Your definitive RE+ 2024 recap: All of the news from solar’s biggest tradeshow

The Solar Builder team hit the RE+ 2024 conference and expo to talk to every single person, and relay what we heard and saw. We maybe fell just shy of 50,000 conversations (the announced attendance figure!), but we tried our best.
Here is a roundup of (just about) everything the Solar Builder team saw and heard at RE+ in Anaheim last week. Below you will find news announcements, report findings, product sneak peeks, and miscellaneous scuttlebutt, divided into a few categories to make it a bit more manageable:
- Solar roof mounts & shingles
- Inverters, power electronics & storage
- Ground-mounts, trackers and cable management
Big topics of conversation include: Domestic content qualifications, home energy storage ecosystems, power control systems, scaling C&I inverters, repowering, hail-resistance, and solar shingles. On the domestic content notes included below, understand that guidance is not final yet. We will have more in-depth reporting on domestic content and how it is impacting the market in the coming weeks. For now, take stock of what these manufacturers are saying, and stay tuned.
[CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article had an incorrect spec for a Trina Solar module.]
Rooftop solar: modules, mounts & shingles
Roofing leaders keep expanding into solar
The solar roofing shingle always seems like the next step for the solar + roofing industry. Are we finally at that step? You can feel the momentum building. Feathers in the cap of roofing material companies getting into solar, such as CertainTeed and GAF with its Timberline solar shingle: 1. Company stability (these brands have been around for decades), and 2. Domestic manufacturing (which is THE focus of the industry right now.
CertainTeed is no stranger to solar, but the latest edition of its Solstice shingle (above) is impressive, and the company seems interested in boosting its number of credentialed installers. Same goes for ABC Supply. The largest roofing distributor in North America is still learning how to best serve solar contractors, and feels the interest building:
“As an example, we went [to a show earlier in the year] and we had leftover brochures, and now we’re completely out,” VP of renewable energy James Mason told me at 11 am on Day 2 of the three-day conference, meaning they gave them all away in Day 1! — Chris Crowell
Software updates impress panel
Meanwhile, solar module design and procurement continue to get simpler and more efficient. I took part in the 50th episode of Ask Mayfield Anything on Sept. 12, to help select the Top 5 Products at RE+. My two nominees were both software related: HelioScope‘s Similar Obstruction Detection feature, and Anza’s solar module/BESS procurement platform, which now includes new subscription and data options. Check out the Top 5 Products post for more on these. — Crowell
Blu Banyan demonstrated the ease of use of its Solar Success 5.0 integrated solar management platform at RE+, as well as the integration ease of the system with its sister solar financing platform Blu Opportunity. Solar Success is an integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), or solar business management software, built on Oracle’s NetSuite, as a single data source free of silo isolation. Blu Banyan supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s Orange Button Initiative to build out an Open Data Exchange Format for the solar industry, notes Jan Rippingale, founder and CEO of the company. Orange Button enables free data exchange between systems used in the asset lifecycle to decrease costs and drive innovation, and operates under a license from DOE. Blu Banyan claims to serve about a third of all U.S. rooftop solar installs. — Charles Thurston
Module powerhouses sizing & scaling to meet U.S. market demand
Boviet Solar has primarily served utility-scale markets, but they now have TOPCon modules for residential and C&I markets. Where some top module players are oversupplied, Boviet is “in good shape,” in that their capacity is dialed in where they want it, and is focused on TOPCon, which the U.S. market wants. Based in Vietnam, Boviet also has domestic content plans. Look for its “US-1” PV module models coming in 2025. Boviet will pump out 2 GW of modules, with 2 GWs of cells to follow in future years.
