burger
Using bifacial modules on flushmount roof projects may seem pointless, but trends show glass-glass panels are becoming more prevalent in general. The 14th edition of the “International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic (ITRPV)” report expects glass to become the dominant back cover material by 2027. This is largely due to bifacial cells becoming the default choice. Bifacial cells held 70% of the market in 2023 and will increase further to 90% within the decade, ITRPV reports. If a solar panel manufacturer is going to the trouble of using bifacial cells, they might as well show them off in glass-glass formats. Meyer Burger has gone all-in and announced in early 2023 that it would only make glass-glass modules moving forward. The company noted many benefits to customers for the switch, including improved performance, reliability and stability for its specialized heterojunction technology (HJT) modules without polymeric backsheets. Meyer Burger also improves the panel’s warranty from 25 to 30 years when forgoing the backsheet. “Glass is the ideal backsheet. It stands up better to the weather, to heat, to moisture,” said Michelle Graef, Meyer Burger senior marketing manager for the Americas. “If it’s not a flush-mount, everyone is already asking for glass20
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glass. This is the forefront of the industry moving to glass-glass.” Manufacturing exclusively glass modules has also helped Meyer Burger increase production speeds at its factories. “They don’t have to change their lines anymore, switching between backsheet and glass,” said Anne Schneider, Meyer Burger global head of communications and PR. “We are highly optimized; it’s 24/7. When you have to stop and change to another process, it’s an interruption. To be more effective on the production side, glass-glass is a good [technology].” This automated manufacturing
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process with fewer interruptions is better at preventing microcracks from forming during production too. Quality assurance group Clean Energy Associates (CEA) has found dual-glass panels perform better in the field by removing the potential for backsheet failures, but there’s still the potential for issues. “For glass-glass modules, we see fewer microcracks forming during installation as well as less growth of existing microcracks than in comparable glass-backsheet modules,” said Claire Kearns-McCoy, engineering services manager with CEA. “However, the risk of glass breakage is higher in glass-glass for modules with thinner glass.” Polymeric backsheet panels are typically matched with 2.8-mm or thicker glass. Glass-glass panels have shrunk each glass layer to 2-mm to reduce weight. Having glass on the backside prevents problems associated with flexible and penetrable backsheets, but even a slight change in the frontside’s thickness brings up a new set of issues. “This creates a lot of issues in hailprone areas, but also in general with unexplained, spontaneous breakage,” said George Touloupas, senior director of technology and quality at CEA. “This may be due to variability of glass production, installation practices and,
World Market Share of different front and back cover materials
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PANEL TECHNOLOGY
Meyer Burger
potentially, unsuitability of current IEC test methods. This is a very hot topic in the industry now and has not been yet resolved.” Due to those issues, glass can’t go any thinner, so the two layers will likely remain the heaviest portion of the finished panel. Right now, there is no way around it — glassglass panels will be heavier than those with backsheets. When comparing Trina Solar’s modules of the same dimensions, its glass-glass modules are 9 lbs heavier than those with backsheets. Similarly, Meyer Burger’s dual-glass panel is 53.8 lbs compared to its 43.4-lb backsheet module. Perkins at Radiance Solar said that weight difference shouldn’t be forgotten, as it drives down productivity, especially in the latter part of the day. “Techs just get tired, and an extra 5 to 10 lbs per module when you’re placing 85 a day can add up. Your install rate in the morning may be 10 per hour, but that can drop over the course of the day,” he said. What can solar installers do about the proliferation of less-than-perfect solar panels for rooftop installations? It’ll be important to note the glass thickness of certain brands when working in challenging locations and be ready for heavier installations. The bottom line is glass-glass panels are here to stay, and installers must adapt and stay safe. “It is important to make sure that all installation personnel are trained and are adhering to the manufacturer’s handling and installation guidelines as well as general good handling practices for PV modules,” said Kearns-McCoy with CEA. SPW
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STORAGE TECHNOLOGY
KELLY PICKEREL • EDITOR IN CHIEF
The commercial energy storage market may be small, but it’s slowly growing When compared to the utility-scale and residential markets, the installed capacity of energy storage in the community, commercial and industrial (CCI) market is woefully underdeveloped, especially judged against its potential. According to Wood Mackenzie’s “US Energy Storage Monitor” report, the grid-scale segment deployed 6,848 MWh of storage in Q3 2023, the residential segment installed 381.4 MWh and the CCI market managed 92.9 MWh. That “last place” standing will continue for CCI, as the other two markets are predicted to outpace it beyond 2027. But last place still gets paid, and contractors installing batteries in the CCI segment said they’re as busy as ever, especially in pro-storage states like California and Massachusetts. Through a combination of education and policymaking, commercial storage adoption could proliferate more quickly across the country.
the state, and each has storage paired. Carl Dawson, Elite president and CEO, said the standalone storage ITC has been a huge help in getting more CCI customers interested in storage, but NEM 3.0 has been the deciding factor. “We’re retrofitting existing PV systems to add more energy storage so they can change their interconnection agreements and get a better benefit out of the solar they already have,” he said. “The No. 1 reason you would add energy storage to a deal is … [solar-only] may have an ROI of five years, and then you go back and even though it costs more to add a battery, that takes the ROI from five years to three-and-a-half years. This is more common now with NEM 3.0.” Without meaningful compensation for solar generation, CCI customers in California realize their savings through auxiliary services performed by the battery — like demand shaving. Using battery power when their demand peaks keeps customers in lower demand tariff brackets, and cuts down on at least one How CCI storage is working already Just like with solar, California leads the fixed charge by the utility. country in storage installations. And that Utilities are also acknowledging the benefits of energy storage for their own will only grow now within the NEM 3.0 grid resiliency. era, which basically requires storage to be installed alongside solar for either “Throughout the United States with different ISOs, they’re having a technology to make financial sense for really hard time with reliability,” said the customer. Elite Electric, a non-residential solar Billy Gamboa, senior director of energy and storage contractor in California, is storage and EV charging for CCI project developer DSD Renewables. “They’re working on several solar projects within getting more concerned about the reliability of the grid because of the way that electric load and demand is growing, plus the increased adoption of EVs both on the consumer side and commercial side.” States and utilities are encouraging CCI storage applications — whether it’s Massachusetts offering revenue-stack programs that DSD DSD Renewables helps customers navigate, or Southern 22
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California Edison (SCE) working with Elite Electric to augment its expanding grid. “[Companies have] manufacturing facilities with massive loads in an area where Edison can’t get to for five years, so we’re designing and building pilot programs,” Dawson said. “We’re working with Edison on building these big systems so that when they do get their infrastructure out there, we can help them with that section of the grid by exporting power when they need power.” The Northeast is big on offering additional revenue streams through VPPs and other programs for battery owners, and DSD finds that extra compensation is often the initial reason why CCI entities look into storage. “One project, we have a 1-MWh battery slated, and that’s going to mint like $75,000 in revenue from those programs each year. That’s phenomenal, in addition to whatever savings we get them with the battery behind the meter. And you have the tax credits for the initial cost of the systems,” Gamboa said. “You take that all together, and it’s a very compelling economic argument to go solar and storage.” Room for improvement The two opposing coasts have largely found success in CCI storage adoption thanks to one important fact — the right policies were put in place. “You have to have policy regulation. If you have policymakers [and] lawmakers who understand the benefit [of storage] and how to work that into the law, you can have that kind of support,” Gamboa said. More states are proposing energy storage targets, but their small quotas leave much to be desired. Michigan recently signed off on a 100% renewable energy goal by 2040 and carved out an energy storage requirement — but only 2.5 GW by 2030. New York requires 3
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STORAGE TECHNOLOGY
GW of storage by 2030, and Gov. Hochul suggested bumping that to 6 GW, but no official action has been taken. “Why isn’t more storage being adopted? Sometimes it could be the complexity of the project; maybe they aren’t seeing the economic benefit. Maybe the cost of interconnecting will gobble up a lot of your budget and might cancel out the battery component,” Gamboa said. “There is a ton of regulation on the fire safety and hazardous materials of batteries, especially lithium products, that needs to be taken seriously. Sometimes it’s a timing thing — lead times are ridiculously long.” Another obstacle within the CCI market is the historical dependence on generators. Generator giant Generac knows that fossil fuel-burning generators still have their place but acknowledges that batteries perform better in certain situations. Generac released its own commercial-sized lithium ESS in early 2023. “We see generators still being a core part of the C&I space, and storage and generators complementing each
Wood Mackenzie: Annual and cumulative market outlook (GWh)
other,” said Hari Sivadas, VP of industrial battery storage solutions at Generac. “Storage responds much faster than a generator when a blackout or brownout is detected, resulting in a rapid transition from grid power to backup power when needed, without disrupting site operations. It is not practical to size current lithium ion-based energy storage for long-duration resilience. The goal is to limit the use of the generator, but with that gen-asset in the mix, one can choose to not overbuild BTM storage.” Generac also believes that battery makers need to better explain the technology’s value to both installers and end-customers.
