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PLUSChooSing a

DiStribUtor

SmaLLer Combiner

boxeS

Smart griD training

10050 Brecksville rd, Brecksville, OH 44141 electrOnic service requested

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solarbuildermag.com | 3

cover storiesInverter questIons answeredHow do you choose the right inverter for a project? What does dual MPPT mean? Should you even bother with 600-volt options? These frequently asked questions and more are answered by inverter specialists.

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departmentsmountIng and rackIng

slIdIng Into fIrst Powers Steel & Wire got into the carport business a few years back, and now the company is manufacturing easy, slide-in designs for the PV industry.

balance of system

sImplIcIty steps up a notch The original simplistic design and role of the combiner box in a solar installation has become more complicated over the years, but for all the right reasons.

18

☼ on the coverThe Fronius Galvo inverter is the “future-proof inverter for small systems.” This string inverter has a num-ber of smart features, ready to take on the smart grid when it becomes available.

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PLUSCHOOSING A DISTRIBUTOR

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contents JanUary/FebrUary 2014

4 January/February 2014

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contents JanUary/FebrUary 2014

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are yoU reaDy For griD interaCtion?Smart-grid capabilities and energy storage are quickly becoming priorities in new solar installations. Your training today will prepare you for the grid of tomorrow.

32

FeaturesFinDing the right DiStribUtor Working with solar distribu-tors can provide many benefits — help with logistics, low pric-es, financing, training, etc. — to installers working on smaller solar projects.

36 thirD-Party CertiFiCation All solar projects need to be designed, built and run to com-ply with all codes and regula-tions. Third-party certification authorities can ease the many processes.

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key industry abbreviations

PV: photovoltaics (using solar cells to produce electricity)

V: volts

W: watt

kW: kilowatt or 1,000 W

MW: megawatt or 1,000 kW

GW: gigawatt or 1,000 MW

kWh: kilowatt hour

BOS: balance of system (all components except PV panels)


editor’s message

better, Faster, strongerRecord-shattering. Largest ever. Explosive growth.There were more exuberant phrases associated with the solar industry in 2013 than

we can count. And while some of these phrases became cliche (how many times can we say solar is awesome?), we at Solar Builder believe that predictability is a great thing. Final numbers weren’t available at press time, but the United States was forecasted to install a total of 4.3 GW of new PV in 2013, an impressive 27 percent increase over 2012. We’re excited to see even more record-shattering numbers in 2014, because they are definitely sure to come.

Last year was also a period of tremendous growth for Solar Builder. We’ve gained new friends and had great conversations with our Twitter followers about the latest news and updates in the industry. Our “I am a Solar Builder” campaign at Solar Power International was a big hit, and we will continue promoting the great news of those making a difference in the industry. Our inaugural Project of the Year awards were so well received that we’re planning a bigger and better program for 2014. Our free iPad app introduced Solar Builder to a brand new audience and brings an added level of interaction to the magazine.

We have much more planned for this new year, including behind-the-scenes stories and advice straight from the experts. We hope you’ll join us on all our platforms for our own record-shattering, largest-ever year of explosive growth.

Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

Kelly Pickerel, Associate Editor

Solar builder (iSSn 2166-5362) is published bimonthly by benjamin media inc., 10050 brecksville rd., brecksville, oh 44141 USa. Copyright 2014. all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. one year subscription rates: complimentary in the United States and Canada. Single copy rate: $10. Subscriptions and classified advertising should be addressed to the brecksville office. postmaster: Send address changes to Solar builder, 10050 brecksville road, brecksville, oh 44141 USacanadIan subscrIptIons: Canada Post agreement number 7178957. Send address change information and blocks of undeliverable copies to Canada express; 7686 Kimble St., Units 21 & 22, mississauga, on L5S 1e9 Canada.

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publIsher robert d. krzys [email protected]

edItorIal managing editor keith gribbins [email protected]

associate editor kelly pickerel [email protected]

sales+marketIng marketing Director kelly dadich [email protected]

brand Sales manager ryan sneltzer [email protected]

brand Sales manager dan sisko [email protected]

regional Sales representative renee cardello [email protected]

Conferences manager melanie roddy [email protected]

Conferences Sales Coordinator brittany maurer [email protected]

productIon+fullfIllment Production manager chris slogar [email protected]

graphic artist sarah haughawout [email protected]

Web/interactive manager mark gorman [email protected]

audience Development manager alexis r. white [email protected]

Circulation & Fullfillment Coordinator lillian lopeman [email protected]

reprInts wright’s media (877) 652-5295 • Fax: (281) 419-5712

Chief executive officer bernard p. krzys [email protected]

President robert d. krzys [email protected]

Controller marianne saykes [email protected]

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news

GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released in December its U.S. Solar Market Insight: 3rd Quar-ter 2013, the definitive analysis of solar power markets in the United States, with strategic state-specific data for 28 U.S. states and the Dis-trict of Columbia.

The United States installed 930 MW of PV in Q3 2013, up 20 percent over Q2 2013 and 35 per-cent over Q3 2012. This represents the second largest quarter in the history of the U.S. solar market and the largest quarter ever for residen-tial PV installations. Even more importantly, 2013 is likely to be the first time in more than 15 years that the United States installs more solar capacity than world leader Ger-many, according to GTM Research forecasts.

“Without a doubt, 2013 will go down as a record-shattering year for the U.S. solar industry,” said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. “We’ve now joined Germany, China and Japan as worldwide leaders

when it comes to the installation of new solar capacity. This unprec-edented growth is helping to create thousands of American jobs, save money for U.S. consumers and reduce pollution nationwide.”

The residential market contin-ues its rapid growth. Through Q3, residential PV installations were up 45 percent year-over-year, driven largely by increasingly attractive economics and by fair net metering policies. The non-residential (com-mercial) market has seen the most difficulty this year with installa-tions forecasted to stay flat over last year. The utility market continues its consistently strong installa-tion numbers and is forecasted to exceed 1 GW of installations in the fourth quarter, including Abengoa’s Solana, the world’s largest parabolic trough concentrating solar power (CSP) plant with a six-hour thermal energy storage system. This will be the first time any individual market segment has hit that mark.

“Solar is the second-largest source of new electricity capacity in the

U.S. this year, trailing only natural gas,” said Shayle Kann, vice presi-dent of research at GTM. “As solar continues its march toward ubiquity, the market will require continued innovation, efficiency improvement and regulatory clarity. But already the groundwork has been laid for a mainstream solar future.”

At the state-level, California con-tinues to lead the solar PV charge, installing 455 MW in Q3. North Carolina moved into the number three spot in total PV installations with 23 percent growth over last quarter. Other movers and shakers on the state rankings list include Nevada (moving from 17 to 5) and Vermont (from 21 to 12).

Looking at the U.S. solar market on the whole, U.S. Solar Market Insight: 3rd Quarter 2013 forecasts just more than 5 GW of PV and CSP will be installed during 2013. Cumulative solar capacity has already surpassed the 10 GW mark, and by the end of the year more than 400,000 solar projects will be operating across the country.

U.S. Solar IndUStry recordS Second LargeSt Quarter ever

SoLarbuiLdermag.com | 9

PV installations reached 930 MW in Q3 2013, up 20 percent over Q2 2013. This represents the second largest quarter for solar installations in U.S. history.

While the utility so-lar sector represented more than half of new PV capac-ity installed in Q3 2013, the residential market showed im-pressive growth and posted the segment’s largest quarter in history with 186 MW installed.

The non-residential market remains flat; however, expect a strong resumption of growth in 2014.

2013 may be the first year in more than a decade in which the United States installs more solar capacity than Germany.

