Draker News

Bloomberg Radio Interview with Chach Curtis

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Click here to listen to the Bloomberg Radio interview with Chach Curtis, CEO or Draker.

Draker Clarity DC selected for 2MW utility-scale solar PV plant

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Draker is pleased to announce that it has been selected to install its fully integrated Draker AC and Clarity DC panel-to-grid (P2G) monitoring solution at a 2 MW-AC site, the largest installation to date for a fully integrated Draker AC and Clarity DC monitoring system. The solar PV plant in Massachusetts is a fixed mount, 600V system with utility grid interconnection.

“Deployment of Draker’s fully integrated AC and Clarity DC monitoring solution at this 2 MW site is a clear recognition of the improvement to levelized cost of energy (LCOE) that Draker’s innovative P2G management approach enables for utility-scale power plants,” said Draker CEO Chach Curtis. “Over 50 percent of energy losses occur on the DC side of the inverter. Draker is unique in our ability to cost-effectively provide insight into both DC and AC losses through our comprehensive P2G solutions.”

Click here to read more online at PV Magazine

Maryland Schools Complete Multiple-Array Solar Project

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Caroline County, Md., officials, Washington Gas Energy Systems Inc. and Kenyon Energy have dedicated several ground-mounted solar systems installed at the county's schools. These arrays are being monitored by industry leading hardware and software provided by Draker.

Click here to learn more.

Draker Adds Integrated California ISO-Validated Equipment

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Draker a provider of monitoring, management and control products for commercial and utility-scale PV systems, has expanded its solar PV site monitoring and SCADA control solutions to include an integrated California Independent System Operator (CAISO)-validated remote intelligent gateway (RIG) and CAISO-compliant weather stations.

Click here to learn more.

Draker Launches Solar Prospecting Package in Partnership with AWS Truepower

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Draker's PV Prospector is a self-contained data acquisition system designed for remote operation at unattended solar PV sites. During site assessment, solar resource information and other meteorological data are collected from PV Prospector over a period of between 12 and 24 months. The data is then transmitted wirelessly in near real time to Draker's servers, where it can be accessed and viewed by customers via Draker's Web application.

Read the full article online at Solar Industry Magazine

Draker joins PV Project Development Summit India 2012

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

With an agenda geared towards addressing the challenges of market competitiveness and industry sustainability, PV Project Development Summit 2012 will focus exclusively in utility-scale projects, gathering over 150 attendees from all parts of the PV value chain in India and abroad; in order to provide delegates with the views and expertise from government officials, leading developers, utilities perspectives, international technology experts and members of the entire supply chain in India, all in one place.

Read the full story online at altenergymag.com

Chach Curtis Honored for Recieving 2012 VT SBA Person of the Year Award

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Vermont’s 2012 Small Business Person of the Year Chach Curtis, CEO of Draker and Champion Award recipients will receive local honors at a gala event sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Vermont Business Magazine.

See the video interview online at WCAX.com

CarbonFree Completes 1.65 MW Solar Project

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

CarbonFree Technology, a solar project developer, has inaugurated a 1.65 MW PV project at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The system is forecast to generate approximately 2.35 GWh of electricity in its first year, offsetting 17% of the facility's annual electricity consumption. It covers 3.85 acres of roof space and uses 6,006 275 W Buy American Act-compliant solar modules made in Arizona by Suntech America Inc. Draker was chosen to provide monitoring and asset management control solutions for the project.

Read full article online at Solar Industry Magazine.

Mayor Weinberger Cites Draker in Burlington's Business Strengths

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

In an interview with the Burlington Free Press, newly-elected Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger described the strength of Burlington's private sector, noting Draker as part of the rich network of local businesses.

Read more online at Burlington Free Press.

Burlington High School PV System Commissioned

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Draker joins other Vermont Renewable Energy Businesses for PV system commissioning Ceremony. The solar arrays at Burlington High School and C.P. Smith Elementary will provide clean, renewable energy at two local schools, and will provide an estimated $300,000 in direct economic benefit to the city of Burlington. This project, located at Burlington High School and C.P. Smith Elementary School, is the largest roof-mounted solar panel array in the state of Vermont, and will produce a total of 228kW of locally generated energy.

Standard Solar Chooses Draker PV to Monitor PV Installation at Maryland School

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Draker to provide PV monitoring and controls for a 473.7 kW solar photovoltaic system at the campus of Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS), a pre-K through 12 co-ed college preparatory Quaker school in Montgomery County, Md.

Read full article online at Solar Industry Magazine

1.5 MW PV Project Online and Optimized with Draker PV Management Package

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Five months after breaking ground, the town of Prescott Valley, Ariz., and project partners have inaugurated the 1.5 MW Tank Farm solar facility in Prescott Valley.

The installation was facilitated in part by the Arizona Public Service Renewable Energy Incentive Program. Smart Energy Capital, a solar development and finance company, partnered with INDU Solar Holdings LLC and Wilson Electric of Tempe, Ariz., to build the ground-mount fixed-tilt systems.

