Solar Choice

From the category archives:

Balance of System

A guide to community microgrids

July 11, 2017

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carbonTRACK Community microgrids are a way for neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities to meet their energy needs locally. Increasingly, community microgrids are being eyed as an option even in areas where a larger grid already exists, mainly as a way to increase local energy independence and resilience. This article covers community microgrid basics, from the reasons […]

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Sizing inverters to optimise solar panel system efficiency

February 6, 2017

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The efficiency of the inverter drives the efficiency of a solar panel system because inverters convert Direct Current (DC) (as produced by the solar panels), into Alternating Current (AC) (as used by the electric grid). This leads many to wonder what effect over-sizing or under-sizing an inverter will have on overall system efficiency. This entry […]

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Solar Analytics to help give solar system owners detailed insights into system performance

September 30, 2015

Although there are now well over 1 million households in Australia with solar PV systems, only around 1% of them have any sort of performance monitoring equipment in place. This leaves the vast majority of system owners in the dark as to what to do if they think that their system is underperforming. To fill […]

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Make it snappy – SMASH Solar aims to halve PV installation time

November 10, 2014

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SMASH Solar have received US$1.5M of funding from the US Department of Energy (DoE) to further develop their snap-together PV mounting system. The product is designed to simplify mounting structures for PV modules, potentially reducing the time required to install PV systems by half and significantly lowering the skill-level required for installers. The ‘PowerStation’ system […]

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QBotix: Robot-controlled tracking systems for ground-mounted solar systems

December 11, 2013

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QBotix is a company offering a revolutionary approach to ground-mounted solar systems through its solar tracking technology. The QBotix Robotic Tracking System (RTS) employs intelligent, self-charging, track-mounted robots (“SolBots”) which adjust the tilt and orientation of individual solar arrays throughout the day and year. QBotix’s tracking system offers 2 primary benefits: Higher solar project profitability (eg. IRR and […]

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Latronic Sunpower: Australian-made grid-connect and stand-alone inverters

December 2, 2013

Latronic Sunpower is a Queensland, Australia-based inverter manufacturer that operates globally. The company has been in business for over 27 years. The company makes inverters for residential, commercial and industrial applications. The company has a strong reputation in Australia and many of its products are also available overseas. Latronic Sunpower: Product range Although Latronics started […]

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South Australia feed-in tariff recipients could lose benefit by installing energy storage

November 5, 2013

SA electricity distribution company South Australia Power Networks mentioned in a recently released ‘PV Process Update‘ (PDF) that anyone currently receiving one of the state’s solar feed-in tariffs (premium or transitional) could see their rates reduced if they install an energy storage system (either battery or fuel cell). This development is telling of both the rising interest […]

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Renusol’s CS60: An innovative approach to solar panel mounting for flat surfaces

November 3, 2013

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Renusol GmbH is a leading innovator in the field of solar module mounting. The company and its US subsidiary Renusol America design and manufacture solutions for both ground-mounted and rooftop (flat or pitched) solar PV systems. Their aim, as Renusol America CEO Bart Leusink says, is “to make solar simpler every way we can”. This […]

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RESA’s VoltLogic to be used for limiting solar export in NT demo project

November 2, 2013

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Renewable Energy Systems Australia (RESA) has announced that its STATCOM/inverter, VoltLogic, will be deployed at Palmerston Golf Club in Darwin, Northern Territory in a partnership with the club, a prominent local solar installation company, and local utility Power & Water. The project will demonstrate one of the device’s key functionalities: its ability to limit the amount of solar […]

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Australia’s largest tracker-equipped rooftop solar array goes online in Victoria

October 15, 2013

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Steel products manufacturer Hilton Manufacturing has commissioned a one-of-a-kind project on the roof of its factory in Dandenong South, outside Melbourne, Victoria. The commercial-scale solar array is unique in Australia and possibly in the southern hemisphere as well for its use of solar tracking technology. The 98.6kW system will generate approximately 40% more solar power […]

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Energy storage options are growing (Part 1): What are the benefits?