Blended average PV system prices fell 4.2 percent in Q3 2013 compared to the previous quarter, reaching a new low of $3.00/W.

It is forecasted that the United States will install a total of 4.3 GW of new PV in 2013, up 27 percent over 2012.

Key report Findings

The North American PV mounting systems market is poised to grow 67 percent between 2013 and 2018 to account for more than $1.5 billion, according to the Wolf Research North Ameri-can PV Mounting Systems Report. This market value growth will be strongest in the rooftop segment. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) 2013-2018 for the flat roof-mount market value (primar-ily commercial buildings) will be 17.5 percent. For the pitched roof-mount market value, the CAGR is expected to be an almost equally impressive 16.1 percent. Ground-mount, the dominant segment

in 2013, will experience slower growth during the next five years as utility-scale solar energy projects slow down, but it is expected to still account for 37 percent of the revenue opportunity in 2018.

The Top 3 market share leaders for North American PV mount-ing systems during the first half of 2013 were Schletter, Unirac and IronRidge in terms of megawatt-equivalent mounting systems installed. Schletter was also the clear leader in ground-mount systems; Zep Solar was the leader in pitched-roof installations. The leader in flat-roof installations was IronRidge.

Solar MoUntIng SySteMS Market

expected to exceed $1.5 biLLion

In 2018

Photo courtesy of Unirac.

Significant market share shift for estab-lished as well as emerging competitors under-scored the need for continued innovation and controlling manufacturing costs. The healthy PV market in North America is attracting new competitors from overseas and domestic start-ups alike, resulting in increasing price competition and investment in new produc-tion, as well as accelerating product innovation and differentiation.

“The need to speed up installations and reduce total PV system cost is critical for market growth,” said Wolfgang Schlichting, executive research director at Wolf Research and lead author of the report. “Mounting system vendors address this need with simpler, more integrated designs of their still durable solutions.”

More information on the Wolf Research North American PV Mounting Systems Report can be found at wolfresearch.com.


news

GrowinG market leadersUnirac, along with Schletter and IronRidge, placed in

the Top 3 market share leaders for North American PV mounting systems.Photo courtesy of Unirac.

Global solar installations are forecast to be in the 43-GW range in 2014, according to a new update by Mercom Capital Group llc, a global clean energy communica-tions and consulting firm.

Raj Prabhu, CEO and co-founder of Mercom Capital Group, commented that market conditions are as stable as they can be in the historically volatile solar indus-try. “Helped by strong demand, the module oversupply situation has improved,” he said. “Prices are stable, and manufacturers are reporting shipment growth and ramping up capacity.”

With China revising its solar in-stallation goals to 12 GW in 2014 and 35 GW by 2015, Mercom ex-

pects installations to total roughly 10.5 GW in 2014. The update noted that all signals coming from China so far have been positive for the solar industry. Support for solar seems to be getting stronger by the day and backed up by solid goals, policies, tariffs, standards and environmental regulations.

The underlying reasons for Chinese support of domestic solar installations are also strong — rapidly deteriorating air quality and saving jobs. Though the solar forecast may deviate up or down based on Chinese installations, it is not a matter of whether installation goals will be met, but when, added Prabhu. China is also putting poli-cies in place to aggressively expand

distributed generation.Along with China, the United

States is the other top solar market forecast to grow steadily over the long term. Mercom forecasts U.S. installations to reach approximately 6 GW in 2014, as its solar market continues on a course of strong, steady growth even without a na-tional feed-in-tariff (FiT). Utility-scale projects and distributed generation through third party-fi-nanced residential installations have been the catalysts of growth. Third party-owned (solar lease) residen-tial installations have been garner-ing most of the headlines over the last 12 months, raising more than $3 billion in solar lease funds in 2013 to finance installations.

global Solar InStallS to reach 43 gW in 2014

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news

Far from being bulldozed by cheap natural gas, unsubsidized utility-scale solar electricity will become cost-competitive with gas by 2025, according to Lux Re-search. In fact, increased gas pen-etration actually benefits solar, by enabling hybrid gas/solar technol-ogies that can accelerate adoption and increase intermittent renew-able penetration without expensive infrastructure improvements.

The levelized cost of en-ergy (LCOE) from unsubsidized utility-scale solar closes the gap

with combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) to within $0.02/kWh worldwide in 2025, a Lux analysis of 10 global regions found. So-lar’s competitiveness is led by a 39 percent fall in utility-scale system costs by 2030 and accompanied by barriers to shale gas production — anti-fracking policies in Europe and a high capital cost in South America.

“On the macroeconomic level, a ‘golden age of gas’ can be a bridge to a renewable future as gas will replace coal until solar becomes

cost competitive without sub-sidies. On the microeconomic level, solar integrated with natural gas can lower costs and provide stable output,” said Ed Cahill, Lux Research Associate and the lead author of the report Cheap Natural Gas: Fracturing Dreams of a Solar Future.

Lux Research analysts created a bottom-up system cost model and analyzed LCOE to evaluate solar, gas and hybrid technologies’ competitiveness under different gas price scenarios across 10 regions

Solar to becoMe coMpetItIve WIth natUral gaS by 2025


by system capex. Utility-scale thin film leads the pack with installed system prices that fall from $1.96/W in 2013 to $1.20/W in 2030, primarily due to increasing module efficiencies.

Subsidized-to-unsubsidized transition will be turbulent. Tur-moil is imminent because stand-alone solar will not yet be compet-itive when subsidies start expiring

in markets like China, the United States and Japan. Companies will need to diversify geographically and transition to areas with fewer gas resources — or develop hybrid systems that take advantage of low gas prices.

The report Cheap Natural Gas: Fracturing Dreams of a Solar Fu-ture is part of the Lux Research Solar Systems Intelligence service.

around the world through 2030. Among their findings:

Gas price remains a key fac-tor. Solar can be competitive with natural gas as early as 2020 if gas prices are between $4.90/MMBtu and $9.30/MMBtu, depending on the solar resource. In the likely scenario of gas prices above $7.60/MMBtu, solar will be broadly com-petitive by 2025 in all 10 regions.

Solar system prices fall to $1.20/W. While electricity price from natural gas is driven by cost of fuel, price of solar power is driven

both industries accelerate adoption by working together.


news

The Ross Solar Group, a SunPow-er Elite Dealer, completed New York City’s largest rooftop solar installa-tion for Jetro Cash & Carry at the company’s Hunts Point Restaurant Depot facility in the Bronx, N.Y., in early December.

The 1.56-MW system is also the first to integrate a supervisory con-trol and data acquisition (SCADA) system that allows Con Edison to remotely monitor and control the system. The SCADA system adds an enhanced level of resiliency to Con Edison’s grid, helping to protect the utility’s customers from power outages such as those that occurred during Hurricane Sandy.

“The Jetro project demonstrates that large solar installations are viable in New York City, and we hope to see other businesses follow their lead,” said New York Governor

Andrew Cuomo. “The smart grid employed here is exactly the kind of innovative solution that New York State needs to increase the resiliency of the grid and protect residents from power outages.”

Jetro is a wholesale cash and carry foodservice supplier offering a broad selection of products to independent restaurants, caterers and non-profits.

“We considered a solar project for several years, but we wanted to make certain that it made financial sense for us as a company, and that the returns met our requirements,” said Jetro Vice President Peter Claro, “Ross Solar Group’s willingness to work within our specific guidelines, as well as their commitment to qual-ity and full transparency, were strong factors in our decision to move forward.”

Jetro’s rooftop system is comprised

of 4,760 high-efficiency SunPower solar panels. It is expected to gener-ate in excess of 1.8 million kWh of clean energy per year.

