Another week, another bunch of announcements! To stay up to date on what’s new, check out this latest clean energy product roundup:
Residential microgrid
Salt Lake City-based CleanSpark Inc. launched mVoult, a direct-to-consumer residential microgrid solution. According to the company, mVoult is a standalone energy management controller capable of directing the operations of both existing and new energy assets.
mVoult will be offered as a smart controller and mobile app specifically aimed for residential applications. The company also plans to launch an mVoult-branded battery energy storage and controls solution. The home power solution will enable the selection of optional add-ons such as solar integration or back-up generators. Pre-orders are slated for April, with installations expected to begin this summer. More info available here.
Cleantech measurement device
Houston-based Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corp. released the DL950 ScopeCorder to improve efficiency and effectiveness in design and evaluation of renewable and energy efficient technologies. The DL950 ScopeCorder is a combination of a multi-channel, mixed-signal oscilloscope and portable data acquisition recorder. It captures both high-speed transient events and long-term trends.
Building on the capabilities of the company’s DL850E, the DL950 ScopeCorder can handle larger amounts of data at a faster sample rate and with a longer recording time. The DL950 is capable of simultaneous measurement of various mechanical parameters. The DL950 offers over 20 types of isolated input modules, allowing engineers to mix and match input types as required by the application. More info available here.
Home solar+storage for Miami
Sunrun Inc. announced that its Brightbox rechargeable solar battery system is now available in Miami. The company launched in Florida in 2017 and expanded to parts of Orlando and Tampa in May 2020.
Now, Floridians in the greater Miami area, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, can access Sunrun’s Brightbox system. The system stores energy produced from rooftop solar panels and offers backup electricity during a power outage. More info available here.
Distributed resource management
EnergyHub released Mercury Edge Connect, a standardized integration framework for connecting distributed energy resource (DER) providers with EnergyHub’s Mercury DERMS platform.
The company said the addition strengthens the ability of EnergyHub’s Mercury DERMS to act as a single platform for utilities to orchestrate behind-the-meter DERs into virtual resources at scale. The feature includes technical tools and business processes designed to streamline and standardize integrations with new DER providers, allowing EnergyHub to scale its partner ecosystem. More info available here.
Battery failure detection
Johnson Controls launched a system engineered to provide early-warning detection of battery failure in lithium-ion energy storage systems in solar and wind farms. The new product features monitoring and reference sensors that continuously check battery racks for the presence of lithium-ion off-gases.
When the sensors detect off-gas, they immediately and automatically communicate with the battery management system to shut down the affected battery stacks to help prevent thermal runaway and potential fire. The product can be integrated into existing power storage systems since it does not require electrical or mechanical contact with battery cells. More info available here.
Residential solar financing
Financing platform Mosaic has teamed up with U.S. residential solar power provider Freedom Forever. The companies said this multiple-year partnership marries Mosaic’s credit expertise and technology with a nationwide solar sales and installation organization.
Freedom Forever can now offer its customers what it said are attractive solar financing rates and boost the adoption of residential solar power. Mosaic’s financing make it possible for homeowners to invest in sustainable energy home improvement projects, such as generating and storing solar energy. More info available here.
SiC MOSFETs for EVs and solar inverters
Phoenix-based ON Semiconductor announced a new range of 650 V silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET devices for applications where power density, efficiency, and reliability are key considerations, such as electric vehicles, solar inverters, and uninterruptible power supplies.
ON Semiconductor claimed its 650 V SiC MOSFETs are based on a new wide bandgap material that provides what the company said is superior switching performance and improved thermals when compared to silicon. The company said this results in improved efficiency at the system level, enhanced power density, reduced electromagnetic interference, and reduced system size and weight. More info available here.
Inverter rapid shutdown
Italy-based Fimer announced its UNO-DM-PLUS-Q-US and PVS-60-TL-US string inverters for residential and commercial and industrial applications in the U.S. are now compatible with the APsmart Photovoltaic Rapid Shutdown Equipment (PVRSE) from APsystems.
The APsmart system allows constant monitoring and communication between the RSD-S-PLC and Transmitter-PLC, which means that Fimers’s inverters now meet rapid shutdown regulatory requirements for grid connection in the U.S. The products are available through both Fimer and APsystems’ APsmart distribution partner networks. More info available here.
PV system clamp meter
Pennsylvania-based Megger offers a solar clamp meter that can measure up to 2,000 V DC and 1,500 V AC (using PVHV leads) during installation, maintenance, monitoring, and testing of photovoltaic systems and standard AC or DC electrical equipment. The company said the DCM1500S can also measure AC and DC current up to 1,500 A and offers a true RMS reading on the AC range for greater measurement accuracy.
Designed to be used on electrical systems where there is a need to measure current, volts, resistance, and frequency, this clamp meter is also suited for fault-finding. The DCM1500S comes standard with 4mm leads and other lead sets, allowing technicians to attach directly to the solar array connectors and junction box where all the panels are spliced. More info available here.
Tandem solar efficiency mark
California-based MiaSolé Hi-Tech Corp. and European Solliance Solar Research said they achieved a power conversion efficiency of 26.5% on a tandem solar cell. The architecture combines two thin-film solar cell technologies: a top rigid semi-transparent perovskite solar cell with a bottom flexible copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) cell.
The conversion efficiency was achieved by optimizing the bandgap and the efficiency of both the rigid semi-transparent perovskite top cell and the flexible CIGS bottom cell. The CIGS was roll-to-roll produced on steel foil, with a reported power conversion efficiency of 20.0% More info available here.
Send your cleantech product announcements to joseph.bebon@pv-magazine.com.
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