“CCI is a complex marketplace. Each site is different,” Sivadas said. “There is still limited awareness of storage both as a technology and the value it brings within the contractor and engineering community. As OEMs, we need to continually build this awareness with training, project sizing/modeling support, etc., to make storage further mainstream.” The commercial market isn’t ignoring energy storage, but it will take the efforts of policymakers, contractors and manufacturers to push battery adoption further. Modeling successes in California and the the Northeast is a good first step to building out more CCI storage. SPW
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MOUNTING TECHNOLOGY
BILLY LUDT • SENIOR EDITOR
Portrait-oriented solar modules perform better on certain roofs Commercial rooftop solar projects in the United States tend to use racking that places photovoltaic panels in landscape orientation. It’s the popular option for maximizing a solar project’s power density within the parapets of a commercial rooftop. Installing modules in landscape minimizes the height of an array and reduces inter-row shading and spacing between solar panel rows. Installing modules in portrait isn’t as common in the United States, but it is useful in certain climates and on certain styles of flat roofs. Many portrait-oriented solar projects can be found in Latin America, where homes have flat concrete roofs with obstructions that aren’t conducive to laying out long spans of landscape panel rows — especially if the roof can’t handle the weight of ballast. Installing portrait-oriented solar modules is essentially the same as landscape, with the largest difference being the racking system. Installation will vary by model, but the steps remain the same: racking is secured to the roof by mounting to a structural support, weighing down with ballasts, or a combination of both. In portrait, modules are laid on the racking and secured with clamps on the long side of the panel frame. “Short-side clamping [in portrait] just doesn’t allow for the same load ratings that clamping in the proper long-side zones would, especially in these northern 24
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regions where there’s snow load or excessive wind load,” said Mike O’Brien, engineering manager at TerraGen Solar. TerraGen Solar is a racking manufacturer based in New Tecumseth, Ontario, Canada, that produces racking optimized for portrait module orientation. TerraGen was founded in 2009 as a commercial EPC and eventually developed its own commercial roof racking. In 2017, it ceased installation and now strictly sells its mounting structures. O’Brien recommends against using clamps on the short side of modules on landscape-oriented projects in climates with high winds and snow loads for risk of developing microcracks. Over time, these can cause drastic failures of systems not tested for extreme environmental loads. TerraGen’s racking rails supporting the panels can be installed onto or elevated from the base rail, and the racking also supports dual-tilt or eastwest panel layouts. “There was a transition in the racking industry to move away from rail-based systems. The industry trend toward foot-based systems, which for us, as an installer at the time, we felt led to higher install costs through increased ballast requirements, because there was less structural rigidity within the mounting systems as well as increased labor time to put the systems in,” said Darren Jones, general manager of TerraGen Solar.
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SunModo, a solar mounting manufacturer from Vancouver, Washington, produces racking for several different applications, including one that orients panels in portrait for smaller flat roofs. The SMR Tilt Up System is also rail-based and resembles railed racking found on pitched-roof solar projects. It uses two mounting rails per panel row and each rail is lifted off the roof with a set of legs, shorter in the front and longer in the back, to tilt the panels. Tilt Up is built to work on roofs with low weight-bearing, so its legs are fastened to the roof with SunModo’s proprietary NanoMount attachments. “I’d say it’s definitely a niche. You’re really only going to see them on pretty small commercial, flat-roof projects, or maybe — rarely — on a residential roof,” said Steve Mumma, CEO of SunModo. “But for the most part, it’s on smaller commercial flat roofs, probably in the 100-kW or less range.” Portrait-oriented projects depend on location The further north a state is located, the more likely it is to experience regular snowfall in winter months. That doesn’t prevent solar installers from putting panels on rooftops, but accumulated snow can prevent modules from producing power. One installer has found that installing panels in portrait solves the issue of snowshed and has
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MOUNTING TECHNOLOGY
some other advantages over landscape. Arch Solar C&I, the commercial and industrial installation arm of Wisconsinbased Arch Electric, strictly installs commercial rooftop solar projects in portrait orientation, largely because of the state’s climate. In its early days, Arch Solar installed some projects in landscape and found that snow did not slide off the panels, affecting their wintertime production. “I got really sick of people taking pictures and sending, ‘Ope, here’s another Wisconsin solar system working well again,’” said Dan Steinhardt, project developer at Arch Electric. “It was just killing the argument I had that solar could be working all the time.” The company sought other racking options and was introduced to TerraGen. Although Arch and TerraGen are separated by the U.S.-Canada border, two Great Lakes and the entire state of Michigan, the companies are based in similar latitudes and climates. TerraGen was once a solar contractor and knew what it was like to install commercial roof projects with consideration for snowfall. Since their first meeting, Arch has installed every commercial roof project in portrait with TerraGen racking. “Our competitors will probably harp a bit against that. ‘There’s not a lot of sunlight in winter, why would you change the orientation, you’re losing power density,’ stuff like that,” Steinhardt said. “Some of the arguments can hold water depending upon the surface area of the roof, but in a lot of cases it doesn’t really, and it’s almost better to shoot for higher efficiency vs. power density.” Arch achieves that efficiency by using bifacial modules on flatroof projects. The company tracked production from two solar arrays it installed — one in landscape and another in portrait. A 199.9-kW landscape solar project installed in 2019 for the city of Whitefish Bay has produced 1,151 kWh per kilowatt on average since coming online. The array uses monofacial
