Transmission and Distribution Interconnection Standards – Does Your Organization Know About Them? Utility interconnection standards will be critical for increasing the connection of DER (Distributed Energy Resources), including solar PV, to distribution and transmission systems. In the US, IEEE 1547-2018 is a predominant standard, accompanied by UL 1741 for testing, that governs… Continue reading “Transmission and Distribution Interconnection Standards – Does Your Organization Know About Them?”
Free NABCEP CEU – Live Webinar on Utility-Scale PV and Distribution Voltage Challenges Live Webinar – Wednesday, June 8th – 12-1:30pm EST – Reserve your spot on HeatSpring If you or your company have worked on developing utility-scale projects, you know that connecting large PV power plants to the grid can present challenges, especially… Continue reading “Free NABCEP CEU – Live Webinar on Utility-Scale PV and Distribution Voltage Challenges”
Ask an Expert: What are Some Challenges of Adding More Distributed Energy to the Grid? In the Ask an Expert series, HeatSpring instructors and industry thought leaders answer a question on the minds of the HeatSpring community. This session, we are joined by Chris Brown and Chris LaForge, instructors of the Utility Scale Commercial &… Continue reading “Ask an Expert: What are Some Challenges of Adding More Distributed Energy to the Grid?”
The Basics of Utility Transmission for Utility-Scale Solar Access to high voltage transmission lines is integral for utility-scale solar projects. Transmission is part of the high voltage system that connects generation (like utility-scale solar power plants or coal-fired power plants) with load centers, subtransmission, and distribution. Essentially, high… Continue reading “The Basics of Utility Transmission for Utility-Scale Solar”
New Course: Connecting Utility-Scale Solar PV to Distribution Systems The United States is forecasted to add an additional 21.8 GW of utility-scale solar in 2022 and 24.1 GW in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In fact, they expect solar additions to account for nearly half of… Continue reading “New Course: Connecting Utility-Scale Solar PV to Distribution Systems”
Selecting DAS Equipment on Utility Scale PV Projects Data acquisition systems (DAS) are often employed on small utility scale solar projects to gather information about the performance and conditions of a site. Various sensors, meters, and equipment collect the data that must then be evaluated and visualized within… Continue reading “Selecting DAS Equipment on Utility Scale PV Projects”
The Importance of Commissioning and Testing on Utility Scale Projects Utility scale solar projects are years in the making from inception to completion. The process typically includes land development, interconnection studies, environmental evaluations, securing financing, materials procurement, and construction. The final step before a system is fully operational is commissioning… Continue reading “The Importance of Commissioning and Testing on Utility Scale Projects”
What’s happening with solar in CA and why it matters everywhere? An interview with the California Solar + Storage Association HeatSpring sat down with Carter Lavin, Director of Membership at the California Solar and Storage Association, to discuss the proposed changes to net metering policy in the California and what that means for states across the country. Brit: Thanks for… Continue reading “What’s happening with solar in CA and why it matters everywhere? An interview with the California Solar + Storage Association”
Overcurrent Protection and the 25-Foot Feeder Tap Rule Sean White gave an NEC training at this year’s ASES Convention. Video from that presentation is included in our updated free course, “Introduction to Solar PV Design, Installation and Code“. But there was some content that was too advanced for… Continue reading “Overcurrent Protection and the 25-Foot Feeder Tap Rule”
How Do We Get From 4% to 45%? Today the Biden administration released a plan to increase the amount of solar energy produced from 4% of total generation (where it is today) to 45% by 2050. That represents a lot of growth for the solar industry. What will… Continue reading “How Do We Get From 4% to 45%?”
Why Learn About Electric Utility Distribution Equipment? Hi, my name is Tim Taylor and I have a course called “A Virtual Tour of Electric Utility Distribution Equipment“. I’ve been getting the question: “why do you have this course?”. It’s really to answer a lot of questions that… Continue reading “Why Learn About Electric Utility Distribution Equipment?”
Electric Vehicle Charging Available charging options are a key factor that will drive future sales of electric vehicles. For folks involved in distribution system planning and engineering, there are a number of concerns related to Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). These include: Peak… Continue reading “Electric Vehicle Charging”
What is NEM Paired Storage? “Energy Storage Net Metering”, also known as “NEM Paired Storage”, allows a customer with a behind-the-meter solar + storage system to discharge their battery, exporting stored energy back to the grid and receive a net energy metering credit. NEM Paired… Continue reading “What is NEM Paired Storage?”
Electric Distribution Academy on HeatSpring We are pleased that Electric Distribution Academy courses are now offered exclusively on HeatSpring. Utility transmission and distribution systems are a key component in the changes that are taking place in the electricity supply chain. More renewable generation and storage… Continue reading “Electric Distribution Academy on HeatSpring”
This New Free Class Might Win You Your Next Project Tim Taylor just released a new free class: Overview of Electric Distribution Equipment. If you’re a system designer, project developer, installation professional, or O&M specialist, understanding how the grid works will unlock a higher level of creativity and problem solving.… Continue reading “This New Free Class Might Win You Your Next Project”
Utility Distribution Systems & Equipment: A Grid Professional’s Masterclass “Utility Distribution Systems & Equipment” is a new masterclass developed in partnership with Distributech, POWERGRID, and Utilicast. Instructor Tim Taylor developed the course to help utility and and distributed energy professionals level-up in their careers. Here’s a week-by-week breakdown of… Continue reading “Utility Distribution Systems & Equipment: A Grid Professional’s Masterclass”
How Deeply do you Understand Electrical Distribution? For the past thirteen years we’ve focused on power generation. Solar PV is distributed electricity generation. Today we’re announcing a new series of courses focused on electricity distribution. We’ve partnered with DISTRIBUTECH International to bring the most popular content from… Continue reading “How Deeply do you Understand Electrical Distribution?”