September 26, 2013

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Energy storage systems are a hot topic, and conditions are ripe for the solar PV/energy storage industry set to take off globally for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Part 1 of this 2-part series examines the benefits that distributed energy storage offers utilities and individuals. Part 2 takes a look at some of the products that have already […]

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VoltLogic Power Equaliser: Managing solar, wind, battery power, and more

July 24, 2013

VoltLogic is a ‘4 quadrant’ energy management device developed and manufactured by Renewable Energy Solutions Australia Holdings Ltd. Going far beyond the simple function of an inverter in a small-scale renewable energy generator (i.e., that of converting DC electricity into AC), VoltLogic is an all-in-one, expandable energy management system which can simultaneously perform the functions […]

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HST Solar: Innovative ground-mounted, dual-axis tracking systems for solar PV

July 2, 2013

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HST Solar has brought a radically different installation approach to a range of ground-mounted PV platforms. HST systems are simple, foundation-less structures that deploy with only hand-tools and unskilled installer labor at a fraction of the installation time required for traditional PV systems. Backed by Kae Capital, Xander Funds and several prominent angels and energy […]

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ReneSola solar panels (& other products) in Australia

June 13, 2013

Renesola is one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the world, as well as one of the leading suppliers to Australia. The company produces a range of affordable ‘quasi-monocrystalline’, monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels, as well as its own line of microinverters. The company will also soon be introducing its own string/central inverter solution, […]

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Solar energy storage market to see rapid expansion: IMS Research

May 1, 2013

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Speculation that the market for storage solutions for solar photovoltaics (PV) is poised for huge growth has been given some additional credence thanks to a recent report published by IMS Research. The report, called “The role of energy storage in the PV industry“, anticipates a global energy storage market for grid-connected solar PV systems worth […]

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Japan will install the world’s largest battery bank to store solar energy

April 25, 2013

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Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) has announced that it will build the world’s largest battery at an electrical substation in the country’s northernmost island of Hokkaido. The battery will have a storage capacity of 60 megawatt-hours (mWh), or 60,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), almost double that of the former record-holder: a 36MWh battery in […]

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Supercapacitor graphene could revolutionise energy storage

April 23, 2013

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It has yet to be commercialised, but graphene is a substance that promises to supercharge the field of energy storage. Graphene is a non-toxic, organic substance made purely of carbon (it can actually be composted) that is being investigated by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). While separate group of scientists won […]

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RPS: Innovative rooftop mounting solutions for solar panels and other applications

March 27, 2013

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RPS is an Australian-owned company that specialises in roof clamps and roof mounting systems for a wide range of applications, including an innovative system for solar photovoltaic (PV) module arrays. The company offers penetration-free, no-hassle mounting solutions for nearly every type of roof in Australia, including concealed fix and standing seam roofing. RPS also produces […]

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SolarEdge: Module-level DC-DC optimisers for solar PV systems

December 12, 2012

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One of the trickiest parts of maximising efficiency in a solar installation is dealing with variations in power output among panels and strings of panels in the same system. SolarEdge is a company that has developed a unique solution to the problem of irregularity in solar panel array output. It uses a solar system architecture that utilises per-module maximum […]

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SafetyinSolar – Solar panel isolation system

August 21, 2012

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As with any industry, there are certain minimum standards that a solar system and its comprising components must meet in order to be installed to be considered safe. SafetyinSolar’s Solar Panel Isolation System adds an extra level of protection, especially for homes located in regions that are prone to bush-fires or flooding, by enabling an […]

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SolAmitec: Holistic solar system management software

May 14, 2012

SolAmitec (formerly SolGuard) is a comprehensive solar PV system performance monitoring and management solution that is compatible with a wide range of components that are already widely available and used in systems throughout the world–brand name inverters, weather sensors, security systems, and more. The SolAmitec software platform is a smart investment for both smaller, residential […]

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Fronius Inverter Promotion: 20-year Warranty Available for Half Price

January 30, 2012

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Fronius, one of the world’s leading solar inverter manufacturers, has announced a special promotion for the company’s 20th anniversary as an electronics manufacturer. Under the promotion, customers are eligible for a 50% discount on 20-year warranty extensions for all inverters installed between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2012. Warranties can be purchased through Fronius Installation […]

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Nedap’s PowerRouter: Smart inverters for on- and off-grid solar PV systems

January 13, 2012

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The PowerRouter is an innovative inverter/energy management system that broadens the range of options for using power from small-scale electricity generators such as solar PV systems, giving solar- and wind-powered homes and businesses more independence from the grid. Unlike conventional grid-connect inverters, the PowerRouter allows households and businesses with batteries the option of storing solar […]

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Fronius Inverters in Australia: Inverters for all applications

December 8, 2011

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Fronius is an international company with a 65 year history in the manufacture of welding equipment and nearly two decades of experience with solar inverters and other devices for monitoring and controlling energy, including battery chargers. Fronius inverters are suitable for a wide range of applications, including residential solar and commercial solar projects. Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Tweet […]

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Solar power grid price parity through BoS cost reductions

May 12, 2011

In a previous Solar choice blog entry, we discussed the meaning of grid price parity (or grid parity) and why it is such an important goal in the solar power industry. In a nutshell, once solar power becomes price-competitive with other, conventional forms of power generation, then it will only be a matter of time […]

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