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modules and was installed at a 10° tilt. Compare that to a 340-kW portrait solar project installed in 2021 in Oregon, Wisconsin, which has produced 1,290 kWh per kilowatt on average. The bifacial modules were installed at a 23° tilt to keep snow from gathering on the glass. The longer span and potential higher tilt of portrait modules also means there’s likely more space between panel rows. With larger walkways, crews will have easier access underneath panels for maintenance. “You can get back there without disassembling. If an optimizer goes bad, you can just go back there, cut a couple zip ties and swap it out,” said Andrew Holmstrom, head of project development, Arch Solar C&I. “You’re not unfastening all the bolts, lifting up the modules and disconnecting.” Even with the longer plane of a portrait module, these systems have been deployed in areas with high wind
and precipitation. The taller profile of flat-roof arrays with portrait modules doesn’t necessarily prevent them from meeting standards for wind loads. “Generally speaking, the codes and standards for flat-roof solar and the building codes for the U.S. and Canada have their limitation of how high you can be off the roof deck,” TerraGen’s O’Brien said. “As long as you’re below that, you’re operating within their guidelines. While I’m sure there’s some different wind dynamics involved with being a little bit higher off the roof deck, it doesn’t show up in the actual calculations.” It’s unlikely that portrait panel orientation will overtake landscape in U.S. commercial rooftop solar installation. But there will be roofs with obstructions and low weight-bearing capabilities where a scaled portrait project makes sense, especially in snowier climates. SPW
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INVERTER TECHNOLOGY
2023 code changes to rapid shutdown requirements solar installers should know The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a frequently changing set of rules published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), also referred to as NFPA 70. The latest edition was published in August 2022, but four jurisdictions have already adopted it with 13 others in the process to adopt. The solar industry should pay particular attention to changes in one part of the 2023 code — section 690.12. This section regarding rapid shutdown requirements has significantly changed over the past few NEC editions. The 2023 version included some minor but important changes as well. 2023 rapid shutdown changes Compared to the 2020 code cycle, the 2023 changes in this section were
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minor. The focus was on clarifications and editorial changes to place rapid shutdown requirements in one location. 1. A second exception was added to clarify that parking shade structures, carports, solar trellises and similar structures are not required to comply with 690.12 since firefighters typically do not perform rooftop operations on these types of buildings. 2. An exception was added to allow PV system circuits originating from arrays not attached to buildings that are terminated on the exterior of buildings. These PV system circuits installed in accordance with 230.6 are not considered controlled conductors for the purpose of 690.12.
3. Option 3 for inside of the array boundary was deleted since these systems must be evaluated according to UL 3741. 4. Rapid shutdown marking requirements from 690.56(C) were moved to 690.12(D), including minor changes in the requirements for the marking. Even though module-level options are allowed in the code, a number of factors make it clear that opting to satisfy UL 3741 instead is the way to go in the future. 1. Avoid high numbers of additional connection points and mismatching PV connectors. 2. Eliminate interference of rapid shutdown devices and arc fault detection.
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INVERTER TECHNOLOGY
Figure 1 – Example of connection points with (16) and without MLSD (6).
3. Eliminate the reliability concerns due to the rapidly increasing number of electronic components in an extremely harsh environment. 4. A method of better wire management and wire protection that complies with UL 3741 to reduces the chance of faults and the likelihood of thermal events. Issues with module-level rapid shutdown Solar power electronics, such as inverters and combiner boxes, are well-established technologies that have been installed for over two decades, whereas module-level power electronics (MLPE) are still relatively young in the industry. MLPE require significantly more components and
connection points within the PV system, which can create problems as all these individual components must be properly integrated to function correctly. Some examples of these problems would be the interference caused by MLPE and the ability of arc-fault detection to properly detect arcs, as well as installation errors such as mismatched or not fully mated connectors. As the number of components and connection points increase, these types of complications are more likely to occur. Electrical noise created by additional components could be interpreted as an arc-fault and cause false or unwanted tripping. On the other hand, MLPE could also prevent arcfault detection by filtering, masking or attenuating real arc events.
Number of connection points
Figure 1 illustrates an example of a string with five modules and how the number of connection points are affected with and without module-level shutdown devices (MLSD). Even a string with only five modules, which is short for a string inverter, would have 2.6-times as many connection points compared to a module-integrated solution or a PV system using UL 3741, the Standard for Safety PV Hazard Control. UL 3741 provides an option for PV hazard control without using MLPE. Figure 2 illustrates the number of connection points in a PV system as a function of the number of modules with and without MLSD. The dramatic increase in connection points with MLSD is alarming. Improper installation practices, such as missing dust caps, leave PV connectors exposed and susceptible to dust and oxidization when the installation is not completed promptly. Each additional electronic component installed in the harsh environment of a rooftop increases the risk of a failure. With the assumption based on Warranty Week research that the constant annual failure rate of one component is 0.075% (750 parts-permillion (ppm)) and 4,000 components are used in one or multiple PV systems, three failures per year or 45-60 failures
Ratio (N w/ MLSD / N w/o MLSD)
Figure 2 – Number of connection points for different string lengths with and without MLSD.
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INVERTER TECHNOLOGY
Table 1 – Examples of failure rates.
