Focus On: Racking and Mounting p.24
Project Review: History Repeats Itself p. 30
Engineering Developments: Dust Wars p.40
July 2013 www.solarpowerworldonline.com
Technology • Development • Installation
We Talk Trends
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Editorial Advisory Board Natalie Holtgrefe Solectria Renewables Jose Gomez Ingeteam Steve Hogan Spire Devon Cichoski SolarWorld Marcelo Gomez Unirac Justin Barnes North Carolina (State University) Solar Center Scott Wiater Standard Solar
What do you think? Discuss this, and other solar issues at www.engineering exchange.com
2012
2012
FI RS T
WO RD
Our Team Tackles Trendy Topics I’m not someone who, as a general rule, follows trends too closely. I have suits older than most of my co-workers, and my pop musical taste runs from the 1960s through the 1990s (and the 1970s were a completely lost musical decade for me). Solar trends, however, are different. I voraciously read every article on solar I can find, and I’m in constant contact with industry experts to ensure I’m current with what’s going on in the industry. This is no small task. With new advances in technology coming daily, it can be hard to keep up. As the beat reporter for panels for Solar Power World, I’m excited about efficiency increases, price drops and new technologies that offer dreams of using solar power in ways unimaginable even three years ago. I’ve also followed the European Union-China bilateral negotiations closely, as well as the long-term effects of last year’s United States-China trade dispute. And then there’s the prediction from Shayle Kann of GTM Research that, in the next two years, more than 150 panel companies will disappear from the market. Assistant Editor Steven Bushong follows advances in solar thermal and racking-and-mounting, and newly minted Managing Editor Kathie Zipp (congratulations on the promotion, Ms. Zipp) is watching the inverter market closely to make sure she understand the issues facing that segment inside and out. (As an aside, I don’t envy Kathie — with the recent consolidation going on in that segment, it may soon be hard to tell the players without a scorecard. I wish her luck, but she’s certainly up for the task.) For this special Intersolar issue, we have packed it full of information on 16 trends we see in the industry, from the importance of post-installation O&M (Dust Wars), to the state of the racking-and-mounting segment (Simplicity & Sophistication). We predict how future solar projects will be funded, where the different inverter segments fit in the industry and the future of battery storage. The experts we interviewed for these pieces provided thoughtful insights on where the industry is at this pivotal moment in its development — and where they see it going in the coming years. As always, we at Solar Power World offer the most comprehensive solar industry coverage that you will find in one place. If you feel there’s a trend we haven’t covered or think we should keep our eyes on for the future, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re available everywhere — on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and old-school communication tools like the phone and email. We look forward to receiving your feedback.
Frank Andorka
Editorial Director fandorka@solarpowerworldonline.com
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
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[ SO L AR
{
W OR K S ]
Solar Works Around The United States Solar technology is gaining ground and favorability across the country. For example: New Jersey’s largest utility says it reached an agreement with regulators to invest $446 million in solar projects. A bill to repeal North Carolina’s RPS stalled in the state’s House of Representatives because it lacked unanimous Republican dissent. A study in Arizona showed net metering will save utility customers $34 million. And in California, home of July’s Intersolar exhibition, 43,700 people are employed in the solar industry – the most of any state. But there’s more:
Trendier Than You Thought Stoughton, Mass.
For Your Support Live Oak, Calif. The Live Oak School District dedicated a garden bench, which is shaded by a new solar array, to the late Bernard “Barney” Bricmont, a former board member and long-time supporter of solar projects in the district. The 416-kW array will save the district almost $2.5 million in utility expenses.
Sun Rises On Initiative Delmar, N.Y. Constellation Energy expects to complete a 2.6-MW installation at an Owens Corning fiberglass factory. The 9,000-panel, ground-mounted installation is part of the governor’s NY-Sun Initiative, which funds 52 MW of new photovoltaic capacity in the state.
IKEA now boasts more than fashionable furniture. In 2010, the retailer committed to reducing carbon emissions with solar systems. Its latest project – No. 38 for the books – is a 590-kW system by REC Solar that sports 4,220 laminated panels. IKEA’s solar portfolio surpasses 30 MW.
A Solar City Lemoore, Calif. This city and Chevron Energy Solutions are building a 3.1-MW system to power domestic water wells, a wastewater treatment plant, a municipal complex, a police department and more. Over the project’s lifespan, Lemoore could save close to $45 million.
Solar Cat Peoria, Ill. Caterpillar’s earth-moving machines and sustainability wouldn’t seem to mix, but the company’s new visitors center is on track to achieve LEED Gold status with the help of a solar array. On sunny days, the system could provide 75% of the building’s energy needs.
Something Big Arlington, Ariz.
To The Tip-Top Honolulu, Hawaii
Developer Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has opened the 150-MW first phase of the Mesquite solar project, which uses 800,000 panels from Suntech Power. The project has created more than 500 temporary jobs and 10 permanent positions, and it could become the country’s largest solar farm.
Hawaii-based installer Sunetric shows that no contract is too tall an order. The company installed a 200-kW photovoltaic system at the top of a 32-story tower using a helicopter to lift components to the roof. The tower owners expect to save $22,870 in annual utility costs through a PPA.
Tracker Travels Overseas Oak Ridge, Tenn. Tennessee-based developer Vis Solis partnered with DEGERenergie, a German dual-axis tracker manufacturer, to install a 50-kW system at an industrial park. The project is part of the German Energy Agency’s “dena Solar Roofs Program,” which supports German solar companies in new markets.
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Old Dominion, New Technology Norfolk, Va. This summer, Dominion Virginia Power will assess the effect of PV on its power distribution system. The utility will build up to 30 MW of arrays, including a 132kW system at Old Dominion University. “This program encourages growth of solar in Virginia,” says Ken Barker, a vice president at the utility.
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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
July
contents
12
D e pa r t m e n t s
50
•
v o l
3
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P. 59 - 82 Talking Trends In Solar Power
Solar Power World sha
res insights from experts on 16 critical industry
F e at u r e s
14 Supersize It
segments.
01 The First Word
2 0 1 3
03 Solar Works
06 Solar Snapshot
20 Oh, Say Can You See (The Solar) American ingenuity freed an iconic landmark from the tyranny of
08 Marketing 09 Training 10 Contractors Corner 12 State Of The State 84 Developments 89 Products 94
Oversizing your array-to-inverter ratio can improve system performance.
traditional electricity.
24 The State Of Racking & Mounting
Manufacturers focus on simplicity through sophistication.
30 History Can Repeat Itself
New innovations were unveiled atthe site of one of the first U.S. parabolic trough installations.
About the Cover: The solar industry is red
34 The Case For Aluminum Racking
hot, and so are the trends
Selecting materials for solar structures is all about shape.
in this issue. (cover image: istockphoto.com)
40 Dust Wars
4 Questions
Companies using robot-based cleaning services reap benefits.
96
50 Old Money, New Energy
Ad Index
Funding solar makes sense for oil and gas energy investors.
54 5 Pitfalls In Solar Deals
Take precautions to keep your project from being scuttled.
Table of Contents 7-13 Solar_KZ_FAVs7.indd 5
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By
[S O LAR
S NAPSH O T]
Source: U.S. Solar Market Insight: Year-in-Review 2012
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Top 10 PV Markets — 2012
The perfect union of module and mounting system
Ecofoot2
Top 10 PV Markets — 2013
Source: IHS SolarPV Demand Market Tracker - Q1’13
“Solar Snapshot” provide a glimpse of the solar industry in pictures. If you have an infographic you’d like to see on this page, email it to Editorial Director Frank Andorka at fandorka@solarpowerworldonline.com.
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
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ecolibriumsolar.com 6/19/13 9:02 AM
[MARKETING]
Stop Preaching To The Choir If you’re reading this, you’re probably pretty
Carter Lavin
Lavin is The Solar Marketing Group’s Business Development Manager and helps renewable energy companies analyze the market, articulate their messages and connect with their targeted audiences to achieve their marketing and communications goals.
into solar. You read solar articles, comment (or tweet) about them and most likely work in the solar industry. That,’s great: Your involvement in discussions about the industry helps improve the sector as a whole, since we benefit from your experience and expertise. And you can learn from everyone else. However, as the industry grows and becomes more specialized, we have more opportunities to hash out questions and details. The problem with this is it runs the risk of our community becoming a self-involved echo chamber. At its core, the solar industry is one of engineers and builders. We love the tech and detailed discussions. Because of that, we will always have a tendency to turn inwards and talk excitedly about increased panel efficiencies or 1000V inverters amongst ourselves. But if we focus solely on the technology and only talk with each other, solar will stay a niche solution that is loved, understood and adopted by a few. For us to maintain our rapid growth, we need to push solar into the mainstream. We need to continue to reinvent ourselves as a sales-and-marketing focused industry — one that always strives to reach out to new audiences, bring them in, get referrals and close deals. So how do we break out of our echo chamber, and who should we be reaching out to? Local business community: Getting more involved in your local business community is a great place to start. It’s filled with potential commercial clients and is likely to support your efforts to cut the solar permitting red tape in your area. Just be careful about joining a Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a large funder of attacks on the solar industry, and part of your local chapter dues go to the national chamber. Thankfully, many local chambers have
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cancelled their memberships with the national chamber, so you can join them without funding attacks on solar.
Schools: Schools are a valuable community for solar installers because they typically consist of many homeowners within a narrow geographic area. While most schools are, and should be, wary of mingling with commercial interests, if you approach them as an educational resource they will be more receptive to your message. Start by offering to talk to a science class about energy infrastructure, or invite them to tour a project site. The more involved in the school community you get, the easier it will be for you to leverage that relationship into some project work.
Faith-based groups: Getting involved with faith-based groups can be tricky, but if done right (and respectfully) it could pay off nicely. Congregations often own their own buildings and plan to occupy them for many years, which make them attractive solar customers. However, they are non-taxed entities and are thus precluded from most funding opportunities. Connect with a local faith-based group and help solve this problem by setting up a special referral program through the congregation. Much like how the Sierra Club gets a check every time one of its members goes solar, you can set up a similar program with a local congregation. To make the program less commercial, have the referral money go to funding a solar array for their place of worship. These are just a few examples of communities to reach out to and strategies for introducing solar and your company to them. As you get more involved in local communities you will see more opportunities to help enrich them, and yourself, by mainstreaming solar solutions. SPW
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
6/13/13 3:29 PM
[TRAINING]
It’s Not Complicated: More Is Better Than Less Across the United States, the number of
Sales Training
commercial and residential solar installations is increasing. As the industry grows, so does the need for training programs. Such programs are proliferating, so here are some guidelines for future solar professionals to consider when looking for an adequate training program.
Knowing how to properly install and maintain a solar array is useless unless a company can sell systems. Many smaller companies often hire people who have little or no knowledge of the solar business to drop flyers or knock on doors to introduce the product. They give the canvassers a week-long course that includes some basic product knowledge and may or may not include sales techniques. While the cost to do canvassing may be low, so is the result. Properly training field technicians in sales allows them to build rapport with customers by answering their technical questions and addressing issues. A technical team educated in sales will likely increase customer satisfaction, which can directly affect sales.
Are Online Courses Enough?
Susan Pawlak Susan Pawlak is the director of career services at Ecotech Institute in Aurora, Colo.
The largest increase in training programs has been online. With a 40-hour investment, you can take an online course that includes some hands-on training, and complete the entrylevel exam for NABCEP certification. But is 40 hours enough to gain adequate knowledge of the solar industry? You may learn how to install a solar panel and other balance-of-system components. Such programs may also touch on design and troubleshooting. But the biggest complaint I hear from solar industry employers is that entry-level technicians may know how to physically install a panel, but they don’t have a basic understanding of electricity. That is perhaps the greatest failure of short certificate and online-training courses. The industry already needs technicians who can do more than just install components. Technicians must be able to respond when a customer has a problem. Their skills, therefore, must include designing, sizing, monitoring, trouble shooting and repairing systems. A two-year associate of applied science degree in solar technology can provide sufficient knowledge and hands-on lab training to deliver more of what employers look for when hiring. The benefit of a solar-energy degree will be increasingly evident as the industry continues to grow and systems begin to age. Renewable energy schools, such as Ecotech Institute, that offer renewable energy degrees are providing a cutting-edge education for solar professionals. Their 85 to 90% placement rate is a solid indicator that they are providing the training and knowledge solar companies need.
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More Is Better Than Less The level of training for solar technicians needs to run parallel with the changes in solar technology. Brief online programs will not be sufficient to support the long-term industry. There is an increasing need for solar technicians who have completed comprehensive training programs with a solid foundation in electricity, controls systems, troubleshooting and hands-on experience. Also, good sales training for technicians and solid product knowledge training for business development personnel will be critical for the continued growth of small companies — and the industry — as a whole. SPW
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[CONTRACTORS C O R N E R ]
GeoPeak Energy, Somerset, N.J. GeoPeak Energy started operations in New
AJ Javan Chief Strategy Officer of GeoPeak Energy
“What allowed us to come out on top was our focus on customer service,” Javan says. “We have an excellent track record in this area of delivering projects on time. We also have a strong financial background. We’re a fully self-funded company, with no outside capital or investor debt and glad we can be that way.” Javan says New Jersey’s SREC value has been stabilized, which has created a good regulatory environment. “If the industry continues in the direction it’s heading — state incentives open up, net-metering becomes widely acceptable and power is allowed back into the grid — I see an exponential growth,” Javan says. “Seeing what’s happening in Europe and other markets, the United States is poised for solar growth. New Jersey, especially after Hurricane Sandy, is pushing for time-ofuse and a tiered-rate system. The price of electricity is going up, and the more it does, the more quickly solar will reach grid parity without incentives.” Every year, GeoPeak Energy is able to add megawatts quickly through repeat customers. He attributes this to the company’s focus on customer service and the ability to deliver projects globally. “Other solar contractors are walking away from customer service and from projects,” Javan explains. “We look to have long-term relationships with clients, helping them to find solutions. That’s actually how we’ve grown.” When asked what he enjoys most about being in the solar industry, Javan replies, “I’ll make it simple: It’s fun and we’re making a difference.” He cites structured deals such as one with a client to reduce CO2 emissions by 25 million pounds per year. “Over the life of their structured deal, they’ll reduce it by 625 million pounds,” he says. “That’s a lot, and that makes you feel good.” SPW planned for 2013
Jersey in 2009, with six employees and a mission to cater to clients who had sustainability as a pillar of their businesses. “We determine our customers’ pain points and challenges and try to solve problems for them,” says AJ Javan, GeoPeak’s chief strategy officer. This philosophy has driven GeoPeak’s success, as the company now boasts several hundred installs across New England, the Middle Atlantic to Florida and in California. The company predominantly works in the commercial PV space, which comprises about 85% of its business revenue. Residential solar takes up the remainder. A growing customer base has also lead to a growing staff. The company is now 56 employees strong, adding 49 jobs in just four years. Such success has enabled GeoPeak Energy to make Solar Power World’s 2012 Top 100 Solar Contractors list, as well as earning the title of 2012 private company of the year from the New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC). Javan explains the award is a great honor because the NJTC is the East Coast center for technology and a highly recognized organization. GeoPeak was selected out of the 2,000 private companies that are part of the NJTC. There was rigorous sharing of information between his company and the council before even applying for the award.
Employees: 56
GeoPeak Energy Vital Statistics
MW installed in 2012: 10, with 15
MW installed overall (through 2012): 31 Founded: 2009
Website: www.geopeakenergy.com
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To learn more about GeoPeak Energy, listen to the full interview with AJ Javan in a Contractor’s Corner podcast on www.solarpowerworldonline.com.
www.solarpowerworldonline.com
6/19/13 9:06 AM
EFFICIENT. RELIABLE. RESPONSIVE. What more do you want from your inverter supplier?
Built for the real world
MADE IN THE USA
Solectra 7-13.indd 11
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6/13/13 3:37 PM
[ S TAT E O F T H E S T A T E ]
Solar State-By-State Report: Texas
Lucy Stolzenburg is Executive Director of the Texas Solar Energy Society Texas-based Meridian Solar installed this 27-kW system at the taxi staging area of Austin Bergstrom International Airport.
The sleeping giant is still sleeping. Texas has
Charlie Hemmeline is President of Solar Austin
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the greatest potential for solar power in the nation, yet uses far less than a single percent in its electricity portfolio. We have taken some positive steps forward, but challenges to rapid expansion remain because of our lack of strong statewide solar policy, below average electricity prices and a complicated market environment owing to our deregulated structure. Retail electric providers in the competitive market tend not to sign the long-term PPAs necessary for large solar projects, and most do not offer credit of any kind for excess customer generation, to say nothing of full net-energy metering. Most of our solar power has been developed through aggressive programs in Austin, San Antonio, Fort Bliss and some investor-owned utilities. Austin was the first city to develop incentives for solar and now has a combined utility and rooftop portfolio of 49.3 MW. Last year, San Antonio announced an 7 • 2013
aggressive partnership with OCI Solar Power to increase solar capacity to 400 MW and build a solar manufacturing plant. Fort Bliss in far West Texas is aggressively expanding its solar capacity and expects to have nearly 35 MW of solar by late 2015. The Texas economy pulled through the past recession with little damage, and growth is expected to continue at a rapid pace. But according to ERCOT, the grid operator covering 85% of the states’ load, electric capacity is dangerously low, and current demand and anticipated growth threaten resource adequacy. This summer ERCOT will ask institutions, businesses and residences to conserve energy to avoid brownouts. Additionally, the current drought has created an acknowledged crisis statewide and made it clear that Texas must be able to produce electricity without large amounts of water, one of solar’s finest qualities. The PUC has hesitated to implement a solar carve out to the successful renewable energy
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RPS that catapulted wind energy to 13% of total ERCOT capacity (credited with keeping rates low), but the demands of the Texas economy combined with climate change will hopefully one day turn the PUC commissioners’ attention to solar. The Texas Legislature, which meets every other year, closes soon, and we anticipate some positive outcomes from this session in the form of commercial PACE financing and an expansion of interconnection limits. Two issues seem to be saved from the chopping block: the RPS and a homeowner’s right in a homeowner association to install solar when reasonable requirements are met. Sometimes, the good news is that a win from a previous session does not fall to the whims of the next. Alas, there are no legislative game changers imminent.