“We applaud Jetro’s commitment to implementing leading technology that will deliver operational savings for the company and a secure and reliable renewable energy future for New York,” said Robert Kline, director of commercial sales for Ross Solar. “We also credit Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative and our partnerships with Con Edison and SunPower for the success of this project.”

The solar system installation was made possible through awards that Ross Solar received from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSER-DA) through Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative.

roSS Solar groUp coMpleteS nyc’S LargeSt rooFtop SoLar proJect


4,760 solar panels in america's biGGest cityNew York City's largest rooftop solar installation comes in at 1.56 MW and will help power Jetro Cash & Carry, a wholesale foodservice supplier. Photo courtesy of Ross Solar Group.

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mounting

Carport solar designs are becoming an increas-ingly attractive option for businesses wanting

to change how they get their power. As installations rise, so does the need for cheaper materi-als, quicker construction and safer assembly. Powers Steel & Wire Inc., a steel structure and rebar manufacturer based in Phoenix that recently entered the solar market, offers a new carport design that solves all those requirements. Already with a sig-nificant partnership with SolarCity under its belt, Powers Steel expects the next few years to be busy for its solar division.

reTHInKInG THe STruCTure

Powers Steel & Wire formed in 1964 manufacturing masonry lin-tels (load-bearing structural piec-es), wires and steel beams. The company has developed over the years into different areas, eventu-ally getting involved with the car-port business for apartments. Three years ago, SolarCity approached Powers Steel to sell its panels on the Powers Steel car-port structures.

“[SolarCity] wanted to come up with a quicker, faster, easier way to install solar panels in California because unions were costing them a lot of money,” says

Powers Steel President John Powers. “At the time, the guys were up on the roof and weren’t tethered off. I came up with the idea to slide a panel into a clip, then I came up with the purlin.”

The Powers Steel slide-in prod-uct (branded Powers Solar Frames) consists of horizontal beams, also known as purlins, resting on the main supports. The patent-pending design has an S-shaped purlin at the bottom and an S-shaped purlin with a rail attached at the top of the carport. Installers are able to slide the solar panels between the two pur-lins very easily, never leaving their scissor lift or getting on top of the

Sliding intoFiRSt

into Powers Steel’s new carport design

provides cost and time savings to

purchasers. By Kelly Pickerel

SolarbuIldermaG.Com | 17

structure. Sag rods are attached underneath to provide more sup-port to the panels, and endcaps hold everything together. Bumpons or rubber feet are secured to the panel frames to allocate for thermal expansion, and they allow the panels to slide in as close as possible to each other. L-clips secure the panels underneath.

“The electricians — five good guys who know what they’re doing — can only install around 100 to 150 panels a day,” Powers says of average carport designs. “We just did a job where they can put in 700 to 800 panels a day. We’re quadrupling your production. And you’re never on [top of the panels]; you stay in the scissor lift.”

Powers says a regular carport needs two purlins for each panel. With the Powers Steel product,

there’s only one purlin per panel. The Powers Steel purlin is slight-ly more expensive than regular purlins, but these carports use half the number.

“Our price is $3 per foot and they’re used to paying $2.75 per foot for their purlins,” Powers says. “They say ours cost more, but they’re forgetting they use basically 50 percent less purlins.”

eXPanSIon oF PoWerSCurrently, Solar Frames is the

smallest of Powers Steel’s four divisions, but Powers believes it will become the largest in two years. The company’s initial partnership with SolarCity has been helpful in getting people familiar with the product. Powers Steel has done more than 100 jobs with SolarCity across the country.

“If you have a good hamburger and people like it, they tell everyone else, and before long, you’re selling a lot of hamburg-ers,” Powers says.

Powers Steel’s marketing involves reaching out to primary contractors and developers and ramping up its presence at indus-try conferences. Right now, the company’s carport design is the most popular although there are ground-mount options available.

It won’t be long before this easy, slide-in design becomes more of the norm at projects across the country looking for that edge in speed of installation and cost savings.

Kelly Pickerel is editor of Solar Builder.

intoFiRSt

Snug fit

Solar panels sit in between

Powers Steel-manufactured

purlins. End caps secure the

panels for minimal movement.

@solar_builder

solarbuildermag.com


bos

Simplicity StepS Up a Notch


ost solar product names are self-explanatory — an inverter inverts, a tracking system tracks, an opti-mizer optimizes. And even though a combiner box falls in this self-explained category (because, after all, its main job is to combine cir-cuits), its role has become more complicated, but for all the right reasons. This box now has the capability to offer ways to discon-nect, monitor and safely shut down a system completely.

“It starts very simple, but there are a lot of things you can pile into that combiner box once you have it,” says Daniel Sherwood, director of electrical products for SunLink. “First it was just some fuses and a convenient place to land all your conductors. As time went on, once you have a box on the roof it’s just a convenient place to put other functionality.”

Updates to the National Electrical Code (NEC) for 2014 will eventually require new protec-tions, and a logical place to house them will be in the combiner box. While enforcement of these new requirements won’t happen any time soon, it doesn’t hurt to explore combiner box options now when starting a new project.

neW designs SunLink, probably more rec-

ognized as a mounting system manufacturer, has been involved in the combiner box market since

2010 when it acquired the Blue Oak PV Products combiner box line and rebranded it under the SunLink name. SunLink’s new sales goal is to provide one-stop shopping for solar customers.

“If you buy a SunLink combin-er box, we thought about how to mount it with our equipment easily,” Sherwood says. “If you want to get wire harnesses, we can sell that to you, as well as wire management products like clips and trays that fit nicely under our mounting systems. Basically you buy your inverter, you buy your modules [and] the rest of the stuff you can get from SunLink, in terms of the DC equipment — the mounting, the wiring, the clips, the cables trays.”

SunLink produces the average-size HomeRun line of combiner boxes and the smaller HomeRun LTE line. The smaller line is for smaller installations that don’t have a large amount of thick wires looking for a home. Sherwood says the LTE line is the smallest out of all competi-tors, and it’s also the cheapest.

“We thought of an innovative way to make it work in a smaller box, the way we place the guts of the box a little differently than other people do,” he says. “By allowing it to be smaller, it’s a cost savings. About a third of the cost of a combiner box is just the actual box. Having a smaller one, you save money.”

A smaller box also ships more easily and cheaply because more can fit on a truck. The LTE line is lighter and more easily mount-able.

“We found a lot of boxes on the market now are nice if you want a lot of room for big wires,

Simplicity The combiner

box of Today

does more Than

jusT hold wires

and fuses.

By Kelly Pickerel m


but it makes the box very bulky and it’s hard to mount and it’s heavy,” Sherwood says. “We want-ed to give people both options.”

The LTE line features fuses mounted to the sidewall of the box instead of the backplate, a patent-pending design.

“When the fuses are on the backplate, you have to leave room to fit your hands in to get the wires in,” Sherwood says. “When it’s on the side, you make use of the vertical space above the fuses, [and] you can actually fit them in a smaller area. As an added bonus, because the terminals of the fuses are now pointing straight up out of the box, you can see them and it’s easier to work on them.”

add-onsMany useful extras have gradu-

ally been added to the insides of a combiner box besides the basic combining of circuits and fuses.

“The primary function [of a combiner box] is overcurrent protection and a convenient place to put a disconnect,” Sherwood says. “By code, you need a means of disconnecting your circuit. Most combiner boxes now will include a manual disconnect.”

Monitoring is often included in combiner boxes as well.

“If a tree branch falls on one of the strings, you’re probably not going to notice that it’s not pro-ducing power at the inverter level,” Sherwood says. “But if you put monitoring in the combiner box, you can see that the one string is gone right away. You can address the issue.”