Number of components
Failures per year
Failures in lifetime
Note
4,000
3
45-60
100 residential PV systems (12-20 kWp each)
1,000
0.75
11.25-15
One commercial rooftop system with 1,000 PV modules (300-500 kWp)
100,000
75
1,125-1,500
100 commercial rooftop systems with 1,000 PV modules (300-500 kWp each)
in a 15-20-year PV system lifetime can be expected. Table 1 on the next page lists examples of failure rates for different system sizes and multiple systems. Even if the failure of one MLSD does not affect the entire string, it would be labor-intensive to remove the existing modules and the faulted MLSD and replace it. This could also create new problems caused by disconnecting, testing and reconnecting each system component during troubleshooting or compatible components availability 10 years from now. The assumption of a constant annual failure rate is a simplification and neglects the early failures of components. When these are factored in, it increases the number of failures significantly. History of section 690.12 It is important to know that section 690.12 is intended to reduce the shock hazard in PV system circuits on buildings for firefighters. This does not include installers during installation and maintenance. Section 690.12 was introduced for the first time in the 2014 edition and was modified multiple times. The 2014 edition only had requirements for outside the array boundary, but this term was not introduced in this edition. In the 2017 edition, additional requirements for inside the array boundary were introduced. This edition
included three methods to comply with the inside-boundary requirements, however the only method available at the time was the use of MLPE. Both requirements inside and outside the array boundary must be fulfilled. The direct link to UL 3741 was added in the 2020 edition. UL 3741 was
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published in Dec. 2020 and provides methods to analyze and reduce the hazard for firefighters operating inside the array boundary. UL 3741 provides two methods, or a combination of both, to reduce the hazard for firefighters. One method is to limit voltages inside the array boundary to a level that would not create a hazardous current flow through the firefighter’s body. The other is to reduce the risk of a fault due to firefighter interaction and/or to reduce the risk of any secondary faults causing current flow through the firefighter’s body. Additionally, UL 3741 makes PV arrays safer due to improved and detailed installation instructions, defined materials and methods and performed risk analyses. These methods and reducing the number of components and connection points contribute to a safer and more reliable system. SPW
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As we kick off 2024, we’re somewhere on the next hill of the solarcoaster. Certain segments of the market are clambering uphill, and others are coasting down. The residential market is facing some struggles, but exciting auxiliary services and
products are fighting through the noise. Equipment prices are fluctuating, but the U.S. solar manufacturing market is setting
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2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
Bankruptcies and closures rock residential solar installation By Billy Ludt, senior editor
In an era of unprecedented federal support for U.S. solar installation, the residential PV market has encountered economic hardships and policy roadblocks resulting in a rash of closures among contractors. Commercial solar warranter SolarInsure reported that there were more than 100 bankruptcies and closures in 2023 alone, including several large installers that were operating nationally or in multiple states. While large-scale solar is carrying the country to another recordbreaking year for overall installation, the residential market is struggling to stay afloat. Smaller contractors are navigating higher interest rates for project financing, soft costs for projects are mounting and a utility policy shift in California, the country’s leading solar state, is devastating its once thriving residential market. The California Solar & Storage
Association (CALSSA) reported that California has lost 17,000 solar jobs since April 2023, when the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) implemented updates to its netmetering policy. Policymakers said NEM 3.0 was devised to encourage more energy storage adoption on solar projects to provide more resilience to California’s electrical grid. Instead, it has reworked its net-metering system based on an hour-by-hour time-of-use rate that has cut energy export compensation by 70 to 80%. The state was expected to lose 22% of its solar workforce by the end of 2023 because of it. “I don’t even recognize my home state,” said Bernadette del Chiaro, executive director of CALSSA. “This is not California. This is not who we are. This is not how we have traditionally done things for 20 years. We have been, really, the prime example of how to Energy Concepts
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do policy well, how to make long-term investments that provide certainty for industry and consumers alike.” Industry analyst Wood Mackenzie predicted in January 2022 that the NEM 3.0 updates could cut California’s residential solar market in half by 2024. CALSSA advocated against the net-metering shift, predicting a similar outcome for the California market. Now, its residential installers are considering their options as this new net-metering regime reduces the number of homeowners able to afford a solar project. “There’s always cycles, there’s always hurdles and curves down the road, but nothing like this. Nothing. This is a brick wall that got put in front of us,” said Carlos Beccar, marketing director of Energy Concepts, a residential solar installer in Fresno. Energy Concepts has installed solar technologies since its founding in 1992, starting with thermal solar water heaters and transitioning to PV 15 years ago. In 2023, the company laid off 50% of its employees, citing NEM 3.0 as the primary cause. Energy Concepts’ installation numbers have reduced to about 25% of where it was in 2022, and that includes some of the projects the company sold as customers rushed to be included in NEM 2.0. “2024 is starting to look very grim in terms of projections … We think that the industry is going to probably pick back up a little bit. But it’s hard to say,” Beccar said. “I don’t think the rebound is going to bring us anywhere near where we were last year or this year [2023], even.” CALSSA surveyed its residential installer members and found that the companies staying in business have
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MAKERS OF
diversified and leaned on other internal services like roofing, mostly ceasing solar installation. Other contractors are leaving California entirely for states with friendlier solar policy. Energy Concepts is now bidding on projects left behind by contractors that have fled the state. These company closures will also result in orphaned solar systems for customers. Fulfilling warranties and performing maintenance on abandoned solar arrays is an existing and complicated issue within the industry that could increase as more contractors close their doors. “We’ve seen this happen before, but never at the scale that we’re about to see,” del Chiaro said. “It’s a huge problem. Hopefully their systems are interconnected and energized and nothing goes wrong, and if something does go wrong, the manufacturer steps in and honors the warranty. But there are going to be a lot of customers that are left hanging because their project never got built, or they’re going to struggle if something goes wrong.” Since California was a trailblazing state for solar installation, it has been a testbed for renewable energy policies, and del Chiaro said legislators in other states are already citing NEM 3.0 as rationale for limiting net metering. “For them to use this excuse, this moment, to get rid of their net-metering policy is just ridiculous, but it’s also unfortunately something that we also warned California lawmakers about — not that they should make California policy decisions with other states in mind, but that they need to be aware that their leadership works both ways,” del Chiaro said. This past summer, the compensation rate for net metering in Indiana dropped by 70%, phasing out from a policy passed in 2017, according to The Herald Bulletin. Southeast utility Duke Energy is implementing a net-metering plan with similar language to NEM 3.0 in North Carolina, compensating commercial customers for the “value of electricity at that time,” according to NPR station WFAE 90.7. But the net-metering saga in California continues. The CPUC passed a policy in November that will change how properties with multiple electric meters are compensated for energy exports. Solar built on schools, apartment buildings and other multi-metered properties will no longer directly offset utility bills. Instead that energy will be sold to utilities at lower rates, according to a CALSSA press release. “It’s incredibly ironic as California policymakers travel the globe, touting California’s climate leadership, that we’re in such dark times in California — the hotbed of solar,” del Chiaro said. “We’re in these incredibly dark times and the damage is starting to spread across the country.” SPW
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2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
Bidirectional EV chargers to finally materialize in 2024 By Kelly Pickerel, editor in chief
As expected, the bidirectional EV charger market is taking off. The device that can both charge and export an EV battery’s power into a home or onto the grid has been excitedly touted for the last few years without any actual products available on the market. That’s starting to change, as Delta Electronics recently joined Fermata Energy and Siemens (through the Ford Charge Station Pro) as bidirectional chargers achieving UL 9741 certification, the standard that covers bidirectional charging equipment and includes functionality to export power to the grid. And plenty more companies, such as Enphase, SolarEdge, Wallbox and GM Energy, are preparing to finally bring their own utility-approved bidirectional chargers to market this year. It’s an exciting time for consumers and installers alike — homeowners hesitant to purchase a stationary battery may be more likely to use their EVs like batteries with a bidirectional charger, and an uptick in charger installation means more auxiliary business for solar contractors during another bumpy ride
on the solarcoaster. The residential solar market may temporarily be in flux, but EV charger installation and energy storage education could be a fruitful side hustle. The Dept. of Energy has thrown its support behind vehicle-toeverything (V2X) research. The federal government is gathering national labs, local governments, utilities and private companies to accelerate the adoption of bidirectional charging into energy infrastructure. Companies like GM, Ford, Honda, Sunnova and Wallbox have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to shape the future of transportation and grid reliability. “Bidirectional EV charging will play an increasingly important role in supporting the electrical grid and improving the country’s energy security and resilience in coming years,” said Rima Oueid, DOE’s V2X MOU lead and commercialization executive at the Office of Technology Transitions. “Our [electrical grid] system will be more dynamic and complex, but it will also be cleaner, more resilient, secure and
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JANUARY 2024
affordable if we harmonize energy and transport by continuing to be thoughtful in our collaborations and investments.” A few noteworthy developments in the bidirectional charger and V2X arena are: • Enphase’s bidirectional charger will be available this year. The charger will use Enphase grid-forming IQ8 microinverters and its own energy management technology. • GM Energy, not to be outdone by competitor Ford, unveiled the Ultium Home suite of products, including the PowerShift bidirectional charger and V2H enablement kit, for use with the 2024 Silverado EV. • SolarEdge expects its bidirectional charger to be commercially available in the second half of 2024. This new charger would also enable an EV to be charged directly from a solar PV system without any AC-toDC power conversions. • Wallbox and partner Bidirectional Energy have received $2.2 million in funding from the California Energy Commission to deploy the Wallbox Quasar 2 bidirectional charger in homes throughout the state. • PG&E established another V2X pilot program with an EV manufacturer, now testing BMWs in the utility region. BMW joins Ford and GM in tests to help the California utility “unleash the full potential of EVs to enhance grid resilience and reliability for customers.” • SDG&E turned to Toyota to explore bidirectional power flow in Southern California. The region is one of the largest Toyota EV ownership areas in the state.
