Washington, D.C. – Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today the investment of up to $11.8 million for five projects designed to advance the next stage of development of solar energy grid integration systems, or SEGIS, for utilities, businesses and homes. One of those five involves  Apollo Solar of Bethel, Connecticut.

The selections announced today are part of DOE’s continuing work to help assure the nation’s electrical grid reliability is maintained and improved as solar energy technologies are integrated into the power grid, said Secretary Chu.

 ”Solar energy will be a critical factor in achieving the President’s goal of creating new jobs as part of a clean energy economy,” said Chu. “By integrating renewable energy onto the grid now, we can deliver power more reliably and effectively, lower utility bills for American families, and help rebuild our economy along the way.”

Initiated in 2008 under the Bush administration, SEGIS activity emphasizes complete system development.

The projects chosen for funding will develop expertise in communications integration, facility and utility management networks, and lower cost manufacturing for solar systems.

Apollo Solar will work in collaboration with Saft Batteries, the Electric Power Research Institute, and California Independent System Operator. This project creates innovative inverters using energy storage and two-way communications between solar electrical systems and utilities.

The inverters, charge controllers, and energy management systems will be able to communicate with utility energy portals to implement the seamless two-way power flows.

Apollo Solar’s goal is to develop advanced modular components for power conversion, energy storage, energy management, and a communications portal for residential-size solar electric systems. The Department of Energy will provide funding up to $1.5 million.

The projects announced today were selected from those of 12 industry teams chosen in 2008 to participate in cost-shared cooperative agreements focusing on conceptual design of hardware components and market analysis.

Source: www.ens-newswire.com

Filed under: CT Green News