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  • Product Certificates
    Solar
0 Suppliers

Creating a world sustained by clean energy requires education, transparency, and trust. At SolarCellz USA, we invest in business solutions to reduce customer risk and the partner education that empowers their decision-making. We’re building smarter customers and a smarter marketplace.

  • MPPT Charge Controller, Solar Battery, Solar inverter, Grid Tie Inverters, Mobile Inverters, Solar Panel
  • United States
  • United States

CSE Solar Solutions USA is a factory dealer brand name products of the highest quality.

  • Charge Controllers, Rapid Shutdowns, Ballasted Mounting Solar System, Pole Mount, Solar Battery, Lithium-Ion Battery, Solar Generator, Solar inverter, Grid Tie Inverters, Hybrid Inverters, Inverter Accessories, Microinverter, Mobile Inverters, Off Grid Inverters, Solar Panel
  • United States
  • United States

Nestled in the heart of the southeast valley of Phoenix, Arizona, where the scorching sun meets the resilient SanTan mountain, SanTan Solar emerges as a beacon of sustainability and innovation. The arid landscapes and relentless sunshine of SanTan mountain have inspired our journey towards a future powered by renewable energy. At SanTan Solar, our vision is clear: we aspire to contribute to a sustainable world where solar energy takes center [...]

  • Charge Controllers, MPPT Charge Controller, Solar Battery, Solar inverter, Grid Tie Inverters, Inverter Remote, Off Grid Inverters, Solar Panel, Mono, Poly
  • United States
  • United States

Solar Penny is a distributor and online seller of solar and electrical supplies in Mesa, Arizona providing their customers with high quality products that can be shipped across the [...]

  • Charge Controllers, Mounting System, Rail Mounting System, PV Cable, Solar Battery, Battery Cable, Solar inverter, Solar Panel, Mono, Thin Film
  • United States
  • United States

In the radiant realm of renewable energy, ACOSolar stands as a beacon of innovation and accessibility. Born from a vision to illuminate the world with sustainable power, our journey began with a commitment to redefine the solar marketplace. As a premier online destination, ACOSolar proudly curates a comprehensive selection of solar panels, inverters, batteries, charge controllers, trackers, and rackings tailored for both residential and [...]

  • Charge Controllers, Mounting System, Ground Mount Systems, Solar Battery, Battery Chargers, Solar inverter, Grid Tie Inverters, Microinverter, Solar Panel
  • United States
  • United States

Zonna Energy, a distinguished player in the solar energy sector, stands apart as more than just a solar equipment supplier. Boasting decades of collective experience in off-grid solar installations, the Zonna team recognizes the challenges inherent in securing the ideal combination of Solar Panels, Batteries, Racking, Inverters, and Charge Controllers for each unique project. Choosing Zonna Energy means aligning with a partner that comprehends [...]

  • Charge Controllers, Solar Battery, Flooded Lead Acid Battery, Gel Battery, Lithium-Ion Battery, Solar inverter, Power Optimizers
  • United States
  • United States

SBM Solar is a pioneer in the research, development, and manufacturing of non-glass solar technology. Located in North Carolina, SBM Solar's PV panels are: - 40-50% lighter than glass panels (perfect for applications or roofs with weight restrictions) - Shatterproof and durable (IEC certified for hail impact resistance) - More transparent than glass, thus more efficient with less glare - Customizable and building integration [...]

  • Charge Controllers
  • United States
  • United States

ICellpower is a world leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of inverters,deep cycle batteries for the alternative energy market. With our R & D team in Hong Kong and production line in Shenzhen, we are constantly working towards pioneering cutting edge technology for alternative energy solutions. ​ ​ We manufacture high Inverters,deep cycle batteries .   ICellpower Inverter/chargers are available for various [...]

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

Sun Electronics International Inc. emerged from the visionary drive of its founder, John Kimball, who, in 1989, recognized the escalating need for reliable back-up power systems in response to frequent power outages in South America. Today, the company thrives across three major markets, showcasing its commitment to sustainable energy solutions. Our primary focus lies in solar power applications, catering to both on-grid and off-grid residential [...]

