A straightforward installation system to generate on-demand energy with solar power

Eight months after Hurricane Maria devastated the power grid in Puerto Rico, the community of Utuado is still without power. Access to this community is limited because the main bridge washed away during the storm. Neighbors have since worked together to build an access bridge.

With the assistance of ACONER (Associacion de Consultores y Contratistas de Energia Renovable de Puerto Rico) many volunteers including engineers, installers, distributors, and manufacturers selected a family in this community to receive a photovoltaic system.

The matriarch of the recipient family, Senora Maria, told the story of how she had been without power since Hurricane Irma, which hit two weeks before Hurricane Maria. She has endured the past eight months using only a small backup generator that had been donated to her family. This generator enabled them to have power for only a few hours each day.

On May 23, 2018, the group of volunteers arrived and installed a solar array on the roof along with batteries and a Conext^TM SW2524 inverter with a MPPT60 solar charge controller from Schneider Electric. By the end of the day, the residence had power generated by the solar modules and stored in the batteries.

“This is a forgotten area of Puerto Rico. It is unlikely they will get power for several months so it is up to the solar community to help.” says Edward Previdi (EPEnergy, LLC)

The installation was a combined effort from many in the Solar Industry of Puerto Rico and the volunteers all donated their time and expertise. Many companies donated materials and equipment. These included Caribbean Energy, Glenn International, AZ Engineering, AltE Store, Unirac, and Schneider Electric.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

www.schneider-electric.com

Hashtags: #DigitalEconomy #IoT #Sustainability

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Join us for Robert Immelé keynote, Schneider Electric Solar Business CEO : Listen to market trends and how Schneider Electric meets the challenges of tomorrow in the field of solar energy.

When: Wednesday, June 20 at 3pm

Where:Nemestchek Haus, Konrad-Zuse-Platz 1, 81829 München, Germany

See in GoogleMaps

R.S.V.P. to marketing.solar@schneider-electric.com.

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• #1 inverter manufacturer in the solar O&M space by GTM Research
• A large customer support around the globe from spare parts to field services and PV monitoring

As the solar market goes through consolidations, Schneider Electric remains committed to providing unsurpassed service and support of our customers and systems worldwide including spare parts, service and technical support over the 20+ year life of a solar installation. Early this year, Schneider Electric was recognized as #1 inverter manufacturer in the solar O&M space by GTM Research.

To maintain their position as an industry leader, Schneider Electric recently opened its Solar Services hubs in three locations: Denver, Madrid and Bangkok. The Denver hub supports North American customers, while the Madrid hub supports customers in Europe, Africa and South America. The Bangkok hub supports all customers in Asia-Pacific.

These regional hubs provide customer support including a 24/7 hotline with commercial and technical services operation specialists having immediate access to solar experts and engineers. Services operation specialists keep track of maintenance schedules, assign field service engineers and/or ensure spare parts requests in close collaboration with supply chain colleagues. They also schedule preventive maintenance for Schneider Electric’s products to improve the system availability and efficiency. Their range of support covers both utility and string inverters.

“Schneider Electric’s global footprint uniquely enables us to support customers anywhere in the world,” says Georges-Henri Mongereau, Solar Service VP, Schneider Electric. “We have over 6000 dedicated field service engineers around the globe, and our global supply chain network covers over 100 countries.”

The services hubs also contain the control rooms where solar engineers monitor customer’s PV plants using Schneider Electric’s monitoring tools with the capability of managing also third party monitoring tools upon customer request. The monitoring services include data analytics to improve PV plants’ operational efficiency, allowing Schneider Electric to be proactive in predicting when the inverters need preventive maintenance. “Monitoring and remote technical support are one of our core strengths. At each hub, we have native language speakers in each region to help customers more efficiently,” says Mongereau.