Trina Solar is not usually one to send prototypes to a trade show. They take their time to R&D and only start promoting what is ready to go. But they broke that rule to showcase a massive 2000 V module prototype. So, FYI, this is in the works. They also have long term plans to set up a full supply chain to the U.S. — Crowell
Glass-less panels on the comeback
Bila Solar unveiled its new glass-free 520 Watt solar panel. The flexible design weighs in at 24.47 lbs and features 19.3% module efficiency. The product will be manufactured at the company’s fully automated facility in Indianapolis and will be available in early 2025. At full scale, the facility will produce 1 GW of glassless, frameless solar modules per year.
“This latest product enables a wide range of installation methods for all types of commercial rooftops, including quick-bonding and removable mechanical mounting. Plus, it is pre-integrated with mounting hardware and brackets,” says Mick McDaniel, VP and U.S. GM for Bila Solar. “Customers have been asking us for lightweight PV panels that can be mechanically fastened to rooftops.”
The product supports multiple installation methods, including roof adhesive and removable mechanical mounting, offering flexibility for different projects. The panels are made of a patented composite material that reduces light reflection and enables new assembly options, ensuring long-lasting performance. Bila guarantees at least 84.8% of nominal output power after 25 years.
The panels are compact and sturdy, measuring 88.4 x 48.31 x 1.59 inches, with a composite frame and IP68-rated junction box for enhanced durability. The product is designed to be reliable in extreme conditions, operating efficiently in temperatures ranging from -40°F to 185°F (-40°C to 85°C), with a temperature coefficient of -0.34% per Fahrenheit degree, ensuring consistent performance. — Brad Kramer
Mounting, racking crucial to domestic content qualification
My chat with S-5! illuminated just how important domestically sourced mounts and rails could be for rooftop solar. S-5! has a Reliance Letter available now, citing 37% domestic content in the safe harbor table without MLPE. Consider this chart:
In terms of actual product updates, S-5! notes it can intrinsically handle larger format modules – just add third mount – and that its UL 3741 certification is coming.
Similarly, Roof Tech‘s updates are often based on their tried and true product, the RT-MINI, the originator of the butyl bottom mounts. The update at RE+ is that same mount minus the adjustable attachment.
It is just a split L foot. If the Roof-Tech team had its way, everyone would go with the adjustability, because they believe it lessens the stress on the array as it survives in the elements on a rooftop over the years. But some installers just want a more cost-effective, simple L foot they can attach to a rail on the ground and take to the roof. So, voila! Here it is. Same butyl bottom.
SunModo has a mounting product to fit every need, from ground-mount residential to metal roofs, but they are able to do it while also reducing SKUs. Example: The company’s MRB mount can adjust to attach to a variety of metal roof types. They have a domestic content update coming end of 2024.
Unirac is currently working on sourcing RM 10 EVO and ECOFOOT clamps domestically to have a 100% domestic solution for commercial bay systems, available at the end of 2024. They also plan to have NXT module clamps available starting Q1 2025. The Eco10 is a nice system. It includes wire management that snaps in (to comply with UL 3741). It supports larger format modules, thanks to clamps moved further down the module instead being positioned at the edges. It also allows for easier O&M. — Crowell
Sollega Touts Roof-Friendly Nylon6 Racking Basket
Sollega showed off its patented FastRack 510, a “Simple Solar Racking Solution” at the show, with myriad clamping, bonding and other attachment options. The modular design readily adapts to 5 degree, 6 degree, and 10 degree tilt options. The UL3741 and UL2703 certified racking solution was designed to simplify the design and installation of commercial roof systems, and it also has been tested for Class A Fire Rating on Type 1, 2, 3 & 29 modules. Beyond the rooftop, the 100% recyclable injection-molded system also provides a unique non-penetrating brown-fields solution, according to Elie Rothschild, CEO of the company. — Thurston
Inverters, power electronics & storage solutions
Domestic content implications
Enphase is claiming its microinverters will qualify for 35% of the domestic content adder (by the of September), which would mean Enphase microinverters + domestically produced solar mounting / racking will get a system over the 40% threshold for this year. They also say they have domestic content battery coming before the end of the year – which would really put them in rarefied position in the inverter + ESS space in terms of domestic content. What else? Enphase is also about to start pumping out three-phase microinverters for C&I solar projects (pictured above). The IQ9, when ready in 2025, will do 480V for C&I. — Crowell
Home electrification ecosystems
We are lumping all of these categories together because that is exactly what’s happening in the market. Go to one inverter booth, and hear about their new battery offering or partnerships. Go to a battery booth, and hear about their new power control system or smart circuits. Go to a smart circuit provider and hear about their hybrid inverters. And so on. Bottom line is you have a lot of options now to either source from a single brand or to mix and match key pieces from standout providers.