With almost 25% of the Texas economy tied to oil and gas, there is a perception that our energy resources will always come from the ground. But the success of wind energy has punched a hole in that assumption, and there is reason to believe that natural gas and solar will form a synergistic partnership in the long term. The Texas solar market may also benefit from the multiple scenarios of a water crisis, a growing population, an underinvestment in traditional power plants and, of course, the ever present sun on the largest state in the continental United States. SPW
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IN VER TER INS IDE R
How oversizing your array-to-inverter ratio can improve solar-power system performance By Jon Fiorelli and Michael Zuercher-Martinson, Solectria Renewables, Contributors
PV system designers are tasked with the important decision of selecting the optimal array-to-inverter ratio for each inverter in a project. The array-to-inverter ratio defines the relationship between the array’s nameplate power rating at Standard Test Conditions to the inverter’s rated AC output. As an example, a system with a 120-kWdc array feeding a 100-kWac inverter has an Array-to-Inverter Ratio of 1:2. Until recent years, due to the high cost of modules, PV systems were designed to maximize energy production per PV module. This approach typically resulted in oversizing ratios between 1:10 to 1:25, depending on the project location and design specific DC loss factors such as tilt angle, orientation, mounting method, DC wiring losses, mismatch and soiling. With falling module prices, project financials have changed in favor of higher array-to-inverter ratios. It’s important to understand why systems are being oversized, the technical considerations relating to oversizing and the impact of oversizing on inverter life. 14
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IN VE RTE R INS IDE R
Figure 1a: Daily Production Profile Power Limiting Day
Figure 1b: Daily Production Profile Non-Power Limiting Day
Why Should You Oversize Just a few short years ago, the main driver of system design was the high cost of PV modules. The goal of designers was to ensure maximum energy harvest from each module in the system. By doing so, designers ensured the optimal use of this high-cost system component. Best design practices were to place modules to avoid shading from obstructions and between racking rows, and to size the array to the largest capacity so the inverter spent little to no time power limiting. Power limiting is an inverter function that occurs when the available power from the array is greater than the inverter’s rated input power. Power limiting is often called “clipping” due to the flattening effect on the system’s daily production profile, as shown in Figure 1a and 1b. During power limiting, the inverter controls the input power from the array by shifting the array’s operating point to a highervoltage and lower-current operating point along the array’s current-voltage (I-V) curve, thereby deviating from the maximum power point of the array. This is shown in Figure 2. By maximizing production per module, designers achieve the optimal specific yield of the system. Specific yield is the system’s annual energy harvest per kW of installed DC capacity. Specific yield is expressed in units of annual kWh/kW. Optimizing specific 16
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yield typically results in array-to-inverter ratios ranging from 1:10 to 1:25, depending on project location and DC derating factors. With lower PV module prices, the incremental cost of adding additional DC capacity to a system has greatly decreased. Since a larger array feeding a fixed size inverter will result in greater system annual production, the increased annual energy harvest is spread across the system’s fixed/semi-fixed costs, which include inverters, AC collection system, permitting, interconnection fees, engineering and overhead. As a result, project financials have shifted in favor of increased Array-to-Inverter ratios. The scales tip even further in favor of oversizing when considering time-of-use (TOU) utility rate structures, which place the greatest monetary value for energy delivery in the afternoon during summer months. Through oversizing, systems produce greater energy when energy has the greatest value. Oversizing due to fixed vs. incremental cost effect and the TOU effect has manifested itself in different ways throughout the industry. Increased oversizing is now being seen in large-scale utility projects in the desert Southwest, with oversizing ratios more than 1:5, as well as in space constrained commercial rooftop installations, where designers have begun encroaching into shaded regions of the roof. Commercial and
utility systems alike are exploring the effects of reducing module tilt angle, decreasing inter-row separation and reducing modulecleaning schedules, all factors that result in non-optimal specific yield — with the aim of gaining increased annual production — with the same fixed-cost structure. To quantify the effects of oversizing, system designers perform an oversizing analysis using a PV system simulation program such as PVsyst, PV*SOL or SAM. To be suitable for oversizing analysis, the simulation program must be capable of modeling the power-limiting behavior of the inverter. Additionally, the program must be able to provide hourly data values when financial models are built on a time-of-use rate structures. In most cases, oversizing analysis is performed through successive simulations where the inverter size is kept constant while the array size is varied. The project team may also look at the effects of keeping the array size constant while varying the inverter kW rating. The end result is a dataset that shows the effects of array-to-inverter ratios on hourly and annual production. The production values from the analysis are then fed into the financial model of the project to determine the optimal array-toinverter ratio. The details of financial models will vary, but most have the same overall goal of optimizing a financial metric such as
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Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Net Present Value (NPV), or Internal Rate of Return (IRR). An example oversizing financial analysis is shown in Figure 3 (see next page). The analysis shows that oversizing improves the economics of a project up to a certain point; beyond that point, however, the project begins experiencing diminishing returns.
What Factors Limit Oversizing Oversizing exposes the inverter to the following: • Increased available power from the array • Increased available short-circuit current from the array • Slightly increased full-power input voltage during power limiting • Increased operational hours at full power Discussions up to this point have assumed that the inverter has power-limiting capability, which is true of UL1741-listed inverters. As part of listing to UL1741, an “Output Overload Test” is performed to confirm the inverter’s ability to maintain rated output power when fed by a DC source equal to twice the inverter-rated input current. Although the inverter has the ability to control the current from the array during normal power-conversion operation, during a DC-side fault, the inverter’s capability to control the current from the array is through interruption at best. The scenario that subjects the inverter to the highest short-circuit current is a low-impedance fault (“bolted fault”) within the inverter’s DC section between the ungrounded and grounded circuitry, or between ungrounded circuitry and ground. During these scenarios, the inverter is exposed to the full short-circuit current of the array. The inverter’s DC side components, including bus bars, cables and switches, must be rated to carry and interrupt (in the case of electromechanical switches) the array’s available short-circuit current. The weakest link in this circuit dictates the maximum short-circuit current that the inverter is rated to handle. Based upon the desired string count and string size, the maximum Array-toInverter ratio can then be determined.
Figure 2: Array I-V Curves And Operating Points Of Typical And Oversized Arrays
Effect Of Oversizing On Inverter Life Designers, developers and system owners should view the effects of oversizing on inverter life and Mean-TimeBetween Failure (MTBF) through practical lenses. Large array-to-inverter ratios cause the inverter to work harder for longer hours. In addition, most commercial three-phase inverters operate less efficiently when operating above the maximum power point voltage, resulting in greater internalheat rejection. Common sense tells us that this can cause some of the temperature-sensitive components to age faster www.solarpowerworldonline.com
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compared to a lightly-loaded scenario. The good news is that inverters have thermal-management architectures to control internal temperatures to protect the inverter during prolonged periods of full-power operations. These measures also act to help preserve the life of temperature sensitive components. Inverters sense temperatures of critical components and have programmed set points that trigger increased blower fan speed and power limiting as means of regulating internal temperature. In addition, inverters have critical temperature limits that, once reached, result in inverter shutdown. Inverters also include one or more temperature switches as a backup safety mechanisms in the event of an uncontrolled temperature increase due to failures in the inverter’s thermalmanagement-control systems. System designers should understand the inverter’s maximum ambient operating temperature for full-rated power and consider other factors that affect the inverter’s operating temperature and cooling ability, including inverter shading, elevation and mounting location (indoor/outdoor, ventilated/ conditioned). Designers are encouraged to use good engineering judgment and attempt to promote optimal cooling of the inverter to ensure the longest life of the equipment. System owners should perform regularly scheduled maintenance of any air intake filters and cooling system. What About The Warranty? Discussions of inverter life and MTBF lead to perhaps the biggest question from designers, developers and EPCs regarding oversizing: “How will oversizing affect my inverter warranty?” It is recommended to work closely with your inverter provider to understand how oversizing effects warranty and related offerings, such as preventative maintenance plans and uptime-guarantees.
to consider include project location, design specifics, project-cost structure, financial model and other project goals. How will oversizing practices change in the future? With the continued downward trend of module prices and the potential for an increasing number of utilities transitioning to time-of-use rate structures, combined with future technology to capture energy lost during power limiting or to temporarily overdrive inverters for grid support, indications are that the practice of oversizing only stands to continue. SPW
Discuss This Michael Zuercher-Martinson is one of the four founding partners of Solectria Renewables, and a distinguished electrical drive and power conversion innovator. Jon Fiorelli is an applications engineer for Solectria Renewables. He has been involved in all phases of commercial PV design, installation, commissioning, and O&M.
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Figure 3: Example Oversizing Financial Analysis
What’s Best — And What’s Next What is the best oversizing ratio? The answer should now be apparent: It depends. Factors
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PROJE CT RE V IE W
Oh, Say Can Y The National Park Service frees an iconic landmark from the tyranny of traditional electricity
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n You See (The Solar)
By Frank Andorka, Editorial Director
Francis Scott Key would be proud. Key made the U.S. flag famous when he saw it flapping in the wind during the Battle of Baltimore (Sept. 12 to 15, 1814) and penned a poem called Defense of Fort McHenry (which later became the lyrics to the U.S. National Anthem). The fort is doubly designated as a national park and a National Monument and Historic Shrine (the only place in the United States so decreed), and has flown a 30-ft high, 42-ft long replica of the Star-Spangled Banner to represent the flag Key saw from his prison cell. At night, 700W, high-energy, high-maintenance incandescent lights illuminated the flag. When National Park Service (NPS) Project Manager John
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Holtzinger came on the scene, he didn’t like what he saw. “We used two large spotlights mounted on the ground along the edge of a historic building to light the flag,” Holtzinger says. “I thought they looked rather ugly, so I researched alternatives.” Holtzinger had recently retired from
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Hubbell Lighting brand), set about figuring out how to do it.
Saving The Sightlines Holtzinger went to SEPCO to design the array because he had worked with the company before when the park installed
“
solar power flag-lighting system,” says Joe O’Grady, solar-lighting specialist at SEPCO. “We’re always up for a challenge, and working on such an iconic American symbol gave us extra incentive to take the job.” The solar project at Fort McHenry
“
the Coast Guard, where he had worked with solar power on various projects. He researched the idea of using solar to power the lights at Fort McHenry. “The NPS compliance program is really strict,” Holtzinger says. “My goal was to install the lights so they wouldn’t
O’Grady says they had to oversize the array to make sure it generated enough power from dusk to dawn lighting throughout the winter months.
be seen by visitors and could be removed without damaging the integrity of the structure.” So Holtzinger, along with his partners at Solar Electric Power Co. (SEPCO) and Beacon Products (a
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solar-powered streetlights. The reliability of the company and willingness to work around some of the more challenging regulations made them a natural partner. “They approached us about the possibility of designing a custom off-grid
was designed counterintuitively. While most solar-lighting arrays are mounted directly on poles and are angled to face the sun, SEPCO designed the array at the fort to mount flush against the roof so they didn’t destroy the sightlines for
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visiting tourists. “Optimally, this kind of array would tilt 40 degrees to achieve peak power production during the holiday season in Washington D.C.,” O’Grady says. “With the flat-mounting requirement, we had to approach the design completely differently.” O’Grady says they had to oversize the array to make sure it generated enough power from dusk to dawn lighting throughout the winter months. SEPCO also had to specify light fixtures that could adequately light the flag from the roof. That’s where Beacon Products entered the picture. “We specified four high-performance, solar-powered FL1 LED floodlight fixtures, which do an excellent job year-round,” O’Grady says. The array consists of two 340-W solar power assemblies that are attached to 224-amp/hour batteries. These power the two spotlights and two floodlights. Holtzinger says the facilities management department at Fort McHenry designed its own racking system because of its exacting requirements of being low to the roof, sight unseen, and easily removable. “We’ve got some pretty talented people in our department,” Holtzinger says. “We couldn’t find a commercial system that met our requirements, so we decided to build our own.” Holtzinger says the project has worked flawlessly since he installed the panels. “This project was the right thing to do,” Holtzinger says. “It saves on electric consumption, stimulates forward-thinking among other government agencies and strengthens our bonds with the community, who see us doing our part to protect the environment and save the taxpayers money. It’s a win-win for everyone.” SPW
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Companies are focused on making racking-and-mounting systems easier for installers to use By Steven Bushong, Assistant Editor
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The variety of racking-and-mounting systems available to developers is never more obvious than at trade shows. From wall to wall, polymer to steel, the sheer selection can be overwhelming. But that may change soon. Industry leaders expect to see the rackingand-mounting market consolidate, following an industrywide trend. Companies that have proven products, they say, will endure, while companies that bypass appropriate testing and certifications will fail. The exit of these
California-based PanelClaw produces the Grizzly Bear and Sun Bear (right) systems, among others. The Grizzly Bear Gen II, with three major components and two nut and bolt sizes, simplifies installation by reducing parts. The Sun Bear, for ground installations, features integrated turnbuckles to safely perform in-field adjustments.
companies largely will be the result of investment banks that have become more sophisticated, growing wise to fly-by-night manufacturing.
“Banks were planning on a 12% rate of return, but now
they’re getting half that,” says Dan O’Brien, vice president
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[ T h e s t a t e o f R A C K I N G an d [ R A C K I N G an d m o u n t ing ]
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Patriot Solar, a Michigan-based company, simplified its mounting system with a swedged rail. During installation, one end of a rail slides into another. Previous versions had two rails come together, and each was bolted to a plate. Now, only one bolt is necessary.
of business development at SolarDock, a Delaware-based flat-roof mounting manufacturer. He says numerous systems on the East Coast are waiting on delayed commissions because of problems with the mounting. “The banks are going back to find out why they’re not getting their money,” he says. Once the static has subsided, and the systems remaining are equally safe and functional for the 25-year term of a typical solar project, a developer’s selection will be guided by the requirements of a project. The first consideration will likely be whether a project requires multiple types of mounting – such as flat-roof mounts and trackers – or a single system. That’s because the racking-andmounting segment is following two divergent paths, leaders say. In one direction, companies are producing lines of systems for installation on ground, flat roofs and sloped roofs. They see themselves as one-stop shops for the engineering, procurement and construction company (EPC). On the contrary path, suppliers have positioned themselves to excel at one particular type of system — only a ballasted, flat-roof mount, for instance. Leaders say there is room for both types of companies in the solar space, but only the best will survive. “We’re all trying to get to the same goal line,” says John Harvey, president of 26
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HatiCon Solar. “The market will decide.” And the market is eyeing grid parity. Racking-and-mounting suppliers are taking it upon themselves to simplify systems and reduce cost. The move is a necessity. Although cost pressure bears down on the whole industry, the pressure is arguably greatest today in the racking-and-mounting market. “When you think of systems, modules were always the bigger expense,” says Mark Gies, vice president of global applications engineering and services at PanelClaw. “But if you think about it, our racking system is what touches the roof, it’s what touches the modules. It defines the geometry of the system. The industry has migrated toward placing an increasingly important value on racking.” Manufacturers are looking at the mechanical aspects of racks as well as how it goes together in the field to determine the best ways to simplify and reduce cost. In recent years, rackingand-mounting providers have looked at two important ways to reduce cost: simplify parts and installation. Simplify Parts Just 10 years ago, solar panels could be found affixed to ordinary 2x4s. More recently, mounting systems resembled complicated erector sets. These were two extremes that have evolved into today’s prized combination: a system that emphasizes “simplification through
sophistication,” a phrase Harvey of HatiCon Solar used to describe the overarching industry trend. For its part, HatiCon uses aluminum because multiple features can be built into a single extruded rail. The features are important because nothing is perfect. “You can design a beautiful system in the lab that, in the real world, fails to work as well,” Harvey says, noting undulating hills and uneven roofs as common complications. “In the field, when things aren’t exactly as they’re drawn up, people should still be able to make it work. You have to have flexibility in the design.” HatiCon designs systems for ground, flat-roof and pitched-roof installations. To save installers time, the various systems use similar components. In California, Harvey says, it’s becoming more common for school districts to install solar. To achieve maximum productivity, it’s common for a district to build on a variety of surfaces, such as the school roof, over a parking lot and in a nearby field. “If I have the exact same system with one unique thing that makes it a ground mount versus flat-roof, it makes it easier from the installation standpoint,” Harvey says. Another manufacturer aims to simplify its products for installers. SunLink systems have a tilt-up feature, so workers can pivot sections of an array up for easier access to wire management,
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[the
microinverters or other components. “That adds a part to our system,” says Chris Tilley, CEO of the California-based company. “But it also greatly simplifies electrical installation. You don’t have to crawl under the racks anymore.” Tilley says his company has reduced its part count by about 50% since its first racking system, but it’s also made them more sophisticated. For instance, roof manufacturers have long-required solar developers to include a slip sheet between solar racking and a roof. SunLink developed rubber feet that are compatible with rooftops, removing this superfluous step from installation (although Tilley admits that roofing manufacturers will have the final say – no one wants to void a warranty). Patriot Solar has simplified its systems’ mechanics and thereby brought cost down, too. The Michigan-
s tate
of
based company previously had a ground-mount system that brought two rails together. A plate sat across them, and each rail was individually bolted to the plate, which was connected to a truss. Later designs used a swedged rail, in which one end of the rail slides into another. Now, only one bolt is necessary, and the plate has been removed from the construction. But Patriot Solar, which got its start in satellite technology, has looked beyond mechanics to simplify its systems. Simplify Installation As more EPCs look for one-stop shops, racking-and-mounting companies are following the money and offering turn-key services. Patriot Solar is among them, having built an in-house installation team. “Manufacturing is our core
RACKI NG
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competency, but installation is another service we offer,” says Adam Parr, an account manager with the company. “The racking companies are leading the way in the next push to lower cost. The more options such as installation, wire management, custom string sizing, grounding and pre-assembly a company can offer to lower cost, the better.” Ohio-based Solar FlexRack is also providing turnkey service. The company has developed a certified installer program. “People love that,” says Steve Daniel, vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re even going to the level of hiring field technicians with machinery to do pull-out tests of the soil to determine the type, strength and depth of posts. Three or four years ago, no one did this.” PanelClaw’s Gies notes that simplicity in installation extends beyond what
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happens on the roof. It also applies to business transactions that happen on paper, over the telephone and in-person — it applies to customer service. The company espouses “simplicity” as a core value. It’s applied that ethos to its day-today customer service. PanelClaw has worked to simplify every customer touch point, from
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purchase orders to quotes and proposals. The company will even make phone calls to manage regulatory hurdles and deal with local building inspectors. It has absorbed shipping costs. “We’re ultimately motivated by the accelerated adoption of PV, and that’s not just in the physical product itself, but also in the process,” Gies says.