All Schneider Electric Solar Business, customers are supported by the Services Hubs regardless of the size of the installations. To learn more about Schneider Electric Solar Services and the hubs, visit Schneider Electric Solar Event on June 20^th and 21^st at Numetschek that is located next to H4 hotel and 6 min walk from the Messe.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

www.schneider-electric.com

Hashtags: #DigitalEconomy #IoT #Sustainability

Download Schneider Electric’s Solar Business Services hubs support customers around the globe

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Grenoble, 2018 June 15 – Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation announces the introduction of Conext^TM Gateway and Conext^TM Insight 2, next generation monitoring and control solutions for Commercial & Industrial solar and storage projects.

• Fully compatible with Schneider Electric end to end architectures for increased performance
• Local and remote system management and live performance monitoring to maximize availability
• Multiple site management

Conext^TM Gateway

The Conext^TM Gateway provides local system configuration and management as well as live system monitoring.  Installers can benefit from the Configuration Wizards that guides installers through the configuration of a new system step-by-step. The Conext Gateway’s intuitive menu structures allow installers to fine tune system settings to meet their exact requirements.  O&M staff can easily access the status of each device in the system from the power flow diagram. The event tracking and management features help guide users through faults or warnings resolution. Furthermore, with its advanced progress tracking functionality, the Conext Gateway simplifies firmware upgrade processes.

Conext^TM Insight 2

The Conext^TM Insight 2, a web-based application especially for installers and operators who manage multiple sites. It provides advanced remote monitoring & system control and also facilitates remote firmware upgrades as well.

The Conext^TM Insight 2 brings solar monitoring to a whole new level:

• System overview – The System Overview screen allows you to see active events, track power levels and see basic system information. A simple, useful snapshot of system performance.
• Advanced battery monitoring – Monitor battery bank voltage, temperature and SOC on Conext Insight 2 from anywhere in the world.
• Detailed performance analysis – Take a closer look at how your system is performing on our advanced performance analysis pages

“Conext Insight 2 is designed to help installers and operators efficiently manage multiple solar and storage installations,” says Evan Vogel, Vice president Marketing Solar Business. “Because of that, we added more remote system control capabilities such as remote firmware upgrade, site configuration and user management.” In addition to remote system control capabilities, another critical feature of the Conext^TM Insight 2 is Advanced Multi-Site Management that allows site operators quickly compare key site information such as power production, savings and costs, and power usage.

To learn more about Conext^TM Gateway and Conext^TM insight 2, visit Schneider Electric Solar Event, Meet our experts and relax at Numetschek on June 20^th and 21^st. Numetschek is located next to H4 hotel and 6 min walk from the Messe.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

www.schneider-electric.com

Hashtags: #DigitalEconomy #IoT #Sustainability    #LifeIsOn

Download Schneider Electric announces new Monitoring and Edge Control solutions for Commercial & Industrial Solar and Storage projects

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Grenoble, June 15 – Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announces the launch of the Conext^TM CL125 utility-scale string inverter.

• An additional solution for utility scale
• Digital and IoT ready: ability to control everything at your fingertips

Conext^TM CL125 is the latest addition to Schneider Electric Solar’s portfolio of three-phase string inverters. The inverter offers design flexibility and fast commissioning when building 1500-volt PV systems with string inverters.

Flexibility

With CL125, customers can create flexible block sizes up to 5MW in centralized or decentralized architecture. “The flexibility in block size as well as the option to implement centralized or decentralized architecture is ideal for solar power plants with land constraints or uneven terrain,” says Evan Vogel, Vice President of Marketing, Schneider Electric Solar.

Wireless Bluetooth Connection & CL125 App

Along with the CL125 inverter, Schneider Electric also offers the Conext^TM CL125 App, a Bluetooth network-based smart device app. With the wireless Bluetooth connection, customers can configure, monitor, and upgrade inverter firmware with an easy to use smartphone or tablet interface, saving time and money during commissioning.

Maximum return on investment

The CL125 string inverter provides 125kW power output up to 50°C, allowing greater power production even in the hottest climates. Combined with an industry-leading peak efficiency of 98.8% and wide MPPT range, the CL125 maximizes energy yield and return on investment.