SMA America has a system to meet every need, from residential solar + storage, on up to utility-scale, and I got a tour of the whole shebang. Attendees got their first look at the SMA Home Storage system — a modular, customizable battery for homeowners – which we also looked at in-depth on this episode of The Pitch:
The integration of the SPAN Smart Panel into the SMA Home Energy Solution was also presented, showcasing advanced energy management technologies for a whole-home backup solution, coming to market in 2025. In the commercial and industrial market segment, SMA had a sneak peek of the cutting-edge SMA Commercial Storage solution along with the Sunny Tripower Storage X.
Note: The new modular power conversion solution, Sunny Central FLEX, was named a Top Product on Ask Mayfield Anything, as was the updated SPAM panel.
Fronius USA, following the successful launch of the Fronius GEN24 in the United States (hear this on-demand webinar for more), the company announced the launched of the Fronius GEN24 Plus, a next-generation hybrid inverter, coming on November 18, 2024. The unveiling included at an off-site event at an airport hanger, that gets my vote for coolest event of the week!
The Fronius GEN24 Plus is not just an upgrade. With the addition of battery connectivity, the Fronius GEN24 Plus enables optimal energy storage and usage. The Fronius GEN24 Plus has all the features that made its predecessor so popular but takes things to the next level by integrating the ability to connect to a battery system. This hybrid inverter allows users to store excess solar energy and use it when needed, significantly increasing the overall efficiency of the PV system. The Fronius GEN24 Plus also offers two backup power options, ensuring that critical appliances remain operational even during power outages.
The Fronius GEN24 Plus allows users to choose between a basic backup power supply with the PV Point, which supplies selected electrical consumers via a protected GFCI outlet, which can supply a wide range of household items such as a phone chargers or WIFI routers. The essential backup option, enabled by the switching device Fronius Essential Load Backup Unit – available in early 2025, ensures that homes or businesses will continue to be powered at full inverter output in the event of a grid failure, provided there is sufficient solar production or battery supply power. To fully utilize the hybrid capabilities of the Fronius GEN24 Plus, Fronius has partnered with BYD to ensure seamless compatibility with the BYD Battery Box Premium HVM US. — Crowell
GoodWe is also now a one-stop shop for residential energy storage. That EV charger in the photo, which is not yet available, is especially cool, as you can set it to charge at different amperages (16, 32, 48), depending on how big of a hurry you’re in, and set it to only charge from solar.
But the new LVSMT-US inverter caught my eye. GoodWe Technologies is expanding its commercial and industrial (C&I) solar inverter line in the United States by launching the LVSMT-US, to meet the needs of small C&I installations (think carports, schools, and retail). A key feature is the range of voltage outputs that can be easily set during commissioning to a range of sizes and voltage outputs (22/28kW 208V, 23/30kW at 220V, and 25/32kW at 240V).
“Following the success of our SMT-US series for medium- to large-scale C&I installations, we are bringing its advanced string-inverter technology to the small C&I market,” stated Michael Mendik, Country Manager of GoodWe USA and Canada. This is handy both for repowering projects and meeting the needs of variety of capacities and local grid requirements. This can simplify ordering and eliminate the need for a costly transformer.