Thoughts On Racking & Mounting From Installers
How do you decide which racking and
mounting system to use on a project?
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There really isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” product. We’ll evaluate all the site conditions and make a determination from there. With our Florida projects, it’s critical the racking provider can stamp to hurricanelevel wind speeds of 150 mph or more.
– Rick Gilbert, Executive Vice President, Solar Source
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We look for the best value from the nearest manufacturer. Our business model requires us to minimize our footprint, so we try to use local manufacturers as much as possible.
”
”
– Daniel Weinman, CEO, Paradise Power Co.
We typically have enough of a “working vocabulary” of the major manufacturers’ product offerings to be able to quickly identify the applicable solutions, solicit quotes and make a decision based on a fit with our needs and price.
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What are some of the troubles you
encounter when working with racking and mounting systems?
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I’ve seen a bunch of knock-off roof-mount systems. At arm’s length, you can’t tell the difference between the knock-off and the quality brand, but then you see that they’re using a different aluminum that isn’t as structurally sound.
” ”
– Mark Durrenberger, President, New England Clean Energy
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The toughest issue we face is getting structural certification if the manufacturer does not provide it.
– Daniel Weinman
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Generally speaking, they are all pretty good in perfect conditions. But when you introduce wavy roofs or skip sheathing or a less-experienced staff, problems start to arise. The key is to think all these problems through.
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– Randy Zechman, CEO, Clean Solar
– Rob Erlichman, President, Sunlight Electric
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A Caveat There has been oversimplification, at least in mechanical systems, says SolarDock’s O’Brien. “Someone might have a system that is a single bent piece of metal with a panel attached,” O’Brien says. “It looks simple, but in reality, that oversimplification misses out on a lot of other things a PV
SolarDock produces a flat-roof system that encapsulates wires and ballast, protecting it from weather and rodents while still making access easy. 7 • 2013
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system should be.” While the rack may be simple, he says, the complexity is amplified by another component — grounding, for instance. The long-term O&M costs may be greater as a result. With a background in commercial real estate, O’Brien has watched roofs change form over time. He asks, “How does the simplest system accommodate for that?” “In any form of construction, over simplification occurs, and I don’t want to see this business get a black eye
because groups are trying to make a quick buck and walk away,” O’Brien says. It’s incumbent upon all in the industry, then, to be sure that, while simplification can ease the cost burden and promote increased interest in solar, companies practice simplification through sophistication. All should work to ensure no company compromises safety or quality for a penny savings per watt, industry leaders say. It’s for the best. SPW
SunLink engineered its Core RMS for installation simplicity. The California-based company says the system’s rubber feet, which are made from recycled tires, may replace slip sheets, a common installation step for roof-top arrays.
In what ways have suppliers of
racking and mounting excelled at designing their products?
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Nine Thoughts
Suppliers continue to design their products with the installer in mind, using fewer pieces, standardized bolt sizing for fewer tools and lighter products while maintaining strength. All of this combined means lower-cost labor to help continue driving the price of solar down.
– Rick Gilbert
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”
The solar industry is far from mature, but the hardware part is starting to stabilize. Suppliers have ingenious locking mechanisms or connections to minimize problems down the road. We’re also seeing sturdier rails for longer spans and higher-quality seals and connections.
– Randy Zechman
”
The major trend in the industry is reducing installed costs by simplifying racking and mounting products to reduce install times. Just about every supplier these days claims faster install times, though we’d like to see documentation from an independent third-party to validate these claims.
”
– Rob Erlichman
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3M and Gossamer Space Frames joined forces to revitaliz one of the first parabolic trough installations in the United St PROJE CT RE V IE W
ISTORY 3M and Gossamerrepeat Space
Can Frames joined forces to revitaliz itself
3M and Gossamer Space
one of the first parabolic trough installations in the United St 3M and Gossamer Space Frames joined forces to revitaliz Frames joined forces to continue the trailblazing path of one of the first parabolic trough installations in the United States
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alize ugh States.
alize 1984 ugh States.
By Frank Andorka, Editorial Director
In , Luz International, a solar-power pioneer located in Israel, installed Solar Electric Generating System I (SEGS I) in Daggett, Calif. — one of the first successful utility-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) projects in the country. For solar power enthusiasts, a visit to Daggett is like a visit to Yankee Stadium for a baseball fan. “It’s a historic site for those of us who work in solar,” says Dan Chen, 3M’s Business Manager for the Solar Light Management Business Unit. “The people at Luz International were innovative risk-takers, who introduced many people to utility-scale solar for the first time.” Thanks to the efforts of 3M and Gossamer Space Frames, Daggett is now home to another solar innovation — the world’s largest parabolic trough solar collector, designed to reduce the equipment and installation costs for CSP power-generation systems. “This new collector technology could change the game for CSP,” Chen says.
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The Project Partnership 3M and Gossamer have been working together since 2008, melding the materials-science technology of 3M with the parabolic-trough structural innovations of Gossamer. “Parabolic trough installations dominate the CSP right now because of their long track record of success,” Chen says. “We had wanted to enter the CSP market for a long time, and we created our Solar Mirror Film 1100 specifically to do that.” Glenn Reynolds, president of Gossamer Space Frames, was eager to join 3M on this project. “We are small company, so we can easily create innovations on all of those integral systems,” Reynolds says. “But there’s a huge place for materials science — it’s what you must have for a project like this. You have to be a wizard at materials science. “You need to be able to make a reflective film that is not only the
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equivalent of glass, but better,” he adds. For the Daggett project, Cogentrix Energy approached 3M as they considered adding a CSP plant to its Sunray Energy facility, the longest-operating CSP facility in the United States. 3M then reached out to Gossamer for help.
How Does The Technology Work A parabolic trough works by using mirrors to focus the sun’s energy on to a heat-transfer liquid (usually an oil or a molten salt). The larger the aperture (the measurement of the trough from tip to tip), the less expensive a CSP project is to install. The Large Aperture Trough 73 (LAT 73) featuring 3M’s Solar Mirror Film has a concentration factor of more than 100-times and an aperture-size of 24-feet (older CSP installations had troughs ranging from 10.5 to 16 feet, by way of comparison). Thanks to the film, combined with Gossamer Space Frame’s mechanical design changes, the system
can reduce the installed cost of a CSP system by 25%. The film is 50% lighter than glass and, according to the company, offers 94.5% reflectivity. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) verified the performance of the system, measuring an optical accuracy of more than 99%. Gossamer offers the largest commercial production solar troughs, the LAT, and is currently designing third and fourth-generation systems that it hopes will increase efficiency and lower energy production costs. Gossamer’s approach is to ensure the optimal installation of its CSP systems for maximum power generation.
The Results Having 3M involved in the project was a must. Not only did it produce the solar film, but it put its financial stability behind it as well, which made the project more bankable. “It doesn’t hurt when you’re talking to bankers to have the 3M name involved,” Reynolds says. “Our collaboration with them was simply amazing.” There was no EPC in the project — 3M and Gossamer did the installation themselves. A crew of four traveled back and forth from 3M to the site and back as needed. Gossamer had its entire company working at the site — a total of 10 people. “The same people who designed and created the system in the lab — scientists and Ph.D candidates — would go to the project site, put on their safety shoes and do some of the installation,” Chen says. “Everyone involved told us it was an energizing and interesting project on which to work. “So often, when we’re involved in a project, we only see one piece of the puzzle,” he adds. “This was a chance for people to see their hard work on the drawing board becoming a reality.” Reynolds says the project proves that CSP can be a viable part of the
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You know that aluminum extrusions are THE cost effective choice for solar*… PROJECT REVIEW
solar-energy mix in the United States for the future. Most importantly, the client was pleased. “We’re pleased to be the first site for this technology,” says Sid Frymyer, general manager of Sunray Energy. “Developments like this demonstrate the ongoing advancements that lower the cost of solar energy within the U.S. power mix.” SPW
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3M/Gossamer Parabolic Trough Vital Stats Parabolic Trough Concentration Factor: 500 MW CPV installation, Durango, MX. Photo courtesy of Skyline Solar.
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Aperture Size: 7.3 meters Reduction of Installed Cost of a Parabolic Trough Solar Field: 25% Location of Trough: Cogentrix Energy’s Sunray energy facility, Daggett, Calif.
Materials Used: 3M Solar Mirror Film 110 and
The Aluminum Extruders Council has just introduced the 4th edition of its Aluminum Extrusion Manual with a wealth of information designed to help you move from concept to reality. To access your FREE copy, scan the QR code or go to www.aec.org/extrusionmanual.
mechanical design of Gossamer Space Frames
System Measured Accuracy: 99% Operation Start Date: October 2011 Peak Electrical Output: 275 kW Time to Complete Installation: 3 months
* For a compelling analysis of the economics of aluminum mounting and racking structures for PV and CSP applications, go to: www.aec.org/extrusionapplications/energy.cfm
Size of Sunray Energy Facility Solar Field: 400 acres 7 • 2013
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Case The
For
Aluminum By: Craig Werner
Racking Systems
Selecting materials for solar structures is all about shape
F
or solar power to become less dependent on political will, technologies must continue to improve. This article compares steel and aluminum — commonly used in photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) racking systems. It highlights where and how each material should be used to optimize installation and operating costs.
Craig Werner is President of Werner Extrusion Solutions (WES), an extrusion design and process consulting firm. He also serves as Chairman of the Aluminum Extruders Council’s AEC Academy program.
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Steel Design: Limited But Well-Known Choices Steel structures are widely understood by engineers, and designers know how to design, evaluate and specify steel structures based on limited but familiar shapes and common design software. They know how to fabricate these choices into structures that meet their needs. The finite selection of shapes results from rolling and manufacturing to produce steel members. Aluminum Design: Creating Forms To Meet Function Unfortunately, designers receive limited, if any, exposure to aluminum and the extrusion process. Their often-
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narrow view of the use of extrusions limits them to materials and shapes that may not optimize their designs. Aluminum alloys have a high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, formability and other advantages that engineers can exploit. Alloys can be chosen to deliver the finish, strength and shapes required for structural applications. However, simply converting a steel design to a similar aluminum shape rarely leads to an ideal solution. Extrusion allows creating a shape with metal placed exactly where required for structural or functional purposes. Solid or hollow shapes can be customized to best achieve their intended purpose. Designing structures with extrusions involves the same design analysis and software as steel, with one critical difference. While steel shapes are limited to a finite variety handled by software tables, the variety of extruded shapes — because of the extrusion process — is virtually infinite. This is a boon and a bane to the designer because design software can not yet automatically choose the optimal extruded shape.
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Where Steel Excels While properly alloyed aluminum can equal the yield and strength of steel, steel possesses approximately three times the modulus of elasticity (E) of aluminum. Thus, under load, identically-sized steel members deflect only a third as much as aluminum. For certain applications, this stiffness is important. Designers skilled in working with both aluminum and steel often find that vertical mounting posts for CSP and PV can most efficiently and cost-effectively be designed and manufactured from steel I-beams, wideflanged beams or simple rectangular or hollow tubes. Often the required mounting heights and unsupported lengths, coupled with wind-induced bending moments, are best met with steel components, properly selected and protected from corrosion.
Where Aluminum Excels As noted, extrusion places material where needed in a shape. Extrusions can incorporate infinite variations in dimensions and shape (e.g., flange widths and web heights for I-beams). Besides modifications to basic structural shapes, extrusions can easily incorporate functional features such as stiffening ribs, mounting devices or heat dissipation fins. For CSP and PV mounting systems, extrusions often are the optimal choice for axially loaded members such as struts, or chords and connectors. Extrusions are often also the best solution for members like mounting beams for CSP parabolic mirrors and PV panels. For struts and chords, cross-sectional dimensions can be varied to best handle loads and connections. Extruded nodes can
often replace steel parts requiring extensive fabrication. Extrusion allows placing metal where desired, which enables alternativefastening solutions such as struts pinned at nodes to lower costs and enhance performance. For elements that move, such as frames in tracking systems, the weight reduction with extruded components can yield significant downsizing and cost reduction in drive systems and other components. Overcoming Aluminum’s Lower Modulus Of Elasticity The design flexibility offered by extrusions provides alternatives to handle bending moments easily handled by steel. Custom shapes or extrusion-based trusses are readily designed, fabricated, transported and assembled to provide required stiffness.
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Courtesy of Skyline Solar
Extruded aluminum framing for a 500-MW concentrated solar PV installation in Durango, Mexico.
Steel vs. Aluminum Mounting And Framing Systems Design: As noted, steel designs are currently easier to develop because of limited shapes and their incorporation into design software. Extruded aluminum designs require more design effort. Even with existing software, designers willing to invest the additional effort in referencing the Aluminum Design Manual (the Aluminum Association, www.aluminum.org) can harvest substantial advantages from extrusions. Prototype Development And Tooling Costs: It is critical that designers considering extrusions recognize the low tooling cost and speed of production possible for extruded
shapes. Using only standard shapes generally results in sub-optimal designs. Thinking creatively about built-in features for the extruded shapes allows designers to meet fastening, structural and other requirements. Extruded designs excel when the ability to place metal where needed for structure of function is exploited. Tooling and extrusion costs depend on the shape’s weight-per-foot and circle size (the smallest circle that fits around the shape). There are many 10-inch circle-size and smaller extrusion presses in North America (sufficient for all but the most demanding solar applications). Extrusion tooling for these presses often costs between $300 and
Differences In Fabrication And Assembly Steel designs typically require extensive fabrication. While pre-galvanized (or otherwise protected) shapes are available, drilling, sawing, welding or other operations compromise these coatings. Once complete, parts must be recoated or otherwise protected to prevent rusting. Aluminum instantly forms a tenacious oxide film, protecting against corrosion. When using extrusions, there is often no need to provide any coating, except for severe service conditions or for aesthetics. Custom-extruded shapes can minimize extensive fabrication because required features can be built into the shape. Extrusions, however, can be fabricated with saws, mills, punch presses and many other types of equipment. Joining can be accomplished with mechanical fasteners (pins, rivets, bolts) or via swaging, welding or adhesive bonding. Sustainability Aluminum’s properties do not degrade when recycled. Once produced, it can be recycled repeatedly without any loss in quality. Extrusion feedstock (billet) often contains 70% or more recycled content, providing a small carbon footprint compared to steel (aluminum 0.7 CO2/MT versus steel 1.4-1.6 CO2/MT). The light weight of extruded components, combined with extrusion production in most local markets, allows for efficient delivery with sustainability benefits.
Steel die and supporting tooling
Feedstock: heated aluminum alloy “billet” Desired final “profile” or shape
Installation Practices 7-13_KZ_FAVs6.indd 37
$1,500 for solid shapes, and $1,200 to $4,000 for hollows, with typical lead times of 2 to 3 weeks. The larger the press, the fewer available, with presses at 16-inch and larger quite limited. Tooling for these larger presses is more expensive, because of the quantity of tool steel required. Designers, particularly considering shapes larger than 9- or 10-inch circle size, should consult with extruders early in their design process. Because extruded designs have low tooling costs and short lead times, prototyping often requires less time, facilitating sequential prototypes. In one recent project, such iterative design reduced extrusion weights by 40%.