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2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
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All these developments mean someone must install the chargers. Ford is partnering with Sunrun and GM is working with SunPower as their preferred installers of EV charging accessories, but plenty more of the EV-agnostic chargers will be installed by local contractors.
San Diego-based HES Solar is already experienced in installing traditional EV chargers — CEO Ross Williams said the large majority of HES’s residential solar installs are paired with this technology. “On the residential side, it’s
insanely easy. You just add an outlet. Oftentimes, it’s like a closing tool: We’ll throw in an EV outlet for you,” he said. If not installing up-front, many of HES’s existing solar customers will call the company back to install a charger once they have an EV. Williams expects that to be the case once more bidirectional chargers enter the market, and HES is looking forward to the opportunity. “Conceptually, I absolutely love the idea. I cannot wait for it to be a thing, because it’s going to change a lot for my customers,” he said. “We do sell a lot of stationary storage, mostly Powerwalls. But an average EV has the equivalent of about eight Powerwalls. That’s huge. The idea of powering your house with your combination of stationary storage and solar and your car makes a lot of sense.” SPW
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2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
Federal and local support grows for solar in LMI communities By Kelly Pickerel, editor in chief
Solar for low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities is having its day in the sun. Demand for more equitable solar siting has never been higher, and federal and local incentives are supporting the action. This past year was a major tipping point for LMI support in solar, said Vincent Potter, policy analyst at the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, which tracks solar policy happenings across the country. He said 2023 saw more LMI carveouts added to state renewable energy goals and community solar policies. While community solar wasn’t always synonymous with LMI representation, the growing market is leaning more on the “societal” definition of this sector rather than the physical. “The goal of community solar has always been to provide solar to people who couldn’t, wouldn’t or didn’t want to install it on their own property, whether that’s because they don’t own it or don’t want to cut down trees or what have you,” Potter said. “Seeing these LMI additions and seeing these programs evolve, it is just a more inclusive way to operate community solar.” New Jersey, for example, established
a permanent Community Solar Energy Program in 2023 that requires all submitted projects to serve a minimum of 51% LMI subscribers. The state will permit up to 225 MW of community solar projects each year and guarantee a minimum discount on utility bills for subscribers. The requirements ensure LMI residents — often with the highest energy bills — have access to more affordable options. Potter said LMI carveouts were seen in the United States as early as 2017, usually through virtual net metering that would allow LMI households to participate in proto-community solar subscriptions. A community solar wave began one year later, and advocates suddenly had an opportunity to promote solar equity for all. “Back in 2018 when community solar was becoming a thing, you had entities advocating for it, and some utilities saw it as a business opportunity. They would just hoover up all these renewable energy credits,” Potter said. “But then you had this opportunity for public staff and ratepayer advocates to come in and actually get that equality or equity issue. These facilities are already permitted and approved, so you then have opportunities for these programs Solar Landscape completed to expand and serve more of this 1.7-MW community solar the community than just the project in New Jersey that wealthiest.” services an LMI area. At the end of 2021, 39 states hosted community solar projects, and 22 states and Washington, D.C. had community solar programs in place. Community solar is a great way to ensure everyone has the same access to clean energy, but, cynically, it wouldn’t be popular if it wasn’t also a good business decision.
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States are supportive of community energy often because it enables them to reach aggressive clean energy targets. “Sometimes [community solar] is just a way of advancing clean energy writ large. By expanding distributed energy into new markets, to low-income households, you can meet your state goals more quickly,” Potter said. “If you have a large population, you likely have large population centers that are houses, condos that are not ideally sited for solar. You have this untapped demand, and that’s what drives the growth of community solar. When state legislatures permit this, they say, ‘Let’s make sure that we’re not leaving anybody behind.’” Many installers now focus on the community solar market, and the competition is fierce. The federal government grants various bonuses to the investment tax credit for projects sited in energy communities for LMI residents through the IRA’s “LowIncome Communities Bonus Credit Program.” More than 46,000 applications representing 8 GW of capacity were submitted for the first year of the program — four-times the total capacity available. Although only 1.8 GW of projects will access the bonus credits, Potter said that’s still a huge amount of clean energy that will soon be accessible to LMI communities. “Four-times as much capacity was applied for as there are incentives — that does not surprise me,” he said. “Some people get a little cavalier, and they just throw everything they have at it, and if that means that 75% of these projects cannot pencil, we still get that 1.8 GW and I think that’s a good position to be in. If we lose a bunch through attrition, and we still get the maximum for the category, maybe we’re doing OK.” SPW
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High interest rates and other issues threaten the residential solar market By Sara Carbone, freelance contributor Residential solar took some serious hits in 2023. There were endemic supply chain disruptions and savings for rooftop solar became less clear when utility electricity prices stabilized in 2022. Solar stocks plummeted, and the passage of NEM 3.0 in California significantly curtailed the largest rooftop solar economy in the country. In this environment, some residential solar contractors folded or laid off employees. Last year, New Mexico Solar Group, a mid-sized rooftop solar installation company, laid off employees before officially going out of business in August. The company was not alone. Warranty company Solar Insure reported an unprecedented 100 solar bankruptcies in 2023. The California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) estimated 17,000 solar employees were laid off in the state alone in a six-month period, with some companies cutting staff headcount by half. Rising interest rates have also caused solar financing terms to increase across the country. Spencer Fields, director of insights at solar marketplace EnergySage, noted that the average loan interest rate soared to nearly 6% in Q3 2023 (from 1.99% in Q2 2022), a significant development given that 70% of solar installations are financed with loans. “When we recently asked a couple hundred solar installers how high interest rates were affecting their business, three out of four of them said these rates adversely impacted their business,” Fields said. New Mexico Solar Group cited the sudden rise in interest rates as one of the reasons for its closure. Zoë Gaston, principal analyst of U.S. distributed solar at Wood Mackenzie, said high interest rates were “resulting in both loan and third-party ownership 38
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Solar Goat