Solis has also expanded its home energy storage ecosystem and string inverter lineup in a big way. On the inverter side, Solis is launching the 60kW (208V) and the 125kW (480V) models at RE+, as well as the new Solis S6 250-350K for 1500V applications. These new additions only add to Solis’s deep roster of commercial rooftop solar solutions. On the home ecosystem side, the S6 Home Hybrid Inverter is now paired with wide range of battery storage options:
- Dyness
- Pytes
- EndurEnergy
- PylonTech
- LG Energy Solutions
- HomeGrid (Lithion)
- Fortress
- Soluna
Generac‘s PWRcell 2, available now, is a beefed up version of PWRcell 1 in terms of capacity and power. PWRcell 2 delivers 18 kWh capacity in a single cabinet and 10 kW max continuous power, enough power to start virtually any single load in the home during an outage, including a 5-ton A/C unit. Coming quickly behind the 2 is the PWRcell 2 MAX, which will blow that out of the water — PWRcell 2 MAX will feature even more power at launch, with 11.5 kW max continuous power. It will also have the capability to start loads greater than 200A LRA, higher efficiency and a broader operating temperature range. Even more intriguing is the ecobee integration, another Generac-owned company. The PWRcell and ecobee work in tandem to adjust AC temperature setpoints to smartly preserve battery life. — Crowell
Chint Power Systems launched its 125/250kW Commercial Energy Storage system at RE+, following its release to the market over the past year. The ESS inverter includes scalable two-hours building blocks with bi-directional power conversion.
CPS this year leased a large manufacturing facility at the Wylie Business Center in Wylie, Texas, to augment U.S.-made offerings, near the new U.S. headquarters in Richardson. The company’s investments in Texas over the past two years are helping it to pass savings on to customers. In April, CPS America unveiled a 20% price reduction on its 350 kW 3-phase string inverter as well as 5MWh Battery Container products. — Thurston
Microinverters serving storage market
Hoymiles has responded to the demands for solar + storage solutions with the HMS microinverter + HAS AC-coupled inverter combo. The HMS series of microinverters ranges from 1600 to 2000 VA. Its innovative 4-in-1 design integrates four input channels in one single unit, so that fewer microinverters are need for the same capacity. The independent MPPTs deliver the optimal energy production of each PV module. These features translate to better ROI and a shorter payback period. The HAS-LV-USG1 AC-coupled inverter, when paired with HMS microinverters, can prepare the PV system for energy storage. HAS inverter transforms excess AC power during the day into DC power and stores it in batteries for later use. When necessary, the HAS inverter can convert the battery DC power back to AC to supply home appliances.
APsystems announced the launch of its new ELS 11.4k PCS, which offers increased nominal and peak backup power, as well as features like generator connectivity, providing homeowners with enhanced energy security and flexibility during grid outages. The ELS 11.4k PCS boasts a nominal power rating of up to 11,400 VA and peak backup power of up to 17,100 VA for 10 seconds. This allows the device to support more loads, ensuring greater energy security in both everyday use and critical backup situations.
The rise of PCS, smart circuits and smart EV charging
FranklinWH unveiled the aPower 2 (15 kWh capacity and 10 kW continuous output power) as well as enhancements to the aGate, the FranklinWH App, and its product warranty (15 years or 60 MWh throughput, which is over 10,000 cycles). But I stopped by the booth to continue the conversation about power control systems and its implications for home solar + storage. If you’re not up to speed on PCS and its place in the code (and you aren’t a Solar Builder magazine subscriber), either download this special report, or check out this webinar. — Crowell
Among the many EV charging systems at the show, Enteligent’s new direct current-coupled system for commercial fleets was a standout. The company’s new DC EV Charger features 25kW of DC-coupled power delivering 200-920VDC at a 50A maximum output. The system is designed to support long-dwell times of over six hours. The DC-to-DC design eliminates the typical 20% energy conversion loss in competing AC-DC systems, while the charger works as much as three times faster than many AC Level 2 offerings, says Brian Reeves, Co-Founder of the company. The charger launched in June and future models are planned for the end of this year and into 2025. — Thurston
Eaton debuted AbleEdge at RE+. This retrofittable smart breaker will fit into any Eaton load center. Fill up entire panel, or just place one or two on select loads that could most use smart controls. A cool feature is the visualization of energy use. Instead of that usage chart for a whole home that comes with an electric bill, in the Eaton app, a homeowner can get a more insightful, detailed (but not too detailed) look at their usage. The app can give other insights too — hey, this fridge is running way too much, might be time to but something more efficient. Down the road, the dashboard could pull in utility rate data, to show how this usage is impacting electric bills and recommend better times to utilize whatever is connected. Eaton also announced a new collaboration with Tesla.