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I N S TA L L AT I O N P R A C T I C E S
Source: IBIS Associates, Inc.
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Life-Cycle Economics While the weight, design flexibility, sustainability and durability attributes of aluminum extrusion are certainly attractive, it is true that aluminum-perpound is more costly than steel. Yet evidence shows that aluminum-extrusion-based balance of systems designs are more cost effective. IBIS Associates, a technology strategy consultant, conducted an extensive cost assessment of steel and aluminum mounting systems, concluding that the total cost of materials, fabrication, corrosion protection, transportation and assembly of aluminum CSP and PV designs is typically 20 to 30% less than steel, and the aluminum structures have three times the residual value upon decommissioning. SPW For more thoughts on designing solar structures with aluminum extrusions, please visit www.solarpowerworldonline.com to read a follow-up article by the Aluminum Extruders Council.
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Engineering Developments 7-13_KZ_FAVs13(SPREAD).indd 41
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ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS
Greenbotic’s CleanFleet robots at the McHenry Solar Plant in Modesto, Calif. The robots use a quarter of a cup to a half-cup of water per module cleaned.
But Jawas of the solar industry, rejoice. A secret weapon to fight against the miniscule malefactor has arrived. It’s called Greenbotics, a robot-based cleaning service. The company has operated under what seems like a cloak of secrecy for more than a year while its technology gets evaluated. Companies that have already used the dustdestroying service are unlikely to say so, even if they’re reaping the benefits. “Everyone is trying to get a leg up on someone else, and no one wants to tell anyone what they’re doing,” says Marc Grossman, founder and CEO of Greenbotics. But, he says, the company has worked with all the big panel manufacturers. The corporations have turned to this engineer and his robot because the technology — one that automatically cleans solar arrays for a lower cost than conventional methods such as pressure washing — is desperately needed. Research shows that accumulation of dirt on solar panels, called soiling, can have a big impact on the performance of PV systems in regions where rainfall is limited. Google installed a solar array at its Mountain View, Calif., offices and found it could increase production by 12% with cleaning. Greenbotics has shown that systems lose anywhere from 5 to 15% worth of production annually across the county from dust and, as any weathered solar technician will affirm, bird droppings.
Everyone is trying to get a leg up on someone else, and no one wants to tell anyone what they’re doing. 42
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More solar farm operators are realizing, as their plants enter the second and third years of their lifespan, that dust has had a big impact. One operator says cleaning and vegetation management are the two most costly variables in plant O&M — even more expensive than equipment maintenance. “A few plants did cleaning at the commissioning,” says Grossman, often because it’s in an EPCs contract to do so. “Then they ran the numbers and said, ‘It doesn’t make sense to clean again.’ Since we’ve been able to lower the price, now they’re interested.” The company has focused its operation in the Southwest, which has a predictable summer with little precipitation. Greenbotics and its robot, dubbed CleanFleet, expect to undertake their first full summer of cleaning this year. So far, cleanings have been trial runs to prove the concept. Still, CleanFleet has successfully scrubbed plants as large as 30 MW. The Robot If you take the long view, the seeds for Greenbotics were planted early last decade in Chico, Calif., when Grossman and cofounder Kyle Cobb went to high school together. Later, at Caltech, Grossman met the third co-founder, Cedric Jeanty. Grossman and Jeanty excelled at engineering, and Cobb earned an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Jeanty and Grossman both joined eSolar in 2008. Jeanty focused on powerplant design while Grossman worked on cleaning-system development. It was then that Grossman recognized the need for more economical cleaning and set a goal to achieve it through automation. In 2011, he started Greenbotics, bringing along colleagues Jeanty and Cobb for the journey. “The robot looks like I imagined it would a year and a half ago,” Grossman says.
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ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS
Greenbotic’s CleanFleet robots wash away dust at the McHenry Solar Plant in Modesto, Calif. “The robot looks like I imagined it would a year and a half ago,” co-founder Marc Grossman says.
But realizing the vision, he says, took more than imagination. The robot seemed promising at first, but it developed an assortment of issues. One issue was the drive train. The engineers started off with wheels, but determined tracks were better, spreading the robot’s weight evenly over panels. “Getting a task done robotically vs. doing it with a human is full of nitty-gritty details,” Grossman says. “It’s about getting just the right brush, just the right squeegee, with just the right amount of water, with just the right amount of force.” They also put to work their background in aviation. Grossman and Jeanty build and fly light-weight aircraft, including their shared Van’s RV-6 — a two-seat, single-engine, low-wing airplane. Their knowledge of light-weight building materials let the engineers supply the robot with more water, which it uses in a conservative manner. “Marc and Cedric are immensely talented,” Cobb says. “They have a great range of skills that, frankly, has helped us solve a lot of problems that would have taken a much bigger team a lot longer.” At some plants, for example, water must be hauled from distant locations. A single cleaning with pressure washing at a large plant could consume 100,000 gallons of water — reverse osmosis water, at that. Grossman and Jeanty knew they had to find a way to reduce water usage. In the end, their system uses a quarter of a cup to a half-cup per module cleaned. The reduced water usage helps lower the overall cost of the cleaning. 4 4 SOLAR POWER WORLD
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2000:
Founders Marc Grossman and Kyle Cobb attend high school together.
2006:
Grossman meets third co-founder Cedric Jeanty at Caltech.
2006:
Cobb earns a degree in business economics, later returns for an MBA.
2008:
Grossman and Jeanty earn degrees in mechanical engineering. Grossman also earns one in physics.
2008: 2011: feBruAry
2012: MAy
Grossman and Jeanty start work at eSolar. Grossman realizes the need for more economical solar-array cleaning solutions. Grossman, Cobb and Jeanty officially form Greenbotics, start work on first prototype.
First working prototype and simulation model.
2012:
Won about $90,000 in business plan competitions, a third of it from the Department of Energy.
2012:
Deployed second prototype for a test cleaning.
junE
november
2012:
feBruAry
2013: MAy
2013:
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ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS
The Work One plant benefitting from Greenbotics is the McHenry Solar Power Plant in Modesto, Calif., a 25-MW installation owned by K Road, an independent power developer. “We are proud to supply clean, renewable electricity to communities served by the Modesto Irrigation District,” said William Kriegel, K Road’s CEO, at the plant’s opening last October. But months later, to keep the plant producing at peak levels, the panels had to be cleaned. Steve Hanawalt made the call to clean the plant and to do it with Greenbotics. He runs Power Factors, an independent O&M services company, which is charged with maintenance at McHenry. He first met the Greenbotics team at Solar Power International last year. Previously in charge of cleaning at SunPower Corp., Hanawalt Aurora-Where_the_Action_Is:Aurora 11/5/10 1:10 PM Page 1
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ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS Greenbotics' CleanFleet has taken to under-performing solar panels in the United States, but companies around the world are developing dust-destroying robots. Here are a few:
SolarBrush
The SolarBrush, a robot under development in Germany, is said to clean panels at 60 m2/hour. Earlier this year, the robot won the hy! Berlin Award, a competitive startup competition. SolarBrush walks on solar modules with inclinations up to 35 degrees. It is light weight and wireless, carrying a rechargeable battery. (www.solarbrush.de)
WallWalker
With dry brushes, the WallWalker is expected to clean panels at a speed of 160 m2/hour. The dry brushes, which are installed at the front and rear of the robot, brush off sand, dust and leaves without water — valuable in arid areas. The robot can work on a single array autonomously, but will need help from a worker to move to another. The concept, from Japan, is in development. (www.miraikikai.jp)
Gekko
For sale globally, the Gekko from Swiss company Serbot uses one to five rotating brushes in serial along with demineralized water, holding itself to panels with vacuumdriven suction cups. Cleaning capacity in ideal conditions ranges from 400 m2/hour with one brush to more than 2000 m2/hour with 5 brushes. Gekko requires an operator with remote controls. (www.serbot.ch) 4 8 SOLAR POWER WORLD
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had done a lot of thinking about how to best clean panels and had some ideas of his own. “Cleaning is a high cost, so when I saw the Greenbotics idea, I thought, somebody took our idea and improved upon it by a factor of 10,” Hanawalt says. The McHenry plant has seen “material improvement” since the cleaning, which ended in June, Hanawalt says. It was too early to obtain precise data. But Cobb says the robot will restore panels to “near-perfect” cleanliness. The increase in energy output is dependent on how dirty the plant was in the first place, he says, but severely dirty installations may see improvements around 15%. For their part, the Greenbotics team hopes more people pay attention to the success. “We’ve had a lot of inbound interest,” says Cobb. “Still, it takes time to develop relationships with customers.”
The founders say they hope to one day develop customers in other dust-heavy regions around the world, such as India and the Middle East. SPW
Greenbotic’s panel-cleaning robots in Modesto, Calif.
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BUSINE S S IS S UE S
Old Money, New 50
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R
Why Funding Solar Makes
apid improvements in horizontal
drilling and fracking technology have led to
Sense For Traditional Oil And
a precipitous drop in the cost of natural gas. These same improvements have attracted
Gas Energy Investors
enormous investments to oil and gas
ew Energy Michael Gorton, SPW Contributor
This 6.5-kW installation in Canyonlands National Park in Utah powers a local store and restaurant serving park visitors with showers, water and ice. The system features 267kWh of battery storage and a diesel generator for backup. The nearest power lines are 50 miles away.
exploration and production. Low-cost natural gas has been forecast for the next decade by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.1 In an economic assessment this is all good news. The risk side of this boom, however, has not received much attention in the media. The historical variability of natural gas prices is well known. Environmental challenges of fracking could lead to dramatic changes in production and (therefore) the cost of natural gas. Additionally, the demand for natural gas could be greatly underestimated because of a number of factors, such as environmental demand for lower carbon-emission energy sources, expanded use as a transportation fuel, export markets and replacement of older coal-fired power plants. These factors will place upward pressure on natural gas prices. As coal and nuclear plants are replaced, the industry must look for alternatives that bring diversity to a long-term solution, while not necessarily adding unreasonable costs. Smart energy investors are aware of these issues and are hedging their hydrocarbon bets with solar.
Photo Credit: Canyonlands Needles Outpost/NREL
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BUS INE S S IS S UE S In 2012, Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Renewables moved aggressively into the solar market, acquiring some of the largest solar projects in the world, prompting institutional investors to take notice. What Buffett, other smart investors and a growing roster of trendsetters — such as GM, Google, NRG, Apple, IKEA, Wal-Mart and Walgreens — recognize is that a transition to sustainable energy sources is vital to the United States and the world. Not only does investing in solar make sense for the environment, but it also makes economic sense for traditional oil and gas energy investors2 : Large-scale solar is a low-risk investment when backed by a power-purchase agreement (PPA), making it a good investment for riskmatching investors such as pension plans and insurance funds. Solar prices have dropped to an attractive level. In 2010 photovoltaics (PV) were
approaching $2/watt. In early 2012, solar PV began to approach grid parity, and it’s almost there. Extrapolating from this, solar PV could dip as low as $0.50/kWh by 2014. These numbers are supported by many of the largest solar cell and PV manufacturers. The projected 2014 price will make solar PV not only competitive with — but also less expensive than — nuclear, coal and natural gas. Utility-scale solar generation has reached a point where it can be financed similarly to traditional generating facilities with a ratio of debt and equity, financed over 15- to 20year periods. Such financing produces solid returns for debt holders and excellent returns for equity investors. With large-scale solar installations almost able to compete with natural gas as a mainstream generation resource, an intriguing alliance has begun to form
between the two resources. Because solar generates during peak times, the technology complements natural gas and other carbon fuels that are currently producing base-load power. For example, utility-scale solar plants can reduce the need for relatively expensive and less efficient natural-gas peakers, gasfired power plants that can be started quickly at times of peak demands. Other situations can cause the price of electricity produced by natural gas to fluctuate. In some regions, gas-fired baseload plants may be taken offline for winter months, but unexpected, extended cold spells can necessitate bringing them back online. The restart costs and additional natural gas demand can lead to unexpected increases in electric costs for that period. Solar plants will have peak production during cold clear days and can moderate the increased cost of electricity that results from short supplies of
Advanced control for solar systems
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This stand-alone photovoltaic system creates a mini-grid wherever it goes and creates enough power to run a small home. It includes a 1.8-kW solar panel and a diesel generator for backup. Photo Credit: Jim Yost / NREL
natural gas. As a result, many savvy traditional energy and oil and gas investors are now looking to solar as a mainstream investment.
The Solar Gold Rush In response to growing demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years. As these advances continue and combine with increases in manufacturing scale and sophistication, the cost of PV will continue to decline, resulting in competitive electricity in a growing number of regions. The continued reduction in the cost of solar will not only result in competitive electricity, but also in cheaper electricity coupled with higher profit margins for the industry. In the meantime, the cost of electricity has been rising year after year since 1980. According to available research, no one is predicting this trend line to change directions, even though the rate has significantly flattened as a result of cheap and abundant natural gas. For many years, solar power was not a viable alternative source of energy. Traditionally, conservative investors have placed capital in utilities because of the stability of returns based on a fixed, captive customer base. In simple terms, solar has no moving parts, which results in low
maintenance, and its fuel is free, resulting in long-term stability of pricing. As solar continues to become more cost effective, it too will function as a traditional utility investment, without the same volatility of existing generation sources. In fact, people may compare the next few years to a gold rush as billions of dollars are earned from converting sunlight to electricity, especially because solar provides carbon credits rather than carbon. A solid capitalist foundation will be the primary factor driving solar development and its potential for delivering more efficient and less costly power — and concurrent with the creation of jobs and opportunities that galvanize economic growth. This kind of transformation would be possible because electricity drives almost every part of the economy, and cheap, abundant electricity helps keep industry competitive. Projections show that, even without government subsidies, solar utility-scale projects will reach a price per kWh that will be at — or less than — traditional generation, possibly as soon as 2014. By 2020, solar projects could produce power at significantly lower prices than the nuclear, coal or natural gas.
Shooting For The Sun Leading the way as an early adopter of
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solar energy, the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) budget for energy security initiatives has risen from $400 million to $1.2 billion in the past few years, and market experts project steadily increased expenditures for energy innovation. By blazing a trail, the DoD will create real potential for curbing staggering energy costs and optimizing the nation’s overall defense strategy. These new policies will further eliminate hesitation in the mainstream marketplace, leading to accelerated innovation and the creation of new and profitable markets. Today’s post-recession, low-cost capital gives large investors low borrowing costs, making their equity investment quite profitable over a shorter time period. This comes on top of an attractive federal tax credit for solar and accelerated depreciation options, making it possible for investors to offset a substantial amount of tax liability. While solar will not replace current sources of energy in the near future, it will add diversity and improve reliability of the nation’s power grid, ease congestion in energy-stressed grids and provide affordable power over the long term. The sooner the United States deploys solar energy on a large scale, the sooner we will see a significant positive impact on the environment, economy and return on investments. SPW Michael Gorton is CEO of Dallas-based Principal Solar and co-founder of the Principal Solar Institute. Drawing on his extensive business expertise, scientific education and training, Gorton serves as a strong voice and proponent of solar power. Endnotes 1. AEO2013 EARLY RELEASE OVERVIEW; http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/executive_summary.cfm 2. Wood, Elisa; What Does Warren Buffett See in Solar; Renewable Energy World; April 11, 2013; http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ article/2013/04/what-does-warren-buffett-see-in-solar; accessed April 30, 2013.
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B U SINE S S IS S UE S
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PITFALLS IN SOLAR DEALS
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Conor McKenna, SPW Contributor
Take precautions to keep your project from being unnecessarily scuttled
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ou hear this story pretty regularly in the U.S. market: a renewable energy sponsor develops a ‘good’ project with all the necessary boxes checked: Site control, a signed PPA, an interconnection agreement and permits well under way. The developer has found a buyer at a given acceptable price, and the developer expects the project to be ready to close in four to six weeks. Four months later, the project is in limbo, with one or both sides having walked away and leaving the once-confident developer scrambling to find a new buyer. Why does this happen? Even with an ideal project, problems in the deal negotiation make a ‘good’ project go ‘bad.’ Here are the five most common issues that often prevent a good project from closing.
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Finding The Wrong Buyer
Lack Of Financing
Contrary to popular belief, the number of prospective buyers, the value of the bids and the favorable initial terms do not guarantee a successful sale or financing. Instead, it’s about finding the right partner for the right project and sponsor. During a deal process, a good buyer looks for a developer who can deliver: They will spend months of due diligence and hundreds of thousands of dollars ensuring that they receive the value they require from a project. It is equally important for a seller to conduct due diligence on the buyer. It isn’t just about the how well-known the buyer is or the size of their initial bid. At larger institutions, the deal may get buried underneath multiple levels of approvals that can drastically change the initial deal terms. Even worse, buyers may pull the old bait and switch, promising sweeteners for project exclusivity, only to change the terms once they know they have sole access to the project. Many times the deal will change so much that by the end, it becomes uneconomical to the seller to consummate the transaction. Accordingly, when we represent sellers we attempt to steer them towards certain buyers based on the following criteria: The buyer makes sense as a long-term partner, will work with the developer on the issues that inevitably arise, will be persistent in seeing the project(s) reach completion and appears willing to adhere to the spirit of the initial agreed upon terms.
