The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) just issued sweeping changes to Rule 21, the rules under which distributed energy resources, like solar power and energy storage, may interconnect to the grid. The revisions encompass many issues but three of the most noteworthy include: 1) the plan to incorporate data on theRead More

As of March 20, 2020 the California Public Utilities Commission has issued an extension of the CA Rule 21 compliance deadline, pushing the date to June 22, 2020. This includes the Smart Inverter Phase 2 communications requirement and Phase 3 smart inverter requirements. This marks yet another delay in theRead More

Solar-Log and Kitu Systems are collaborating to offer expert solar plant monitoring, control and communication solutions that meet the new California’s Rule 21 mandate. Starting on March 22, all smart inverters deployed with solar and energy storage installations in California are required to be capable of communications with the utilityRead More

A collaborative team published a new Application Note to help grid operators communicate with distributed energy resources (DER) and enhance use and value of energy storage and solar generation connected to smart inverters. Led by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the group includes the DNP Users Group, the MESA StandardsRead More

  SolarEdge Technologies is ready for the implementation of both NEC 2017’s revision to the PV Rapid Shutdown System (PVRSS) requirements for 2019 and is prepared for the roll out of Phase 3 of Rule 21. The company offers solutions that comply with these regulations. “By preparing our product lineupRead More

California’s Rule 21 will be going into effect on Sept. 8, at which time, if you are installing solar in California, you will need to install advanced inverters that meet Rule 21 requirements on any new interconnection application. Some background from an in-depth Solar Builder feature on exactly what the point ofRead More

Yaskawa – Solectria Solar, a U.S. commercial PV inverter manufacturer, announced that their PVI 50 TL and PVI 60 TL inverters are now fully compliant with California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) Rule 21 – UL1741 SA. Achieving compliance two months prior to the deadline demonstrates Yaskawa – Solectria Solar’s dedication toRead More

SolarEdge Technologies, a global leader in PV inverters, power optimizers, and module-level monitoring services, announces that Intertek confirmed that samples of SolarEdge inverters were the first it tested to meet the UL 1741 SA draft requirements to be smart inverters. SolarEdge single-phase smart inverters are Rule 21 ready and supportRead More

A multi-year effort has been ongoing in California to update technical requirements for connecting Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to the grid, known as Rule 21. The experience of Germany was cited as one reason to take action. In Germany, significant grid destabilization problems arose when high penetration levels of solarRead More