No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Accurate DER data is key for utility planning: PowerClerk makes it possible
A key to managing utility distributed energy resource (DER) programs is capturing the right information—not only to complete interconnection requests, but also to support a host of emerging utility planning and business intelligence needs. As discussed in a previous...
Higher-resolution data and broader geographic access with new SolarAnywhere Data license options
Thanks to our subscribers, partners and hard-working development team, SolarAnywhere® has become the most trusted and vetted solar resource dataset available. In 2017 alone, the SolarAnywhere team: Topped an EPRI study for forecasting Spotted a calibration issue at...
Defining DERs: Does it matter that we all seem to have slightly different definitions?
Over the last few years, the term DER has become more and more commonplace in the energy space. Most of us know that this three letter acronym (TLA, get it?) stands for Distributed Energy Resources, but what Distributed Energy Resources are might be a bit fuzzier....
Hot Topics at DistribuTECH 2018: The rise of DERMS, integrated interconnection and DER adoption planning
Every year we’re inspired at DistribuTECH, where in 2018 more than 11,000 participants from over 70 countries gathered in San Antonio to discuss the latest topics on grid modernization. For Clean Power Research and our customers, there was ample evidence that many of...
The future of solar forecasting with the new GOES-16 satellite
The SolarAnywhere® team transforms satellite images into industry-leading solar irradiance data. We make algorithms, not satellites, so when NOAA/NASA upgrades the hardware, we take notice of the possibilities—and get to work. On January 2, 2018 we made a seamless...
Why WattPlan Grid: Planning for DER adoption
Eight months ago, Clean Power Research and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) formed a unique partnership to solve the critical challenge of planning for DER adoption. In the words of our partners at SMUD, this new DER planning software—called WattPlan®...
Buy or build? NREL examines the pros and cons for DER application processing systems
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released their independent study on "Improving Interconnection Processes with Online Application Processing Systems" for distributed energy resources (DERs). As DERs become...
Residential rates: Can utilities increase customer satisfaction while decreasing peak load?
Recently, utilities have been turning to residential time-of-use and demand rates to send customers better pricing signals. But the question remains: Will these new residential rates succeed in changing customer behavior? What happens to customer satisfaction?...
Transitioning from NEM to successor tariffs can be a breeze for utilities
As net energy metering (NEM) evolves across the U.S., utilities are facing the challenge of meeting new successor tariff requirements related to application data collection, communication, performance, online payments and more. That transition can be tricky,...
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
How to reduce solar risk from seasonal variability: Part II
As we discussed in an article last month, it’s no secret that solar power generation can vary from season-to-season based on local weather conditions. So given this variability, how do PV system owners—whether residential, third-party, commercial or utility-scale...
What solar leasing companies need to know to protect their investment—and their bottom line
A critical aspect of the financial health of solar leasing companies or other ‘third-party owners’ (TPOs) is the performance of their ‘fleet’ of installed PV. When a PV system is not operating at peak performance, it's not producing as much power as expected, which...
How to account for seasonal variability in solar power production
Intuitively, we know that solar power generation is dependent on seasonal weather conditions. The January and February PV Power Maps, published in the May/June 2013 issue of Solar Today, illustrate that this year was no exception, with month-to-month variability...
Reducing PV project risk (and costs) with better PV modeling
Investment in PV presents unique risks, as the amount of energy a PV system produces is as variable as the weather. Unfortunately, quantifying PV risk can be just as daunting as predicting the weather. Today, researchers have access to more research methods and more...
See for yourself: 2012 was a good year for solar
Not only was 2012 a record-shattering year for PV system growth in the U.S., it was also a good year for solar power production. Compare our monthly average maps for 2011 and 2012 to see that many locations in the U.S. experienced significantly higher PV energy...
CAISO addresses changing grid infrastructure
In a recent interview with Fierce Energy, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Steve Berberich, spoke about where CAISO is headed in 2013. As one of the largest electric grid operators in the United States, CAISO is responsible for...
Hot topic: forecasting solar for grid integration
Grid-integration of distributed generation sources continues to be a hot topic for utilities and independent system operators (ISOs). Last month, the Utility Variable Generation Integration Group (UVIG) held its 6th annual workshop on Variable Generation Forecasting...
Tilt vs. flat-mount PV: does it really matter?
Have you ever wondered if PV system orientation really makes that much difference to the amount of power produced by a PV system? As the map below illustrates, the answer is typically yes, but to varying degrees. This ‘Energy Gains’ map depicts how tilting solar...
Top 2013 trends part 3: utility and ISO integration of high penetration PV
Over the past few weeks, we’ve plotted out emerging solar industry trends for the upcoming year, including solar soft cost reductions, and a re-examination of net metering. These first two topics are primarily about the financials of PV: reducing system costs and...
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Solar forecasting goes “EPIC”
Itron and Clean Power Research are embarking on the next phase of research that will lead to high-fidelity distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) forecasts, and integration of those forecasts into net load forecasts for the California Independent System Operator (ISO)....
U.S. solar trends: 2015 edition
As everyone recovers from their New Year’s Eve festivities, shakes off the cobwebs and gets back to work, it’s time for our annual look at trends and predictions for the coming year. Who knows if we’ll be right, but it’s always fun to prognosticate. Here are the three...
Using ground plus satellite solar irradiance data to reduce risk, increase project profitability
If you stopped by the Clean Power Research booth (#118) at the most recent Solar Power International (SPI) Conference in Las Vegas, you would have noticed a tall metal frame supporting some measurement equipment. While this structure could have passed for a new-age...
Reflections on SPI 2014: How today’s U.S. solar industry is the same, different and revolutionary
Clean Power Research had a first-floor booth at Solar Power International (SPI) this year, and it drew great traffic. It didn’t hurt that we had a cool meteorological station in our booth from GroundWork Renewables that also drew a lot of attention, since Clean Power...
New York State solar incentive programs consolidated into NY-Sun
This month, under direction from the New York State Governor’s office, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and PSEG Long Island (now operating Long Island Power Authority’s electric system) merged their solar incentive programs under...
Intersolar North America 2014: The year of O&M and bankability
I often hear complaints that solar tradeshows aren’t offering much that is new and exciting—but I beg to differ. Every year I see trends emerging—trends that are often overlooked until months after the show. Intersolar North America was no exception. This year I was...
Just how great was the solar resource in 2013 in California? Record setting!
2013 marked the driest year on record in most regions of California. While this weather pattern led to many brown lawns and thirsty reservoirs, clear skies allowed many locations to experience well above-average PV energy generation potential. To better understand...
Getting to the bottom of the EEI and NRDC statement on net metering
The Edison Electric Institute (“EEI”) and the Natural Resource Defense Council (“NRDC”) recently issued a joint statement targeted to state utility regulators “to advance support for utility policies that enhance the electric power grid for the benefit of all...
Infographic: Keeping Track of Solar
2013 saw record-breaking solar growth in the U.S.—an increase of 41% over 2012—and 2014 is expected to see even larger gains. With more than 440,000 solar electric systems operating across the U.S. today, keeping track of these distributed resources is more important...