(Credit: Pixabay)A microinverter solar and battery system by Enphase Energy has received a UL interconnection standard which will help implement requirements for advanced functions that will support the grid in accommodating higher levels of renewable distributed energy resources.
The company says the UL certification is the first national interconnection standard and will aid in establishing Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) rules for connecting solar inverters, energy storage systems and distributed energy resources (DER). One of the new capabilities involved in the process is called interoperability, which standardizes the way utilities communicate with and control DERs, such as solar and battery systems.
Interoperability, Enphase says, provides an important method for DERs to be updated efficiently to accommodate evolving conditions on the grid. The Enphase iQ8 Microinverter system was certified by UL, and the company says it was actively involved in the development of the UL and IEEE standards.
A DER is a small unit of power generated locally and connected to a larger grid for distribution. DERs include tools like microgrids and solar and battery systems, and the energy it produces is often used close to the source of the DER.
They are another piece of increasing energy generation and improving resiliency in commercial and industrial settings, especially as the need to improve sustainability and reliability increases. Concerns such as power outages in Texas after high electricity use have heightened the focus on similar systems and DERs can help grid operators manage energy use during peak times.
The Enphase systems have been a part of resiliency projects, such as a partnership with Swell Energy to offer virtual power plants in California, New York, and Hawaii. Another recent example of a platform using similar tools is an energy installation at Alltown Fresh in Massachusetts by Enel X.
Enphase says states will begin requiring compliance with the standards as early as June of this year. The company has supplied more than 45 million microinverters worldwide and says all of its products will be certified with the standards.
