Solar happenings

[NannerAirCraft]

Some solar news in Minnesota
MSP Airport plans to build state's largest solar power project | Star Tribune

It will be the states largest solar array at 3MW. They're also putting in 4 more electric vehicle charging stations in the parking ramps and installing LED lights in 7,700 fixtures.

 

[bsd]

We had a presentation at the Sorhern Ontario Tesla Owners club from a company called Canadian Energy on Dow's PowerHouse solar shingles. One of the members just had his entire roof done. 20 year warranty, IIRC. Comparable efficiency to solar panels. Much more expensive, though that cost will likely come down. Doesn't require the same degree of permitting and engineering as a traditional solar panel installation.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Those solar shingles are interesting, but since your roof still looks like it has solar panels on it, I'm wondering what the point is?

 

[hcsharp]

Those solar shingles are interesting, but since your roof still looks like it has solar panels on it, I'm wondering what the point is?

If your house needs a new roof like mine does then you can probably get roof and solar combined for less than each one separately. Just guessing.

 

[nwdiver]

The biggest problem with solar shingles is that PV loses ~0.5% power/C... so solar shingles are going to output >5% less power than mounted panels.

 

[AnOutsider]

The biggest problem with solar shingles is that PV loses ~0.5% power/C... so solar shingles are going to output >5% less power than mounted panels.

With so many more, might it make up for the reduction in output?

 

[bsd]

Those solar shingles are interesting, but since your roof still looks like it has solar panels on it, I'm wondering what the point is?

They look *much* better than panels ; more like slightly shiny asphalt shingles. Up here at least, building code requires normal shingles on the edges of the roof (I should have asked why, but didn't), so the rooves are distinguishable from the photos shown, but barely so.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Interesting to see what's up in the research front. Ohio State researchers have an idea for a device that is both a solar cell and its own battery.
Renewable Energy: World's first solar battery runs on light, air - Pennenergy

 

[ggies07]

This is neat!

DIY Solar Pocket Factory Machine Can Print a Solar Panel Every 15 Seconds! | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

 

[Ampster]

...... Up here at least, building code requires normal shingles on the edges of the roof (I should have asked why, but didn't), so the rooves are distinguishable from the photos shown, but barely so.

In my little city in Southern California, a 3 foot access is required for firemen fighting a house fire.

 

[bsd]

In my little city in Southern California, a 3 foot access is required for firemen fighting a house fire.

They're just shingles; you can walk on them etc:

 

[JRP3]

There may be some concern about hacking through live voltage to get through the roof while firefighting.

 

[nwdiver]

There may be some concern about hacking through live voltage to get through the roof while firefighting.

Next Gen Solar PV equipment features what's known as 'rapid shutdown'; So far only Solar Edge and Micro-inverters have this but there's a push by the NEC to make it mandatory on all new equipment. The highest voltage you'll find on an array once AC power is removed from the home (already standard firefighting practice by pulling the meter) is <50vdc.

http://www.solaredge.com/files/pdfs...t_rapid_shutdown_and_AC_switch_removal_na.pdf

 

[lolachampcar]

I can not wait until all panels have built in micros removing the need/concern for this stuff. This would even keep the DC from being exposed. Probably wishful thinking given all the different AC grids that must be accommodated.

 

[ggies07]

Anyone going to this? U.S. Solar Market InsightGreentech Media

The U.S. Solar Market Insight Conference presents data, analysis and expert forecasting on the state of the solar market in the U.S. This is the only event exclusively underpinned by the Solar Market Insight report series produced by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association.

- - - Updated - - -

Well this is a good start for apartment living arrangements:

panasonic-partners-with-powertree-services-to-build-68-ev-charging-stations

 

[nwdiver]

I can not wait until all panels have built in micros removing the need/concern for this stuff. This would even keep the DC from being exposed. Probably wishful thinking given all the different AC grids that must be accommodated.

There's really just two types of grids... 50 or 60 hz and there are already some inverters that can do both... I still think there's a place for string inverters and I'm actually more a fan of the 'solar edge' approach using DC optimizers for MPPT at the module level then a central inverter.

 

[lolachampcar]

One data point of particular interest as it was my installation. I bought 31 ABB micros of which 11 had a Vac read problem whereby they were under reading the trunk line voltage by between 10 and 15 Vac. This kept the inverters from starting. In addition, there have been two infant mortality cases where the inverters lost visibility of the AC grid all together after having run for a week or so.

 

[ggies07]

This is cool to see: Cheap Solar Power Just Became An Employee Benefit For More Than 100,000 People | ThinkProgress

 

[green1]

I can not wait until all panels have built in micros removing the need/concern for this stuff. This would even keep the DC from being exposed. Probably wishful thinking given all the different AC grids that must be accommodated.

That makes off-grid and battery backup situations that much harder.
micro inverters help with shading issues, but I'd rather see some form of DC balancing handle that before sending to a centralized inverter which can be more efficient, and not cause any problems for off-grid and battery backup situations.

 

[TheTalkingMule]

That makes off-grid and battery backup situations that much harder.
micro inverters help with shading issues, but I'd rather see some form of DC balancing handle that before sending to a centralized inverter which can be more efficient, and not cause any problems for off-grid and battery backup situations.

As in, a "neighborhood-tied" isolated grid of say 100 homes where all DC flows off roofs to one central DC controller to be inverted and pushed back out to individual homes? Would that allow for greater inverting efficiency? One centralized battery backup and then only the main backup needs to be tied to the grid for additional backup?