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For most projects, finding sponsor-equity financing is only one piece of the capital stack. Debt and tax equity are also critical, especially given the U.S. Investment Tax Credit (ITC) benefits. If a buyer looks to lever the deal or does not have internal tax capacity to monetize the ITC and depreciation benefits, it’s essential that all of the necessary participants are identified and will cooperate to achieve closing. There are issues that must be addressed throughout the process. For example, debt, equity and tax equity investors all need to get comfortable with the priorities of cash flows, and they need to agree on the interparty terms. Even if the equity gets comfortable with the acquisition, if the other components of the capital structure lack financing, the project will not get built. We always look for an equity partner’s track record in the market, not just in finding debt tax equity for deals but debt and tax equity with the same key characteristics as the project in front of them. Where possible, we advise sellers not to allow buyers of their projects to make their purchase contingent upon the buyer’s financing. Too many buyers use this contingency to lock-up deals without putting real skin in the game until they have their own financing in place. More often than not, it puts the seller in a difficult position when the financing takes longer than the seller anticipated.
CREDIT: Alexis Powers / NREL
Defining “NTP” The term “NTP” or “Notice to Proceed” may be one of the most overused terms to define a ‘good’ project. ‘NTP’ is subjective. The definition varies based on the buyer’s requirements. I have yet to see a project truly at “NTP” before a process starts with a prospective buyer. A seller may feel that a project is completely clean and ready for construction, but if the project fails to meet investor committee approval and/or counsel approval, the project does not move forward — and the seller has to go back to the market. It’s helpful to know what a given buyer or their counsel’s hot-button points are for determining NTP. In absence of this information, we have developed a generic template of NTP-related issues that typically come up on a deal for equity, debt and tax equity to use as a checklist against a specific project.
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Expectations, Emotions And Loss Of Perspective When you are selling projects in an auction process or even on a bilateral basis, initial bids from prospective buyers will be based on best-case assumptions, meaning that the purchase price will be contingent on all of the assumptions and representations made by the seller or the seller’s advisor remaining true. Since even the best assumptions made by the most experienced project developers change continuously as you go through the sales process, some of those assumptions will change for the better, while some will change for the worse. Any time there is a change in value attributed to a project, there is the potential for a seller to feel slighted. Some buyers will attempt to renegotiate the purchase price during the negotiation, while others will look to maintain the agreed to economics in the face of an adverse change in the assumptions in a project. I have seen many sellers anchoring a value to a project despite new information negatively affecting the value of the project to the buyer. Although values and the ultimate economics fluctuate in every deal, many parties deal with these changes from an emotional, as opposed to a rational, standpoint. While it’s easier said than done, especially given how long some deals can take, the key is to maintain an objective
perspective in an otherwise subjective situation. To prevent a deal from collapsing, developers must understand the magnitude that a given change in a project can have on the buyer’s economics. The best way to deal with these changes, aside from remaining objective, is to have transparency between the parties on the true economics of the project. Typically, in our transactions, we attempt to create a financial model that is shared by the buyer or seller, or one that at least demonstrates the basic economics, so each change can be modeled to demonstrate the impact on the original economics.
CREDIT: Dennis Schroeder / NREL
While none of these issues are unsolvable, they do require a significant amount of time and energy that may not always be considered when initially developing a project. With the proper discipline and objectivity, overcoming these five hurdles may increase the chances of monetizing projects successfully. SPW
Running Out Of Time No matter how much time you think you have, there is always a rush against the clock. Despite the best attempts, it seems as if there will always be last-minute work prior to the close. There are always missed material issues that come up near the expected closing date that must be addressed. From my previous deals, I’ve found there are two things that must happen to protect from any last minute collapses. First, address all known issues early to allow for a problem-buffer should any last minute issues come up. We’ve found that it’s critical to manage all third parties, including lawyers, technical teams, third-party analysts, the counterparties and the development team, to ensure each piece falls into place at the right time. Second, we look to address as many issues as possible early in the process. If you can preemptively point out the potential gaps or hurdles, there is less of a chance these issues will jeopardize a deal.
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Conor McKenna is vice president of Reznick Capital Markets Securities. Working alongside CohnReznick LLP and CohnReznick Think Energy, Reznick Capital Markets Securities offers one of the most comprehensive financial advisory platforms in the industry.
No matter how much time you think you have, there is always a rush against the clock. Discuss This
and other Solar issues at www.engineeringexchange.com
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TRENDS S O L A R P O W E R
San Francisco • July 9-11, 2013
Solar Power World Talks Trends
T
he solar industry is moving forward at such breakneck speed that it’s hard to keep up with what’s happening it in every segment. From the microinverter boom to the state of solar panels, inverters to racking & mounting to financing — if you blink, it feels like you’ve missed an eternity. Not to worry — as always, Solar Power World has you covered. We’ve reached out to experts in 16 mission-critical segments of the solar industry to ask where they see trends in each segment now and what they foresee coming next. The news is not all good. Expect panel manufacturers to follow the emerging lead of their inverter partners and consolidate significantly. And some experts warn that if the PTC does not get extended beyond 2016, the industry could stumble again in 2017. In the here and now, however, those problems are a long way off (and if the industry plans properly, those issues may not happen at all). Right now, the state of the solar industry is strong. U.S. installations are soaring, and short-term predictions of further growth augur well for the future. Innovations are coming, fast and furious, into every facet of the industry — and people around the world are sitting up and taking notice. Each of our editors focuses on specific areas of the industry, so believe us when we tell you: You will not find more comprehensive coverage of the solar industry in one place. So without further ado, turn the page and check out the 16 hottest trends in the solar industry, as seen through the eyes of the experts who are shaping them. You won’t be disappointed. SPW
Trends Contents 60 Racking 62 Mounting 64 Microinverters 66 PV Modules 68 Operations & Maintenance 70 Insurance 72 Financing 74 String Inverters 75 Central Inverters 76 Off-Grid Inverters 77 Power Optimizers 78 Batteries 79 Solar Thermal 80 Thin-Film Solar 81 Concentrated Solar 82 Monitoring
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Racking
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acking is a crucial part of any solar PV or thermal system. It secures solar modules to the roof of a structure or to the ground. Racking systems may attach directly onto a building on pitched roofs, be ballasted as in many flat-roof installations, or can be installed on open ground by using ground mounting components such as helical piers. The location, scale and building type of any proposed solar array determines which system will be optimal. Solar mounting systems are subjected to the forceful winds and the extremes of weather and must be able to withstand the elements for years, as many modules have 25-year lifespans. Installing a quality mounting system properly is the only way to ensure protection for both buildings and arrays. As PV modules have experienced a steady price decline over the past few years, the solar industry has been looking to reduce the cost of other system components, including racking. This may be accomplished through a variety of methods. For instance, racking systems that have fewer parts and require less time to install will save on material and installation costs, delivering a more affordable system and ultimately a lower cost of energy. Individual racking components that perform multiple functions (such as module attachment and grounding) will simplify the whole system and lower labor and balanceof-system costs. Additionally, making racking systems easier to distribute, warehouse and stage by reducing size, weight and complexity will reduce soft costs associated with the solar installation lifecycle. Ground-mounted systems are becoming an increasingly popular
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choice for solar installations. Individuals seeking to maximize unused space or investors looking to secure a low power rate are turning to ground mount installations as a cost-effective system capable of rapid deployment. Ground mount systems afford a high degree of flexibility as they are not constrained by the shape or size of a building. A notable industry trend is the widespread adoption of commercial-scale arrays on retail stores and warehouses. These applications are best suited by ballasted racking systems that can exploit commercial buildings’ large flat roofs. In the past year, commercial customers accounted for the lion’s share of new solar PV installations in the United States. As racking systems become more economical, the entire solar power investment becomes increasingly attractive to would-be customers looking to secure the price of energy for their companies.
Ensuring that solar power continues to be a practical and affordable option depends on the development and adaptability of all system components, especially racking solutions. Solar racking systems that are overly complex or require several specialty parts run the risk of increasing the time, effort and experience required to successfully install a given array. Solutions that are fundamentally simpler will increase the ease of use and decrease the installation and distribution costs involved with solar power. The streamlining of solar racking has the capacity to make solar power more competitive and easier to implement. The easier industry professionals can bring their solar power projects to fruition, the more favorably solar power will be viewed by potential customers. SPW Editor’s Note: This article, which originally appeared in the 2013 Renewable Energy Handbook, was then contributed by Zilla Corporation.
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Mounting
A
s the solar industry has grown, more racking-and-mounting companies have surfaced to take advantage of the opportunity. Leaders in this market segment, however, expect to see consolidation in the near future, which may result from price pressures. “The module prices have gone down, but they’re starting to come back up,” says Steve Daniel, vice president of sales and marketing at Solar FlexRack. “There is huge pressure on balance of system and labor to drive down costs.” Once the dust settles, though, a developer’s first consideration will likely be whether a project requires multiple types of mounting or a single system. The racking and mounting industry, experts say, is following two divergent paths. In one direction, companies are producing, for example, a line of systems for ground, flat roofs and sloped roofs. They see themselves as a one-stop shop for the engineering, procurement and construction company (EPC). On the other path, suppliers have positioned themselves to excel at one specific system — only a ballasted, flat-roof mount, for instance. “I’ve really seen that trend only over the last couple years,” says John Harvey, president of HatiCon Solar. “Folks say we don’t want to compete against all the guys, we just want to focus on our particular niche.” Determined to innovate and drive down costs, manufacturers are looking at the mechanical aspects of a rack as well as how it goes together in the field to determine the best ways to simplify and reduce cost. For that reason, erector-set mounting systems are history, says Ryan Petruska, a marketing manager at Solar FlexRack. In fact, manufacturers have
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turned in many instances to selling pre-assembled structures. “Field labor rates are much higher than factory labor wages, so the more pre-assembly a racking manufacturer can offer, the more labor savings can be seen,” Petruska says. In fact, some companies are eager to announce the exact number of pieces. PanelClaw’s Grizzly Bear system, for instance, consists of three major pieces and two nuts and bolts. While many companies profess an allegiance to steel or aluminum, some are combining the metals. Aluminum is lightweight and resists corrosion and the extrusion process used to create aluminum systems provides almost unlimited design possibilities. The benefits of steel include its lower cost and timetested strength. So maybe the best option for installers is a combination of the two, says Eduardo Lainez at HatiCon Solar. “Aluminum mounting systems with stainless-steel hardware are some of the most popular systems,” he says. The integrated solar array (ISA) will begin a rise to prominence in coming years. The ISA is designed to cut balanceof-systems cost. The technology
integrates solar PV modules into the mounting structure and eliminates the frame, grounding wire, clips, nuts and bolts. “With an ISA, there are fewer parts to install and fewer tools required, so installation time is reduced compared to standard racking systems,” says Lawrence Hefler at Sfinkx Corp. As development continues, manufacturers have paid special attention to redundancies, such as the presence of both an aluminum rail and a copper wire. Both are conductors, so one supplier, Zilla, created a grounding solution within its mounting clip. “The mounting clip bonds module to module, but it also bonds module to rail, and does it from a top-mount configuration in a reusable platform,” says Dave Kreutzman, CTO at Zilla. The clip has a capacity of 650 amps. Regarding tracking systems, more are being used for residential and small commercial projects. “The tracker industry has in the past failed due to a lack of reliability,” says Andrew Savage of AllEarth Renewables, which makes a dual-axis tracker. “The technology is changing and has been vastly improved.” SPW
Photo Courtesy Of Creotecc Solar Mounting Systems
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Microinverters
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icroinverters have come a long way since their introduction in the 1990s. With a value proposition of maximizing energy harvest by providing panel-level monitoring, they are enjoying an industry breakthrough as the increasingly desired choice for small and medium-sized applications. “Microinverters are likely to emerge as the default choice for inverters in residential and light-commercial applications because of their compelling energy harvest benefits in shaded situations,” says Kevin Bushby, VP of worldwide sales and marketing at Enecsys. Bushby says that microinverters with a roadmap for AC power output increases will be even further embraced. “Microinverters that integrate seamlessly with panels in an AC module configuration enable solar-panel manufacturers a differentiation opportunity,” Bushby says. “They can help downstream distributors and installers be more efficient by saving money along the chain.” Microinverters convert power at more than 30% of all residential PV installation in the United States, making this market segment their most common application. However, Craig Lawrence, VP of marketing for SolarBridge Technologies, says in the last 12 months his company has seen customers grow more interested in using AC modules in commercial PV systems. In as little as a year, he expects to see some of his company’s first AC module installations in utility-scale PV plants. “We think the main driver is reduced O&M costs due to a single point of failure in the system,” Lawrence says. “This allows maintenance to be scheduled on a predictable basis.”
Photo Courtesy Of SolarBridge Technologies
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The microinverter industry has been largely comprised of niche companies exclusively developing and supplying these devices, but other manufacturers of string and central inverters are developing their own microinverter models. Quality and reliability remain the single biggest problem for the inverter market. Lawrence says the market has a track record of releasing products that do not meet customer expectations for failure rates, up-time and quality. “Our goal is to set the expectation for the industry that an inverter can and should be as reliable as a module, and that an AC module with an integrated warranty from the manufacturer is something customers can rely on for the life of their PV system,” Lawrence says. Bushby stresses the importance of ensuring the market understands the vibrancy of the residential solar segment through continued education. He says one breakthrough that would help the industry would be harmonizing various global-certification standards to enable faster time to market for microinverter technologies. SPW
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PV Modules
Photo Courtesy of SunPower Corp.
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nyone who has followed this industry knows the flux the panel segment of the industry experienced in the past year. Between plunging photovoltaic (PV) prices (rendering many stalwart manufacturers unable to compete) and the trade conflicts between the United States, the European Union (EU) and China, 2012 was a rough year. Experts expect the industry’s panel segment to consolidate heavily this year, either through acquisitions or bankruptcies (even the Chinese have decided to let its less-productive panel manufacturers fail). At the Greentech Media Research Solar Summit, researcher Shayle Kann predicted there will only be 135 panel manufacturers left worldwide by the
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end of this year, and 94 by the end of 2014 (one summit participant predicted the number could go as low as 15 to 30 by the end of the shakeout). This could be good news, however — with fewer manufacturers, prices for PV panels could rise, giving the remaining manufacturers a much-needed profit boost. Tom Werner, president and CEO of SunPower Corp., says panel manufacturers will consolidate further as the industry matures, and only the strong will survive. “We’ve already seen consolidation or worse for those who focus primarily on manufacturing,” Werner says. “Customers want low-cost energy and a complete solution. To consider the solar panel by itself isn’t a complete energy solution.” But brighter skies may be on the horizon in 2014 and beyond. Kevin Cearns, director of product management of Hanwha SolarOne, says prices
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are stabilizing throughout the world, which bears on the U.S market as well. “Demand is outstripping available quality module supply in many markets,” Cearns says. “With those dynamics coming into focus at the same time, it will be interesting to see where the market price goes.” The potential growth for the industry will come overseas as new markets open up, Cearns adds. He believes that though the EU has driven the market and will continue to do so, Asia and South America are high on his list of emerging markets. “These will be the major drivers of the industry in the future,” he says. But don’t count out the domestic industry. Mark Mendenhall, president of Trina Solar Americas, says he foresees growth in microgrids and residential solar leases in the United States. “PV module will evolve from simple components to integral parts of various power systems or power-plant types,” Mendenhall says. “We’re going to see application-specific solar sectors continue to grow.” Panel manufacturers say that one of the biggest challenges facing them is the expense of panel production. Mendenhall confirms that, but he says the technological advances in PV will streamline not only cell-tolling, but also module package and interconnection technologies. “The industry will see PV become more robust, reliable and easy to install,” Mendenhall says. “The combination of yieldharvesting technologies incorporated into the modules, such as DC optimizers and microinverters, have the promise of generating more watts per cent than module-only solutions.” Werner also believes federal energy policy will have a significant impact on whether panel manufacturers survive. “Net-metering is certainly a topical issue,” Werner says. “It’s a cornerstone of distributed solar generation in the United States and is a catalyst to drive down the cost of installed solar. It also creates jobs, stimulates economic growth and increases the public adoption of solar.” SPW
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Operations And Maintenance
S
olar plants are no place for Moe and Joe’s Landscaping Service. “The days of hiring a few guys and a truck are over,” says Alexander Boyatt, business development manager at EDF Renewable Services. As portfolios grow and arrays age, developers are awakening to the importance of operations and maintenance (O&M). But more than that, they need help managing many megawatts of assets and gigabytes of data. O&M companies such as EDF Renewable Services are approaching developers and delivering an education. “I think developers know they need O&M, but I’m not sure they know exactly what it means,” Boyatt says. One thing it means is long-term care for a solar array, whether it’s part of a utility-scale plant or a distributed generation portfolio. Developers seek out companies that will be around for the whole life of a project, typically 25 years, Boyatt says. “At the end of the day, somebody is underwriting that debt, and they want to be sure that plant will operate for the long-term,” he says. O&M companies are expected to consolidate, following an industry trend. “Consolidation will lead to increased technical capability, increased understanding of all long-term operational risks and far better mitigation of the risks,” Boyatt says. “It will also help improve profitability and create good competition on O&M pricing, which 68
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will ultimately allow more solar on the ground.” As project sizes increase and spread over wider geography, owners are turning to O&M firms to ensure projects deliver the expected profit, says Tobin Booth, CEO of Blue Oak Energy. They’re also relying more on O&M companies to manage product-warranty issues while the PV manufacturing sector consolidates and changes. Expanding services to cover warranties and product management is a good move for O&M companies, Booth says, because such arrangements provide a continuous income stream and constant customer contact. “Typically, O&M service arrangements are based on annual fees, unlike construction or product sales revenue, which is subject to variability in development, incentives and the greater financial markets,” he says. Rue Phillips, CEO of True South Renewables, says the solar market has realized the need to assess system productivity based on performance ratios and availability rather than simple kilowatt hours. The investment banks, he says, are leading the push. In essence, performance ratios measure the weather and the output of an inverter.
