Once all the project funding, system designing and materials sourcing come together for a solar PV array, it’s time to install the components and build out the new facility. For utility-scale project cost control, two of the most important factors to consider during installation are the duration and the quality of the work. The system …
Category Archives: Utility
Streamlining Solar Site Commissioning to Create Long-Term Project Value
A solar site commissioning process is necessary to ensure that a utility-scale or C&I solar installation is safely built to code and produces energy according to design objectives. At this point, the system is ready to connect to the grid and begin transferring energy. This crucial phase in the overall solar site build-out must be …
Easily Navigating Site Requirements for Utility-Scale Solar Installations
Operating a utility-scale solar installation involves site developers meeting the proper requirements necessary for interconnection to the electrical grid. With so many different jurisdictions around the country, incorrectly navigating the numerous bureaucratic and technical requirements can put a major dent in the economic viability of solar PV installation. This makes it imperative for solar development …
Optimizing System Design for Complex Solar PV Sites
Choosing the best site for a solar PV installation can be hard – anything from the price of land to the price of electricity, or even community opinion and acceptance can influence the decision. Sometimes, this formula adds up to a situation in which the project developer chooses a site that is geographically complex. This …
Trinasolar blazes trail toward 400W+ solar modules
Trina Solar is excited to announce the development of 400 watt-plus (400W+) modules for utility-scale customers. The 400W+ milestone is a major one in the solar industry, representing a significant increase in power density over existing technologies. This added density will help mitigate a common constraint on utility projects, namely the size of their given …
How solar trackers boost PV energy production
Over time, solar panels have become increasingly efficient. The very first commercial silicon cells, produced in 1954, maxed out at only 2 percent of sunlight converted, and sold for $25 apiece. Their low efficiency and high price resulted in a staggering $1,785 cost per watt at the time; adjusted for inflation, the total comes to $17,000. …
Why companies should invest in onsite solar
Companies of all sizes from across the country and world are becoming majors adopters of onsite solar PV systems. As more businesses continue to switch to this clean, renewable energy source, it will demonstrate the long-term viability and savings gained by utilizing solar power. As noted by GreenTechMedia, experts are projecting the U.S. commercial solar …
Fueled by grid modernization and high-voltage modules, utility-scale solar projects spread throughout the U.S.
The U.S. continues to transition toward a more diversified energy strategy as solar PV power continues to enlarge its share in this sector. Fueled by government initiatives to modernize the electricity grid along with a general shift in the public’s demand for clean, renewable energy sources, the country’s utility-scale PV is surpassing its historical growth …
Global investment in renewable energy sources continues to rise
One measure of discerning current trends in the energy industry is to look at how much investment is going into the various sectors. Although global energy investment declined in 2015 compared to 2014’s levels, clean, renewable energy sources, such as solar power, have seen a remarkable increase in this sector. As investment in the renewable energy sector …
How to strengthen the ROI of utility-scale solar
Solar power generation is growing rapidly in the U.S. According to a report from GTM Research, the U.S. solar market will reach an impressive 13.2 gigawatts of solar energy in 2017. The utility sector is expected to account for 66 percent of installations this year. The proven success of utility-scale solar in states including California, Arizona and Nevada, …
