The ability to meter power production from any solar PV system is an essential operations and maintenance function. In order to gain the full usable life from any solar PV system, power metering must be in place to allow agency managers to monitor performance and safety issues. For solar PV systems located on remote federal sites, the need to monitor these systems is even more important yet there are often challenges in establishing a telecommunications (network) connection to the power meters. This training focuses on options to establish a network connection on solar PV system located on remote federal sites.
Instructor
Gerald Robinson, Program Manager, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Read Bio
Gerald Robinson is an Energy manager with over 25 years’ experience initiating and completing a broad range of energy efficiency, water conservation, and renewable energy system initiatives. Gerald has an extensive track record of innovative yet practical problem solving in both the private and public sectors. Gerald’s management experience spans a wide variety of organizations including universities, municipalities, large corporations, non-governmental organizations, and federal agencies. He has gained an extensive knowledge of all phases of project development and implementation including, legal & regulatory, engineering, project finance, audits, system commissioning, specifications writing, construction management and commissioning.
Gerald is an ardent customer advocate able to work with a wide variety of stakeholders. He acts in the role of agency technical advocate drawing upon his background not only as an energy manager but also as a plant manager while at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) where he led the university through many multi-million-dollar utility infrastructure modernization and planning projects.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training, attendees will be able to:
- Describe how solar PV systems are metered and what minimum information is important to collect;
- Identify why metering is critical to properly and safely maintaining any solar PV system, especially for those located on remote federal sites;
- Identify what telecommunications options might be available for a given remote federal site;
- Describe steps to implement the procurement and installation of a network to connect power meters installed on a remote site solar PV system; and
- Identify when an independent telecommunications consultant might be useful and how to find one.