The NEC often dictates what additions will be made to combin-er boxes in the future. The general public typically runs a cycle behind each new NEC update. For example, the 2011 code will be adopted in California in 2014. This is to make sure everyone understands the code before it’s enforced. Arc fault protection was a requirement in 2011, and Sherwood says he’s just now start-ing to see people request it.

“If your inverter doesn’t provide [arc fault protection], the combin-er box is convenient to put it into your circuit,” he says. “In the 2014 code, there’s now a requirement to have a shut-off capability. No one has adopted it yet, but the com-biner box will be a very conve-nient place to put that as well.”

Any conductors more than 10 ft from the solar array will need to be disconnected in case of a fire, according to the 2014 code, so when firefighters arrive on site,

they know their axes won’t hit any live wires. A button could be located somewhere for firefighters to remotely activate a disconnect in the combiner box.

Even though the new shut-off requirement has been introduced, don’t expect next year’s combiner boxes to be ready to meet that need. It’s simply something to be aware of at this point, Sherwood says. When buying a combiner box for a new project, he suggests covering the basics — make sure it fits your needs, it’s properly rated for your application (weather-proof, corrosion-resistant, etc.) and it’s sturdy.

“Look for a quality construction box,” Sherwood says. “If things come loose or they fail, it’d be pretty catastrophic.”

The combiner box is a simple design, but as additional safety requirements come down the pipe, it gets more high-tech and complicated. Knowing your proj-ect’s requirements will help find the right combiner box and any extra add-ons perfect for your situation.


bosnew design

Sunlink’s smaller

combiner box line

(homeRun lte) is

much more compact

than average-size

products. Fuses are

mounted on the side,

providing easy access

for hands and wires.

@solar_builder

solarbuildermag.com

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Joe Utasi A K A “ S o l a r J o e "

Joe Utasi, AKA Solar Joe, is a solar DIY consultant based in Cincinnati. He will help out anyone east

of the Mississippi within a 10-hour drive, or if you pick up the airfare and lodging, he’ll go anywhere. He assists people suf-fering from “sticker shock” to ful-fill their solar dreams and do it affordably. Solar Joe is our first featured Solar Builder.

When and how did you get involved with the solar industry?

My first involvement was in 1978 while working for Dresser Industries in Houston designing oilfield instrumentation and con-trol systems. The power on oil rigs is notoriously horrible, run by gen-erators out in the middle of nowhere. So I used solar panels and batteries to augment and sta-bilize the power that was feeding my instrumentation systems. By doing this, it allowed the data to improve significantly and it could be trusted. It was really a copacetic blend of technologies at the time.

I’ve always played with solar. I used a solar array when we went camping to power a fan in the tent and a radio. As solar became more popular, I took a keener interest. When the last economic downturn came, even though I have a bachelor’s in engineering and a master’s in marketing and a couple certifications, because of my age I was probably going to be empty handed in the job mar-ket. Rather than cry in my beer, I went out and got a NABCEP certification and now I’m doing it for fun and profit. I enjoy what I’m doing.

Describe a typical day for you on the job.

I show up the night before. At 7 a.m., I have a project meeting with workers. Tasks are assigned, goals established, training provided, if needed. I work side-by-side with the crew to assure proper work technique, NEC Code compliance and good NABCEP solar practices. Usually we work sun-up to sun-down to accomplish as much as possible in the days on the project.

What do you enjoy most about the solar industry?

So far every job has gone well, and I have made many new friends. I didn’t realize it would turn out this way when I started, but since I’m helping people who could otherwise not afford solar not done commercially, I end up picking up a lot of new friends. It’s a wonderful network.

I will do whatever it takes to make it right for my client. I’m not a C-corp, S-corp or LLC. It’s just me, a semi-retired solar mav-erick with credentials and integri-ty. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

What advances do you expect to see in the next few years?

The industry is stabilizing. I don’t see any more massive price decreases. I think we’ve hit the bottom and it will settle out near where we are now. Cell efficien-cies will continue to increase with time so that wattage for a stan-dard 39- by 65-in. panel will keep moving up.

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Joe Utasi A K A “ S o l a r J o e "

01/14


cover story

a l l y o u

Solar Builder reached out to North America's inverter experts to help answer some frequently asked questions in the industry. How do you pick an inverter among the hundreds? What are the future trends you should be aware of now? How do these things even work? Read up on these topics, and then take a look at the inverter companies producing North American models today.

t o k n o wa b o u ti n v e r t e r s

e v e r w a n t e d


there are many details to consider when choosing an inverter for a project. Paul DeKleermaeker, solar sales representative

for Southern California for Fronius USA, says the decision goes beyond basic technology and data specs. He says the top concerns should be: bankability, availability, war-ranty, communication, expandability, serviceability and advanced grid capabilities.

bankability – Is the inverter manufacturer bankable? Does it have a strong history in the industry? Is the company profitable?

availability – What is your project’s time schedule? Do you need the inverters tomor-row or in six months? Can the inverter manufacturer meet your time needs?

warranty – Most inverter warranties range from five to 10 years in length. What do you deem necessary?

communication – Does the inverter provide monitoring options? For a residential instal-lation, most homeowners expect to be able to see how their solar array is performing through a computer or smartphone. Com-

munication has nothing to do with energy production, but it’s a real value-added option.

“Although communication seems like an afterthought and non-critical, for many installers it ends up being the biggest service issue they have,” DeKleermaeker says. “They know how to install the inverter, but many times in-stalling the communication ends up taking so much time and ex-pense. As the installer, make sure the inverter manufacturer offers the communication, it’s priced reasonably well and it’s simple and easy to install and support.”

expandability – Will the inverter meet future needs? For example, if in five years WiFi becomes obsolete but your solar system has another 25 years left on its lifespan, even after upgrad-ing your internal internet, do you need to buy a new inverter? Does

the inverter have the capability for future expansion?

serviceability – Is there a proven infrastructure in place that will get your inverter fixed in an acceptable time frame? Will your inverter have the ability to be serviced to be compatible with future tech-nologies?

grid-integration – Once more utilities accept advanced grid capabilities from inverters, will yours be ready? Will your inverter have smart-grid functions? “Even though the utility

doesn’t require it today, most industry analysts believe that when the utility will have the ability to integrate inverters, the system owner of that inverter has the potential to receive significant monetary reim-bursement for those capabili-ties,” like volt-ampere reactive (VAR) control, low-voltage ride through (LVRT) and active and reactive power control, DeKleer-maeker says. “If I am buying a system today, I should be aware of these capabilities and try-ing to select technologies that enable the system owner the option to gain revenue streams should this feature become of-fered by the utility.”

c h o o S e a n i n v e r t e rH o w t o

Advice from Paul DeKleermaeker, solar sales representative for Southern California for Fronius USA

with the evolution of UL-listed PV components, solar industry

professionals now have the op-tion of installing solar arrays in a 600-Vdc or 1,000-Vdc design for commercial applications. While history would indicate a maximum system voltage of 600 for all systems sizes, the 1,000-Vdc approach is quickly becoming the standard for commercial applications.

PV systems with a maximum of 600 Vdc are applicable for one- or two-family dwellings, as dictated by the National Electrical Code (NEC), or where the maximum rated voltage of any one system component is 600 V. For example, if the maximum rated voltage of the PV modules is 600 V, but all of the other components are rated at 1,000 V, then the maxi-mum system voltage would be 600.

On the other hand, 1,000-Vdc systems can be deployed for small, medium and large commercial, industrial, agricultural and util-ity projects, where all components in the system are UL-listed for DC voltages of 1,000. The barriers to domestic adoption of 1,000-

Vdc commercial PV systems have ranged from a lack of UL-listed products, legacy designs at 600 Vdc and reluctant inspector acceptance.

