Renvu

Most people who read our blog are solar enthusiasts, so I hope you are familiar with Kert Davies' work. He founded the groundbreaking organization ExxonSecrets over a decade ago, and now directs the influential Climate Investigations Center.

In 2012, we have published this white board animation movie. We predicted that solar cost will continue to decrease. This, we claimed, will lead to increased development and to more jobs within the solar industry. We also predicted little impact from US / Chinese solar cell tariffs. Consolidation and specialization was predicted to emerge in 2013. Emerging markets were predicted to bring global solar industry stability. How close to reality was this?

More and more customers prefer a high efficiency product that is made in Germany, with the best possible warranty terms and a good price is always appreciated.

Which is more efficient, a string inverter, micro-inverter, or optimizer systems?

Portable, or mobile, solar power systems are increasingly popular throughout the world. What are the best practices to store and maintain them?

Residential Solar Monitoring - No monthly cost! So what's available? How do the systems compare?

Power Output vs System Size If you have a 4kW system how much power can you expect to produce?

Power Output vs System Size What about somewhere like southern maine? Im sizing microinverters for a given panel type. Is 125% panel/inverter really the optimal?

Fire Ratings Racking to Modules. How are modules rated vs how inverters are rated. What is type 1 and class A, B, or C fire ratings.

Weight Ratings of Roof Mountings. Are there industry standards? What are they?

How do you set Conext XW+5548 to be a 50Hz, 230VAC inverter? There are two options, both can be bought through RENVU.

If you have not heard of SGIP yet, now is a good time to check it out. California’s “Self-Generation Incentive Program” doubled this year’s budget for energy storage incentives to over $30M, and reserved 15% for residential projects under 10kWh! The program will open to project applications this April at $0.50/kWh! Find a FAQ sheet, applications and the specifics for your utility company on this page (link to article)

PUC has decided to increase the SGIP incentive for residential and commercial solar production and storage projects. At the top level $249M MORE will be available to reduce peak energy demand.

String Inverter Communication Options - How do the data manger and data logger interact with a system of multiple inverters? How many data managers are needed per inverter?

Amphenol Connector Options, part numbers broken down. Are those connectors for 4.0mm or 12ga,I need the 6.0mm for 10ga!?! How many data managers are needed per inverter?

What are the dimensions of each solar panel? Each module has its own shape and size. Generally speaking, 60 cell modules are about the same size, and 72 cell modules are the same size.

IQ6+ vs S280 | With Enphase's IQ6+ available now, what are the differences between the IQ6+ and S280? See the comparison between the Enphase microinverters.

Looking to build your own solar system for your home, and installing your own solar panels? Ken purchased a full solar system from Renvu for his DIY solar system installation project and in a series of videos he documented his DIY solar system journey.

Solarworld Germany declared insolvency last week. Solarworld USA then released a statement that they will continue operations as usual. What's next?

NABCEP Certification - Step by Step Guide How to get the NABCEP Certification. In this article we'll go over how to get the NABCEP Professional Certification, specifically how to get the PV Installation Professional Certification.

The warranty process is described in the US Limited Warranty doc, and Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) Procedure doc

Can I transfer my Enphase microinverter warranty to a new home buyer?

Trump ran on anti-climate change and global warming platform. Since entering office, everyone in the solar and renewable energy industry has waited to see what he would do. We thought we finally got an answer when he removed the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, but in Trump fashion, just announced a photovoltaic powered border wall. So we still don't know what's going to happen during the next four years of his term. Check out what other most recent solar news and solar industry developments made our cut here.

SolarWorld Bankruptcy - what does it mean to current owners, or those looking to buy SolarWorld modules.

How do I design a solar system that will run my central a/c ??

Darfon G320 vs Enphase M250 and SE 3000 Comparison | Darfon G320 performed better than the Enphase M250 and SolarEdge 3000 when tested using LG 305W panels. Note that Darfon would produce approx. 10% more than Enphase if 320W or higher panels were used.