  • MPPT Charge Controller, Solar inverter, Grid Tie Inverters, Off Grid Inverters, Solar Panel, Mono, Poly
  • United States
  • United States

Sun-In-One™ is dedicated to engineering the most efficient solar-powered plug and play kit solutions for every-day applications such as our solar sign lighting kits, security camera power unit kits, solar shed lighting and power kits, bus shelter lighting kits, mail box lighting kits, traffic counting power unit kits, Sun-in-One Sky Eye streetlights, and landscape lighting power units kits. Where reliable energy is critical, our [...]

  • Series Voltage Regulators
  • United States
  • United States

Our roots at Zamp Solar® came from humble beginnings where we sold off-grid solar kits from a small garage in 2010. In less than one year, we grew into a 2,500 square foot facility. Demand quickly increased and our team recognized a need in the RV market for high-quality off-grid solar solutions. In response we developed a strong network of dealers. In the short ten years of rapid growth, Zamp Solar® quickly expanded from an exclusive RV [...]

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

Increasing evidence of climate change is forcing businesses to play an active role in reducing sustainability burdens and preserving resources for future generations. We believe that we are actively contributing to environmental awareness and provide our customers the benefits of green energy. Innovative technology in the field of solar energy brings on the market advanced, technically improved products. They are characterized by higher energy [...]

  • Shunt Regulators
  • United States
  • United States

Founded in 2005, RICH SOLAR is the leading supplier of off-grid solar equipment for RV, agriculture, off-grid housing, marine, light industrial and heavy equipment, provides solar panels and other equipment, including solar charge controllers, inverters, batteries and complete do-it-yourself solar kits. We’d love to work with you to create the perfect solar solution for your product or industry. Lead your industry and increase product value by [...]

  • PWM Regulator
  • United States
  • United States

Sunperfect Solar, Inc. is a turnkey, full service, solar panel manufacturing and engineering company based in Silicon Valley, California. We have fulfillment warehouse in both South San Francisco and Torrance in California. We are ready to ship out products per your request. Our solar module is certified to UL1703 and shown on CEC listing. Our factory is Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy Science & Technology Co., Ltd which was established since [...]

  • Charge Controllers
  • United States
  • United States

We specialize in bringing you the latest and best solar power systems available. We have been recognized as leaders in solar-progressive.

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

First and foremost, Ameresco Solar is a design, engineering, and solar integration company that specializes in creating custom off-grid systems. We excel in developing both small and large scale systems for industrial customers in oil and gas, railroad, telecommunications, security, water pumping and management, traffic, and other sectors.

  • Charge Controllers
  • United States
  • United States

Since the 1930s, HZ Electric Supply (HZ) has been an integral part of the New England community, offering a comprehensive range of electrical supplies and captivating lighting designs for industrial, commercial, and residential customers. Affectionately known as "Hampden Zimmerman" or "Zimmies" locally, our roots trace back to the vibrant merger of Hampden Electric Supply and MW Zimmerman Electric Supply in the mid-1980s, marking the inception [...]

  • Shunt Regulators, Electric Panel, Solar Street Light
  • United States
  • United States

At Thermo King, our whole mission is about improving the quality of life. Our products and people deliver peace of mind to our customers by ensuring passengers and temperature-sensitive goods make it to their destinations safely and efficiently. Our goal is to ensure that we make that process simple and easy to do. Thousands of Thermo King employees work to improve the quality of life by helping you move products that are temperature critical. [...]

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

NanoPV technologies Inc., was incorporated in 2005 with nearly 20 years of experience in solar cell technologies, panel manufacturing and system integration. NanoPV is an US, Princeton, New Jersey based company with projects executed at various locations globally. NanoPV has crystalline silicon and thin film silicon solar panel manufacturing facilities as well as solar farms using NanoPV technologies in various global locations. Today, NanoPV is [...]

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

Next Energy Alliance’s primary mission and purpose are to network and link arms with those who have a passion for the solar industry. Connecting sales organizations and solar installers nationwide. Providing an organization full of like-minded individuals from small to large businesses. Our goal is to bring a code of ethics to the industry and operate with integrity and transparency. The Alliance members will be competitive by coming together [...]

  • Shunt Regulators
  • United States
  • United States

In the picturesque coastal town of Ventura, California, a visionary named Josh Antelman laid the foundation for WindyNation in 2010. Driven by a passion for environmental sustainability and a commitment to diminishing reliance on fossil fuels, Josh embarked on a mission to make alternative power solutions accessible globally. WindyNation's journey began with the meticulous assembly of wind turbines and solar panels, each product meticulously [...]