However, the tide has changed recently and these barriers have been removed by a growing number of high-quality 1,000-Vdc UL-listed modules, BOS com-ponents and central and three-phase string inverters, along with

a greater awareness among inspectors that provisions exist in the current code to support 1,000 Vdc for commercial ap-plications.

According to GTM Research, the U.S. commercial PV market is expected to see 25 percent annual compound growth from 2011 to 2016, clearly indicat-ing the market’s potential. The

benefits of utilizing 1,000-Vdc input de-sign for commercial PV applications are also clear: increased energy production by operating at higher voltages and material cost and labor savings due to longer strings, cumulatively re-sulting in lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE). It’s a win–win with higher performance over the life of the system and lower total installed costs.

With approximately 40 percent BOS wiring savings and up to 2 percent performance improvement, the economic value of a 1,000-Vdc PV design can top $100,000 per megawatt ($0.10/watt). This is exactly why leading companies are quickly moving to-ward a 1,000-Vdc design standard, driving value up and costs down in the accelerating North American commercial segment.


cHoose 1,000 volts

By Jim Morgenson, Director of Commercial Market Development at SMA America

For commercial pv applications


commercial installations

using a number of string inverters in place of a central inverter on commercial installations has been happening in Europe for many years, and it’s finally starting to

get more popular in the United States.

some advantages to using string inverters on a larger installation:

1. cHeaper installation Purchasing multiple string inverters may cost more initially, but the BOS savings (less conduit and wire) brings down the overall installation price.

2. eliminated eyesore No need for a concrete pad fenced off some-where to house a large central inverter.

3. ease oF installation String inverters are lightweight and manage-able by one person.

4. Faster repair It’s easier to have a spare string inverter on-site than a back-up central inverter. Also, when something fails, a string inverter can be easily replaced, while repairing compo-nents of a central inverter takes time.

Central inverters still make sense on larger installations (much larger than 1 MW). They have a higher efficiency and a better cost struc-ture. Some customers also don’t want to have a large number of inverters on their project. For these reasons and more, central inverters will continue to be a constant in the solar industry. But string inverters for mid-sized solar installa-tions are worth considering.

Tips from SolarEdge Technologies’ Dru Sutton, technical marketing manager of North America; Jeff Laughy, training manager of North America; and Mike Rogerson, marketing manager of North America

a sHiFt to

decentralize


up until 2005, U.S. regulations dictated that all electrical

systems be grounded. For PV arrays, this required the use of transformer-based inverters to create galvanic isolation between the direct current (DC) and alter-nating current (AC) sides of the system. When the code was updated to allow for ungrounded systems, building transformerless solar arrays became a pos-sibility for the first time.

Eliminating the ground-ing requirement for solar arrays provides many ben-efits for project developers: greater energy harvest; lower operations & main-tenance (O&M) and BOS costs; and a smaller overall footprint of the inverter system. Although the benefits are clear, adoption has been slow as the market adjusts to the updated code. Inverter manufacturers are now focused on providing transformerless solu-tions for the U.S. market, and sys-tem designers, installers and code enforcement officials are becoming more knowledgeable about un-grounded systems.

Other technological advances — such as higher voltage input capabilities and improved DC

monitoring tools — are notable drivers in the transition to trans-formerless inverters.

Previously, when max DC input was limited to 600 volts, reaching a desirable AC output required a boost provided by the transformer. With the market now moving toward a standard DC input of 1,000 volts or more, there is a reduced need for a transformer be-cause the higher DC voltage also brings up the native AC output.

Project developers have his-torically been hesitant to switch to transformerless systems because

of insufficient monitoring capabilities of the DC side. Without a transformer, problems such as ground fault and arc fault that oc-cur on the DC side aren’t isolated and can therefore affect the AC system. While fault detection tools are still new, the technology is expected to advance signifi-cantly, which will provide developers and utilities with greater assurance in trans-formerless arrays.

Even though advances in transformerless inverters are quickly negating existing pitfalls, utilities often favor transformer-based inverters because it’s easier to inte-grate AC output into power models when it’s completely isolated from the DC side.

There is also the argument that although fault detection is improv-ing, total galvanic isolation is the only way to ensure that issues on the DC side don’t transfer to the AC side.

Although widespread acceptance of transformerless inverters is still in flux, the industry can expect to see greater adoption in the coming years. Combined, the benefits of eliminating transformers, advance-ments in monitoring technology and a favorable regulatory environ-ment will speed the transition to a transformerless future.

By Scott Kolek, Senior Product Manager of TX Inverters & Solutions, AE Solar Energy

w H y w e a r e m o v i n g t o w a r d a t r a n s F o r m e r l e s s F u t u r e


By Roy Allen, technical sales engineer at Power-One, with contributions from Cameron Stewart, academy technical trainer at Power-One

MPPT stands for maximum power point tracker. It is a (DC-DC convert-er) circuit employed

in the majority of modern photo-voltaic inverters; its function is to maximize the energy available from the connected solar module arrays at any time during operation.

A solar module is a limited DC energy supply and has internal impedances and efficiencies that vary throughout the course of the day. The variances depend primarily upon the level of solar irradiance and ambient temperature.

An inverter without an MPPT circuit would operate in a “non-op-timal” condition. Unless the inverter can match the strings to extract maximum power the result is a lower efficiency operation for the con-nected strings. The MPPT circuit constantly monitors the array voltage and current as it attempts to drive the operation point to the maximum power point on the power, resulting in the highest energy harvest.

wHy are inverters witH dual mppt Functional-ity better tHan invert-ers witH a single mppt?

Simply put for the majority of ap-plications with two strings or more, two MPPTs are better than one MPPT. To support this statement, review the table below.

Considering the entries in the table, an inverter with dual MPPT functionality allows much greater system design flexibility, significant cost savings and higher energy harvest.

You will receive the most design and installation flexibility with a dual MPPT inverter. Consider for a moment using an inverter with a single MPPT, connecting two arrays with different solar azimuths, dif-ferent string lengths (Voc), uneven soiling and/or different PV modules would result in a highly inefficient and, in many instances, unsafe system. To accomplish these types of installations without dual MPPT functionality would require two

separate inverters, adding significant cost to the installation in both mate-rial and labor. What dual MPPTS gives the installer is faster less expensive installations with the ca-pability of handling large and small roof surfaces with different azimuths using a single inverter.

The ability to combine up to four strings of PV modules to a single inverter without the need for ad-ditional external combiner boxes saves time and materials. The excep-tion of NEC section 690.9 allows connection of two PV strings on a single input of an inverter without the need for a combiner fuse in each string, if the string wiring is sized properly and there are no other current sources that can back-feed into the strings. Because Power-One inverters have dual independent MPPT channels, (i.e., the inputs are designed such that there is no back-feed current from the inverter into either channel), then up to two strings may be connected per MPPT channel without need of combiner fuses in each string.

single inverter attribute single mppt dual mppt

Allow ArrAys with different solAr Azimuth Angles to be connected no* yes

Allow ArrAys with different string lengths to be connected no* yes

Allow strings of dissimilAr modules to be connected no* yes

Allow more thAn two strings to be connected without combiner fus- no** yes

Provide better monitoring grAnulArity no yes

* can be done but results in low harvesting efficiency and lower harvested energy.