Solar trackers, cable management & weather resistance
OMCO explores wireless networking solutions
Wireless networking plays a critical role in the performance and reliability of solar trackers. Lepolve Varpilah, electrical engineering manager at OMCO Solar, discussed the various communication technologies used in the industry during his presentation, “The Impacts of Wireless Network Frequency on Single-Row, Single-Axis Tracker Control System Performance,” at the Installation and Operations Theater in Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center during RE+ last week.
Varpilah’s presentation was aimed at designers of solar power plants, EPCs, installers, developers and owner-operators, providing detailed information about cost, availability, range, data rate, installation and reliability of wireless networking. In particular, he focused on the widely used communication protocol, called Zigbee, comparing it to Wi-Fi, cellular technology and LoRa (short for “long range”).
The results included a correlation between system size and optimum wireless protocol, with systems greater than 20 MW benefiting from sub-GHz wireless technologies, which require up to 90% fewer network controllers per site. Varpilah found that it was likely that the U.S. solar industry, and in particular the utility-scale industry, which relies primarily on single-row, single-axis trackers, would see a shift toward sub-GHz wireless networks — particularly LoRa and LoRaWAN (wide area network) — over the next few years, enabling lower cost and higher reliability.
Varpilah found that LoRa has a much broader signal-to-noise ratio compared to the commonly used Zigbee with an effective range of up to 2 km. He says that LoRa provides longer range reliability with less power, lower cost and more flexibility.
In other news from a couple weeks ago, OMCO Solar and Create Energy announced a partnership to expand U.S. domestic solar manufacturing to serve the utility-scale and commercial and industrial (C&I) markets. — Kramer
Kinematics was also highlighting its motion control systems for solar trackers at RE+. The Kinematics ONE Controller is a complete actuation sub-system combining Kinematics drives, motors, and intelligent controls, all in an easy-to-integrate and commission package. Kinematics ONE’s motion intelligence allows fixed-tilt solar structure providers to deliver complete tracker offerings to the market.
“The Kinematics ONE Controller simplifies solar tracking by combining drives, motors, and intelligent controls into one easy-to-integrate package,” says Jenn Cangelosi, VP of global sales and BD at Kinematics, which also featured its repowering solutions, which “offer a fully integrated tracker motion system compatible with nearly any tracker configuration, enhancing performance and reliability for solar projects.”
The company was also featuring its ST Series actuators, which are designed to be a maintenance-free solution to motion control in solar trackers. Kinematics announced in July that it had delivered the first shipment of the product. — Kramer
Trackers bolster foundations and weather resistance
Nevados Inc. is leveling up its all-terrain tracker solutions. The company’s new TRACE solar tracking solution represents the next generation of its solar trackers that are designed to work with Earth’s topography, including steep and undulating terrain of up to 37% slopes.
TRACE builds on the company’s offerings with updated mechanicals, integrated software and controls to include features such as 75-degree hail stow, further reducing project risk from wind, snow and hail. It features terrain-aware zero-shade backtracking for improved energy yields.
“With TRACE, we have taken our All Terrain Tracker, already the most capable and easiest to install on the market, and made it a more cohesive and fully-featured product,” said Yezin Taha, CEO and founder of Nevados.