  • Charge Controllers, PV Cable, Solar Battery, Solar inverter, Solar Panel, Mono, Poly
  • United States
  • United States

Improving Mobility, Endurance, Mission Effectiveness Vision: At Nishati we believe in challenging conventional views of portable and distributed power and energy, and then innovating to deliver solutions that improve customer capabilities and support their mission success. Our innovations apply cutting edge power and lightweight materials technologies in creative designs that push the state of art and open new operational possibilities. Mission: [...]

  • Charge Controllers
  • United States
  • United States

For years we’ve seen the growth in the need for remote power. Power to feed remote equipment where no outlet exists; power that increases our ability to automate far off applications, and; power that is renewable and self-sustaining. While the task to marry “power” to “renewable” and keep it cost-effective presents it own obstacles, the ability to have it stand strong against the harshest elements requires a behemoth of strength. Our [...]

  • Charge Controllers
  • United States
  • United States

Universal Solar offers qualifying ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 2009) Solar Panels. Click the ARRA logo for more information. Welcome to Universal Solar. We are the solar energy component of Wanxiang America Corporation. Universal Solar is poised to become one of the world's largest manufacturers of solar panels and solar modules by leveraging our technological breakthroughs with our large-scale manufacturing capabilities in [...]

  • PWM Regulator
  • United States
  • United States

Since its foundation in 1986 Interplax Solar has grown to become one of the leaders in the field of solar energy systems for a wide variety of marketplaces.   Interplax Solar is a leading provider of Innovative Solar Solutions. With offices worldwide, our global reach allows us to draw upon resources and talent to design, develop and distribute superior Solar Systems and products. Our team strives to deliver high-quality,high-performance [...]

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

WirthCo Engineering, Inc. is entering our fourth decade as a prime manufacturer of practical products for making life easier and safer - at home, in the workplace, on the road, in the campground and on the water. We are grateful for valued employees and customers and we are dedicated to continuing growth based upon integrity and service. We are also proud of our history of providing innovative, quality products.

  • MPPT Charge Controller
  • United States
  • United States

Darfon Electronics Corporation, established in 1997, is a Taiwan-based company with global offices in the United States, the Czech Republic and South Korea. It is one of sixteen independently operated companies in the BenQ Group. Darfon recorded consolidated annual sales revenue of approximately $1 billion USD and employs 16,200 people worldwide. Darfon is the world's leading notebook keyboard and power supply manufacturer. In the past 16 years, [...]

  • Series Voltage Regulators
  • United States
  • United States

Hightec Solar Inc. is a solar panel manufacturer based in Michigan City, Indiana. They strive to provide their customers with the highest quality panels in the marketplace, and are proud to be one of only two manufacturers nationwide to use the cutting-edge technology that they do! Hightec Solar produces 12 volt panels and residential 24 volt panels at their 50,000 square foot facility. All Hightec Solar panels are proudly designed and [...]

  • Shunt Regulators
  • United States
  • United States

United States

The Solar Potential of USA

According to a 1998 report by the United States Department of Energy, it has been discovered that available domestic solar energy, including biomass, was technically accessible regardless of cost amounted to 586,687 Quadrillion BTUs (Quads). Of that number, 95% was biomass. Coal represented the second largest resource, with 38,147 Quads. Predictions of how much solar power was economically possible to collect added up to 352 quads, compared with 5,266 quads from coal.

All the estimations that were used in the report were based on a prediction that the price of a barrel oil would become $38 in 2010. Additionally, they were also based on multiplied annual renewable resources by 30 for comparison with non-renewable resources. In 2007, the total annual energy consumption of the United States was about 100 Quads, which was less than 0.5% of what is theoretically available from sunlight.

Moreover, in 2012, a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) described the technically available renewable energy resources for each state. In addition to that, the report estimated that urban utility-scale photovoltaics could supply 2,232 TWh per year, rural utility-scale PV 280,613 TWh per year, rooftop PV 818 TWh per year, and CSP 116,146 TWh per year. All these amounted for a total of almost 400,000 TWh per year, which was 100 times the current consumption of 3,856 TWh in 2011. For comparison, at the time, onshore wind potential was estimated at 32,784 TWh per year, offshore wind at 16,976 TWh per year, and the total available from all renewable resources was estimated at 481,963 TWh per year.