(TPO) product price increases and significant increases in loan product APRs. However, loan products are more sensitive to interest rate increases, and we are hearing that loan providers are finding it difficult to provide a compelling value proposition to customers in some states, depending on retail rates.” Gaston said other major factors causing residential installers to close or lay off employees are higher cost of capital, significantly lower sales in some markets, higher customer acquisition costs and cash flow constraints from milestone payments being pushed later in the project lifecycle. In this tough economy, Fields noted the shrinking demand for “big ticket item” discretionary purchases for the home, such as solar. He also suggested that companies had been overly optimistic about 2023 growth and may have over-hired or expanded too quickly, leading them to contract when the expected growth did not occur. Residential solar installers are looking for remedies. Fields predicted
JANUARY 2024
that many solar installers would seek new financing options such as TPO offerings and more affordable solar loans with lower dealer fees or origination costs. Solar installer Palmetto recently started offering leases and PPAs in response to the rising interest rates. “Installers are focusing more on operational efficiencies and making the most of their current markets instead of expanding,” Gaston said. “Others are experimenting with pricing and product-offering tweaks and emphasize that product optionality for customers has been vital for maintaining growth this year.” She also noted that Inflation Reduction Act “adders” will increase the TPO share in the residential solar market over the next few years and potentially change the value proposition in some state markets that have historically been less suitable for residential solar. “We can take a long hard look at the cost of solar, sharpen our pencils and find a way to design more compellingly priced solar packages that work for homeowners,” Fields said. SPW www.solarpowerworldonline.com
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2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
Microinverter manufacturers are adding string inverters to their lineup By Sara Carbone, freelance contributor Module-level rapid shutdown requirements that originated in the 2017 National Electrical Code gave microinverter manufacturers a boost as a simple way for rooftop systems to comply. But as the code and consumer needs have changed, string inverters are having a resurgence. Over the past year, some microinverter makers have decided to go bigger and add string solutions to their offerings. Hoymiles Power Electronics USA is one microinverter company that has moved into the hybrid string inverter market. Rocky Gao, Hoymiles USA CEO and president, said his company wanted to offer a relatively low-cost string-hybrid and AC-coupled inverter to “enrich customers’ choices.” He called the company’s new singlephase inverter “the best solution for customers’ home green energy systems,” citing features such as a 1.5 DC:AC ratio, up to 11.5 kW of power and a safer low-voltage system. Gao also noted its multiple working modes that adapt to various installation scenarios and the more convenient app-based operation with remote monitoring. Gao said string-hybrid and ACcoupled inverters are preferred over microinverters because they’re easier to maintain, with a larger capacity and simpler scalability in the residential market. “With the increase in single-unit power, string hybrid inverters will also become one of the C&I energy storage solutions and have huge market potential,” Gao said. For Northern Electric Power (NEP), creating a three-phase string inverter solution that worked correctly and safely was a way of taking responsibility. “Installers and developers/owners need less finger-pointing across suppliers 40
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and higher-level ownership of the inverter and RSD and data solution,” said Ed Heacox, CEO of NEP. “While the RSD system and inverters can be installed to operate independently, there can be interactions that are important to manage.” NEP sought to broaden its scope beyond just RSD devices to include inverters and data monitoring so that installers could use one brand for all needed functions. Heacox said that its Neptune inverter + Galaxy data monitoring solution ensures full support of site design and installation from one company. With a consolidated data portal and smart app with RSD and inverter data in one tool, the product is easily integrated and cost-effective. “The transmitters are in the inverters, the data gateway can be in the inverters, the portal and smart app include both RSD data and inverter interactivity,” Heacox said. This kind of offering can help project logistics. All the RSD and inverter solutions can ship to a project in one batch from NEP fulfillment partners like Rexel, Sonepar and Greentech Renewables. The result is lower cost and less risk of logistics delays. But not all microinverter manufacturers are expanding to string options. Although APsystems recently added a residential storage solution and associated AC-coupled inverter to its offerings, the company has no plans to introduce string solutions. “What we’re seeing is a lot of inverter and PV module companies adding microinverters to their portfolio,” said Jason Higginson, head of marketing for APsystems. “They’re migrating away from producing and selling string inverters
JANUARY 2024
because of the NEC mandate requiring additional rapid shutdown equipment.” Higginson highlighted some of the well-known issues that come with string inverters: their shorter lifespan, the riskier high-voltage DC format, the cost and hassle of pairing them with rapid shutdown devices and the fact that, in applications where optimizers or RSDs are not required or used, one panel can significantly impact the energy production of the other panels it’s wired to. Higginson also noted the high saturation of the string inverter market as a deterrent. He said the biggest names in the residential solar market are offering string inverters with optimizers or RSD devices that enable rapid shutdown for each panel. Given the relative newness of their choice, only time will tell if Hoymiles and NEP’s efforts to move into the string inverter market will be fruitful. But it may very well end up becoming a trend to watch in the inverter manufacturing space. SPW www.solarpowerworldonline.com
1/17/24 10:36 AM
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1/14/24 7:42 PM
2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
Butyl and mastic flashing sweeps residential solar mounting market By Billy Ludt, senior editor
There’s been a recent shift in the residential mounting sector, with manufacturers prioritizing smaller profile mounts that install over shingles rather than the traditional metal flashing sheets installed under roof coverings. These top-mounted attachments tend to reduce the materials carried to a roof and the number of steps in a solar installation. Previously, there were different flashing methods with each model, some built-in and others using self-applied sealants to waterproof roof penetrations. Within this segment of residential solar mounting, more manufacturers are opting for pre-installed adhesives, many of them applying a peel-and-stick butyl or similar sticky mastic to the mounting surface of their attachments. Butyl is a synthetic rubber that was invented in 1937 that can seal and adhere surfaces. Since its creation, butyl has been used in a range of industries and applications, from lining pools to reducing vibrations in engines. The material can be chemically altered to work in different environments, including on residential roofs. In the last few years, several major residential solar mounting manufacturers have adopted a butyl or similar flashing method. SnapNrack recently debuted its AnchorFoot and DeckAnchor mounts with butyl flashing. EcoFasten is using a combination of butyl and foam on its ClickFit and RockIt top mounts to adhere to the contours of residential roof surfaces. Unirac has a line of roof attachments for mounting and running conduit that uses butyl. K2 Systems now uses a proprietary butyl on its solar roof attachments called EverSeal. Then IronRidge uses a mastic adhesive paired with foam on its Halo UltraGrip top 42
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Roof Tech, Inc.