The TRACE system features bi-directional, automatic stow, resulting in up to 50% faster wind and hail stow, avoiding the tracker from having to go through 0 degrees. The 75-degree hail stow feature reduces the probability of maximum loss (PML) from hail by up to 11 times compared to 52-degree stow. Other features include flood, rain, and system protection stow protocols.
“As flat or gently sloping land becomes scarcer and more expensive, the solar industry needs solutions that can adapt to the world’s diverse terrains more than ever,” Taha says. Nevados is taking orders for the TRACE All Terrain Tracker system now for delivery in Q2 2025. — Kramer
Nextracker CEO Dan Shugar touted one of his latest (June 2024) tech acquisitions, Ojjo, at RE+, detailing the simplification and lower cost of A-frame foundations for trackers, compared with standard I-beams. With over 1 million piles under its belt, the patented Ojjo Earth Truss system has been shown to reduce the amount of steel needed for rocky terrain by one-third to three-quarters, depending on the site, said Shugar. Ojjo components will be 100% U.S.-produced by Q1 2025, he noted. Given the stability of the A-frame, Ojjo support legs also can do the job of heavier I-beams at only about a third of the depth, he reckoned. The hollow, threaded Ojjo legs, which are pressed into the hole by an interior drilling mechanism, are installed by Nextracker’s proprietary drilling machines. The system eliminates the need for I-beam grading, for I-beam pre-drilling, and for mispositioned I-beam remediation, Shugar said. — Thurston
Array Technologies launched a reusable packaging solution designed to replace traditional cardboard boxes with durable, reusable plastic casing. This innovative packaging is set to significantly reduce waste and contribute to the sustainability goals of ARRAY’s customers. The new reusable bulk packaging is designed to maximize efficiency, allowing for the transportation of more tracker components per bulk compared to traditional cardboard packaging. — Crowell
Mokun Solar Technology demonstrated its unique MK-TSS Horizontal Single-Axis Tracker with a unique second drive plate design, reducing as much as 60% of gear tooth grinding compared with some competitor tracker designs, suggested Rebecca Guo, Head of Business Development for the company. The second plate is positioned midway between the tooth spacing of the adjacent plate, reducing the potential for slippage while increasing the wind shear resistance of the tracker. Mokun, which has a U.S. office in Atlanta, has installed 20GW of solar in China, Guo said. — Thurston
DNV launched a new service to provide solar photovoltaic developers actionable, verified assessments of large hail risk across North America. DNV believes relying on historical data no longer provides an accurate assessment of hail risk, especially when it comes to the size of the hail and the location of the hailstorms. DNV’s new service aims to help the solar industry understand actual hail risk now and over the course of project lifetimes, up to 30 years into the future. It will provide the probability of a hail event for a specific location within the contiguous U.S. as well as the probability of the size of the hail itself, enabling project owners and developers to better anticipate and mitigate risks to their projects. — Crowell
New Vermeer Driver Automates Pile Positioning
Vermeer introduced its newest GPS-enabled offering to the solar industry at RE+, the 25’ PD25 pile driver, which will be available in Q4 2025. Utilizing Vermeer’s Point-to-Point GPS system enables a pile installation company to precisely locate each pile in an array, a normally difficult task especially on undulating or steep terrain. The PD25 does not require breakdown to move the unit, unlike the earlier PD10 version, says Todd Versteeg, a public relations consultant to the company.
Another pile driving first at the show was the unveiling of Built Robotics’ RPS Robotic Pile Stabilizer, which became available earlier this year. Working in tandem with the RPD Robotic Pile Driver, the Stabilizer locates and stabilizes piles as they are being driven by the Driver to tight tolerances, including a low 1 degree twist and plumb accuracy, says Erol Ahmed, the Director of Communications for the company. — Thurston
Cable and wire management companies flex their strengths
Affordable Wire Management (AWM) launched a trio of products in its cable management systems (CMS) offerings at RE+. First off was the Hail-Stow Hanger (pictured above), engineered specifically for Nextracker’s NX Horizon Hail Pro, but CEO and cofounder Scott Rand says the company will work with other manufacturers to adapt the product to any tracker system. Designed to stow PV modules up to four times faster than standard trackers, Nextracker’s Hail Pro-75 is the industry’s first tracker capable of 75-degree stow angles, which improves PV module survivability against potentially devastating hailstones. The AWM team analyzed more than 20 cable arrangements to ensure their Hail-Stow Hanger would fit under the Hail Pro-75 when it is stowed, while still delivering the same level of ampacity optimization.