 

United States Government Support

A complete list of incentives can be found at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE). A lot of solar power systems are grid-connected and use net metering laws to allow the use of electricity in the evening that was generated during the daytime. New Jersey is the state with the least restrictive net metering law while California is the one that has the most number of homes that have solar panels installed.

Many were installed because of the million solar roofs initiative, which entails a vision introduced back in 2007 where solar PV panels are to be installed on an additional million rooftops of home or businesses in the state of California by 2018.

In some states, like Florida, solar power is subject to legal restrictions that discourage its use.

Federal Tax Credit

The federal tax credit for solar was extended for eight years as part of the financial bailout bill, H.R. 1424, until the end of 2016. It was predicted that this will create about 440,000 jobs and 28 GW of solar power. Additionally, it was also predicted that this will lead to a $300 billion market for solar panels. This prediction did not take into account the removal of the $2,000 cap on residential tax credits at the end of 2008.

Moreover, a 30% tax credit is available for residential and commercial installations. For 2009 through 2011, this was a 30% grant instead of a tax credit, and at the time, it was known as the 1603 grant program.

The federal Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit, an income tax credit on IRS Form 5695, for residential PV and solar thermal was extended in December 2015 to remain at 30% of system cost (parts and installations) for systems that are put into service by the end of 2019, then 26% until the end of 2020, and then 22% until the end of 2021. This applies to a taxpayer’s principal and/or second residences, but this can’t be applied to a property that is rented out. There is no maximum cap on the credit, and the credit can be applied toward the Alternative Minimum Tax. Any excess credit (greater than that year’s tax liability) can be rolled into the following year.

The solar industry and utilities clashed extensively on renewal, but the solar industry won. The renewal is expected to add $38 billion of investment for 20 GW of solar.

Section 1603 Grants

President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill in 2009 created a program known as Section 1603 grants. This program was designed so as to give federal grants to solar companies for 30% of investments into solar energy. Since 2009, the federal government has given solar companies $25 billion in grant money through this program. However, the Section 1603 grant program expired in 2011.

The United States Treasury Department has been investigating solar companies for potential fraud since 2013. The department promised a report by June 2015, but the report had not been released as of 2016.

Solar America Initiative

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced on September 29, 2008, that it will invest $17.6 million, subject to annual appropriations, in six company-led, early-stage PV projects under the Solar America Initiative’s “PV Incubator” funding opportunity. The PV Incubator project is designed to fund prototype PV components and systems with the goal of moving them through the commercialization process by 2010. The 2008 award is the second funding opportunity released under the PV Incubator project. With the cost-share from the industry, which is at least 20%, up to $35.4 million would be invested in these projects. These projects would run for 18 months and are subcontracted through DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Most of the projects were to receive up to $3 million in funding, except Solasta and Spire Semiconductor which would receive up to $2.6 million and $2.97 million, respectively. Some of the projects under this initiative include:

  • Massachusetts-based 1366 Technologies developing a new cell architecture for low-cost, multi-crystalline silicon cells, which will enhance cell performance through improved light-trapping texturing and grooves for self-aligned metallization fingers
  • California’s Innovalight using ink-jet printing to transfer their “silicon ink” onto thin-crystalline silicon wafers so as to produce high-efficiency and low-cost solar cells and modules
  • Skyline Solar, also in California, developing an integrated, lightweight, and single-axis tracked system that reflects and concentrates sunlight over 10 times onto silicon cells
  • Solasta, in Massachusetts, working on a novel cell design that increases currents and lowers materials cost
  • Solexel, another California-based company, commercializing a disruptive, 3D high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon cell technology that dramatically reduces manufacturing cost per watt
  • Spire Semiconductor in New Hampshire developing three-junction tandem solar cells that better optimize the optical properties of their device layers. This company is targeting cell efficiencies over 42% using a low-cost manufacturing method.

The PV Incubator project is part of the Solar America Initiative (SAI), which plans to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015 (grid parity).