Read full article online at Solar Industry Magazine.

Draker Continues Expansion, Outgrows Its "Laboratory"

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

“For nearly a decade, the “Laboratories” aspect of our brand identity has indicated our focus on customer-driven research and development of products and services to meet the needs of renewable energy providers,” explained Draker CEO Chach Curtis, commenting on the change in the company’s name and brand. “In changing our name to “Draker” we leverage that proud history of innovation while better communicating the depth of experience and industry-leading position we have achieved delivering monitoring, management and control systems for the solar industry. Our global utility-scale and commercial PV customers have come to trust our turnkey Draker PV Utility and Draker PV Commercial packages as widely accepted and field proven hardware, software and services solutions.”

Read more online at North American Clean Energy

Johnson Controls Brings Draker into 1 MW PV System

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

A recently completed solar installation at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant is expected to save the city of Baltimore more than $6 million over the life of the project. During its construction phase, the project further supported the local economy through the addition of 75 jobs.

As part of a performance contract with Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), a global leader in delivering solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings, the installation is helping the city reach its goal of self-generating 30 percent of its electricity. The project also aligns with the EmPOWER Maryland initiative led by Governor Martin O’Malley and the City of Baltimore’s Sustainability goals.

Read full article online at Renewable Energy World

Draker PV Helps Optimize two Commercial PV Systems in Utah

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Sustainable Power Group (sPower), based in Salt Lake City, has installed and commissioned PV systems on the rooftops of the Natural History Museum of Utah and the HPER East Building at the University of Utah.

The Natural History Museum's system is a 330 kW array, and the HPER East system is a 263 kW array. Combined, the projects consist of 2,470 Sharp photovoltaic panels covering 40,000 square feet of rooftop space.

Reaf the full article online at Solar Industry Magazine.

Draker PV Package Chosen for 1.75 MW American Samoa PV System

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

SunWize Technologies, Inc., says it has completed the largest solar installation on the island of American Samoa in the South Pacific. Backed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA), the 1.75 MW solar electric system took more than five months to install. The ASPA's new system consists of 7,308 Sharp solar panels in a fixed, ground-mounted installation.

Read the full article online at Solar Industry Magazine.

Alternative Energy Powers Vermont Businesses

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Alternative energy can power not only Vermont homes, but also Vermont businesses

Can the Vermont economy be “fueled” by renewable energy companies? Every day, the answer to this question becomes more and more clear.

From the rapid expansion of Draker, to the national leadership of NRG Systems, Northern Power Systems, GroSolar and Vermont Energy Investment Corp., and continued maturation of startups such as AllEarth Renewables, Encore Redevelopment, Northern Reliability and the Roen Report, Vermont is quickly making a name for itself in the renewable energy field. We’re creating new, high-paying jobs and bringing investment to communities throughout the state.

Read more online at the Burlington Free Press

Charles Curtis of Draker selected as Vermont SBA Small Business Person of the Year

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Charles “Chach” Curtis Jr, CEO of Draker Laboratories, Inc, Burlington, Vermont, has been named the SBA 2012 Vermont Small Business Person of the Year. Nominated by Cairn Cross, Managing Director, Fresh Tracks Capital, Curtis was selected for outstanding leadership related to his company’s staying power, employee growth, increase in sales, innovative ingenuity and contributions to the community.

Large is Becoming Larger

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The number of large rooftop photovoltaic systems being planned and built in the United States is growing, thanks to the lower price of PV modules, technological improvements, the rising number of developers active in this market segment, and the improving bankability of large PV projects. There are limits to the large rooftop segment, but developers suggest the market will expand.

Draker Enters Japanese Solar Market Through Strategic Partnership

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Draker, a provider of turnkey monitoring and asset management services for commercial and utility-scale solar photovoltaic projects, says it is entering the Japanese market through a strategic partnership with Tokyo-based EKO Instruments Co. Ltd.

In 2011, the Japanese solar PV market was the sixth largest in the world, and it is expected to grow larger as its solar feed-in-tariff program is introduced in July, Draker notes. Under the terms of the EKO partnership, EKO will handle marketing, sales, project management and installation services for Draker's commercial and utility-scale solar monitoring, asset management and control packages.

Read more online at Solar Industry Magazine

New Field Approach to Solar Array Troubleshooting

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

When it comes to managing the performance of large-scale solar plants, a variety of questions must be answered to address whether a solar system is performing well in terms of energy harvest, as well as whether or not it is cost-effective, safe, and achieving ROI expectations.

