New Industry Products

Applied Power Launches Its New Solar Power Index

February 15, 2000 by Jeff Shepard

Applied Power Corp. (Newton, MA), a subsidiary of IDACORP Inc., recently helped launch the Solar Power Index, which is a new weather reporting metric that was designed to create greater awareness of photovoltaic electric power's ability to displace the use of fossil fuels used in producing electricity. The Solar Power Index compares the amount of electricity solar panels produce each day to the amount that they could produce on a perfectly clear day.

Working with partner New England Cable News (NECN) and the US Department of Energy, Applied Power scientists and engineers helped develop the Solar Power Index and Internet-based instruments to facilitate measurements and reporting. In addition to the weather instruments, a residential-scale solar photovoltaic system has been installed on NECN's rooftop as an example installation.

The installation at NECN showcases the SunSine 300 ac solar photovoltaic panel. According to Applied Power, SunSine units are special solar panels that produce ac electricity directly from sunlight and can be directly connected to the conventional electric service provided to a home by an electric company. In New England, each SunSine panel will produce about five percent of typical homeowner's annual electricity requirements. By adding panels, the percentage provided by solar energy can be increased.

SunSine AC modules were developed by Applied Power's electronics group working with ASE Americas Inc. (Billerica, MA), which provides the solar-cell substrate used in this innovative product. Conventional solar panels are dc devices and are used for charging batteries to power equipment in remote locations far from electric power lines. SunSine ac panels avoid the need for expensive, inefficient and seldom-used batteries by interconnecting directly with electric company power lines.

Applied Power's Ascension Technology Division, Massachusetts Electric and the City of Medford launched the Medford Solar Project last winter, offering a limited number of SunSine panels at discounted prices to environmentally conscious Medford residents. The program will be opened up to all Massachusetts Electric customers this year.