Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedThursday, December 28, 2017 at 2:13 PM Understanding module anatomy and the semiconductor process. https://goo.gl/cg2zRm How Solar Modules Work - Affinity Energy Not sure if you’ve ever sat down and analyzed how a solar module is put together or how it conducts electricity, but let's quickly talk through it. goo.gl Understanding module anatomy and the semiconductor process. https://goo.gl/cg2zRm How Solar Modules Work - Affinity Energy Not sure if you’ve ever sat down and analyzed how a solar module is put together or how it conducts electricity, but let's quickly talk through it. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, December 27, 2017 at 11:49 AM Inverter curtailment controls to help co-ops introduce cost-effective solar production. https://goo.gl/W78g77 Webinar: The Small Utility Solution to Overcome Solar Interconnection Concerns - Affinity Energy Luckily, there is an easy way to introduce cost-effective solar production to small utilities while still maintaining contractual obligations. goo.gl Inverter curtailment controls to help co-ops introduce cost-effective solar production. https://goo.gl/W78g77 Webinar: The Small Utility Solution to Overcome Solar Interconnection Concerns - Affinity Energy Luckily, there is an easy way to introduce cost-effective solar production to small utilities while still maintaining contractual obligations. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedMonday, December 18, 2017 at 12:36 PM Most argue that alarming is one of the benefits that makes SCADA so valuable. Why then, do so many SCADA systems feature poorly designed and overly complicated alarm handling systems? https://goo.gl/aW5EZw Five Easy Ways to Improve the User Alarm Management Experience - Affinity Energy The experience an operator has with a SCADA alarm will only be as good as the investment that goes into planning... Read More Most argue that alarming is one of the benefits that makes SCADA so valuable. Why then, do so many SCADA systems feature poorly designed and overly complicated alarm handling systems? https://goo.gl/aW5EZw Five Easy Ways to Improve the User Alarm Management Experience - Affinity Energy The experience an operator has with a SCADA alarm will only be as good as the investment that goes into planning and designing the system. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, December 13, 2017 at 5:13 PM Powering remote devices can be a challenge. Instead of burying cable, power your I/O with solar modules and batteries! As long as the application is outside and gets some sun, it will power devices with no problem. https://goo.gl/wP6UT2 Powering Remote I/O Using Solar Modules and Batteries - Affinity Energy Sometimes, powering remote devices can be a challenge. To bypass the cost and hassle... Read More Powering remote devices can be a challenge. Instead of burying cable, power your I/O with solar modules and batteries! As long as the application is outside and gets some sun, it will power devices with no problem. https://goo.gl/wP6UT2 Powering Remote I/O Using Solar Modules and Batteries - Affinity Energy Sometimes, powering remote devices can be a challenge. To bypass the cost and hassle of cable, we have developed and deployed systems powered by solar modules and batteries. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, December 12, 2017 at 9:24 AM What’s on the horizon for PV plant controls? https://goo.gl/3StfaW Three Trends for Optimizing Utility-Scale Solar Ramp Rate Controls in 2018 - Affinity Energy The biggest problem with high penetration solar is ramping. That’s why the biggest change I predict for 2018 is an increased desire for ramp rate controls. goo.gl What’s on the horizon for PV plant controls? https://goo.gl/3StfaW Three Trends for Optimizing Utility-Scale Solar Ramp Rate Controls in 2018 - Affinity Energy The biggest problem with high penetration solar is ramping. That’s why the biggest change I predict for 2018 is an increased desire for ramp rate controls. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, December 5, 2017 at 9:49 AM Soft skills every engineer needs to execute a successful project. https://goo.gl/Gd7xLA Why SCADA Engineers Should Develop Project Management Skills - Affinity Energy Many engineers hone technical skills, but never have the opportunity to develop the soft skills needed to drive greater project success. goo.gl Soft skills every engineer needs to execute a successful project. https://goo.gl/Gd7xLA Why SCADA Engineers Should Develop Project Management Skills - Affinity Energy Many engineers hone technical skills, but never have the opportunity to develop the soft skills needed to drive greater project success. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, November 29, 2017 at 4:22 PM Get a better picture of energy expenses by tracking consumption and demand by system, department, process, or product with submeters. https://goo.gl/YHNbVw Submetering in 90 Seconds - Affinity Energy - YouTube When it comes to energy and power, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s where submeters come into play! Learn more at https://affinityenergy.com goo.gl Get a better picture of energy expenses by tracking consumption and demand by system, department, process, or product with submeters. https://goo.gl/YHNbVw Submetering in 90 Seconds - Affinity Energy - YouTube When it comes to energy and power, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s where submeters come into play! Learn more at https://affinityenergy.com goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, November 28, 2017 at 9:25 AM When solar downtime occurs, the last thing owners/operators want to be is in the dark. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen energy loss onsite and thought: This was totally preventable. https://goo.gl/smfpk2 How Affinity Energy Helps You Manage Your Solar Assets - Affinity Energy There are so many challenges for PV solar sites. Fortunately for owners and operators, that’s where ... Read More When solar downtime occurs, the last thing owners/operators want to be is in the dark. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen energy loss onsite and thought: This was totally preventable. https://goo.gl/smfpk2 How Affinity Energy Helps You Manage Your Solar Assets - Affinity Energy There are so many challenges for PV solar sites. Fortunately for owners and operators, that’s where Affinity Energy’s solar expertise comes into play. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, November 21, 2017 at 8:15 AM One of the questions we get asked a lot is, what meter makes sense to install for my particular application? https://goo.gl/1X2hch Meters and Meter Displays - Affinity Energy Meters come in all shapes and sizes. Which form factor is right for your environment? Let's consider ease of installation and future support. goo.gl One of the questions we get asked a lot is, what meter makes sense to install for my particular application? https://goo.gl/1X2hch Meters and Meter Displays - Affinity Energy Meters come in all shapes and sizes. Which form factor is right for your environment? Let's consider ease of installation and future support. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, November 15, 2017 at 1:54 PM Did this power quality event have an impact on my facility? Did it damage my equipment? How can I prevent this from occurring in the future? https://goo.gl/hm1Xa2 Webinar: Schneider Electric's Power Monitoring Expert - Affinity Energy There's no great mystery around power quality. You don't have to be an expert to be able to analyze, root cause, and identify actionable items. goo.gl Did this power quality event have an impact on my facility? Did it damage my equipment? How can I prevent this from occurring in the future? https://goo.gl/hm1Xa2 Webinar: Schneider Electric's Power Monitoring Expert - Affinity Energy There's no great mystery around power quality. You don't have to be an expert to be able to analyze, root cause, and identify actionable items. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, November 14, 2017 at 9:27 AM There is unseen value in connecting standalone equipment into a controls system to help it all work better together. https://goo.gl/WexifW Webinar: 7 Unique Ways to Optimize Solar Trackers - Affinity Energy With the sheer amount of data collected by trackers in particular, there are many opportunities to optimize solar output. goo.gl There is unseen value in connecting standalone equipment into a controls system to help it all work better together. https://goo.gl/WexifW Webinar: 7 Unique Ways to Optimize Solar Trackers - Affinity Energy With the sheer amount of data collected by trackers in particular, there are many opportunities to optimize solar output. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, November 7, 2017 at 10:22 AM IRIG-B exists because it’s deterministic. Once the signal is sent out from the clock, we know exactly how long it will take to arrive and be recognized by the pieces of equipment connected to the clock. https://goo.gl/BbNomE Why You Should Use IRIG-B, Not NTP Server When you design your time-sensitive applications and systems, make sure devices that record events are synchronized using a GPS... Read More IRIG-B exists because it’s deterministic. Once the signal is sent out from the clock, we know exactly how long it will take to arrive and be recognized by the pieces of equipment connected to the clock. https://goo.gl/BbNomE Why You Should Use IRIG-B, Not NTP Server When you design your time-sensitive applications and systems, make sure devices that record events are synchronized using a GPS clock and IRIG-B protocol. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, November 1, 2017 at 8:56 AM EPMS tools that provide real-time power consumption information. https://goo.gl/NjGxAZ EPMS Services in 60 Seconds - YouTube Did you know some energy efficient strategies like LED light bulbs and variable speed motors might actually cause power quality issues that permanently damag... goo.gl EPMS tools that provide real-time power consumption information. https://goo.gl/NjGxAZ EPMS Services in 60 Seconds - YouTube Did you know some energy efficient strategies like LED light bulbs and variable speed motors might actually cause power quality issues that permanently damag... goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, October 31, 2017 at 10:45 AM Here are some solutions to keep in mind to reduce PV soiling. https://goo.gl/cmkaQG Increase PV Solar Panel Efficiency Through Soiling Monitoring - Affinity Energy In most cases, soiling takes care of itself through rain/wind storms. However, sometimes its effects become a negative impact on solar panel efficiency. goo.gl Here are some solutions to keep in mind to reduce PV soiling. https://goo.gl/cmkaQG Increase PV Solar Panel Efficiency Through Soiling Monitoring - Affinity Energy In most cases, soiling takes care of itself through rain/wind storms. However, sometimes its effects become a negative impact on solar panel efficiency. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, October 24, 2017 at 8:55 AM Smart plug strips (aka rack PDU) seem to be a very logical place to monitor loads. However, if you skip the PDU branch breakers and just monitor the plug-strips, you can create monitoring gaps. https://goo.gl/DpxEYP 20 Amp Circuit Breakers: a Blind Spot in Data Center Reliability - Affinity Energy Engineering costs in data center power reliability, redundancy, and backups should show you how... Read More Smart plug strips (aka rack PDU) seem to be a very logical place to monitor loads. However, if you skip the PDU branch breakers and just monitor the plug-strips, you can create monitoring gaps. https://goo.gl/DpxEYP 20 Amp Circuit Breakers: a Blind Spot in Data Center Reliability - Affinity Energy Engineering costs in data center power reliability, redundancy, and backups should show you how important monitoring a PDU branch circuit breaker really is. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedMonday, October 23, 2017 at 9:39 AM These technology trends should be at the top of the list of considerations when evaluating the current SCADA system and whether or not to upgrade. http://bit.ly/2gC5iEl | Plant Engineering SCADA systems are rapidly advancing and companies should consider upgrading their software whenever possible because it will increase interactivity, planning, and communication within a company and improve... Read More These technology trends should be at the top of the list of considerations when evaluating the current SCADA system and whether or not to upgrade. http://bit.ly/2gC5iEl | Plant Engineering SCADA systems are rapidly advancing and companies should consider upgrading their software whenever possible because it will increase interactivity, planning, and communication within a company and improve the overall return on investment (ROI). bit.ly Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:54 AM Now co-op utilities can use solar in applications they may not have considered before. https://youtu.be/Fk1fHK5ko-A?utm_source=csia-exchange&utm_medium=updates&utm_campaign=I%26C-short-tips-helping-co-op-utilities-implement-solar I&C Short Tips - Helping Co-op Utilities Implement Solar A low-cost controls approach might enable small utilities to implement solar power in areas they might not... Read More Now co-op utilities can use solar in applications they may not have considered before. https://youtu.be/Fk1fHK5ko-A?utm_source=csia-exchange&utm_medium=updates&utm_campaign=I%26C-short-tips-helping-co-op-utilities-implement-solar I&C Short Tips - Helping Co-op Utilities Implement Solar A low-cost controls approach might enable small utilities to implement solar power in areas they might not have thought practical. Learn more at https://affinityenergy.com youtu.be Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, October 17, 2017 at 10:27 AM Is it really necessary to move solar trackers as close to the path of the sun as possible? https://goo.gl/p7f5Ay Moving a Solar Tracking System More Than Once Every Hour is Pointless - Affinity Energy Solar tracker systems don’t actually need to track the sun so dutifully. Small solar tracking system movements don’t actually provide more energy. goo.gl Is it really necessary to move solar trackers as close to the path of the sun as possible? https://goo.gl/p7f5Ay Moving a Solar Tracking System More Than Once Every Hour is Pointless - Affinity Energy Solar tracker systems don’t actually need to track the sun so dutifully. Small solar tracking system movements don’t actually provide more energy. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedWednesday, October 11, 2017 at 2:46 PM How can QFs show they’re a valuable generation asset? https://goo.gl/goKQvf Webinar: Why Implement Active Power Curtailment on QF Sites? - Affinity Energy Active power curtailment isn’t just about flipping a switch to turn a PV site on or off. It’s having the controls to adjust site output between 0% & 100%. goo.gl How can QFs show they’re a valuable generation asset? https://goo.gl/goKQvf Webinar: Why Implement Active Power Curtailment on QF Sites? - Affinity Energy Active power curtailment isn’t just about flipping a switch to turn a PV site on or off. It’s having the controls to adjust site output between 0% & 100%. goo.gl Read Less
Affinity Energy LLC, shared an update PostedTuesday, October 10, 2017 at 9:54 AM A distributed SCADA architecture can become inefficient with growth. Most prefer a more centralized approach, as the costs of maintaining the various systems become a challenge over time. https://goo.gl/ihrucy Multiple Facilities: Switching from Distributed to Centralized SCADA Architecture - Affinity Energy SCADA should begin with the end in mind: a project manager’s perspective. By: Ayanna... Read More A distributed SCADA architecture can become inefficient with growth. Most prefer a more centralized approach, as the costs of maintaining the various systems become a challenge over time. https://goo.gl/ihrucy Multiple Facilities: Switching from Distributed to Centralized SCADA Architecture - Affinity Energy SCADA should begin with the end in mind: a project manager’s perspective. By: Ayanna Edwards As campuses and facilities expand, … goo.gl Read Less