mount that functions similarly to a peeland-stick butyl attachment. Despite this recent trend toward this adhesive, butyl has been present in residential solar mounting for nearly 30 years. Roof Tech, the American subsidiary of Japanese PV mounting manufacturer Yanegiken, has used a proprietary butyl called AlphaSeal on its solar attachments since it started making them in 1994. Additionally, Roof Tech was early to produce solar mounts that are rail-less, attach to the roof deck and install over the shingle. Milton Nogueira, senior business development manager at Roof Tech, said this is common practice for solar mounting in Japan, a country that regularly experiences earthquakes, tropical depressions and generally more moisture than the United States. The company trusts its butyl flashing enough to put a 25-year warranty on the system. Roof Tech’s AlphaSeal butyl has been rated to perform in up to 180mph winds and temperatures as low as -40°F. Prior to developing its own, even competitor K2 Systems partnered with Roof Tech to use its butyl on K2 mounts. “Our flexible flashing lasts much longer and is malleable for longer, and the malleability of the product is what
JANUARY 2024
really shows us longevity, because anytime it gets warm, it can make sure that all the voids — if there are any — are filled,” said Kenneth Clem, regional sales manager, Roof Tech. “Whenever you go on top of a roof and you see caulking that’s hard [and] has physical cracks in it, that means a caulking has failed. Our product lasts incrementally much longer than what any caulking does. We’ve showed that over our roughly 30 years of experience.” Solar mounts using butyl or mastic for flashing generally seal penetrations as a bolt or screw is driven through the adhesive plane and into the roof surface. This lets installers skip the step of applying caulking themselves, and they don’t need to pry up shingles and slide metal flashing plates underneath. This limits the room for installation error. “[Our product] takes the liability off of the [installation] company because it’s pre-installed with our flashing on the product,” Clem said. “That was the number one thing whenever I was a contractor that I loved about it.” It’s unclear whether butyl is a passing fad or a longstanding flashing option for the larger residential solar mounting market. But it will remain Roof Tech’s adhesive of choice. SPW
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1/17/24 4:40 PM
2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
States boost solar installation on former landfills By Billy Ludt, senior editor
A handful of states, mostly based in the Northeast, have incentivized, or at the very least encouraged, solar development on decommissioned landfills. These plots of land are often untouched and otherwise unfit for commercial development that requires even minor civil work because their soil is capped and should not be penetrated. “There can be an overwhelming demand for greenfield space. I think that as states have recognized that, they see these types of properties that are already low value and don’t have a higher or better use that they make excellent candidates for solar,” said Annika Colston, CEO of AC Power, a New York solar contractor developing projects solely on landfills, brownfields and other contaminated sites. Going into 2024, AC Power has 16 landfill solar projects under development. The momentum this niche solar market is experiencing originates not from the federal incentives for energy communities and brownfields found in the IRA but from states with solar installation goals and incentives that include landfill development, and Colston said without them these projects might be too expensive to develop. New Jersey has two state incentives that provide solar renewable energy credits to project owners building
on particular sites, including landfills. NYSERDA made the Build-Ready program for encouraging and simplifying solar development on underused sites like landfills in New York State. Maryland plans to generate 50% of its electricity with renewable energy by 2030, with a 14.5% carveout for solar that is prioritizing development on brownfields. The Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection provides incentives for cleaning and reusing brownfield projects, and as of 2022, the state has completed more than 220 MW of brownfield solar projects. The Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality has a dedicated brownfield assessment and redevelopment program, and the state provides grants to municipalities to redevelop brownfields. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency maintains a loan program for redeveloping brownfields and former landfills, and provides additional resources for building these projects. This growth in state support for solar landfill projects is also bolstered by community solar programs. Colston said landfills and brownfields are ideal for community solar projects. “For the most part, that’s really because these sites are not situated near other forms of offtake. So, you can’t pursue a net-metered program or another offtake opportunity,” she said. “They’re often too small for any kind of utility-scale, so they’re really well suited for community solar.” And since they’re former landfills, grid infrastructure is already in place from prior operations at these sites. Landowners are responsible AC Power for maintaining landfills with
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Special Section - Trends 01-24_SPW_v7.indd 43
few prospects for redevelopment once capped. There’s an environmental benefit to remediating the land with solar development and an economic benefit to the landowner — and nearby residents — to building a community solar subscriber base along with the project. “There’s really nothing else that can be done on site. Solar presents a great opportunity to recoup and reduce some of the costs, because a solar developer will take them over,” Colston said. A direct example is a 10-MW project New Jersey solar developer CEP Renewables completed in November on a landfill in Southampton. The property was delinquent and CEP helped the city recoup $2 million in back taxes through the project. Since they are contaminated sites, there are additional regulatory steps and construction considerations to building solar on landfills. Environmental agencies are engaged to ensure whatever is contained beneath the soil doesn’t become unearthed, so that means using non-penetrative foundations like ballast blocks to secure the array and, in certain cases, lighter installation machinery must be used on site. Landfills aren’t the most convenient choice for building solar, but there are thousands of inactive ones within the United States, and their popularity is growing among developers willing to jump through the regulatory hoops to install there. “We see such an increased level of interest in landowners,” Colson said. “I think people can appreciate the timeline that we’re on, that there’s more funds available for the clean energy transition than ever before in our lifetime. It’s our responsibility to get out there and use that.” SPW
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1/17/24 4:40 PM
2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
New collaborations advance large-scale solar development By Sara Carbone, freelance contributor The complexities of deploying utility-scale solar are not new to the industry. These can range from issues around environmental impacts and equity to challenges regarding landuse, permitting and policy. Given the importance of large-scale solar on our country’s clean energy transition, many are seeking new collaborators to address these difficulties and facilitate its growth. One recent effort involved three prominent labor unions. In October last year, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) signed a national tri-trade solar agreement (NTTSA) that streamlines the construction process for utility-scale solar projects. Matt Paules, international representative for the IBEW’s Construction & Maintenance department, explained that there are more than 70 solar-specific jobs outlined in the agreement, with each assigned to a specific union’s members. “Where a normal project would include sometimes lengthy and contentious pre-job negotiations between the developer, contractors and the trades involved, working under this agreement eliminates that conflict entirely,” he said.
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Under the agreement, general roles are pre-agreed: operating engineers are responsible for posts, laborers handle the racking and electrical workers hook up the panels and balance of electrical. The NTTSA also mitigates risk to developers and contractors in the following ways: • IRA compliance - Developers have peace of mind that projects meet the strict prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements of the IRA and therefore earn all available tax credits. • Consistent staffing - If one union can’t fill a particular job, that responsibility rolls to the next union, and so on. This workforce flexibility minimizes wasted time and keeps projects on track. • Permitting and planning Developers have partners to assist with planning, permitting, siting and more. IBEW, LiUNA and IUOE’s connections with community leaders, lawmakers and utility customers can be leveraged to expedite project development. “We believe this agreement is going to be a game-changer for developers and contractors in terms of getting jobs done on time and budget, easily meeting all the requirements of
JANUARY 2024
the IRA and eliminating the inter-trade conflicts that can slow jobs down,” Paules said. A recent project based in the Northeast represented a different kind of collaboration to expedite large-scale solar deployment. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) sponsored a coordinated effort between software developer Utilidata, utility National Grid, national solar developer Standard Solar and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The project was a largescale solar farm in upstate New York that explored the use of smart inverters in grid decarbonization. It used a holistic approach that brought together stakeholders from key segments of the industry to find a cost-effective way for utilities and developers to lower barriers to greater solar adoption. Conversation is another way industry stakeholders have collaborated around this issue. A unique 2023 GRIDTech Forum gathered a mix of utility executives, representatives of regional transmission organizations, state legislators and developers to discuss how the disparate segments of the energy industry can work together to address grid-related issues. One particular focus was the successful buildout of the “smart grid” in deploying large-scale solar and battery storage. The “Solar Uncommon Dialogue” session proved to be a particularly impactful series of conversations. The dialogue convened conservation groups, tribal interests, community representatives, environmental advocates and solar developers to identify mutually beneficial ways of addressing challenges around large-scale solar deployment. It resulted in an agreement to continue
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1/17/24 10:37 AM
2024 TRENDS IN SOLAR
to work together and identify how to develop utility-scale solar in a way that champions land conservation and the interests of local communities. Maggie Sasser is the VP of government and external affairs for Pine Gate Renewables and was the company’s representative in the Solar Uncommon Dialogue agreement process. Pine Gate was one of the agreement’s 21 total signatories including five other solar developers representing the interests of large-scale solar. “The agreement launches six working groups that will each include a diverse set of stakeholders,” she said. “The groups will facilitate conversations around community and stakeholder engagement, smart siting practices, informational tools, engagement with tribal nations and policy and technology solutions that enable low conflict solar development.” Sasser explained that Pine Gate chose to pursue these actions now because the contractor is one of a number of companies experiencing more frequent challenges around siting, permitting and construction of largescale solar projects. “We have realized that our internal development process needs to continue to evolve to meet the needs of local communities,” she said. “But we also recognized that external engagement with a broader group of stakeholders was necessary to better understand regional and national challenges and potential solutions.” Sasser noted that collaborating across the range of stakeholders wasn’t always easy. She said that “the most valuable part of the process was when each stakeholder educated the broader group on their perspective and goals before we launched conversations about identifying conflicts and possible solutions. That level of baseline education can be a lesson to others pursuing solutions at any level to the multi-faceted issue of solar siting and project development.” SPW
SOLAR POWER WORLD
Special Section - Trends 01-24_SPW_v7.indd 45
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1/17/24 10:37 AM
CONTRACTOR'S CORNER
SARA CARBONE • FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR
CONTRACTOR’S CORNER:
Ipsun Solar
Washington, D.C., solar development company is using innovation and tech to cut costs and transform the customer experience.