Complete Solution

“As a global leader in energy management and a bankable partner, we support customers globally with our high-quality solutions. In addition to the CL125, Schneider Electric’s offers a broad range of complementary equipment such as transformers and switchgear to create a total solution. With Conext^TM CL125 and Schneider Electric’s comprehensive offering, designing complete 1500-volt PV systems with string inverters has never been easier,” says Vogel.

The Conext^TM CL125 is compatible with the full ranges of control and monitoring apps and services to provide end to end solutions with high quality energy for your Power Plant. To learn more about the Conext^TM CL125 string inverter, visit Schneider Electric’s Solar Event at Nemetschek located near Messe München from June 20^th to 21^st, 2018.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

www.schneider-electric.com

Hashtags: #DigitalEconomy #IoT #Sustainability    #LifeIsOn

Download Schneider Electric announces the new 1500V ConextTM CL125 String Inverter for utility-scale projects

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Grenoble, 2018 June 15 – Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation today announces the launch of the Conext^TM SmartGen CS2400 inverter, extending the available power ratings for the product line.

• Optimized for large utility scale power plants
• Rating up to 2400kVA
• Digital and IoT ready: ability to control everything at your fingertips

The Conext^TM CS2400 is now available for both North America and IEC markets and is offered as part of a 4.8 MVA turnkey station using two inverters.

“The new Conext^TM SmartGen CS2400 is optimized for large utility scale projects,” says Evan Vogel, Vice President of Marketing, Schneider Electric Solar. “We offer SmartGen inverters with power ratings from 1666 kVA to 2400 kVA. The wide range of available power ratings makes SmartGen suitable for all large projects, providing customers the flexibility to meet power plant capacity limits while optimizing output.”

The Conext^TM SmartGen is compatible with the full ranges of control and monitoring apps and services to provide end to end solutions with high quality energy for your Power Plant.

“This new rating expands the portfolio of solutions for utility scale solar, and is aligned with our continuing commitment to this critical market segment,” says Vogel. Since 2000, over 10 gigawatt (GW) of power was connected to the grid with Schneider Electric utility-scale inverters.

To learn more about the Conext^TM SmartGen, visit Schneider Electric Solar Event at Nemetschek located near Messe München from June 20^th to 21^st, 2018.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

www.schneider-electric.com

Hashtags: #DigitalEconomy #IoT #Sustainability    #LifeIsOn

Download Schneider Electric announces higher power rating for our connected Conext^TM SmartGen

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Discuss with our experts and shape the industry’s future together. Join us at Schneider Electric Solar Event at Intersolar today!

When: June 20-21st, 8:00 to 18:30

Where: Nemetschek Hause, Konrad-Zuse-Platz 1, 81829 München, Germany

Google Maps

#SESolar#DigitalEconomy #Sustainability #LifeIsOn

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• LYNK^©, closed-loop communication, is implemented between Discover’s batteries and Schneider Electric’s inverters over Xanbus
• Closed-loop communication provides significant improvements in 0-100% SOC recharge times
• The LYNK^© will reduce recharge times by over 25% when compared other advanced batteries

Vancouver, BC (Canada), June 27, 2018 –Schneider Electric and Discover Battery announce the results of their collaboration in offering significant improvements in 0-100% SOC recharge times and reduction of recharge times by over 25% compared with advanced batteries.

LYNK^© closed-loop communication has been implemented between Discover’s Advanced Energy System (AES) batteries and Schneider Electric’s Conext^TM hybrid inverter systems over Xanbus network. In addition to remote reporting of state-of-charge (SOC) and system-level status through the Conext^TM ComBox and Insight cloud monitoring services, closed-loop communication provides significant improvements in 0-100% SOC recharge times.  The LYNK© between the Discover’s battery management systems (BMS) and the connected Conext^TM SW or XW+ charge source enables dynamic optimization of charge parameters reducing recharge times by over 25% when compared other advanced batteries.

