Operations & Maintenance

A US-based start-up SunCulture Solar has come out of stealth mode and launched a potentially game-changing fully-integrated residential and off-grid solar system that really is ‘plug and play.’

A US-based start-up SunCulture Solar Inc. has come out of stealth mode and launched a potentially game-changing fully-integrated residential and off-grid solar system. ‘SolPad’ Home combines multiple patented technologies into a single device, including breakthrough solid-state battery technology, an innovative inverter system and intelligent software to enable real ‘plug and play.’ This is the only PV system in existence that provides complete integration of energy storage, management and high-efficiency solar cells.

The US Energy Department is planning to provide solar technology funding to the tune of US$107 million via the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) SunShot Initiative.

GE Power Conversion is introducing Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology into its next-generation 1500V PV inverter product line, bringing increased power conversion efficiency to the PV industry. The LV5+ Solar Inverter is the first multi-MW, utility scale inverter based completely on SiC technology and has an efficiency rating of 99% weighted EU and is being showcased at Solar Power International 2016.

Florida-headquartered solar EPC firm TerraSmart has launched a fully autonomous robot that can perform survey stake-out functions for the US solar industry using NASA space rover technology.

The annual US-based Solar Power International (SPI) exhibition and conference historically generates a significant number of new product launches and can set new trends and directions for the downstream solar PV sector, globally.

SunLink Corporation has expanded its portfolio of photovoltaic project solutions with the launch of the ‘TechTrack Distributed’ single axis tracker. TechTrack Distributed introduces ‘dynamic design,’ providing site flexibility and reductions in total project costs. TechTrack Distributed is the second single-axis tracker in the company’s TechTrack product line, joining the internationally deployed TechTrack Centralized. The new system is being showcased at Solar Power International 2016.

China-based PV Manufacturer GCL System Integration Technology (GCLS) and downstream PV energy provider sister company, GCL New Energy (GCLNE) have both released strong financial results for the first half of 2016.

US-based Burnham Nationwide has developed the BurnhamEYE, a mobile application that provides a consistent and secure way of documenting, reporting, and archiving data in order to verify the quality and code compliance of solar installations.

meteocontrol, a subsidiary of Shunfeng International Clean Energy (SFCE), is supplying a monitoring system for an 18MW solar park by developed by Advantec in Japan.