** violates nec requirements.

d i F F e r e n c e s b e t w e e n

s i n g l e + d u a lm a x i m u m p o w e r p o i n t t r a c k e r s


N o r t h A m e r i c A N i N v e r t e r c o N t A c t s

Company Micro String Central Website Location Phone

Abb inc. x x abb.us new berlin, wisconsin 262-785-8592

Advanced energy (Ae solar) x xsolarenergy. advanced-energy.com

fort collins, colorado 877-312-3832

Aeg Power solutions x x aegps.com/en Plano, texas 469-229-9600

American electric technologies inc. (Aeti)

x aeti.com/solar houston, texas 713-644-8182

APs America x apsamerica.com Poulsbo, washington 206-855-5100

bonfiglioli usA x bonfiglioliusa.com hebron, Kentucky 859-334-3333

carlo gavazzi x gavazzionline.com buffalo grove, illinois 847-465-6100

chint Power systems x x chintpower.com/na richardson, texas 855-584-7168

danfoss x x danfoss.com/north_america baltimore, maryland 410-931-8250

darfon x darfonsolar.com san Jose, california 408-260-3880

delta energy systems x x deltaenergysystems.com city of industry, california 877-440-5851

direct grid technologies x directgrid.com edgewood, new york 631-242-1900

eaton corp. x x iepower.com moon township, Pennsylvania 412-893-3300

eltek x x eltek.com Plano, texas 469-330-9100

emerson x emersonsolarsolutions.com eden Prairie, minnesota 952-995-8000

enphase energy x enphase.com Petaluma, california 877-797-4743

enecsys x enecsys.com newark, california 855-363-2797

fronius usA x x fronius.com Portage, indiana 219-734-5500

gamesa electric x gamesaelectric.com trevose, Pennsylvania 215-710-3100

gPtech x greenpower.es/en miami beach, florida 305-510-5796




growatt x x ginverter.com n/a n/a

ideal Power converters x idealpower.com spicewood, texas 512-264-1542

ingeteam x x ingeteam.com/ milwaukee, wisconsin 414-934-4100

KAco new energy x x kaconewenergy.com/us grass valley, california 415-931-2046

motech x motechsolar.com newark, delaware 302-451-7500

nextronex x nextronex.com toledo, ohio 419-838-7889

oPti-solar x opti-solar.com n/a 909-869-5700

outback Power technologies x outbackpower.com Arlington, washington 360-435-6030

Parker hannifin x parker.com charlotte, north carolina 704-587-4051

Power-one x x power-one.com camarillo, california 805-987-8741

Princeton Power systems x x princetonpower.com lawrenceville, new Jersey 609-751-9225

renesola x renesola.com san francisco, california 877-600-6649

santerno x x santerno.com san francisco, california 415-293-8272

schneider electric x x schneider-electric.com n/a n/a

smA America x x sma-america.com rocklin, california 916-625-0870

solarbridge technologies x solarbridgetech.com Austin, texas 877-848-0708

solaredge technologies x solaredge.us fremont, california 877-360-5292

solectria renewables x x solren.com lawrence, massachusetts 978-683-9700

sungrow x x sungrowpower.com san Jose, california 619-397-8000

tmeic x tmeic.com roanoke, virginia 540-283-2000

N o r t h A m e r i c A N i N v e r t e r c o N t A c t s



Your solar

training todaY

can prepare You

for the grid

tomorrow. By Mark Cerasuolo

feature

grid interaction is here.

are You readY?


to fully understand the challenges facing the “next grid,” let’s step back a century to the original

one. If we could somehow take one of the grid’s leading architects, Nikola Tesla, and bring him here, he would easily understand and, with a little training, even be able to service and troubleshoot a mod-ern electrical station. Grid design is much the same today as it was almost 100 years ago, based on a geographically-dispersed network of loads powered by distant, cen-tralized generation plants.

Solar- and wind-produced renewable electricity sources are now challenging this grid “status quo,” as small rival generating sta-tions. Grid architecture from the Tesla era was simply not designed

with bi-directional energy flow from local sources in mind. While modern grids’ automatic and man-ual safeguards keep operations rel-atively stable, any extra renewable energy increases the risk of grid instability. Despite solar and wind energy being ideal for loads during periods of peak energy needs, when the wind stops blowing and the sun stops shining, power plants have trouble shifting production to make up the leftover power deficit. This is because centralized power plants are designed chiefly for baseline demand.

As renewable energy rises in use, it presents challenges and opportu-nities for the grid. One way to bridge the challenges and opportu-nities is local, deployable energy storage. For solar installers looking

to cross that bridge, it’s time to make learning storage-based sys-tems a training priority.

Nowhere is this need for storage more apparent than in the Golden State. California is well on its way to accomplishing its 2020 goal of having 33 percent of its electricity sourced from renewable energy, currently using 15 percent. The downside is that the state’s systems at times have 40 percent more renewable energy than can be used. Steve Berberich, the CEO of CAISO, the statewide system operator that runs California’s grid, was recently quoted by The Wall Street Journal saying, “The problem is we have a system now that needs flexibility, not capacity.”

California is not the only casual-ty of surplus renewable energy; the influx of power from new resources is also next on Europe’s list of con-cerns. Europe’s use of variable wind and solar power is introduc-ing grid instability in addition to tectonic shifts in the economic landscape. Simply generating lots of renewable energy is not enough for a grid-stable future. Storing and using that energy is the next growth area, on a macro as well as a micro scale.

diversiFy your know-how

According to research from IHS, the energy analysis firm, the global market for PV storage will reach $30 billion by 2017, up from $8.7 billion now. Additionally, solar research firm Photon predicts that battery-based solar inverters will surpass grid-tied string inverters within the next 36 months. The growth of energy storage is such that it will achieve peak penetra-tion with residential installations, which we see coming within reach of practically all solar professionals.

While utility-scale storage is still being considered and debated, resi-


dential and commercial installers can take advantage of “microgrid” technology long proven in the developing world to power schools, hospitals and villages, and use it in their installations today. “Thinking locally” with storage means moving beyond simple grid-tied renewable systems to grid-interactive or grid/hybrid types, which not only save money when the sun’s up but pro-vide off-grid independence when the grid is down, compromised or when renewable sources aren’t available (when the sun stops shin-ing and wind stops blowing). Even existing renewable energy systems can get into the storage act with a technology called AC coupling which lets an owner retrofit a sim-ple grid-tied system into a grid-interactive one by adding energy storage and augmenting the origi-nal grid-tied inverter with a sec-ond, smarter grid-interactive inverter/charger.

learning From the pros

There are a lot of new concepts to be learned to cross this bridge, including bi-directional system design, battery chemistry, handling and sizing and more, but there are ample training and certification programs in place to meet the growing demand. OutBack Power is one manufac-turer of components and systems using energy storage that’s pro-viding comprehensive training in this area, which is registered with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). This is especially important in the residential building market, where builders and homebuyers are very focused on “turnkey” reliability and long service life with reduced system maintenance — for them, certifi-cation means assurance and ulti-mately acceptance.

“It takes more knowledge and planning to design a grid-hybrid system than a grid-tied system,” notes Brad Burkhartzmeyer, a NABCEP-certified trainer, proj-ect manager for the Solar Electric Light Fund and a tech-nical project director for instal-lations in Ghana, Nicaragua and Bolivia. “One must more pre-cisely match arrays to the cus-tomers’ loads and energy priori-ties than one does when install-ing a simple grid-tied system, and selecting the correct battery for the customers’ needs requires knowledge of different battery types as well as learning appro-priate wiring methods for bat-tery banks to assure proper charging and longer service life. In addition to sizing the solar system to the customers’ loads, the integrator has to know how to size the battery storage bank to provide the power needed for

PreParing for big changes

installing an ac

coupler to an existing

pV system turns it

into its own microgrid,

providing both grid-

tied savings and off-

grid independence.


the duration of power outages. Battery-based systems are OutBack’s core competency, and its program is the quickest, most effective learning path for installers who wish to increase their own level of expertise to enter and succeed in this impor-tant solar growth area.”