Make the most of your array
“We wanted to provide an off-grid solar solution for installers in each of our key geographic markets, so we approached Schneider Electric, a globally-recognized, leader in off-grid inverter design for our initial integration project.  When our batteries are able to LYNK^© over Schneider Electric’s Xanbus network, our installers can offer their customers a true, system solution that finally demonstrates the potential for advanced energy storage chemistries when used in off-grid applications,” says Darwin Sauer, President at Discover Battery.   “The BMS in Discover Advanced Energy Storage batteries reports very accurate SOC and status information in real time which Schneider Electric’s networked hardware can read and react to.  Once there’s an external power source, our BMS is able to take over and drive.  We can improve recharge times by nearly a third over other lithium batteries with the same capacity while reducing diesel costs and increasing useable power harvested from an array.”

“With our Conext^TM XW+ or SW inverter/chargers directly communicating with Discover AES batteries over our Xanbus network, installers can design systems with smaller arrays or increase the usable power from any existing array and expect significant reductions in supplementary, diesel consumption,” says Evan Vogel, Vice President of Marketing, Schneider Electric Solar Business.   “Direct communications over our Xanbus networks using LYNK^© simplifies system installation and provides solar installers with seamless, plug-and-play connection of communications between their Discover AES pack and single inverter Conext^TM SW and XW+ systems, saving time and ensuring accuracy of set points and parameters.”

About Discover Battery

Discover Battery is the worldwide leader in designing and manufacturing of transportation, motive power, and advanced energy storage solutions. To “discover” means to find something in the course of a search. At Discover, we are always searching for better solutions to battery and energy storage challenges. What started as a battery distribution business in 1949 has evolved to become a leading innovator and manufacturer of high value power solutions delivered and serviced globally through the best sales and service network on the planet. Success in our market is about delivering excellence with the design, manufacture and supply of battery products and energy storage solutions that we know will provide meaningful results and outcomes for our customers.

www.discoveraes.com

www.discoverbattery.com

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software.

In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

www.schneider-electric.com

Download PDF version here.

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The patented smart charge technology helps customers maximize self-consumption of solar power

• With the smart charge technology, the Conext^TM SW inverter monitors for excess power flow to the grid and initiates battery charging automatically

Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation today announced that it has successfully patented the technology for its smart charge feature. This invention provides significant competitive advantages to Schneider Electric’s Conext^TM SW hybrid inverters for AC-coupled, residential self-consumption installations.

The technology behind Schneider Electric’s US patent 20170222438A1, “self-regulated power converter” allows a system with PV and storage to prioritize critical loads until PV generation is in excess, at which point the system prioritizes storage of the excess energy. The patented technology is agnostic of PV inverter and requires no communication between PV inverter and hybrid inverter.

In a typical AC-coupled installation, if power generated from the PV array exceeds the critical loads, the excess power is exported to the grid. Generally, the battery is only automatically charged when fully discharged or a user manually initiates charging. The problem with this approach is that if consumers want to maximize self-consumption rather than exporting excess power, there needs to be a way to seamlessly store the excess energy.

With the smart charge technology, the Conext^TM SW inverter monitors for excess power flow to the grid and initiates battery charging automatically. If the critical loads exceed PV power generation, the hybrid inverter automatically suspends battery charging and starts discharging to re-prioritize the critical loads.

“This technology really helps customers maximize consumption of solar power and is well adapted for new installations and retrofits,” says Sau Ngosi, Director of Engineering at Schneider Electric Solar Business. “Some customers are more interested in storing excess energy rather than exporting to the grid. The smart charge technology allows the Conext SW inverters seamlessly prioritize PV harvest between critical loads and storage, thus maximizing self-consumption”

For more information about Conext^TM SW hybrid inverter, please visit Schneider Electric Solar website.