As solar systems grow in scale and complexity, engineers and field service technicians who are responsible for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of large commercial and utility-scale PV arrays must answer the following:

How do I know that the array is producing the maximum power possible at initial commissioning?
How do I know that the array is producing the maximum power potential on an ongoing basis?
How do I rapidly identify and correct faults to minimize energy loss and system downtime prior to and during on-site troubleshooting?
How do I develop a proactive and site-specific O & M plan?
How do I maximize and prove the value (ROI) of each service dispatch?
How do I minimize safety risks for equipment and personnel?

Click here to read more online at Cleantechnica.com

Click here to read more online at Solar Industry Magazine

Panel-level Monitoring - A New and Valuable O&M Tool

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Panel-level monitoring is a new and valuable weapon for array owners and O&M companies to improve financial performance and reduce risk in owning and operating large-scale solar arrays. The accuracy and insight from this new technology, coupled with intelligent Cloud-based analysis and diagnostics, bring many opportunities to improve energy output and improve efficiency in O&M activities.

As the PV solar industry matures, greater emphasis will be placed on improving the energy production and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) arrays, improving ROI and reducing financial risk. This trend is already apparent as panel and inverter manufacturers tout expanded warranties, operations and maintenance (O&M) teams sign tighter contracts assuring minimum power production guarantees and banks insist on improved system monitoring as a condition of financing.

A key hurdle to improving array lifetime performance is the lack of real understanding of how arrays deteriorate over time and the lack of detailed and accurate insight into array impairments. Energy production starts with the PV panel, but until recently, it has been difficult to detect all but the most obvious panel-level failures. However, as a result of distributed electronics, such as microinverters and optimizers, making their way into the industry, new data is available that suggests that on average, 0.6 percent of panels fail each year. The compounding effect of these failures results in a system that loses more than four percent of its energy production capability throughout its life. Contrast this with claims from major site financial backers that a one percent gain in annual output translates to a 10 percent gain in total project ROI.

Click here to read more online at Alternative Energy Magazine

Draker Monitors 2MW System in PA

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Solar Nation has announced the commissioning of a solar-electric system on Romark Logistics’ storage warehouse in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania. The system was commissioned by Romark as part of the company’s overall sustainability initiative and includes a Draker solar monitoring system.

Draker Featured in Seven Days

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In October 2011, the Burlington, VT alternative weekly Seven Days profiled Draker Labs as part of their tech issue.

Intelligent Monitoring and Optimization for Large Scale Solar Arrays

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Lincoln Renewable Energy (LRE), a developer of U.S. solar and wind projects, and Draker (formerly Solar Power Technologies), a leader in intelligent monitoring and optimization for large scale solar arrays, have announced their plans to install SPT’s Clarity(TM) monitoring and optimization system in one of the largest solar facilities in the country.

Solar Power Technologies will install the Clarity monitoring system along with its associated Intelligent Array(TM) management tools in LRE’s project, located in Fairfield Township in Cumberland. The New Jersey Oak Solar project will be the largest non-utility-owned solar project east of the Mississippi and one of the most advanced solar power plants in the US. The site is comprised of 55,000 solar panels constructed on a 100-acre site connected to Atlantic City Electric’s distribution system and is expected to be completed by year’s end.

“At LRE, our philosophy is to bring the very best technology to bear in building and operating our sites,” said Declan Flanagan, CEO of Lincoln Renewable Energy. “We are keen to explore the benefits of establishing intelligent site management processes with the Clarity system, and believe this will play a part in LRE maintaining its leadership edge.”

“We are proud to be working with LRE to help create one of the most advanced solar sites in the world,” commented Ray Burgess, CEO of Solar Power Technologies. “Our Clarity system provides the flexibility and scalability that will enable an unprecedented level of insight and control in the Oak Solar project, providing actionable O&M information based on user defined business rules without the unmanageable data overload associated with traditional string monitoring on this scale.”

Click here to read more online at SolarMash.com

Draker Brings Clarity to the Performance of Large Scale Solar Assets

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Introducing the next generation of monitoring and optimization solutions, the Clarity system

AUSTIN, Texas, September 26, 2011 – Solar Power Technologies Inc. (Draker) is pleased to introduce the Clarity system, an intelligent suite of hardware and software solutions that provide an unprecedented level of insight and control to maximize the performance of commercial and utility scale solar sites.

The Clarity system includes optimization and monitoring hardware products that can be deployed at the string or panel level to maximize energy harvest and innovative wireless communications and infrastructure products that enable scaling to the largest utility sites. The Clarity system also includes a suite of cloud-based software management tools, the Intelligent Array, that deliver clear and concise actionable information by analyzing array performance, diagnosing impairments and precisely identifying remedial action to improve financial performance of solar assets.

The unique design of the Clarity system enables optimizers and monitors to be interchanged within an array and scaled from full array coverage down to the string level or selective coverage based on site specific concerns or financial requirements. The Clarity system can pinpoint array performance problems down to the panel level with an accuracy of 0.5 percent, providing 10 times more accuracy and 10 times more granularity than large-scale monitoring systems on the market today.

Click here to see full article online at Smart Grid Electronics