Does Enphase S-Series work without Envoy-S Metered? Yes! The meter is optional. This is shown in the respective installation manual.

I have been an electrical contractor for 40 years, but we have never installed solar as there has been no demand until now. Please tell me best way to approach this solar project and many others in the future. Renvu is here to help make your dive into solar a reality.

What is the difference between the Enphase AC Battery vs the Enphase IQ Battery? The specs are the same, however microinverter differs between them: S280 vs IQ Microinverter

Enphase Envoy S Standard vs Envoy S Metered vs IQ Envoy | What are the differences between the Envoy S, Envoy S Metered and IQ Envoy? See the comparison between the Enphase Envoys.

To start, PERC stands for Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell technology and in the simplest terms, it means that manufacturers add an extra layer to the rear side of a solar cell. One of the companies applying this high efficiency PERC solar panel technology is Aleo Solar.

We do not offer installation or repair services. We are strictly a distributor, at the moment. The best advice we can give is to find a NABCEP certified installer in your area or to have your electrician explore the NABCEP Ecotech training.

When combining different micro inverter models to one string it is important to respect the lowest set amperage on the string. We'll go over M215's and S280's here.

Generally speaking, solar modules can be put on just about anything. However, the silicon cells which converter solar radiation into electrons are heat sensitive.

What is California’s Rule 21? California’s new Electric Rule 21 implements greater interconnectivity between solar inverters and utility distribution centers to ensure a safer, more reliable grid. Following California's lead, Massachusetts is implementing their own version of the Rule 21 now.

SolarEdge includes a standard 12 year warranty for inverters, extendable to 20 or 25 years. Wondering how much does a SolarEdge warranty extension cost? See the costs listed here.

Wondering what the steps and process is in getting your solar permit design and package started? See this article:

Darfon G320 or the Enphase IQ6 ? With higher wattage panels, the two microinverters that are most popular are the Darfon G320 and Enphase IQ6. See the comparison between the two here.

Enphase IQ6 vs IQ6+ | What are the differences between the IQ6 and IQ6+ microinverter models and which one is best for you? See the comparison between the two IQ Enphase microinverters.

The easiest way is to use the Unirac U-Builder tool since we primarily sell Unirac railing equipment. The Unirac U-Builber tool has a calculator that will take your zip code and let you know what your span calculations are

Lithium ion batteries are carefully engineered involving proprietary designs. They usually require a manufacturer-approved battery management system. Read on for information about L-ion technology and how to charge and discharge them.

There are literally dozens of battery technologies on the market right now. Lead acid, nano-carbon, AGM, vented and sealed, lithium ion, ferrous lithium... They all sound great, but how to select one for your project?

Integrating the electronics for battery-based solar systems is the final step before installation. It can be very easy or tough, depending on the products you selected and the nature of the install.

Skipping battery load analysis is the most common and problematic mistake in battery-based system design. This article provides some guidelines on the subject

There is increasing demand for battery-based solar PV systems everywhere. As utility agreements change, batteries offer improved economics and independence, however it is critical to choose the right type for the application.

Safe installation, commissioning and decommissioning practices are critical to a successful battery-based system and long-term business. These step=by-step procedures must be understood and followed by all installers on a job site. Safe procedures may vary slightly from this article in some circumstances. Always read manuals before showing up to the job.

Wondering how microinverters work? What is a micro inverter? Solar micro inverters convert direct current (DC) from a PV module to alternating current (AC). What differentiates microinverters from traditional inverters is that they offer this conversion for individual PV modules (either 1 or 2) rather than a whole array of modules (typically 7-13).

The Trojan Solar Signature Line of deep-cycle flooded batteries is the flagship of Trojan’s product portfolio and a more inexpensive option. See the full list and specs of Trojan SSIG solar batteries, with links to the individual solar batteries included in orange