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The juwi group announced that it has completed construction of a 135MW DC utility-scale solar power plant for Energon Soleq Ravi India Power Resources Pvt Ltd. The plant covers an area of 243 hectares and is situated near the village of Guttigoli (Belgaum district) in the southern part of Karnataka, India. It is expected to generate more than 226 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to avoid the emission of 122,743 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

“Utility scale solar PV has become the most cost-effective source of energy in many parts of the world. The juwi group is globally very well positioned and one of the top renewable energy project developer and EPC service providers. The high quality construction of the 135 megawatt solar project emphasizes our striving for operational excellence in EPC”, juwi-COO Stephan Hansen commented. Within the juwi group Hansen is responsible for the company’s international business.

“We are expecting financial close for these projects by the end of July. We also signed the contract with our client for the sale of our self-developed 138-Megawatt wind-farm Garob in the Northern Cape. We are expecting financial close for this project by the end of August”, Hansen says.

Juwi (Solar System Installers): https://www.enfsolar.com/directory/installer/1366

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Here are our new webinar videos. Enjoy!

The post [Webinar] Commercial Off-grid Solutions appeared first on SE Solar.

Join us at Hilton to network, discover the latest solutions from Schneider Electric Solar Business, and recharge. Meet with our top management, discuss with our experts to see our innovations, eat, drink and relax.

Here is what to expect when visiting us as a V.I.P. customer:

• Learn – Meet our technological experts on solar, energy storage, cybersecurity, and emerging trends shaping future solar projects
• Sit and recharge – Relax at our VIP lounge
• Relax, eat and drink – Complimentary food and beverages throughout the day

When:

September 25th – 27th, 2018

Meetings from 8 am to 5 pm (till 3 pm on 27th)

Happy hour on 25th and 26th from 5 pm to 6 pm

Please contact your Schneider Electric rep or Tamera Rhode to schedule a meeting!

Where:

Malibu, Santa Barbara & Ventura

Hilton Anaheim Concourse Level / 4th floor

777 W Convention Way, Anaheim, CA

Adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center

See directions in Google Maps

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Renewable energy sources – biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar and wind – accounted for nearly 20% of net domestic electrical generation during the first half of 2018, narrowly surpassing that provided by nuclear power, according to a SUN DAY Campaign analysis of new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)…. read more

The post Solar, Wind Account For Nearly 10% Of Nation’s Electrical Generation appeared first on SE Solar.

Today, California Governor Jerry Brown (D) signed SB 100, the bill that will make California the second state in the nation to move to 100% zero-carbon electricity. SB 100 will accelerate the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 60% by 2030, and will require that the next 40% comes from zero-carbon sources of electricity by 2045… read more

The post California governor signs 100% clean electricity bill appeared first on SE Solar.

Powerco is New Zealand’s largest electricity distributor, in terms of network length, and committed to delivering reliable energy to their customers. For remote and rural customers Powerco commissioned The Downs Group and Control Box to supply a portable all-in-one energy system to provide an alternative electricity supply for areas where upgrading the electricity network and improving supply is not cost effective.

Portable power supply using solar energy

Base Power by Powerco is a portable power supply for Powerco’s remote and rural customers. It is a viable electricity supply alternative compared to traditional overhead lines. Featuring photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, Base Power uses sunlight to generate electricity, storing it in batteries, and is ready to power the remote household. A backup generator is included for times of low light or high load.

Homeowners reap the benefits of a reliable power supply and savings in diesel fuel, whilst the benefits for the power utility are customer retention, high customer satisfaction, and CAPEX avoidance building new infrastructure.

After extensive testing by The Downs Group and Control Box the electrical engineer on this project, Powerco’s system integrators selected the Schneider Electric Conext XW+ Inverter Charger to power the Base Power unit. The Conext XW+ offers several advantages over its competitors including scalability, single or three phase operation, high power to weight ratio, high power to volume ratio, and superior peak output up to 12kW for 60 seconds.

The Downs Group and Control Box also found working with Schneider Electric easy, they were impressed with responsiveness throughout the project.

