Commercial & Residential Solar

I can’t quite decide if we have the new procedure for estimating the annual performance of a solar PV system totally sorted (as detailed in the draft of the PV installation guide – Edition 3). I am aware that a number of people are now looking at it in some detail, so I thought it would be useful to describe the thinking behind the revised procedure.

UK-based solar company A-Sun has passed the IEC 61701 salt mist corrosion testing stage for its MCS accredited photovoltaic modules.

Aiming to boost solar photovoltaics installation monitoring and performance Enecsys has teamed up with Ember to bring wireless ZigBee communication technology to UK homes and businesses.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) PV Working Group has updated its DTI Guide for installing PV Systems and is calling for the solar community’s input on the new draft.

Specialist PV fund manager Bluefield Partners LLP has signed a strategic agreement with Azur Solar to finance a range of new 50kW and 150kW systems on industrial, commercial and agricultural roofs across the UK. The systems will be installed for free between now and March, 2012 and consequently will be eligible for the Government’s current feed-in tariff rate. Azur will operate and manage all of the systems.

The draft version of The guide to the installation of PV systems, edition 3 has now been published…

PV engineering, contracting and distribution firm Colexon Energy has received an order for 5,000 First Solar thin-film panels from installers in Cornwall and Oxford. This is the latest major order Colexon has taken for the black, frameless modules, which have proved very popular due to their high energy output.

Following an MCS meeting on Monday, the plan is to finalise and issue the draft of guide by Monday (3rd October).

Aerial mapping company Bluesky is urging property owners to seek independent advice before installing solar panels following recent exposés into rogue traders in the national press. The consumer watchdog Which? found that three-quarters of installers overestimated the production capacity of panels, with many more underestimating the time required to recoup the initial investment.

UK solar investor and developer Orta Solar has launched a series of photovoltaics operations and maintenance packages to suit systems from 20kW to 5MW. The company, which delivers commercial, agricultural and corporate roll-outs of solar PV systems, has 90MW and constructed or financed 30MW of UK solar to date.