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TRENDS “To find out if a system is underperforming, kilowatt hours won’t do it,” Phillips says. “We needed to dig deep into the veins of the solar system.” Phillips says those same financial institutions are looking more into independent O&M companies because, more than an installer or EPC, operating and maintaining a solar plant is their practiced profession. “Just like hotel builders, they don’t stick around to keep the thing operating after they’ve built it,” Phillips says. “The same applies with an installer of a solar project. It’s not their skill set.” He says the industry has also become
aware that preventative maintenance increases the output of a system. Previously, installers operated under a reactive protocol. A frequent presenter at conferences, Phillips shows the necessity of O&M with a picture of vegetation growing through solar panels or of a mouse sitting inside conduit. “This is not what O&M looks like,” he says. “This installation was $6 million, and it has a tree growing out of it. It’s shocking.” If grass enveloped a solar system today, technicians would likely receive an alert. Booth says the days of wall-towall computer monitors, while visually
impressive, is being upstage by stateof-the-art automated alert systems and on-demand reporting. “At the larger scale we are dealing with, these visual screens are not all encompassing,” he says. Instead of constant monitoring, the company relies on alert systems to notify it of on-site issues. “That allows us to be more focused on increasing promptness and efficiency of our response, improving troubleshooting techniques and the training of field staff,” Booth says. SPW
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Solar Insurance
Photo Courtesy Of Assurant
S
olar insurance market conditions are mirroring those of the solar industry as a whole. As prices for the panels drop, so do insurance market rates. Dropping rates and deductibles are expected to lead to decreased premium volume. Still, the need for solar insurance increases as manufacturer consolidation continues. With growing opportunity, more insurance companies are entering the solar space with hopes of penetrating the market through aggressively-priced coverage and terms. Warranty management programs are critical to developers with worries about the stability of original equipment manufacturers and, hence, securing financing for their projects. Jeanne Schwartz, vice president of new venture commercialization at Assurant, says demand to protect long-term cash flow is causing a trend toward multi-year warranty management. “Project developers, lenders and investors want to lock in that security now and for the future,” Schwartz says. “This provides financial security that they
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can bank on.” Innovative solar project financing models such as equipment leasing, third-party ownership, crowdfunding and community-owned projects have also created risks specific for the solar industry that are not covered well by traditional insurance. Charles A. Leone, CPCU, senior vice president for HUB International Insurance Services, says perceived risk of product and project underperformance can pose barriers when such external financing is used — but insurance can help. “Energy performance insurance can provide protection from underperformance or project output,” Leone says. “The insurance provides the safety net in the event of any product or system failure.” The focus on solar-project quality and bankability affects all parties involved in solar project development. Erin Cullen, a client executive at GCube Insurance Services, hopes this will lead to improved overall project quality and performance. In addition to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric
Power Association (SEPA), other organizations are emerging and setting standards. North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), for example, focuses specifically on project development and installation. “Operations and maintenance providers are striving to provide broader performance guarantees, which set them apart from the industry standard,” Cullen says. “All of this attention to detail is more than likely to increase the solar industry’s overall reputation and viability.” Another space for which some solar insurers are beginning to provide coverage, Cullen adds, is battery storage. Many utility-scale projects are adding battery energy storage at the project site to ensure a consistent flow of energy into the grid. “With the growing trend of batteries on site, insurance companies are challenged to ensure that the batteries are appropriately installed and monitored,” Cullen says. “It poses an electrical-fire risk that can cause huge detriment to both the project’s physical components and revenue stream.” Cullen says because this is a newer aspect of most solar installations, her company requires a detailed description of the battery technology and fire protection being used to appropriately cover the battery exposure. System performance monitoring systems, once a cost-prohibitive and rare purchase, are also becoming standard in most utility-scale projects. These sophisticated measurement tools are increasingly important to the testing and evaluation of solar projects and their components. Schwartz says she anticipates that these technology-driven tools will become even more important to the insurance industry going forward. SPW
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6/14/13 2:40 PM
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Financing
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s much as the industry would like to have solar installed on every roof in the United States, installers and developers often struggle to find financing. Many state and federal incentives are being re-examined and could be eliminated entirely. As a result, the industry is looking for new and innovative ways to get funding for their projects. Rob Sternthal, president of Reznick Capital Markets, says the tax-equity funding market for utility-scale projects is alive and well despite rumors of its imminent death. But small-scale commercial and residential installations are still finding it hard to use this funding avenue. “Finding debt for solar distributedgeneration (DG) projects is not easy,” Sternthal says. “More and more regional banks are starting to jump in the game, but they are still reluctant to provide long-term loans and generally do not understand solar well enough yet to get through due-diligence or tax-equity financing easily.”
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One way Sternthal sees smaller DG projects being funded is through a process called “bundling.” A project developer will bundle several projects together, usually totaling between 10 and 25 MW and worth $50 million and up. “Until you reach that level of money, you’re going to have trouble getting debt and tax-equity investors interested in funding them,” Sternthal says. The residential market has boomed in part because leasing companies such as SolarCity, OneRoof Energy and Constellation Energy created funding models that put solar installations within reach of people who didn’t think they could afford it before. Sternthal sees that trend expanding the solar market moving forward. Real-estate investment trusts (REITs) are also slowly entering the solar financing mix. REITs are companies that own and often operate real estate that produces income, which make solar a natural market for them. Think of REITs as real-estate mutual funds, allowing a variety of investors to pool their resources and own real-estate holdings
without the risk of owning individual properties. The movement is currently in its infancy, but companies like Delawarebased Mainline Solar are banking on more REITs entering the market and being in need of its deal-brokering services. Lastly, and perhaps most innovatively, is crowdfunding, where individual investors pledge their own money to fund small-scale solar projects and earn steady returns. The company making the most news in solar crowdfunding is California-based Mosaic, whose Founder and President Billy Parrish says crowdfunding will completely change the way people fund projects. “There was no way for people to invest directly in solar projects,” Parish says. “We believe the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy has the potential to be the greatest wealthproducer of our time, and we wanted to create a mechanism so more people could share in it.” To solar developers, Mosaic looks like a bank, Parish says. What is different is how they raise money from individual and institutional investors. Mosaic vets projects as rigorously as banks to ensure project quality for investors. Parish believes the future of crowdfunding lies in communities that decide to generate and fund their own projects. He also hopes more solar-industry workers invest in their own industry. “For solar-industry participants who have a vested interest in seeing the industry succeed, this is a great opportunity for them to show that with their own money,” Parish says. “We are looking for people who are as passionate about solar as we are to fund projects everywhere.” SPW
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6/14/13 2:45 PM
Bringing Solar ProjectS to Light.
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String Inverters
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ealing with the impact of increased solar capacity on overall grid stability is currently a major issue in the United States. Solar inverters play a critical role in the future of our nation’s power grid by providing a possible solution. Phil Vyhanek, president of Solectria Renewables, says that the future of the smart-grid power infrastructure is dependent upon inverter technologies. “Our work with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Department of Energy (DOE) demonstrates the critical role solar inverters play in the future of our power grid,” Vyhanek says. Mike Dooley, VP of marketing for solar at Advanced Energy, agrees, saying that more interactive controls must be developed to ensure inverters disconnect when necessary, but also stay online when utility voltage and frequency levels drop. “Solar has an incredible opportunity to add value to the grid at the distribution and transmission levels by providing far more than just megawatthours,” Dooley says. “Inverters are in a position to provide a full suite of gridsupport functions from reactive power to voltage and frequency support.” Dooley also notes the solar inverter industry must play a central role in further reducing the cost of the entire system. As module prices continue to drop, other costs including the inverter make up a greater percentage of the system cost, so price is heavily scrutinized. He stresses the importance of “design for manufacturability” to produce more cost-effective solar inverter designs, without sacrificing performance. Due to a trend toward decentralization, more string inverters
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are being used in the U.S. solar industry. The incorporation of multiple maximum power point tracking (MPPT) inputs has also changed the solar-inverter climate. “Customers have never had this level of flexibility when choosing where to mount their panels,” says Dave Bader, market development manager at Carlo Gavazzi. “Inverters that offer these advanced input capabilities offer customers a cost-effective way to include solar, even if their installation isn’t facing south.” Independent third-party systems, for instance, work in conjunction with string inverters to monitor plant-wide efficiencies and show customers where their projects needs help. “By incorporating third-party monitoring, solar-inverter companies can validate their pre-purchase claims and help customers to maximize their performance,” Bader says. String inverters are a mature technology, and efficiencies are already extremely high. Manufacturers, therefore, expect customers to choose solar inverters based on prices, name
recognition and length of warranty coverage. Vyhanek says smart-grid features such as reactive power support, voltage and frequency ride through and grid-monitoring capabilities also hold value for customers. Customer education, therefore, is important when it comes to solar inverters. Bader says customers educated on the total cost of ownership and provided with tools to monitor project efficiencies post installation, are more likely to make decisions that will provide them with a long-term benefit rather than simply choosing the lowest priced inverter. Rafal Pabich, product manager at Carlo Gavazzi, says it’s not string inverters that need advancement to further system performance. “It is hard to think about a breakthrough for a device that is already 90-some percent efficient,” Pabich says. “We can always throw slogans like ‘smaller’ or ‘cheaper’ or ‘better,’ but the truth is PV panels need the breakthrough invention to increase efficiency from the mid-teens to something higher.” SPW
Photo Courtesy of KACO new energy
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Photo Courtesy Of Solectria Renewables
Central Inverters
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s with all segments of the U.S. solar industry, the inverter segment has seen consolidation of business. Larger firms have bought smaller ones, and some manufacturers have exited the business completely. All this has occurred concurrently with reduced policy support. Still, 2012 was a growth year for solar inverter manufacturers. The industry has seen new entrants and products, and companies are ready to navigate new challenges. Inverters are one of the more complex and technical components in a solar energy system. Inverters’ role in solar will increase, as they are expected to host grid-support functions and even storage in support of reactive power and frequency requirements. “Inverters play a large part in enabling a 21st century grid where renewables can be reliably integrated,” says Mike Dooley, VP of marketing for solar at Advanced Energy. “Because inverters directly influence operations and maintenance, and production, they are integral to maximizing output and uptime, ensuring PV projects are delivering on projected energy goals.” Inverters are packed with technology
that can increase system uptime. Because higher average uptimes mean better production and lower costs of energy, central and other solar inverters are the key to long-term system and financial performance. “Regardless of whether an integrator operates in the residential, commercial or utility-scale space, its inverter partner plays a critical role in allowing it to develop successful, profitable solutions,” says Henry Dziuba, president and general manager of SMA America. Still, there are many obstacles central and all solar inverters must overcome. For example, Solectria Renewables President Phil Vyhanek says that everreducing price points and companies looking to gain short-term marketshare instead of long-term sustainable business can actually drive the industry to dangerously low profit margins. “The inverter is a complex piece of power electronics that represents one of, if not the most, sophisticated piece of equipment on site,” Vyhanek says. “Equipment must support extended warranties and significant research and development.” Inverter manufacturers are also challenged to develop business models
that meet cost demands, while allowing reasonable returns on their investment. The global market has seen demand shift from Europe to the United States and Asia, so Dziuba says inverter manufacturers also must change their overall strategies and develop technology for each corresponding market. Even in the United States, regulatory requirements and authorities-havingjurisdiction (AHJ) differ from state to state, which creates difficulty for local manufacturers and installers. Finally, an obstacle that exists in all parts of the solar industry is consumer confusion and a lack of awareness. “Most consumers are unaware of the importance of solar inverter selection and what part they play in generating solar power,” Dziuba says. “Better knowledge would be beneficial because it would provide consumers with more say in the price and performance of their own systems.” Still, inverter technology is seeing significant breakthroughs. Dooley, for example, sees advances in utilityinteractive controls. “These advances better allow utilities to respond to grid events and comply with new and emerging standards,” Dooley says. “Grid integration is one of the biggest obstacles facing solar, so for us to tackle that challenge would be beneficial for the industry as a whole.” Dziuba sees a real breakthrough in how solar inverter suppliers can provide full solutions — not just energy conversion devices. “The market is now aware of the role service and project support plays in an integrator’s success,” Dziuba says. “Well-positioned inverter companies are able to provide a gateway to energy management, grid support, project velocity and long-term O&M.” SPW
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Off-Grid Inverters
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ff-grid solar inverters have a stereotype of being for homeowners who prefer living in the mountains away from the grid. In reality, off-grid inverters are an established market. As power outages become more common and last longer, consumers are looking for homes with seamless back-up power. Off-grid inverters can fulfill this need of converting stored energy for common use. With their ability to provide gridforming voltage and manage battery storage, Derek Pettingale, global product line manager of off-grid inverters at Schneider Electric, says off-grid inverters and chargers play key roles in forming essentially private microgrids. “Photovoltaic inverters, previously used only in grid-tie applications, are also being used in off-grid systems to reduce the use of diesel generators,” Pettingale says. “The integration of PV and diesel-energy generation is an essential partnership driving the development of large off-grid systems.” Off-grid inverters may serve as an example for future generations of grid-tied inverters. Grid-tied inverters will begin to have the battery backup, multiple modes and functions seen in today’s off-grid inverters. The biggest change in off-grid solar, according to Gary Baxter, VP of sales and marketing for Magnum Energy, is a fairly new concept called AC coupling. This allows a new or existing grid-tie installation to add battery backup, which adds demand for off-grid inverters and batteries. The same concept used in AC coupling is also used in microgrid design, with microgrids typically being larger installations. “Energy storage is a huge part of the smart grid, and AC coupling is a small
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step in energy storage,” Baxter says. Today’s off-grid inverters have also become multitasking rather than singleapplication inverters. “It’s not as easy to segregate inverters into two classes of now that so-called “off-grid” inverters go beyond off-grid operations,” says Mark Cerasuolo, senior marketing manager at OutBack Power. “These next-generation smarter inverters will offer generator and batterybank management, grid or generator support, energy-offset functionality, load management and can create a renewable energy microgrid to ensure greater stability for existing grids.” But off-grid inverters face challenges. For instance, Pettingale says poor system design and installation are ongoing issues for larger systems. Too many systems are over- or underdesigned for the intended application. “Standardization of large systems will lead to greater satisfaction with off-grid performance, lower implementation costs and, eventually, even make financing easier to obtain,” Pettingale says. Training installers and homeowners
on best practices for off-grid inverters is important. “While the installers are qualified in AC grid-tie systems, they typically do not have the experience in designing and installing DC systems,” Baxter says. “Homeowners must also be trained on off-grid living.” The United States should take a lesson from developing nations that prepare for natural disasters and extended power outages using microgrids powered by renewable energy, Cerasuolo says. “Last year’s Hurricane Sandy, for instance, left some homeowners without power for a week or more,” he says. Cerasuolo believes that eventually, the mainstream choice will be hybrid inverters that offer off-grid independence with grid-tied savings. Only niche applications and cost-driven installations will deploy single-purpose off-grid or grid-tied inverters. “Advances in retrofit technologies such as AC coupling will result in more grid-tied system owners adding off-grid features and performance to existing systems to get the best of both worlds,” Cerasuolo says. SPW
Photo Courtesy of OutBack Power
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6/18/13 1:15 PM
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Solar Power Optimizers
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olar power optimizers are quickly growing from niche products, just for shaded or complex rooftops, to mainstream solutions. Optimizers are reaching a point where their technological advantages are higher than the costs to deploy them. According to GreenTech Media, the module level power electronics segment was 51 MW in 2009, and today stands close to 800 MW, a growth rate of about 150% per year. The added energy was just the starting point, according to Mike Rogerson, marketing manager for SolarEdge North America. He says what attracts customers now is the design flexibility of two to three times longer string lengths with no requirement to match orientation or string sizes. Power optimizers also allow module-level monitoring to collect data that can help reduce solar operation and maintenance costs. “The benefits seem so obvious that, in a few years, we won’t know how we ever lived without these solutions,” Rogerson says. James Bickford, director of global OEM channels for Tigo Energy has also seen strong market growth for optimizers, and believes that “smart modules” will increase
growth even further. “Incorporation of the technology into solar modules (smart modules) really defines the next generation of these technologies,” Bickford says. “It paves the way to a much broader adoption rate than we have seen in the past.” Although the power optimizer space is growing, Brett Novak, marketing manager at Texas Instruments, explains that these devices still make up a small portion of the overall photovoltaic solar market. He lists cost and overall efficiency as the primary gating factors to mainstream solaroptimizer adoption. “Installation types (commercial vs residential) and volumes are also playing a key role in the use of optimizers,” Novak says. “The additional cost potentially being unfavorable for smaller installations, which currently make up an important percentage of the overall market.” Novak also says interoperability between manufacturers will also play an important role in the widespread adoption of optimizers, especially for retrofitting into pre-existing systems. Bickford agrees, explaining that all module-level power electronics have to
balance cost, reliability and efficiency. “The benefits of these technologies are pretty obvious, but trying to design and build reliable, cost effective, and efficient products is a challenge that all MLPE companies face,” Bickford says. “This is why there is such a diversity of approaches today in the market.” The module pricing downturn plus the lack of margin for module manufacturers is creating turbulence in the module manufacturing segment, according to Rogerson. “The winners will need to create some type of differentiation,” he says. “We see embedded power optimizers as an obvious way to do this, as a natural evolution, but it is taking longer than expected.” Power optimizers are already popular in Europe, but they’re only beginning to gain traction in the United States. Rogerson says power optimizers could the next “killer app” once developers and installers realize that they can get module level electronics for a competitive price. “We just need to let them know about the solution,” he says. “The product takes care of the rest.” SPW
Photo Courtesy Of Tigo Energy
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Batteries
Photo Courtesy Of Trojan Battery
