CED Greentech developed a case study to argue for the advantages of tapping one of their warehouses for supplies. They demonstrate the cost savings of having them take on the holding of equipment and labor costs as well as obsolescence, spoiled goods and insurance costs.
In two end-of-year review interviews, Fluence CEO and Powin Energy executive VP discuss energy storage market growth, evolution of the storage model, pandemic-related challenges, 2022 predictions for their companies and the wider storage industry, and regional market opportunities.
Apparently, east-west or dual-tilt orientation for installs can be a viable or even advantageous option in some circumstances – and its growing in popularity in the US in the south or with projects with site constraints. Reasons are you can get more panels per site and often have a wind-resistant, utility-friendly racking option. Plus the system can allow for a broader window of power-producing time.
With COVID-related issues around recruitment and hiring of experienced solar workers plus problems with a lack of diversity and accessibility, apprenticeship programs designed to be inclusive of people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups can be a boon in building the future workforce. Upsides include solid ROI, lower turnover, cheaper training costs, and a wider talent pool.
Enphase has acquired Arizona based 365 Pronto, creator of a predictive software platform matching cleantech asset owners to local, on-demand service providers. This will allow Enphase installers to service O&M contracts with an on-demand network of service providers and allow them to effectively support both sides of the market – buyers (asset owners) and sellers (service providers).
Picking the best inverter for your project involves looking at particular features and capabilities such as load size around continuous load and surge wattage, knowing advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC coupled, and monitoring and programming capabilities.
In 2020, renewable energy sources created a record 834 billion kWh of electricity – 21% of all the electricity generated in America. This number is only surpassed by natural gas. The main reason is that 21% less coal was used in electricity generation when compared to 2019 and numbers went up for wind and solar (like an increase in rooftop solar of 19%).
Solar Builder’s list of favorite 2021 solar products include dcbel’s new EV charging r16, Evergrid’s 30x32x20-in. unit that allows a standard, grid-tied solar inverter to power a home, Generac’s 3 additions to its PWRcell solar+storage products, Solaria’s 430-W res module, Roof Tech’s simplified rafter/deck attachment, NEP + Solis smart rapid shutdown system, and BoxPower’s SolarContainers.
The SPW Contractor’s Corner podcast is getting a changing of the guard as editor-in-chief Kelly Pickerel passes the torch to managing editor Kelsey Misbrener. Kelly created a roundup of her all time favorite podcasts from the past 6 years of interviews. They include conversations with Peak View Solar, Sun Light and Power, Paradise Energy Solutions, Arctic Solar Ventures, and SUNation.
US smart meter penetration reached 65% in 2020, including integrated data processing and two-way communications. This growth has been about 4-5% annually since 2016. Utilities are estimated to reach about 90% AMI uptake by 2030. 78% cooperative utilities have smart meters, 65% investor-owned utilities have them and 55% of public power companies have them.