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP) will achieve the goals of the SAI through partnerships and strategic alliances by focusing mainly on four areas. These are:

  • Market Transformation: activities that address marketplace barriers and offer the chance for market expansion
  • Device and Process Proof of Concept: R&D activities addressing novel devices or processes with a potentially significant performance or cost advantages
  • Component Prototype and Pilot-Scale Production: R&D activities emphasizing the development of prototype PV components or systems that are produced at pilot-scale with demonstrated cost, reliability, or performance advantages
  • System Development and Manufacturing: collaborative R&D activities among industry and university partners to develop and improve solar energy technologies

Another thing that is a part of the Solar America Initiative is the Solar America Showcase. For this activity, preference is given to large-scale, highly visible, and highly replicable installations that involve cutting-edge solar technologies or novel applications of solar.

SunShot Initiative

Announced by the Department of Energy in 2011, the SunShot Initiative aims to reduce the cost of solar power by 75% from 2010 to 2020. In great detail, this initiative’s goals are as follows:

  • Residential system prices reduced from $6/W to $1.50/W
  • Commercial system prices reduced from $5/W to $1.25/W
  • Utility-scale system prices reduced from $4/W to $1/W (CSP, CPV, and PV)

Additionally, the Department of Energy announced a $29 million investment in four projects that would help advance affordable and reliable clean energy for American families and businesses. The $29 million would be separated into two investments:

  • $21 million investment over five years to design plug-and-play PV systems that can be purchased, installed, and operational in one day
  • $8 million investment in two projects to help utilities and grid operators better forecast when, where, and how much solar power will be produced at U.S. solar energy plants

Other projects under the SunShot Initiative are the following:

  • Fraunhofer USA’s Center for Sustainable Energy Systems in Cambridge, Massachusetts developing PV technologies that allow homeowners to easily select the right solar system for their house and install, wire and connect to the grid
  • North Carolina State University leading a project to create standard PV components and system designs that can adapt simply to any residential roof and can be installed and connected to the grid quickly and efficiently
  • IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Armonk, New York leading a new project based on the Watson computer system that uses big data processing and self-adjusting algorithms to integrate different prediction models and learning technologies

All these projects are working with the Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to improve the accuracy of solar forecasts and share the results of this work with industry and academia.

State and Local

There have been numerous instances throughout the years that showcase the efforts that state and local government officials have undergone to make solar possible. The following are the most well-known of these instances:

  • Governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation requiring California’s utilities to get 50% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by the end of 2030.
  • The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed solar incentives of up to $6,000 for homeowners and up to $10,000 for businesses. Applications for the program started on July 1, 2008. In April 2016, they passed a law that requires all new buildings below 10 stories to have rooftop solar panels. This made San Francisco the first major U.S. city to do so.
  • In 2008, Berkeley initiated a revolutionary pilot program where homeowners are able to add the cost of solar panels to their property tax assessment and pay for them out of their electricity cost savings. In 2009, over a dozen states passed legislation allowing property tax financing. All in all, 27 states offer loans for solar projects.
  • The California Solar Initiative has set a goal to create 3,000 MW of new, solar-produced electricity by 2016.
  • New Hampshire has a $3,750 residential rebate program for up to 50% of system cost for systems less than 5 kWp ($6,000 from July 1, 2008, until 2010).
  • Louisiana has a 50% tax credit up to $12,500 for the installation of a wind or solar system.
  • New Jersey law provides new solar power installations with exemptions from the 7% state sales tax and from any increase in property assessment (local property tax increases), subject to certain registration requirements.

Feed-in Tariff

According to experience, a feed-in tariff is both the least expensive and the most effective means of developing solar power. This is because investors need certainty, and a feed-in tariff definitely gives them that.

California enacted a feed-in tariff that began on February 14, 2008, while Washington has a feed-in tariff of 15¢/kWh which increases to 54¢/kWh if components are manufactured in the state. Hawaii, Michigan, and Vermont also have feed-in tariffs.

In 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory (FERC) ruled that states were able to implement above-market feed-in tariffs for specific technologies.

Solar Renewable Energy Certificates

In recent years, states that have passed the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) laws have relied on the use of solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) to meet state requirements. They have achieved this by adding a specific solar carve-out to the state RPS. The first SREC program was implemented in 2005 by New Jersey. Soon enough, this program has expanded to several other states, including Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

SREC offers many advantages, but one of its major problems is the lack of certainty for investors. A feed-in tariff provides a known return on investment, but an SREC program provides only a possible return of investment.

