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4 Tuesday, October 22, 2013 PHONOCUBE: MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE POWERFUL By Isabella Da, Phono Solar North America Phono has just launched Phonocube, a dramatic energy storage system, in the global market. Phonocube can intelligently manage the consumption of all home electrical applications, store the extra power for nightly use, and even feed the remaining power back to the power grid. It is exactly like what Jeremy Rifkin described in "The Third Industrial Revolution": houses and buildings become the unit which produce green energy, and people share it as a community. This will really change the way we live. I am always wondering if the energy storage industry follows Moore's law. Moore's law is the observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors on integrated cir- cuits doubles approximately every two years. The period often quoted as "18 months" is due to Intel executive David House, who predicted that period for a doubling in chip performance. Maybe someday we can wear a mini Phonocube on our wrist and use it to power personal electronics, or Phonocube 5.0 may look like a delicate wall lamp but power the entire house. One thing I do know is that all of these exciting changes have already happened in our era and everyone is actually a part of it. Phonocube: A Solar Energy Management Solution Phonocube is an energy management appliance suitable for integration in both new and existing solar systems. It combines a powerful inverter, high performance lithium batteries and the photovolta- SOLAR ENGINEERING: PV LESSONS LEARNED AND IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES By Steve Schwerd, Partner, VP of Facilities and Energy Engineering, KMB Design Group In the drive towards achieving grid parity for solar power, soft costs will continue to trend downward, but often they can add value and yield reduced costs and improved performance. Typically, soft costs such as engineering can equate to pennies per watt and a very small percentage of construction. Subsequently, designs that fail to be efficient, processes that do not incorporate engineering input at the onset, or processes that cause system design change orders can negatively impact the bottom line. With over 250 solar projects to our credit, KMB provides engineering input early in the process to avoid pitfalls and boost value opportunities. For example, we frequently brainstorm ideas to enhance system and material options, installation techniques, local utility constraints, etc. that clients may overlook. Main Street Power (Cont'd. from p. 1) SPDN: Who are your target partners? AH: We partner with local developers, EPCs, manufacturers, property owners, and host sites. At SPI we're actively seeking new partnerships. SPDN: Tell our readers about your SPI 2013 objectives, promotions, etc. AH: We're here to celebrate existing partnerships and form new ones. We're also here to promote our environmental and social partnerships with Earth Vision Trust's 'Extreme Ice Project', and Ms. Leilani Munter, a racecar driver who is focused on promoting renewable energy at NASCAR. We will also be announcing a large new program during SPI, expand- The need for comprehensive services has grown significantly in just five years. Full service solar engineering and project management services now include PV design, electrical, structural, civil and environmental, permitting, and applications. Projects range from very small (10KW) to large (20MW) including rooftop, carport, ground-mount, and post-up systems. This work involves distributed generation and utility projects, and a variety of facility types including municipal, educational, office buildings, retail, industrial, mission critical and more. As a result, we offer the best practices and lessons learned with solar companies that may have limited variations in their target markets and installation types. KMB Design Group engages the engineer to a greater extent with the following: Connecticut's ZREC Program While many solar developers have entered this market, the utility companies' metering standards pose challenges ing on our mantra of, "Bringing Wall Street to Main Street." SPDN: To what do you attribute your company's success? AH: Mainly that we have a narrow focus and a great staff. Our business model is distinct in that we offer our clients and partners a complete financing package. This includes pre-development capital and both construction and permanent (debt and equity) financing. There are many developers and EPC firms that are more interested in the origination and construction process than the long-term ownership. Main Street Power fills a niche for these partners by allowing them to increase their development opportunities while decreasing their long term financial and maintenance responsibilities. Solar Power Daily News ic system into one quiet, compact system. Controlled by a Smart Energy Management System (SEMS), Phonocube makes it possible for solar system owners to maximize solar electricity for their own requirements, not only during sunlight hours, but also at times of less light such as in the morning or evening. Electricity produced by the solar system can be consumed directly, stored in the batteries or fed into the public grid. Phonocube ensures self-consumption is prioritized; grid power will only be used when neither the solar system nor the batteries are able to supply sufficient electricity. Phono Solar's renewable energy solutions continue to reduce energy cost for consumers. For more information, visit www.phonosolar.com, or visit booth 2643 at Solar Power International. to electrical services and interconnection, and can cause significant unplanned construction costs and space issues. Our upfront expertise has helped these solar companies to allow for inclusion of more creative solutions. AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH SPI Lee M. Oser CEO and Editor-in-Chief Lyle Sapp Senior Associate Publisher Director of Sales Kim Forrester Jeff Rosano Associate Publishers Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director Hayden Neeley Senior Associate Editor Jeanie Catron Associate Editor Yasmine Brown Keaton Kohl Graphic Designers Ruth Haltiwanger Margarite Marquez Customer Service Managers Ryan Harter Chuck Kenney David Lopez Account Managers Enrico Cecchi European Sales Solar Power Daily News is published by Oser Communications Group ©2013. All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 www.oser.com European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy. Customization We can perform structural engineering for custom carports and more, which are then built by a local steel fabricator. In one case, we designed a new open structure on the roof of an auto dealership with a standing seam metal roof, then fastened the PV modules to the roof with S5! clips. With price constraints as they are, the approach was more viable than a pre-fabricated system. numerous: central vs. string inverters, small vs. large combiner boxes, fixed tilt vs. tracking systems, conduits vs. cable trays, 2 percent voltage drop vs. another standard, and more. We provide the advice and expertise to make the most of these choices. Advice & Expertise Electrical engineering design choices are For more information, visit www.kmbdg.com, call 732-280-5623, email sschwerd@kmbdg.com, or visit booth 4132 at Solar Power International. Consistency and Volume Cost Savings National clients often have one standard for design and equipment. However, a regional approach can be advantageous since variations are seen in utility company requirements, local agency and permitting requirements, standard construction processes, structural and environmental differences, etc. SPDN: What makes your company unique? AH: We have a long-term relationship with one of the world's largest banks, Morgan Stanley, providing fast-track access to funding in this capital intensive industry. Morgan Stanley is a co-owner of each solar facility with us aligning our interests in securing quality projects and quality partners. Too many projects are stalled or die due to lack of reliable funding and we provide developers and EPC firms a financier with a solid track record. To date, we've financed and own over 50 megawatts of solar assets across over 1,000 sites in North America. We also have a demonstrated commitment to social and environmental measures having been founded by a nonprofit, having provided free solar for disabled veterans in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, having developed solar and While equipment costs and financial models are a large part of the equation in the development of a solar renewable energy project, it is important to appreciate the short and long-term effects that solid design and engineering can offer right from the start. provided education programs in low income neighborhoods, and having secured a three star B Lab company certification. SPDN: What's your 2014 outlook? AH: With the new Series B investment, we are doubling our office space and pursuing a strategic growth of our portfolio as we add more distributed generation projects and expand our solar lease programs. We're excited to be part of making rooftop solar financially feasible (and advantageous) for millions of American families and businesses in 2014 and beyond. For more information, visit booth 2500 at Solar Power International 2013, visit online at www.mainstreetpower.com, call 303-444-3020 or email ahost@ mainstreetpower.com.