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ack-up power has become increasingly important as recent storms such as Hurricane Sandy have left many without power for long periods of time. Back-up power requires batteries, and therefore their usage is in turn increasing. In the solar industry specifically, the drastic drop in PV module prices over the past few years makes energy storage a higher percentage of the overall system cost. Selecting the correct technology, type and vendor is important in establishing a successful batterybased energy storage system. Dean Middleton, director of sales for renewable energy at Trojan Battery, says this has led to customers more closely scrutinizing battery type and quality. “Renewable energy customers are demanding that battery manufacturers validate their capacity and performance claims with independent laboratory tests,” Middleton says. “The long-term success of the PV industry depends on the integrity of all suppliers to accurately represent their products in the market, so false expectations are not created in the industry.” Batteries are key components in many PV applications, so Middleton stresses that they should be high-capacity and deep-cycle to 78
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provide reliable energy storage. He’s glad to see the solar industry moving away from using batteries intended for other applications. “Users quickly understand that nonsolar-specific batteries don’t work in renewable applications and cost them more in the long run,” Middleton says. “They are not designed to withstand the rigorous use inherent in deep cycling, renewable-energy-storage applications. Over time, automotive batteries need to be replaced more often than deep-cycle batteries ultimately costing the end user more money over the life of the system.” The solar industry is also considering the use of lithium batteries. Gary Baxter, VP of sales and marketing at Magnum Energy, explains that lithium batteries provide more power in a smaller, lighterweight package. Lithium batteries also provide a steady DC voltage over the entire discharge rate of the battery. Still, Baxter sees lead-acid batteries remaining popular. “Lead-acid technology has been around forever and is still viable as a low-cost solution,” he says. Middleton agrees that flooded lead-
acid battery technology will continue to be the “battery of choice” when price is the deciding factor. Absorption glass mat (AGM) and gel technology will continue to dominate applications where batteries are operating in remote locations and maintenance cannot be performed on a regular basis. While the global market for batterybased PV systems is much smaller compared to the market for gridconnected PV systems, the battery-based PV market continues to grow steadily every year. Middleton notes that the drivers influencing market growth for grid-tied and off-grid battery-based PV systems business are different. “The grid-tied PV market is highly vulnerable to shifts in government and utility policy,” Middleton says. “Without subsidies and incentives, grid-tied PV systems have a long payback period and without those the market potential is limited. By contrast, off-grid systems typically provide power in remote areas that have no other cost-effective option for power. Under these circumstances, off-grid systems often are the only cost-effective power solution and have essentially paid for themselves from the day they are installed and operational. The market opportunity is significant, but not without challenges.” The emergence of newer companies that have limited off-grid experience and continued competitive pressures of lowerquality products from China are a couple of the off-grid PV market challenges, Middleton notes. Looking forward, Middleton says ease of maintenance and total cost of ownership will continue to be deciding factors when purchasing deep-cycle batteries for renewable energy systems. Baxter believes energy storage in general will be the next requirement to fill to create a useful smart grid. SPW
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6/17/13 8:01 AM
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Solar Thermal
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lthough photovoltaics dominate the news, there’s a lot happening in solar thermal that deserves recognition. To address the public relations and advocacy needs of the solar heating and cooling industry, this year SEIA formed its U.S. Solar Heating and Cooling Alliance (SHC Alliance) division. Gal Moyal, CEO and chief engineer at Free Hot Water, is optimistic about the alliance. “Finally, the industry is getting organized to bring more attention to the entire solar thermal industry,” Moyal says. “It’s early yet, but we hope this coalition will achieve great results in the near future.” Prices for major thermal components has dropped significantly, too. Moyal says with ROI in less than three years for large projects, solar thermal is attractive to large commercial natural gas-boiler and tank-system users. With solar hot water, the tank is pre-heated with the sun’s energy, so it takes less gas to bring temperatures up to needed level. Market conditions are also shaping up favorably for solar thermal companies. Fewer U.S. manufacturers are in the industry now, most European players have left and Chinese manufacturers are not yet entrenched. Moyal says this means domestic engineering companies have more motivation to continue innovating without as much foreign competition. New players in the solar thermal industry are taking a look at how things were done in the past and re-engineering smart design and engineering principals to make installations easier. “Today, we use smart pump stations and simple array design for better flow and functionality,” Moyal says. Still, solar thermal faces challenges.
“Despite solar thermal’s robust ROI for commercial applications, such as apartment buildings, hotels and industrial process heat for food processing, the technology’s benefits and successes are rarely mentioned in the media compared to solar PV,” Moyal says. “That needs to change.” Moyal explains that the lack of awareness and attention for solar thermal has led many local and state policies to limit rebate and incentive funding. Suzan Elichaa of Maine-based Solaris says the state’s governor has ended all solar incentives, which could cause sales to plummet. “It’s hard to sell thermal here anyway,” she says. “The lack of incentives will make it worse.” Elichaa also sees a need for more technician education, saying techs must be trained to service and repair solar thermal systems, not just install them. “Solar professionals must understand all the product options, their advantages and disadvantages to truly recommend the right solution for their client,” Elichaa says. “In many states, solar thermal is just
Photo Courtesy Of Free Hot Water
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ramping up, and there is a real lack of accurate knowledge about the systems.” In Hawaii, solar hot water is required for new construction. If that policy trend continues, higher demand may drive residentially-installed system costs to a point where solar hot water would become a more of normal way of heating water at home. Moyal cites a few other things that could help U.S. solar heating & cooling grow: • Extend the 30% federal ITC (expires 2016) • Include SHC technologies as generating technologies to be eligible for solar and renewable energy credits and in state and federal renewable portfolio standards • Allow commercial pools to take the 30% federal ITC • Adopt strong building energy codes that encourage builders to include SHC on new buildings • Increase workforce training for solar heating & cooling SPW
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Thin Film Panels
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wo years ago, all anyone could talk about was the fact that thin-film solar panels were the future of the industry, with lower production costs, speed of production and overall lower installed costs than traditional silicon (Si) PV panels. Then prices of Si panels plummeted, and thin-film faded into the background of the popular imagination. But thin-film panel production is alive and well. Witness the resurgence and ongoing strength of the most well-known thin-film producer, First Solar. Though analysts predicted its imminent demise and/or merger with other companies for the past two years, not only is it still here, but it’s stronger than ever. When compared with the turmoil rocking the PV panel market (its predicted consolidation is expected to be brutal over the next two years), thin-film panel manufacturers are waiting in the wings, waiting to be rediscovered. Brad Mattson, CEO of Californiabased Solexant, says the dominance of silicon PV panels is the result of general familiarity with silicon engendered by the semiconductor industry. “It didn’t take any new technology to get into silicon PV,” Mattson says. “It was the easiest to produce because the
infrastructure already existed.” Mattson says his Chinese partners are telling him the future of the solar industry is thin-film. He predicts solar will follow the model of the automobile industry. “In 1920, there were 1,000 car companies in the United States,” says Mattson, who has written a 300-page book, Solar 2.0 – How America Can Succeed in Solar. “Then came Henry Ford and his assembly-line production process. Down went prices, and he blew those other companies out of business. “That’s where I see solar going in the coming years,” he adds. “Thin-film companies will emerge as the most costeffective technology.” Raffi Garabedian, chief technology officer of Arizona-based First Solar, says cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film is closing the efficiency gap with traditional silicon PV panels. When thin-film’s superior temperature coefficients, he believes thin-film will ultimately outperform Si panels in real-world conditions. “We are able to drive efficiency increases by indentifying and implementing process changes using our existing cell structures,” Garabedian says. “The gap between the theoretical efficiency and practical efficiency is
still large, meaning that we have lots of opportunities for further improvement. “Much of this opportunity can be harvested through subtle changes in process conditions and chemistries without added complexity,” he says. (Editor’s Note: Garabedian’s point here echoes what Solar Power World has heard from analysts: Some scientists are suggesting Si PV is reaching the practical efficiency limits of its technology, meaning there are concerns about how much higher efficiencies can go.) Recent First Solar research-anddevelopment has led the company to release an updated module technology roadmap that leads to performance capabilities that will be more than competitive with existing Si modules, Garabedian says. The biggest trend in thin-film right now, however, is consolidation, Mattson says. Companies are already merging, leaving the strongest companies in positions to focus on improving the product itself. “There will be four or five thin-film players left at the end, and that’s good for our segment of the market,” Mattson says. “There have been too many people with different ideas, and it’s time for us to focus on the winners.” SPW
Photo Courtesy Of First Solar
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6/19/13 11:18 AM
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Concentrated Solar Power
Photos Courtesy Of 3M/Gossamer Space Frames
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oncentrated solar power (CSP) uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate large areas of sunlight on to a small area and is being widely commercialized. It’s forecast to supply nearly 1.2 GW of power worldwide by 2016, according to IMS Research. But despite this projected rapid expansion, CSP faces adoption difficulties in the United States, despite its proven success in places like the Middle East, Spain and North Africa. “It’s a little bit like politics in that it’s all local,” says John Van Scoter, president and CEO of concentrated solar-powertower company eSolar. “When you talk solar in the United States, everyone is talking silicon (Si) PV. When you step off the plane in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), everyone is talking solar thermal, power towers in particular. It truly depends on where you are in the world.” The IMS report identified four areas of the world where CSP is expected to grow in the next three years because favorable conditions exist: • Southwest United States • Chile • Morroco • Saudi Arabia
“We see the greatest areas of growth overseas for the short- and mediumterm,” Van Scoter says. “We don’t believe the U.S. market will grow significantly until the back half of this decade [after 2015].” Van Scoter says electrical consumption in North America has been declining over the past five years, but by 2016, he believes those needs will start growing again — and CSP will be perfectly positioned to fill that need, especially as molten-salt storage technology evolves. “Today, we’re using molten salt as a primary heating fluid, which allows for storage,” Van Scoter says. “CSP provides the ability to keep the power on when the sun goes down. Traditional Si is still trying to find adequate storage sources. There’s lots of research money going into that area of the market — but they’re not there yet.” Van Scoter says the company pushes projects overseas to keep the company solvent until the United States comes around to the technology. Power towers, however, are not the only CSP technology making its way
into the U.S. consciousness. Parabolic trough technology is currently being installed in utilityscale solar farms. According to Solar Power World Senior Editor Larry Boulden, parabolic trough CSP uses a linear parabolic reflector to concentrate light on to a receiver (typically a tube filled with a working fluid like molten salt) positioned along the reflector’s focal line. Boulden adds that trough systems are the most developed CSP technology. In fact, the largest parabolic-trough facility in the world is located in Daggett, Calif., a collaboration between 3M, Gossamer Space Frames and Congentrix energy. “Parabolic trough installations dominate the CSP market right now because of their long track record of success,” says Dan Chen, 3M’s manager for the Solar Light Management Business Unit. “We had wanted to enter the CSP market for a long time. We just had to find the right partners and produce the right technologies to make it happen.” So the path for CSP in the United States appears to be this: slow, steady development overseas to perfect the technology, with the expectation that it will take off in the United States later this decade. If companies can survive until then, they may be looking at a boom in future years. SPW
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TRENDS S O L A R P O W E R
San Francisco • July 9-11, 2013
Array Monitoring
In many U.S. states and other parts of the world, independent third-party measurement and reporting of energy production from solar PV arrays is required for the site owner to receive incentive payments. When the industry was less widespread, monitoring their performance wasn’t as important, says Richard Duong, Photo Courtesy Of Locus Energy product engineer for Moxa Americas. Now it’s essential. “What started years ago as pure dataloggers s solar has become the are now becoming mini energysecond-fastest growing energy management systems,” Duong says. source in the United States, The key to a successful monitoring monitoring has become a system is twofold, according to Adrian critical solar-industry tool — and not just De Luca, vice president of sales and any software can do the job. marketing for Locus Energy: These days, financiers are no longer content to put their money into solar • It must capture enough information projects without knowing more about about the system so everyone knows the performance of the systems in which their systems are performing as they’re investing. After all, as American promised statistician, professor and author William Edwards Deming once said, “You can • The information must be segmented expect what you inspect.” in a user-friendly interface so people “Monitoring site performance gives aren’t overwhelmed by the amount of financiers confidence in investing in information they receive. solar PV development,” says Sanjeev Choudhary, vice president of marketing “Making it easy for the end-user and business development for Draker. to understand the data is critical,” “Being able to monitor during a system’s Choudhary says. “Collecting and operation in detail — whether on-site, analyzing this data to deliver a remotely, or both — gives solar PV performance-index calculation is the developers and bankers assurance that function of the monitoring system, but the projected operational and financial owners and operators shouldn’t have to performance of their sites will be collect and analyze any data themselves realized.”
A
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if they have installed a high-quality monitoring system.” Also Energy’s President and CEO Robert Schaefer concurs. “At some point, you need to rely on a robust alert system to let you know when something has gone wrong with your array,” Schaefer says. “No one can monitor 1,000 sites. It’s just too much. If you can get specific alerts only when there’s something wrong, it becomes far more manageable.” Choudhary says Draker’s customers are increasingly asking to divest themselves of the monitoring responsibility entirely and letting the company do it for them. These services, handled by Draker’s Network Operations Centers (NOC), give array operators robust monitoring without having to learn how to do it themselves. “When we enter into one of those kinds of contracts, we have dedicated staff who review a customer’s entire portfolio of sites and provide them with prioritized alarms, integration with the operationsand-maintenance dispatch system and monthly performance reports for all the sites,” Choudhary says. “It provides customers with additional peace of mind.” The final piece that will complete monitoring systems is making sure the data involved in secure, experts say. “As solar arrays become more popular inside communities, the power grid is going to need to control the inverters,” Duong says. “Once you open these inverters to external control, the networks must be safe and secure. That’s what we’re all working on right now.” SPW
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6/17/13 8:09 AM
THE FOLLOWING PREVIEW HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR
RENEWABLE ENERGY AUDIENCES BY SOLAR POWER WORLD AND WINDPOWER ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
2014
COMING THIS DECEMBER
RENEWABLE Energy Handbook
Bought to you by Windpower Engineering & Development and Solar Power World magazines, the annually published Renewable Energy Handbook focuses on wind and solar and provides users with a comprehensive educational and business planning resource. Some features include: • U.S. wind and solar installation maps and detailed charts on project information • Specification comparisons of wind turbines, solar modules, solar racking & mounting and solar inverters • Detailed entries on components and crucial topics from industry experts • Renewable portfolio standards by state
REH 2014 Ad_Vs1.indd 83
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[D EV ELOPMENTS ]
Solar-Powered Airplane Crosses America
Solar Impulse Milestones: • 2010: First-ever solar-powered night flight (26 hours) • 2011: First international solar flight from Switzerland to Belgium and France • 2012: First intercontinental flight with a solar airplane (Europe to North Africa)
Solar Impulse Records: • Duration: 26 hours, 10 minutes, 19 seconds • Absolute altitude: 30,300 feet • Gain of height: 28,688 feet • Free distance along a course: 693.45 miles • Straight distance pre-declared waypoints: 683.07 miles
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6/14/13 9:55 AM
[ DEVEL O P ME N T S ]
Solar Hot Water For Everyone The Solar Impulse, a solar-powered
Next Generation Energy’s thermal
airplane developed by Swiss pilots, is soaring coast-to-coast across the United States without using a single drop of fuel. The Solar Impulse can fly all day and night powered exclusively by solar energy. The plane left in early May from San Francisco and will stop in Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington D.C., before reaching New York’s JFK airport in early July. This is the Solar Impulse’s last mission before attempting a zerofuel flight around the world in 2015. With the wingspan of a jumbo jet (208 feet) and the weight of a small car (3,527 lbs.), the airplane is a technological wonder, says André Borschberg, Solar Impulse co-founder, CEO and pilot. “A flying laboratory for clean technologies, this prototype is the result of seven years of intense work in the fields of materials science, energy management and man-machine interface,” Borschberg says. “Many of these technologies can also be applied to sectors beyond aviation.” The Solar Impulse team wants to inspire and motivate people throughout its journey across America. “We want to show that with clean technologies, a passionate team and a far-reaching, pioneering vision, one can achieve the impossible,” says Bertrand Piccard, Solar Impulse initiator, chairman and pilot. “If we all challenge certitudes by driving change and pioneering in our everyday lives, we can create innovative solutions for society’s biggest challenges.” SPW
systems produce billions of BTUs per year at locations including hospitals, jails and houses. Dave Kreutzman, the company’s CEO, has been in the industry for more than 30 years, and he says the residential solar hot water industry is about to change. Kreutzman says two major problems persist in the industry now: The workforce is too small and undertrained to maintain conventional technology and, even if there were enough skilled labor, customers dislike spending significant cash on system maintenance. “What we’ve done is figure out a way to heat residential water with photovoltaics, off-grid, and integrate it into standard tanks,” Kreutzman says. “It simplifies solar water heating, and we can do it at a fraction of the cost of a conventional system.” Next Generation Energy has eliminated pumps, heat exchangers and copper lines and created the SunBandit. The SunBandit, a complete water-heating system, harnesses energy from PV modules and transfers electricity to a microgrid waterheating component, which warms water in a specially designed tank. A grid-tied element provides a back up for the microgrid, creating a hybrid energy system. It does not require approval from utilities. The company says a conventional solar hot-water heater for a home, depending on its size, could cost $12,000. The SunBandit is expected to cost about $3,000 for a family of two, a price that may be reduced with rebates, incentives and other programs. “The SunBandit is for everyone, not just the select few who can afford $12,000 (for
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a conventional solar hot-water system),” says Bill Beedon, director of marketing and business development at Next Generation Energy. “It allows everyone to contribute to energy independence and a cleaner environment.” While technology like this has been attempted before, the market has never been so perfect, Beedon says. The cost of modules is down, and performance has gone up. Additionally, conventional hot-water systems are prone to a variety of mechanical complications, while the company says SunBandit will be relatively worryfree. The SunBandit will require more space on the roof than a conventional solar-thermal system, but Kreutzman contends that increased efficiency of photovolataic panels and their reduced prices will be worth it. “We see this literally revolutionizing the way water is heated across the world,” says Kreutzman. “It’s able to be installed by anybody.” By mid-May, the company had already sold its initial supply of SunBandits, and it expects to eventually attract a 5% market share. In 10 years, Kreutzman says every building in America will have solar hot water. SPW
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[D EV ELOPMENTS ]
Volunteers stand on a roof of the Zanmi Beni Home for Children in Haiti, where Unirac and NRG Energy partnered to build a reliable source of power for the home’s children.