Next up was the SUMAC Rail, which provides optimized wire management for clustered disconnect boxes, ensures uniformity in cable arrangements, and eliminates the need for cable trays. The product is compatible with AWM’s Arden Hangers and Pinyon Hangers, which can be firmly attached to the SUMAC Rail using the same single-crimp process that AWM’s hangers are known for, enabling seamless integration. The product is a sag-free alternative to messenger cables, specifically engineered for short-run scenarios that require precise cable arrangements. The aluminum alloy rail helps the CMS navigate tracker drive lines and other critical areas safely. SUMAC does not require end posts, and it replaces the cable tray, cable ties and cleats that are required with these arrangements.
“Replacing cable trays with SUMAC means less material and minimal labor, with the benefit of zero sag,” Rand says. “SUMAC creates a uniform cable arrangement throughout the entire site, which also means uniformity in ampacity. Steel and O+M costs for utility-scale projects are significantly reduced, a benefit for our EPC partners as well as for power plant owners.”
Last but not least, Pinyon Hanger is the industry’s first hanger asymmetrical hanger for north-south trunk bus systems. The Pinyon Hanger’s innovative design sets it apart from traditional offerings. The asymmetrical structure supports the messenger cable directly at the piles, eliminating the need for support brackets, reducing material, labor, and moment-load on piles, while also minimizing the required area to accommodate a CMS. The new hanger is useful in specific site conditions and layouts, especially where multiple trackers are installed in long columns north to south. Its versatile application extends beyond trackers to include fixed-tilt mounting systems, further demonstrating its adaptability in various utility-scale solar configurations. — Kramer
Gripple is cool company – based in the U.K., employee-owned, 98% vertically integrated and diversified – and they have some intriguing, study solar cable and wire management solutions. This space is ultra competitive, but Gripple isn’t solar-or-bust, and their methods are tested. They are big in the U.S. construction and civil industries, and their specialty is in wire joining. Those products are made in the USA and have been for years. They have adapted this for solar in a few interesting ways, but this nifty wire management product, the PowerTie, stands out as a way to quit using plastic zip ties.
Pull the loose cable end into the hole and it will not budge. But, with a special tool, you can push it back out if you need to. Domestic content: Some U.S manufacturing. Weeks not months for lead times. — Crowell
CAB Solar unveiled ModulAir, its newest Free Air solution, which exceeds NEC requirements for utility scale PV projects. ModulAir has been tested by an NRTL to certify that it will carry cables to their designed current limit without exceeding temperature ratings of PV rated cables installed in free air. CAB Solar’s ModulAir Hanger System utilizes a tiered system for cable separation, optimizing air flow around cables to enhance EBOS performance and to eliminate the need for cable derating. With its flexible design, ModulAir provides straightforward design customizations for projects of all sizes. ModulAir simplifies project size variations and customizations, delivering project cost savings to installers due to its ease of installation. — Crowell
Fluke introduced the 283 FC Solar Digital Multimeter and the Fluke a283 FC True-RMS Wireless Clamp to bolster safety in high voltage environments such as a testing individual panels, strings or invertors in a utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) array. The Fluke 823 FC/PV Solar Kit includes CAT III 1500 V DC safety-rated accessories that enable technicians to work confidently in high-voltage environments. With Staubli MC4 test leads, professionals can quickly make reliable, secure connections to modules or strings to test DC voltage up to 1500 V DC, well suited to utility operations. — Crowell
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