Burkhartzmeyer discussed his participation and teachings at OutBack Power’s training pro-gram, stating, “Installers who have primarily been working in the grid-direct solar market will appreciate the course as a way to expand their business into the grid-hybrid market.”

A successful hands-on train-ing program for renewable ener-gy systems designed for tomor-row’s grid that covers instruc-

tion in all balance-of-system (BOS) areas, including sizing design and battery technologies for system needs in addition to system setup and programming, is the key to bringing energy storage technology literally home and designing and selling smarter systems that can do much more than “make hay while the sun shines.” Tomorrow’s systems should be able to deal with everything from peak-shaving and offset to extended outages from life-changing events. And by being intelligently planned today around energy storage technolo-gy and effectively creating a “microgrid” for the home, they’ll be ready for whatever form the big grid ultimately takes.

To adapt to the energy needs around the world, people need to implement a system that is much more evolved from that of 20th century innovators like Tesla. The microgrid concept allows one to have the flexibili-ty of storing energy to maintain everyday loads when the big grid is down, while also reaping the benefits of using power when it ’s most convenient for the user.

Mark Cerasuolo manages marketing at OutBack Power, a designer and manufacturer of BOS components for renewable and other energy applications.

@OutBackPower

outbackpower.com

2014 educational webinar seriesdistributed photovoltaic array architecture and inver ter design

thursday, february 20, 2014 at 2pm eastern/11am pacific

On February 20, 2014, AE Solar Energy will be presenting a webinar on distributed photo-voltaic architecture and design. The session will cover the best applications and practices for distributed inverter design and installation. Topics AE Solar Energy plans to discuss include the main benefits of string inverters used in distributed PV arrays, a comparison between 600- and 1000-volt DC input systems, trends in Utility Interactive Control, approaches to meeting the 2011 National Electric Code (NEC) and updates to the 2014 NEC that relate to distributed system de-sign. AE Solar Energy will be able to point to project case studies and the specifications of its own distributed inverter products and services to illustrate the topics covered in the webinar.

The session will be hosted by AE Solar Energy Field Applications Engineer Alvaro Zanon. Also helping AE Solar Energy present is Brad Souza, VP of Business Development at Independent Energy Solutions (IES). IES is a project manager that most recently worked with AE Solar Energy on the rooftop PV array at the Stone Brewing Company’s distribution facility in Escondido, Calif. Souza will provide perspective on the decision-making process of project managers who have chosen to use distributed inverter equipment.

register today at www.solarbuildermag.com

(click on the webinar link)

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Sponsored by Produced by


The solar industry is extremely competitive with hundreds of companies promising their mounting system or inverter

is the best on the market. Residential and commercial installers may find the tasks of choosing the right components for their projects and getting everything to the jobsites a lot easier when part-nering with a distributor. The right solar distributor can be a key partner in success and provide risk protection, buying power and market guidance. Not only are distributors official dealers of the best-of-the-best solar compo-nents, they also provide much-needed support to installers.

Centrosolar America is a hybrid distribution company, manufactur-ing modules as well as partnering with mounting, inverter and other BOS companies to provide full systems to customers. The compa-ny specializes in residential and commercial rooftop installations. Ram Akella, managing director, says the value-added services that Centrosolar provides to installers include:

High levels of logistics — Centrosolar can get products to a project site to the installer’s speci-fication, within a window as tight as three hours.

“[Being] a one-stop shop enables the installer to focus on business development and installation,” Akella says. “By partnering with us, we become a fulfillment house and an extension to their in-house pro-curement. You give us the line draw-ing, [and] we’ll get the product where you want it. We’ll send it to you on the day you need it. Everything is waiting for them except their tools and themselves.”

High-quality products at lower prices — By buying products in bulk, Centrosolar and other distrib-utors benefit from an economy of scale, securing a vast amount of

feature

a few extra h a n d s

working with a distributor

puts more people in your

corner, helping you produce

the best solar project

possible. By Kelly Pickerel

product for the lowest possible cost. These price savings are passed on to the customer.

Centrosolar has long-standing relationships with many different component companies, including SMA America, Unirac, Fronius and Enphase. Akella says Centrosolar will make recommendations to installers on what solar products are most ideal for a project and work within budgetary or design limits.

“We’re here to give people what they need. It’s a consultative pro-cess,” he says. “If an installer is ada-mant about a specific brand of product, it’s not for us to say yes or no, but we’d like to understand their business and project so we can help them better. If we believe there is no specific reason to go with one inverter versus the other, we will give them pros and cons of their choices and let them decide. One thing we don’t do is sell on the basis of price.”

Fully-integrated systems — Customized to an installer’s project based on line drawings, Centrosolar can put together an entire bill of material, from modules, mounting and inverters all the way down to

grounding wires. The CentroPack includes Centrosolar modules, a choice of an SMA or Fronius inverter, a Unirac mounting system and various other components (wiring, grounding, disconnect, labels, installation manuals, etc.). This packaged deal comes with one all-encompassing warranty from Centrosolar.

Financing — By partnering with a number of banks and residential leasing companies, Centrosolar makes financing a project easy. CentroFinance is a financing advi-sory team with established relation-ships in the business to organize leases and power purchase agree-ments. Installers are given a step-by-step process for funding proj-ects. Many distributors have similar programs that help residential

installers offer homeowners financ-ing for no money down and low monthly payments.

Training programs — At CentroSchool, Centrosolar and its partner companies teach the basics of PV system design, offer techni-cal training and provide marketing tips. “We’ve seen an improvement in PV system design and best prac-tice knowledge in the installer net-work we work with,” Akella says.

Above all, Akella says the best distributors are trustworthy busi-ness partners, responsive and timely, have a stable supply of products, have the ability to cre-ate customized business solutions and have a consultative approach to increase efficiencies and help businesses grow. Good distribu-tors should do more than ship quality products on time; they must be a true partner in your success. Regardless of which company you choose, allowing a distributor to take on risk, cost and logistical burden often con-tributes significantly to your bot-tom line.



hands-on training Most good distributors also offer

training programs. Centrosolar’s

CentroSchool provides technical

training, PV system design and

sales and marketing tips.

Tips for Finding the right distributor ram akella says installers should look for a partner that can

provide as many resources as possible.

some questions to ask: Do you have a reliable and stable supply of products?

what is your response time, from order to delivery?what kind of logistical support do you provide?

Do you offer complete system packaged solutions?Do you provide financing?

@solar_builder solarbuildermag.com


double-check

Bureau Veritas, a third-

party certification body,

provided assurances

that the 250-MW

Abengoa Mojave Solar

Project in California

was built in compliance

with all applicable

codes and standards.

feature


Solar power projects are on the rise around the globe, fueled by the growing need for commercial and

residential energy and the market preference for energy from renew-able sources. In the United States alone, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates that the country’s share of global solar installations is currently nearing 13 percent, an increase of 5 percent since 2008 (according to U.S. Solar Market Insight from Q2 2013). A new solar project will soon be installed every four minutes in the United States, on average.

achieving code compliance

To meet the growing demand for solar power, project developers have to navigate an increasingly compli-cated set of construction and oper-ational challenges, which include more stringent regulatory condi-tions, tighter construction sched-ules and constraints in the avail-ability of personnel, resources and equipment. If these challenges are not properly addressed early, the developer can expect to face project delays and cost overruns. For utili-ty-scale projects, budgets of more than $1 billion are not uncommon.

A delay of even a few days on a project of this size and scope can easily translate to unplanned costs of several millions of dollars.

But whether a solar project is designed to generate 5 or 500 MW of power, developers need to ensure that their plants are designed, built and run to comply with all applica-ble federal, state and local codes for safety, environment, fire, structural integrity and energy efficiency. At the same time, inspections and code compliance services must be carried out as safely, cost-effectively and reliably as possible.