Power Purchase Agreement

In 2006, investors started offering free solar panel installation in return for a 25-year contract. They also began offering a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which is a contract between two parties — one which generates electricity (the seller) and one which is looking to purchase electricity (the buyer).

By 2009, over 90% of commercial PV installed in the United States were installed using a PPA. About 90% of the PV installed in the United States is in states that specifically address PPAs.

New Construction Mandates

In March 2013, Lancaster California became the first U.S. city to mandate the inclusion of solar panels on new homes, requiring that every new housing development must average 1 kW per house.

PACE Financing

The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing is a means of financing energy efficiency upgrades, disaster resiliency improvements, water conservation measures, or renewable energy installations of residential, commercial, and industrial property owners. This innovative financing arrangement lends money to a homeowner for a solar system, to be repaid via an additional tax assessment on the property for 20 years. This kind of financing arrangement allows the installation of the solar system at “relatively little up-front cost to the property owner.”

The principal feature of this program is that the balance of the loan is transferred to the new owners in the event the property is sold, and the loan is paid for entirely through electric bill savings. Unlike a mortgage loan, no funds are transferred when the property is sold — only the repayment obligation is transferred.

PACE programs are currently operating in eight states, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Additionally, they are on hold in many other states.

Current Status of Solar Power in the United States

Published on June 2019, the report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables, a market research group, have discovered that the first quarter of 2019 was the strongest in the U.S. solar industry’s history. A total of 2.7 GW of solar capacity was added to the grid at this time.

Aside from that, new solar installations should grow 25% from 2018, thus amounting to 13.3 GW. This bounceback — after solar installations dipped 2% last year — was driven by larger-scale utility solar projects, which account for 61% of the first quarter’s growth.

This development is a remarkable change from what was expected last year when President Trump announced that he was putting tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. During this time, the industry was worried that the tariffs would hinder solar. However, solar installations shot past the 2-million mark this year instead.

Moreover, the industry expects this growth to continue well past 2019. A number of U.S. utilities have solar projects in the works, and they should be a reality by 2024. And both residential and non-residential solar markets have grown tremendously over the years. Overall, solar power in the United States is currently on an uphill climb.

Charge Controllers used for below projects in United States

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Charge Controllers

Wholesale Solar Charge Controllers Suppliers

Sometimes called “Solar Regulators“, a solar charge controller is basically a device that controls voltage or current that charges the battery so that electric cells do not get overcharged. A charge controller controls the voltage and current coming from the solar panels and move to the electric cell. 

Roughly, 12V boards or panels generate around 16 to 20V, and without any regulation, the voltage will damage the electric cells through overcharging. Usually, electric storage devices need nearly 14 to 14.5V to get fully charged. The solar charge controllers are available in different features, sizes, and costs. The range of charge controllers starts from 4.5A, 60 to 80A.   

Why Charge Controllers for PV Systems?

  • To protect the battery (12V) from overcharging
  • To minimize system maintenance and increase the battery life
  • To indicate auto-charge
  • To monitor the reverse current flow.

Solar power systems mostly use 12V batteries. Solar panels can carry more voltage than required to charge the battery. Charge controllers can keep the voltage of the electronic storage at the optimum level. 

This way, solar systems work at their best efficiency level. By running higher voltage in the wires from the solar panels to the charge controller, power transmission through the wires is reduced.

Types of Solar Charge Controllers

There are three main types of solar charge controllers:

  • Simple 1 or 2 Controls: This type of charge controller has shunt transistors to control the voltage in one or two steps. The controller regulates the voltage in the solar panel after reaching a certain point.
  • Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT): The MPPT solar charge controller identifies the best working voltage and amperage of solar panels and matches that with the electric cell bank. The outcome is additional 10-30% more power output than other controllers.
  • PWM (Pulse Width Modulated): These are the conventional types of charge controllers and are currently considered as the industry standard.

Get the Best Quality Solar Regulator from SolarFeeds

As a multiple wholesale vendor eCommerce marketplaces, our website lists a wide range of reputable brands of Solar PWM/MPPT Charge Controllers from manufacturers. These charge controllers perfectly work as electronic DC-to-DC converters that optimize the match between the solar array (PV panels), the battery bank, or the utility grid. 

The charge controllers convert a higher voltage DC output from solar panels into the lower voltage needed to charge batteries. 

