Why Adopt NFPA 70B: A Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance? Maintaining electrical equipment on our solar and storage sites is about maximizing uptime while keeping maintenance costs down, ultimately optimizing the entire lifecycle of our projects. A well-structured Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP) based on NFPA 70B offers a systematic approach… Continue reading “Why Adopt NFPA 70B: A Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance?”
A Look at a Utility-Scale Solar Site Plan Understanding how to analyze and plan utility-scale solar sites has become increasingly critical, with over 195 GWdc of utility-scale solar projected to be added to the U.S. power grid between 2024-2029 (Source: SEIA Solar Market Insight Report Q4 2024). In… Continue reading “A Look at a Utility-Scale Solar Site Plan”
Solar Job Highlight: Training for Equipment Manufacturer As a part of HeatSpring’s free Solar Career Pathways course, professionals from across the solar industry provide students with an inside look at their careers through bite-sized interviews. Professionals share the details on what their jobs entail, their day-to-day activities,… Continue reading “Solar Job Highlight: Training for Equipment Manufacturer”
The Unsung Heroes of Utility-Scale Solar: Field Engineers I’ll never forget my first job in the large scale solar industry as a Field Engineer in the small town of Hemet, California – supporting the construction of a 1MW fixed tilt system. I’d just stepped onto the site—dust swirling… Continue reading “The Unsung Heroes of Utility-Scale Solar: Field Engineers”
New Course Announcement: NFPA 70B: A New Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance If you work with solar PV or energy storage assets, you’ve probably considered these questions: How do we keep everything running smoothly while managing maintenance costs? When should we perform maintenance? What exactly needs to be checked? How do we… Continue reading “New Course Announcement: NFPA 70B: A New Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance”
Utility-Scale Solar PPA Price Trends - Berkeley Lab Report Analysis Part 3 Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) prices and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) serve as critical indicators of utility-scale solar’s market progression. Drawing from Berkeley Lab’s “Utility-Scale Solar, 2024 Edition” report, HeatSpring instructor Tim Taylor explores the relationship between these metrics, examining… Continue reading “Utility-Scale Solar PPA Price Trends - Berkeley Lab Report Analysis Part 3”
Announcing Comprehensive Utility-Scale Solar Engineering Training The utility-scale solar sector is booming – solar now represents 64% of all new electricity-generating capacity in the US, with the utility-scale segment installing a record 6.6 GWdc in Q3 2024 alone, up 44% from the previous year (Source: SEIA… Continue reading “Announcing Comprehensive Utility-Scale Solar Engineering Training”
Celebrating Top Energy Efficiency Companies: Greenlink Energy Solutions According to the Department of Energy, buildings account for approximately 40% of all US energy consumption, yet many property owners struggle to navigate the complex landscape of energy efficiency improvements. Greenlink Energy Solutions is working to change that by providing… Continue reading “Celebrating Top Energy Efficiency Companies: Greenlink Energy Solutions”
Utility-Scale Solar CapEx Trends – Berkeley Lab Report Analysis Part 2 As utility-scale solar reshapes the energy landscape, understanding its evolving costs remains crucial for industry decision-makers. HeatSpring instructor Tim Taylor examines Berkeley Lab’s latest “Utility-Scale Solar, 2024 Edition” report, uncovering notable trends in installed CapEx – including some findings that… Continue reading “Utility-Scale Solar CapEx Trends – Berkeley Lab Report Analysis Part 2”
What is Time-of-Use Billing? For solar sales professionals and businesses exploring solar adoption, understanding commercial electric tariffs is fundamental to making informed decisions. Unlike conventional straight usage billing, time-of-use (TOU) tariffs implement a dynamic pricing model where electricity costs fluctuate based on the time… Continue reading “What is Time-of-Use Billing?”
Introduction to Utility-Scale Solar O&M – Now free for members We keep installing more and more utility-scale solar. So the need for utility-scale solar operations & maintenance will continue to grow. There’s a shortage of experienced O&M folks who can keep these systems performing, so starting today, for a limited… Continue reading “Introduction to Utility-Scale Solar O&M – Now free for members”
Why Join Us for PV Associate Training at the 2025 NABCEP CE Conference The booming solar energy industry offers tons opportunities for professionals at every level. Whether you’re just starting your renewable energy career or looking to advance in the field, the NABCEP Associate is a great first step into professional solar credentialing.… Continue reading “Why Join Us for PV Associate Training at the 2025 NABCEP CE Conference”
I Can’t Be the Only Former Solar Installer Who Feels This Way, Right? I’ll be honest. A lot of times, I miss working in the field. Working in the field made me feel connected to the natural rhythms of the day in a way that office work could not. Each day, we would… Continue reading “I Can’t Be the Only Former Solar Installer Who Feels This Way, Right?”
Solar & Storage Conferences Happening in 2025 Behind every development in clean energy is a conversation that first sparked it. While virtual meetings and LinkedIn connections absolutely have their place, nothing beats walking the exhibition floor, seeing new technology up close, and having spontaneous conversations over breakfast.… Continue reading “Solar & Storage Conferences Happening in 2025”
1 NABCEP CEU – New Free Course: Navigating Transmission Interconnection Queues The renewable energy and utility sectors are transforming rapidly, with unprecedented amounts of new generation seeking to interconnect to the grid. However, interconnection queues have become one of the most significant bottlenecks in renewable project development. To help industry professionals… Continue reading “1 NABCEP CEU – New Free Course: Navigating Transmission Interconnection Queues”
Be More Than a Solar Company Your electric utility is about to do something really unfair in an attempt to make more money. How do I know? Because they always do. So what can solar companies do to prepare for economic shocks like this? This was… Continue reading “Be More Than a Solar Company”
Breaking Down Berkeley Lab’s Annual Utility-Scale Solar Report – Part 1 Berkeley Lab’s annual Utility-Scale Solar Report has become one of the industry’s go-to resources for tracking the evolution of large-scale solar (and storage) deployment across the United States. The 2024 Edition analyzes ground-mounted PV projects above 5 MW ac, offering… Continue reading “Breaking Down Berkeley Lab’s Annual Utility-Scale Solar Report – Part 1”
Inside AC Block Architecture: A Technical Walkthrough of Utility-Scale BESS Design The rapid deployment of utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) demands a comprehensive understanding of system architecture, electrical engineering principles, and operational considerations. In this excerpt from the Foundations of BESS course, industry expert Drew Lebowitz examines the critical design… Continue reading “Inside AC Block Architecture: A Technical Walkthrough of Utility-Scale BESS Design”
The Science Behind Battery Fires: Thermal Runaway Explained What happens when a battery cell reaches its ignition temperature and triggers an unstoppable chain reaction? In this segment from the Foundations of Battery Energy Storage Systems course, instructor Drew Lebowitz explains the phenomenon of thermal runaway in battery systems… Continue reading “The Science Behind Battery Fires: Thermal Runaway Explained”
Grid Operators Get Strategic: How Some Utilities Are Tackling Interconnection Queue Bottlenecks As the U.S. power grid faces mounting pressure to integrate new generation resources, transmission operators are getting creative with solutions to streamline their overwhelmed interconnection queues. Two major grid operators—California ISO (CAISO) and PJM —are leading the charge with innovative… Continue reading “Grid Operators Get Strategic: How Some Utilities Are Tackling Interconnection Queue Bottlenecks”