In the wake of a slower year for many solar sectors, developers are working hard to lower soft costs and make solar and storage more easily accessible to prospective customers. They’re also constantly looking for ways to adapt to the changes brought by the Inflation Reduction Act. Ipsun Solar, a Washington, D.C.based solar developer, often finds creative solutions to endemic problems, from diversifying its offerings and creating an aggressive solar loan program to designing an in-house app that lowers the cost of acquisition and allows it to effectively manage the customer relationship. In this edition of our Contractor’s Corner series, we talk to Joe Marhamati, co-founder and CFO of Ipsun Solar, about innovative ways of weathering certain barriers to scaling a solar company in today’s industry.
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SPW: How does your company stand out from competitors? Marhamati: Ipsun Solar prides itself on being in a class of its own. It is one of the only solar installers in the country that is a member of the Amicus Solar Cooperative, an Enphase Platinum Installer, a Certified B-Corp and has a CEO who is a Master Electrician. We are also one of the only solar installers left in the country with 0.99% 20-year financing, as we helped develop an aggressive solar loan program with a group of like-minded solar installers. Currently, Ipsun Solar is putting the finishing touches on its NABCEP Company Accreditation, which will make it the only solar installer in the country with all of these certifications and accreditations. How has the IRA changed the way you do business? The IRA has been a double-edged sword for our company. On the one hand, many more homeowners are aware of the power of home electrification and how clean energy and energy efficiency can give them equal or greater ROI than their stock market portfolio. However, with the passage of the IRA came increasing interest rates, as well as a permanent end to the urgency around the near-annual ITC stepdown. This caused homeowners to take a pause as the “bill swap” that drove so many folks to go solar during the decade of cheap money was no longer on the table. Long term, the IRA will undoubtedly cause millions of homeowners to go solar, add a battery, EV, smart home service panel and electrify their heating, hot water and cooking systems. In the short-term, we are diversifying our offerings with a string
inverter, bargain module and lease/PPA offerings to weather the storm as interest rates come back down. What’s one way you’ve cut soft costs at your company? Cutting soft costs can be done in a few ways, but ultimately it’s the cost of acquisition that hits the bottom line more than anything else. At Ipsun Solar, we created Sunvoy as a white-labeled customer portal and fleet management system so that we could own the customer relationship from the second someone signs up for solar through the 30-year life of their solar system. Now, our homeowners see our logo, colors and brand through a customer portal hosted on our website. There’s no more leaving the customer in the dark about what stage their project is in because they can track it through our “pizza tracker” which shows every stage in the process, synced directly to our HubSpot CRM. Once a job hits PTO, the homeowner no longer has to login to up to five different apps to see their energy data. Our Sunvoy app integrates with every piece of hardware on the market, including Tesla, which means that our homeowners now have a single point of truth for their projects and solar systems to track their project, see their energy data, submit referrals, see their project docs, submit service tickets and more. This has significantly cut our cost of acquisition and allowed us to maintain our overhead during this down year. What solar technology improvement has made installations easier or better, and how? Both Lumin and Span are doing yeoman’s work in making battery
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
1/14/24 8:18 PM
CONTRACTOR'S CORNER
installations more sustainable for both installers and homeowners. Before these load control devices were standard, it was common for homeowners with battery storage to have no means for distinguishing between essential and non-essential loads. This meant that they could see their batteries drain to zero overnight, or while they were still at work, if the grid went out at an inopportune time. We now recommend load control for every single battery installation, and the result is a muchimproved customer experience. What’s your view of the future of the U.S. solar + storage industry? The U.S. solar and storage industry will continue to grow steadily, but what it needs more than anything is a clear path to $2/W installed. This means that SolarAPP+ or similar modes of same-day permitting have to be instituted everywhere, especially in the more difficult AHJs that can be arbitrary and capricious in their permit reviews and approvals. Just as important but more challenging is reducing the cost of acquisition. There is a joke in the residential solar industry that nobody buys solar, they are only sold solar. We need to find a way for solar and storage to be as common, accessible and necessary as HVAC. Of course, there is a chicken and egg problem whereby the solar cost of acquisition remains high because the overall price of selling and installing solar is still high. So how do we make solar accessible to everyone? First, we need to find innovative ways to make third-party
ownership (TPO) sustainable. There are now TPO providers that are allowing solar installers to own equity in the projects they build, allowing them to defray their corporate taxes and earn recurring revenue. This solves the problem of installers having no skin in the game on TPO, which could help dramatically expand solar energy for middle- and low-income communities. Second, manufacturers need to help their solar installer partners improve both the customer experience as well as how referrals are earned post-sale. As of today, Ipsun Solar is not aware of a single manufacturer monitoring app — from solar inverters to EV chargers to batteries and load control devices — that allows a homeowner to submit a referral in the app and have it land immediately with the company that sold and installed the project. Think about that for a minute.
We have homeowners who have to download multiple apps, none of which have any brand relationship to the solar installers. If the homeowner wants to submit a referral in any of those apps the function either doesn’t exist or that referral does not ultimately land with the solar installer. It might even be sold to their competitor. That’s part of the reason Ipsun Solar built its own in-house app with Sunvoy. We could improve the customer experience and own that relationship from the minute the homeowner signs up for solar through the 30-year life of the system. We also ongoingly build our brand equity, sell active monitoring and have a single point of truth for submitting referrals. If the solar industry can recognize and aggressively work toward improving in these areas, we’ll be at $2/W in the next few years, and solar will be accessible to nearly everyone. SPW
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JANUARY 2024
Contractors Corner 01-24_SPW_v3bl.indd 47
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1/14/24 8:18 PM
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JANUARY 2024
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