Solar Power World

Software Helps Solve PV Fleet Management Challenges

Photovoltaic systems—from residential to utility-scale—experience rapid changes in power output due to cloud cover. As more photovoltaic systems are installed in a given area, this variability poses a challenge for utilities and ISOs who are responsible for grid stability. SolarAnywhere software from Clean Power Research can help with these solar challenges. The solar software... Read More

Solar Software Helps With Financing And Taxes

Competitive Energy Insight Inc. (CEI) offers its EconExpert–2012,  a suite of investment-grade Excel-based financial and tax benefit monetization models for the energy industry. The suite will perform in integrated fashion with in-house financial models or as a complete stand-alone tool kit. The suite provides a PV financial proforma for wholesale utility scale projects. The... Read More

GreenVolts Announces ISIS Mobile for Solar Energy Management

GreenVolts, provider of a fully integrated solar system, announced the availability of its solar energy management software for iPad and iPhone  mobile devices.The new ISIS Mobile is a natural extension of the company’s Internet-based ISIS energy management software and enables management capabilities for GreenVolts solar systems ranging from smaller, distributed installations... Read More

Software Simplifies Off-Grid PV Design

The Off-Grid Configurator from SMA can help design off-grid photovoltaic systems. This software analyzes each design aspect, from sizing the PV array to preparing a final cost analysis, thereby providing comprehensive planning assistance that can save time and reduce costs.“Designing and planning off-grid PV systems can be challenging and time consuming,” explained Jurgen... Read More

CentroSolar Offers Online Portal For Solar System

While at PV America West in San Jose last week I got a chance to stop over at CentroSolar’s booth.  The solar module and component manufacturer showed off Centro-Pack.com, its online portal set to launch in April. The portal supports the company’s popular CentroPack ‘all in one’ packaged photovoltaic system for residential rooftop solar installations.CentroPack... Read More

Grant Powers PV Simulations Tools

In a third round of funding from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Clean Power Research (www.cleanpower.com) will receive a grant of approximately $850,000 from the California Solar Initiative Research, Development, Deployment and Demonstration (CSI RD&D) Program. As a result of the grant, Clean Power Research will implement new photovoltaic (PV) fleet simulation... Read More

Solar calculator app for Androids and iPhone

The program is available in English, German and Italian. A solar yield calculator app is available for Android smartphones. An iPhone version already exists. Its developer Vario says the app enables calculating photovoltaic system yield and CO² savings. The calculator depends on the average annual solar radiation at the site to calculate the possible yield of a photovoltaic system. The... Read More

MathWorks’ Updated OPC ToolBox Product

MathWorks highlighted a major update of the OPC Toolbox product, offering support for the OPC Foundation Historical Data Access (HDA) standard. MATLAB users in the Power & Utilities, Chemical, and Oil & Gas industries can now access and visualize historical process data from an OPC HDA server, identify trends, and perform root cause analysis to help continually improve... Read More

Advantech Offers Solar Tracking System

  In Advantech’s solar tracking solution, the ADAM-4117 measures the input voltage signals from the sunlight transmitters to detect the direction of the strongest sunlight. The sunlight information is then sent to the PEC-3240, an Intel Celeron M Embedded Motion Controller, which can control the stepper motors of the sun tracking system and easily adjust the solar plates... Read More

Where monitoring meets Facebook

SunReports' Apollo solar system monitor is available for residential and commercial applications. While at Solar Power International in Dallas last month I was able to stop by and chat with SunReports. The manufacturer of monitoring systems for solar discussed a pretty interesting concept. Their Apollo Monitoring system links with Facebook. The company explained that the system... Read More

Managing risk with model-based simulations

Historical data analysis and system simulation can help manage the risk associated with meeting solar farm production goals A reduction in actual solar-farm production compared to expected production will negatively affect the profitability of a solar farm. In the planning stages, detailed simulation models can provide solar-farm developers with the means to determine the spread... Read More

CANopen, Profibus, Modbus enabled solar tracker motors

Manufacturer of motion-control products Dunkermotor offers a line of brushless dc solar tracker motors (STM). The company says the motors have fieldbus-enabled motion controllers optimized to reduce development time, lower installation costs, and provide lowest total cost of ownership. Electric energy production can be increased by 30-35% more with solar tracking compared to fixed... Read More

Flexible automation control

A manufacturer of automation and control products offers a  high-density, highly configurable modular RTU and programmable logic controller (PLC) system. Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL) says their SEL-2240 Axion extends their automation and control product family. The system has flexible architecture and integrated security to meet monitoring and control application... Read More

meteocontrol Expands Into United States

                  Benjamin A. Compton, COO & VP, Commercial Operations of meteocontrol North America, explains what his company can bring to solar projects, from the design phase all the way through to the completion and maintenance. Compton appeared at the Intersolar Show in San Francisco last month.   Watch:Find more videos... Read More

Redesigned panel now snow, salt, and hurricane tollerant

Using SolidWorks design and simulation software, Solar Infra developed a more rugged solar array for use in areas that once were environmentally prohibitive. Harnessing the sun’s energy can be challenging, especially when some of the sunniest regions have environmental conditions that preclude traditional solar modules. Standard solar arrays are often installed no less than 25... Read More