Tag: Featured
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You down with VPPs? How the virtual power plant movement is going so far
As has been the case with many good science fiction inventions of the last century, we are finally getting around to building virtual power plants (VPPs), or a software-and-wire linked network of small residential and commercial electricity generators, that together resemble a multimillion-dollar utility power plant. While the wires linkingRead More — Solar Builder magazine
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Datasheet or data sh*t? Independent testing finds where certain inverters fall short of their rated specs
Ask any solar developer, installer or asset owner if they have experienced inverter issues and the response is usually a resounding “yes!” There are stories of manufacturers that failed to honor warranty terms and products that failed to operate upon removal from their packaging. But the most insidious form ofRead More — Solar Builder magazine
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Get on the Modbus: An explanation of IEEE 1547 and why it matters for solar installers
The success of widely-adopted technologies is often tied to standardization. From video formats to the Internet, and now to the energy grid, the establishment of standards reduces the cost and complexity of systems and enables broad adoption at a global scale. With standards, distributed energy — and the solar sectorRead More — Solar Builder magazine
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Solar Inverter Buyer’s Guide 2021
Our annual Solar PV Inverter Buyer’s Guide is a chance to check in with all of the inverter manufacturers – from the market leaders to the up-and-comers – to get a sense of how their technology has evolved and what new products are now available for installation. This year weRead More — Solar Builder magazine
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Global solar underproduction increased in 2020 — and the No. 1 remedy was collaboration
Raptor Maps raised its Series A funding this past year to expand its focus to the entire solar lifecycle. The startup has historically been strong in aerial inspections for commissioning, preventive maintenance, and investigations. Their software-first approach enables them to pinpoint causes of production loss. We asked them to share theRead More — Solar Builder magazine