Challenges

There were several key challenges that faced Powerco from the onset. They wanted to work with a company with resources to support them during the design, development, and deployment phases.

They required the equipment to meet exact requirements such as high power output, high surge ratings, ability to work seamlessly with a backup generator, ability to monitor remotely using an open protocol such as Modbus, and most importantly the solution needed to be scalable, lightweight and a compact size.

The equipment had to be compact enough to be delivered to the site by helicopter, requiring the total weight of the Base Power unit inclusive of the batteries to be less than 500kg.

Powerco also had specific requirements regarding monitoring equipment and performance at each site, a PLC was used for this purpose. To monitor the Conext XW+ inverter chargers an interface was written between the PLC and inverter, something that The Downs Group and Control Box achieved with little difficulty with support from Schneider Electric.

Solution

Base Power contained three main components: the Base Power unit, the solar PV array, and the backup generator and fuel tank.

The Base Power unit measures 1850L x 1700W x 1250D. The standard configuration was composed of 3 Conext XW+8548 inverter chargers, with a rated output of 20.4kW and peak output of 36kW. Also featured were 4 Conext MPPT 80 600 solar charge controllers for up to 20kW solar PV, Conext ComBox for remote monitoring and Conext Automatic Generator Start (AGS) for the backup generator. The battery bank was composed of 8 lithium-ion batteries, with a total rated output of 27.2kWh as standard and upgradeable to 16 batteries with a capacity of 54.4kWh..

The standard installation programmed to supply up to 240 amps to the battery bank, although the Conext MPPT 80 600 charge controllers can deliver 320 amps if required. A DC Coupled scheme was used due to the compact nature of the solar charge controllers, and higher round-trip efficiency compared with AC Coupled solutions.

Base Power was designed to be expandable and could double in capacity if required. This flexibility means that Base Power can be used for moderate to heavy energy user households.

External monitoring was provided by a customized Programmable Logic Controller using a 4G connection to a central control center.

Results

Base Power proved successful for several reasons:

• Proved to be a viable, costs effective and reliable alternative energy supply to the traditional pole and wires approach
• Delivers a high surge current required for starting large motor loads
• Could be delivered to remote and rural sites by off-road vehicle or helicopter transport
• Being a portable device, it was manufactured, assembled and fully tested before being deployed to the field, saving labor and time spent at often environmentally harsh and remote sites
• A versatile product with applications including an emergency or temporary power supply, telemetry and telco applications, grid stability applications for SWER line applications, and on-grid self consumption or backup applications

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“Keep up the good work” is the key message of new analysis from the Australian National University (ANU), which highlights the role of Australia’s renewable energy industry in delivering rapid and deep emissions cuts… read more

The post Australia could have 100% renewable electricity by the early 2030s appeared first on SE Solar.

The U.S. solar market has experienced a tumultuous few quarters since the government last year began considering tariffs on imported solar modules and cells, but data for the second quarter of 2018 show signs of a turnaround in the market… read more

The post Utility Solar Procurement Booms as the Residential Market Stabilizes in Q2 2018 appeared first on SE Solar.

Three key enablers – price and performance parity, grid integration and new technologies – are allowing solar and wind power to compete with conventional sources on price, while matching their performance, says Deloitte… read more

The post Deloitte: The case for renewables has never been stronger appeared first on SE Solar.

This year saw new solar output highs across Europe as summer temperature records were smashed.

In the U.K., solar broke the record for weekly output between June 21 and June 28, producing 533 gigawatt-hours of energy. The spike in output led solar to take over from gas as the number-one energy source in the country, said the European PV industry body SolarPower Europe… read more

The post Solar Broke Records All Over Europe This Summer appeared first on SE Solar.

Natural gas-fired power plants will be facing more price competition from solar farms in some parts of the U.S. as falling battery costs make it possible to deliver electricity produced from sunshine even after dark… read more

The post Solar with batteries cheaper than gas in parts of U.S. southwest appeared first on SE Solar.