In the state of California, which is home to many of the largest solar projects in operation or develop-ment, utility-scale projects are pri-marily built on public lands. The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently enacted a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which pre-approves public land for the development of large-scale solar projects, all over the southwestern United States. Many of these proj-ects will be in operation for 25 years or more, which is beyond the scope of many regulatory agencies’ experience.

These new projects also share some common challenges that are

unique to operating in California, which include rigorous structural standards that allow them to with-stand earthquakes and reliably pro-vide power to surrounding commu-nities after an earthquake. In addi-tion, many of these projects are located in remote desert locations, hundreds of miles from some of the communities they serve. Thus, the transmission grid from the plant to the end-user must be certified for reliable and continuous operation.

Independent third-party certifi-cation bodies are increasingly called upon to ensure that a new project is designed and built to the proper specifications and that it complies with guidelines that safeguard envi-ronmental, biological, safety and cultural interests in the vicinity. Selecting the right certification provider requires careful consider-ation of several criteria that must be met to ensure project success.

comprehensive selection criteria

Any qualified third-party certifi-cation authority should first come equipped with a thorough under-standing of all relevant building, operational and environmental compliance codes at the municipal, state and federal levels. In addition,

THird-PArTy CerTifiCATion:

PArTnering WiTH THe rigHT ProVider All solar projects — big and small — need to be designed, built and run to

comply with all codes and regulations. Third-party certification authorities

can ease the many processes. By Kevin Wedman and Shannon Hunter


they should be able to provide guid-ance on how the developer can com-ply with these codes in ways that are not too expensive or onerous.

A third-party certification body should also provide full-time, on-site support during the commis-sioning and ramp-up stages of a project. This availability is critical for inspections, for example, as hav-ing the third party on site helps the operator avoid delays associated with waiting for an offsite inspector from the local municipality. If any part of the facility is flagged during the inspection, it can be addressed and re-inspected by the third party in a shorter timeframe. This full-time third-party presence may also provide the necessary qualified manpower during project building and startup; the developer can avoid the need to staff up internally during the initial stages of the proj-ect, only to lay off people once the project is up and running.

An effective third-party certifica-tion partner should follow a consis-tent certification approach that ensures robust quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) for the project, both at startup and during ongoing operation. This is aided by efficient processes to control costs, schedules and documentation. Bureau Veritas, for example, employs its Compliance Document Tracking System, an electronic document creation and archiving system that keeps all relevant inspection, permit application and regulatory compliance documents for a project in a safe, password-protected environment. All parties,

from owners to regulatory agencies to compliance managers, can access and update all documents, which helps ensure that important project milestones are not missed and that the inspection and permit applica-tion process occurs as seamlessly as possible.

A particular benefit of working with a larger certification provider is the greater operating reach and breadth of expertise that they can provide. A large organization pro-vides local expertise to assist in projects in the communities in which their certification experts live and work. In addition, they should be able to offer a nationwide reach, whereby personnel can network with their associates working on other solar projects across the country to offer advice and share best practices.

A developer should also consider a third-party certifier’s experience,

integrity and ethics during the selection process. Certification pro-viders that pride themselves on conducting their inspections and certifications with the highest level of integrity and ethics will in turn yield favorable business opportuni-ties for the project developer. Partnering with an established third party with a long successful track record provides developers with added assurance that they will be around to offer consulting and assistance through the 25-plus year operating life of a project.

proven Field resultsBureau Veritas has provided reg-

ulatory and certification assistance to power projects for decades. The certification program has evolved over time to provide the necessary technical expertise and regulatory understanding required for these larger and longer-lived projects,

proper installation

As a third-party certification

authority, Bureau Veritas

ensured the local certification

teams reviewed engineering

documents and inspected the

assembly process at the

Abengoa Mojave Solar Project.


which was a major influencer in BLM’s decision to partner with Bureau Veritas for several high-profile projects currently under construction in the Southwest. The California Energy Commission selected the certification provider to act as the Delegate Chief Building Official (DCBO) for a 377-MW solar complex (Ivanpah) in the California desert and set for completion in late 2013. Bureau Veritas is also DCBO for a 250-MW solar trough project in the Sonoran Desert that is currently in the compliance phase.

This program was valuable in the design and construction of the Abengoa Mojave Solar Project, a 250-MW project in the California Mojave Desert operated by Spanish power provider Abengoa Solar. The company did not have the local construction and regulatory com-pliance experience in California

and were manufacturing project components in Spain and shipping to the United States.

Bureau Veritas provided assur-ances that the project was built in compliance with all applicable codes and standards, and that the integrity of the project was not compromised during the design, execution and acceptance phases. This process began with an inspec-tion of the manufacturing facilities and the individual components in Spain to ensure that they complied with federal and California regula-tions and the specifications of the project prior to shipment overseas. This inspection, conducted by in-country Bureau Veritas representa-tives, helped mitigate any adverse operational risks to the asset and avoided project delays associated with faulty or inadequate parts.

Many of the materials were then shipped to the project site in

Bureau Veritas-inspected shipping containers, and once they arrived in California, the local certification teams reviewed the engineering documents and inspected the assembly process to ensure that they complied with approved plans and specifications per California Codes and Standards.

The inspectors also reviewed all safety protocols and provided safety officer services and fire plan review, safety and inspection services. In addition, Bureau Veritas assisted in the entire document review and control process and provided an archive of all completed work ful-filling technical requirements.

This comprehensive effort not only ensured that the project was completed safely and to code, but that it was done in a way that min-imized time, costs and paper waste. These tangible benefits have been realized in several projects that employed Bureau Veritas as the inspection and certification provid-er. One developer of a large solar power project stated that this pro-cess provided cost and time savings that were seven times greater than its inspection fee.

As long-term solar power projects such as these become more common, the need for well-qualified, experi-enced and highly technical certifica-tion and inspection providers will become more crucial. Partnering with the right provider helps ensure that solar power projects of any size and complexity are designed, built and operated safely and cost-effectively — from startup to shutdown, many years down the line.

Kevin Wedman is national vice president and Shannon Hunter is marketing manager, both in the power and utilities division of Bureau Veritas, a global testing, inspection and certification company.

@BureauVeritasNA

bureauveritas.com


last word recent news from solarbuildermag.com

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dominion Virginia Power announced it will install the largest rooftop solar system in the commonwealth at canon Virginia inc. at more than 500 kw, the project is expected to be fully operational in early 2014.

in december, the dept. of energy announced $13 million for five projects to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing and speed commercialization of efficient, affordable PV and csP technologies. matched by more than $14 million in private cost share, this investment will help companies develop manufacturing processes. those awarded include abengoa solar ($1.9 million), PPg industries ($2.1 million), solaria corp. ($2 million), solarworld industries america ($2.4 million) and suniva ($4.5 million).

abengoa will demonstrate new manufacturing and assembly technologies for csP parabolic trough systems. PPg industries plans to design and pilot a rapid PV module assembly process. solaria wishes to cut costs for its silicon PV module by automatic manufacturing steps. solarworld plans to incorporate an advanced light management system into its PV modules to improve efficiency. suniva (pictured above) will partner with the georgia institute of technology to deploy low-cost, highly-efficient silicon PV cell technology. more information on these awards can be found at eere.energy.gov/solar.

sunedison plans to build new York city’s largest solar energy project at the new freshkills Park, once the largest landfill in the world. two PV systems totaling 10 mw will be installed across 47 acres in 2015.

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plus - solar builder · grid interaction? smart-grid capabilities and energy storage are quickly...

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