Installation Notes: Companies Volunteer To Install Solar In Haiti Volunteers from NRG Energy and its partners recently traveled to Haiti to help install a 52-kW solar array on a home for children. The home, Zanmi Beni Home for Children, is run by an organization located north of Port-au-Prince that provides longterm care for 64 children, most of whom were displaced by a 2010 earthquake. The entirely donated solar installation gives the shelter access to a stable supply of energy and supplements Haiti’s unreliable power grid, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for children. “I met some truly remarkable people and accomplished tasks that I never imagined doing, such as climbing onto a roof to drill and caulk and run wires,” says 86
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Diana Hua, a NRG volunteer. “Before this experience, I didn’t even know how to use a drill or driver. Installing solar panels was incredibly hard work, especially because of the heat.” The photovoltaic solar array will use batteries to store solar power because grid-based electricity is often only available a few hours each day. “Haiti has so much beauty to offer, but it is overshadowed by the devastation and poverty left after the earthquake of 2010,” says Jeffrey Shorts, a business analyst at NRG Energy and volunteer. “The solar panels will store power in a battery room and continue to operate even when the power goes out, allowing the orphanage to operate efficiently.”
Unirac provided NRG Energy with a Solarmount-E mounting system for the array. The installation required an especially robust system to accommodate fierce wind loads that often bear down on Haiti during strong seasonal hurricanes. “We are proud to have been a part of this important humanitarian effort to provide a safe haven for some of Haiti’s most vulnerable citizens,” says Unirac CEO Peter Lorenz. “Making reliable power for this home a reality was of utmost importance, and we understood that our ability to provide NRG with the highest level of customer support would, in turn, ensure a seamless installation at Zanmi Beni.” SPW
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6/14/13 9:56 AM
[ DEVEL O P ME N T S ]
Installation Notes:
• Contractor: Volunteers from NRG Energy • Crew size: About 20 • Panel type: Trina Solar • Racking type: Unirac • Inverter type: SMA SunnlyIsland/Sunnyboy • Monitoring: Due to infrastructure limitations in Haiti, a monitoring system was not a priority. The local maintenance
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staff has been trained on the operation of the system and is
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manually monitoring the system.
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>ĞĂƌŶ Ws dĞĐŚŶŝĐĂů ^ĂůĞƐ /Ŷ dŚĞ ŌĞƌŶŽŽŶ
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ŽŵĞ ƚŽ ďĞĂƵƟĨƵů WĂůŵ ^ƉƌŝŶŐƐ͕ ŐŽůĨ Žƌ ƌĞůĂdž ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƌŶŝŶŐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĂƩĞŶĚ ĐůĂƐƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞ ĂŌĞƌŶŽŽŶ͊ /Ŷ-ĚĞƉƚŚ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ŽĨ ĚĞͲ ƐŝŐŶ͕ ƐŝƚĞ ƐƵƌǀĞLJƐ͕ ƐĂůĞƐ ƚĞĐŚŶŝƋƵĞƐ͕ ĐŽƐƚ ĂŶĂůLJƐŝƐ͕ ŝŶĐĞŶƟǀĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞīĞĐƟǀĞ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟŽŶ͘ dŚĞ ƉƵƌƉŽƐĞ͗ /ŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ƐĂůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌ ƐĂƟƐĨĂĐƟŽŶ͘ dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ĨŽƌ ƐŽůĂƌ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ ƚŽ ƌĞǁĂƌĚ ĚĞĚŝͲ ĐĂƚĞĚ ƐĂůĞƐ ƐƚĂī ǁŚŝůĞ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ĂŶĚ ƐĂůĞƐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘
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&Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ƌĞŐŝƐƚĞƌ ŐŽ ƚŽ͗ ǁǁǁ͘ĐŽůůĞŐĞŽŌŚĞĚĞƐĞƌƚ͘ĞĚƵͬƐŽůĂƌ Kƌ ĐĂůů ;ϳϲϬͿ ϴϲϮ-ϭϯϵϲ
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Interactive Resources
It’s hard to believe that there’s more to this already hefy handbook, but it’s true. Don’t forget to check out our interactive components on www.solarpowerworldonline.com. Clean Energy Opportunity Map View state Renewable Portfolio Goals and monitor each one’s progress to fulfilling these initiatives. Browse by state to view information including current renewable capacity, installed MW of wind, installed MW of solar and more. Interactive Solar Project Map View utility-scale U.S. solar projects state by state with full details including location, size, type, developer, owner, power purchaser and more. Solar Racking & Mounting Tool Browse racking and mounting systems by manufacturer with information on system and installation type.
Solar Inverter Selector Tool View lists of solar inverters offered in the U.S. Lists are categorized under Microinverter, String, Central and Off-Grid models and grouped by manufacturer. Compare specifications such as PV array power range, max input and output currents, warranty and more. Top 100 Solar Contractors Check out Solar Power World’s annual list of the Top 100 Solar Contractors in the U.S. Also browse by residential, commercial and utility segments. Top Solar Companies Browse through lists of top solar panel manufacturers, developers, owners, EPCs and Power Purchasers ranked by number of MW installed in the U.S.
Technology • Development • Installation
Solar Interactive ad 12-12 Vs6.indd 88
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[PRODUC T S]
More Wattage Over Ethernet Moxa has introduced the INJ-24A Gigabit High-Power Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+) Injector. Along with data, the INJ-24A is capable of transmitting 60 watts of power to any Powered Device (PD) or Power over Ethernet (PoE) device, letting devices on 10/100/1,000 networks safely operate with twice the power of conventional PoE+. By adjusting a DIP switch, a user can select different power standard modes and even on which wire pairs to deliver power. Moxa ensures a consistent stream of data and power in the face of power fluctuations, static electricity and other sources of electromagnetic interference.
Moxa www.moxa.com
Strong Clamps For Unique Profiles A metal roof ancillary attachment, the S-5-K Grip clamp fits Klip-Rib and other bulb snap-together seams. The clamp uses multiple inserts to accommodate a variety of bulb snaptogether profiles without piercing the metal roof panel. Each insert has a unique shape that allows for a tight fit and increased holding strength. The S-5-K Grip also features a low mounting surface area with the mounting bolt directly over the center of the seam. This increases the strength of the clamp, making it ideal for heavy-duty applications.
S-5! www.s-5.com
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Public Auction Online & Onsite
As Ordered by Appointed Receiver of BlueChip Power, LLC (formerly known as BlueChip Energy LLC) & ASP (Advanced Solar Photonics, LLC) and related entities Case No.:6:13-cv-00657-JA-KRS
Tuesday, July 16 at 10:00 am EST th
Site location: 400 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL 32746
[ PR O D UC T S ]
Racking Package For Up To 50 kW With an inclination angle of 25°, the Sigma II GO Kits arrive with a professional-
Sale will consist of:
engineer certification and
are ready for installation on ballast
• 2 Complete and fully functional solar panel production lines: Automatic 3 and Automatic 2 Bus Bar Solar Panel Manufacturing Lines formerly owned by BP (British Petroleum)
• Manual Tabbing Line • Solar Module Tabber, Stringer & Layup Station • Solar Power Generation System: fully functional 6,000 panel solar farm, ballast system with inverters • 2008 Titan FLS48 High Power Fiber Laser Cutting System • Full Machine Shop, CNC Machines, Forklifts, Vehicles
blocks or
concrete piers. The kits are used in diverse settings and configurations and accept all 60-cell, crystalline modules. Intended primarily for installations up to 50 kW, the Sigma II GO Kits make it fast and easy to get photovoltaic projects up and running. The kits are available for either low load (90 mph wind and 0 psf snow) or high load (up to 120 mph wind and 30 psf snow).
Mounting Systems www.mounting-systems.us
• Office Furniture & Office Equipment
Bearings For Long-Term CSP A group at Saint-Gobain designs composite bearings that withstand harsh vibration, improve efficiency, extend performance and reduce operational downtime. The company manufactures a maintenance-free composite bearing. Proprietary fluoropolymer compounds in Solglide composite bearings increase the long-term operational efficiency of solar equipment. Solglide composite bearings are specifically Visit www.moeckerauctions.com for details and photos. (800) 840-BIDS / (954) 252-2887 info@moeckerauctions.com Call our office for preview/inspection days Moecker Auctions, Inc. AB 1098
designed for concentrated-solar-power (CSP) plants and are applied at pivot points in all major tracking systems.
Saint-Gobain www.bearings. saint-gobain.com
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[ PR O D U C T S ]
A Ground Mount With Quick Assembly The Patriot Solar 375 Series ballasted ground mount is modular and features a quick assembly. The starting section assembly includes two pre-cast ballasted posts, two trusses, two rails and hardware. An add-on section includes one pre-cast ballasted post, one truss, two rails and hardware. The mounting structure is fully hot-dipped galvanized and features a 10-year guarantee against breakage. The non-penetrating system is ideal for large-commercial and utility-scale installations.
Patriot Solar Group www.patriotsolargroup.com
www.cgglobal.us
Transformers. Switchgear. Substations. Integrated Solutions. Automation. Engineering Services.
CG is a global leader in electrical products and integrated solutions. Its products, solutions & services range from distribution & power transformers, to medium & high voltage switchgear, to SCADA & automation to complete turn-key substations & lines EPC solutions. CG has a proven track-record of on-time delivery & completion of an installed base of more than 20,000MW in North America, making CG one of the most reliable and preferred equipment & solution providers in the renewable market today.
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Visit us at InterSolar EU in Munchen booth B4.480 and at InterSolar USA in San Francisco booth 8117
6/19/13 8:20 AM
[PRODUCTS ]
Redefining Versatility Introducing the new S-5!®
ProteaBracket™
The most versatile exposed-fastened metal roof solar mounting solution on the market • Pull-to-failure loads in excess of 1000 lbs
DC Arc Detector Helps Avoid Fires
• Adjustable mounting arm allows three solar module attachment options • Stainless steel bracket includes all fasteners needed for installation
The RD-195 addresses the growing need
• Fits most trapezoidal profiles including insulated metal panels
to safeguard high-power dc photovoltaic units against arc faults. Designers can
• Factory applied sealant ensures quick, weather-proof installation
specify the balance between arcdetection accuracy and false-detection
• Can attach to virtually anywhere along the roof panel’s rib
prevention with software that enables alteration of detection parameters. The detector recognizes different types of arcs, including series, parallel and ground arcs. It is designed to operate in noisy environments with RF interference. The typical response time is less than 100 ms, allowing the system controller to take quick action.
Texas Instruments www.ti.com
Top Rail Option
S-5-PV Kit Option
Add versatility to your solar project at: www.S-5.com/ProteaBracket or call 888-825-3432
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[ PR O D U C T S ]
A Wider Array Of Compression Connectors ILSCO has expanded its line of SureCrimp copper compression connectors to include long blank-tang configurations with a sight hole. The blank tang lets installers drill custom mounting holes. The connectors are made from high-grade copper, providing a reliable, highly conductive, low-heat connection. The seamless copper tubing improves connector endurance. Electro-tin plating offers protection against corrosion. All SureCrimp connectors are die stamped with wire size and die index number, as well as part number identifier. Each lug is colorcoded with permanent ink stamping for easy identification of proper die number and proper crimp positioning.
ILSCO www.ilsco.com
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4Q
[FOUR QUESTIONS]
4 QUESTIONS: Monitoring On The Move
Charles Olness/Sales Director, eGuage
As monitoring becomes more important to solar, Solar Power World is canvassing the industry to find out what monitoring systems are already here and what the future holds. We caught up with Charles Olness, sales director for Boulder, Colo.-based eGauge, to get his thoughts.
SPW
Why is monitoring important for solar projects? What’s in it for end users?
CO
Monitoring is important because it will verify that the PV system is operating correctly (or not) — it verifies that the PV investment is producing kWh and meeting the customer’s expectations. PV monitoring can also help identify problems quickly, such as inverter failures, blown fuses, animal damage, shading and grid-power quality issues — all of which affect PV systems more often than we’d like to admit. Monitoring identifies issues early and educates end users about energy use, on-site generation and electricity in general. This educational aspect is important for the solar industry and is often overlooked.
SPW
What are the different kinds of monitoring systems for solar projects?
CO
Basic monitoring is provided at the inverter. You have to be standing in front of the device to see the data. Inverter manufacturers also provide online monitoring through web portals for end users and installers. Third-party monitoring hardware and software can provide more granular data, alerts, more parameters and the ability to report to financing and incentive programs. They can generally integrate weather-station data, DC combiner box data and provide educational-style kiosks for customers. These systems can also reach beyond solar and monitor total building energy usage and building loads like HVAC, motors and EV chargers.
SPW
How can installers communicate the importance of monitoring without overwhelming a consumer?
CO
Good installers include some form of monitoring every time. An appropriate monitoring system shouldn’t be too complex for the customer. The installers needs to explain that the monitoring helps them fix problems quickly. Although we all hope the PV systems never have an issue, in reality they do. Monitoring is also a great way to educate customers about their commitment to renewable energy. This is especially useful in schools and businesses.
SPW
How mobile is monitoring? Is it something system operators can use in the field?
CO
PV monitoring is moving more into the mobile space. Some installers and inverter manufactures provide apps, but they are geared towards basic enduser figures and aren’t useful for field operators. More development of useful app tools for installers and maintenance personal is inevitable. Large PV installations generally require a number of technologies within one monitoring system (inverter and DC-combiner direct communication, independent meters, data logger, weather station, web server, power supply, router and cell relay, for example). To access, configure, verify transmission and troubleshoot issues within this type of environment, laptops still seem like a required tool. SPW
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NORTH AMERICA’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE SOLAR EVENT To access emerging technologies, industry visionaries and leaders, and powerful educational and networking opportunities, solar energy professionals head to one event: Solar Power International 2013.
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Technology • Development • Installation
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Ad index_July 2013_Vs1.indd 96
SOLAR POWER WORLD
7 • 2013
6/19/13 1:55 PM
Unfortunately, Mother Nature can be Hot Headed. Fortunately, you have Sika. When angry, Mother Nature is unbearable. She can wreak havoc on solar panels with damaging high heat and intense UV rays. Burning away at sealants and weakening the adhesives used to manufacture and install concentrated solar and photovoltaic modules. That’s why Sika creates state-of-the-art technologically advanced solutions that have been optimized to provide improved performance, quicker curing times and increased process capabilities. Plus, Sika products enable simplified automation of the bonding process. You can’t sweet talk Mother Nature, but fortunately you have Sika to tame the effects of her temper. For more information, visit www.sikausa.com or call 248.577.0020.
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Sika Corporation 30800 Stephenson Highway, Madison Heights, MI 48071
SIKA 7-13.indd 1
Phone: 248.577.0020
www.sikausa.com
Sika Mother Nature Solar Power Ad_Full Pg_Solar Power World Magazine_Trim: 9”w x 10.875”h_w/Bleed: 9.25”w x 11.125”h_CMYK
6/13/13 1:04 PM
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