You can also buy wholesale multifunction solar charge controllers, which are based on Microcontroller technology. These multifunction solar charge controllers have become popular for their excellent performances. They are used to convert regular UPS/inverters into a Solar power Conditioning Unit (PCU).

Check out our website for various wholesale solar charge controller manufacturers, and buy them in bulk at a low cost. 

You can get long-term benefits from buying wholesale solar charge controllers directly from manufacturers for expanding your business and increasing revenues. Drop us an email with your questions at info@solarfeeds.com.

Wholesalers

Solar Products Wholesalers 

Wholesaling refers to buying some products or goods directly from its manufacturer usually at a discount and then reselling it to the retailers for a comparatively higher cost than the original. Basically, wholesalers handle products and package them in small quantities and then sell them to retail customers, either for commercial or personal use. 

Many industries have wholesalers, and that will not skip the solar industries. Nowadays, many solar wholesale stores/firms are operating across the globe, making it much easier for retailers to go solar. Sometimes retailers find it hard to reach direct manufacturers of solar products because some companies do not have their solar stores/shops in public, with that they are not also offering solar products per piece. Through wholesale solar stores/shops, these individuals can easily buy the solar products that they need to replace or maintain their solar systems. 

If you are in need of solar product suppliers for an individual purpose, you may visit some solar outsourcing marketplace to get an updated list of solar wholesalers near your location. There are many solar platforms that provide enough information and data about the solar industry in your region, including all the reliable solar wholesalers in town.

United States

The Solar Potential of USA

According to a 1998 report by the United States Department of Energy, it has been discovered that available domestic solar energy, including biomass, was technically accessible regardless of cost amounted to 586,687 Quadrillion BTUs (Quads). Of that number, 95% was biomass. Coal represented the second largest resource, with 38,147 Quads. Predictions of how much solar power was economically possible to collect added up to 352 quads, compared with 5,266 quads from coal.

All the estimations that were used in the report were based on a prediction that the price of a barrel oil would become $38 in 2010. Additionally, they were also based on multiplied annual renewable resources by 30 for comparison with non-renewable resources. In 2007, the total annual energy consumption of the United States was about 100 Quads, which was less than 0.5% of what is theoretically available from sunlight.

Moreover, in 2012, a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) described the technically available renewable energy resources for each state. In addition to that, the report estimated that urban utility-scale photovoltaics could supply 2,232 TWh per year, rural utility-scale PV 280,613 TWh per year, rooftop PV 818 TWh per year, and CSP 116,146 TWh per year. All these amounted for a total of almost 400,000 TWh per year, which was 100 times the current consumption of 3,856 TWh in 2011. For comparison, at the time, onshore wind potential was estimated at 32,784 TWh per year, offshore wind at 16,976 TWh per year, and the total available from all renewable resources was estimated at 481,963 TWh per year.

 

United States Government Support

A complete list of incentives can be found at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE). A lot of solar power systems are grid-connected and use net metering laws to allow the use of electricity in the evening that was generated during the daytime. New Jersey is the state with the least restrictive net metering law while California is the one that has the most number of homes that have solar panels installed.

Many were installed because of the million solar roofs initiative, which entails a vision introduced back in 2007 where solar PV panels are to be installed on an additional million rooftops of home or businesses in the state of California by 2018.

In some states, like Florida, solar power is subject to legal restrictions that discourage its use.

Federal Tax Credit

The federal tax credit for solar was extended for eight years as part of the financial bailout bill, H.R. 1424, until the end of 2016. It was predicted that this will create about 440,000 jobs and 28 GW of solar power. Additionally, it was also predicted that this will lead to a $300 billion market for solar panels. This prediction did not take into account the removal of the $2,000 cap on residential tax credits at the end of 2008.

Moreover, a 30% tax credit is available for residential and commercial installations. For 2009 through 2011, this was a 30% grant instead of a tax credit, and at the time, it was known as the 1603 grant program.

The federal Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit, an income tax credit on IRS Form 5695, for residential PV and solar thermal was extended in December 2015 to remain at 30% of system cost (parts and installations) for systems that are put into service by the end of 2019, then 26% until the end of 2020, and then 22% until the end of 2021. This applies to a taxpayer’s principal and/or second residences, but this can’t be applied to a property that is rented out. There is no maximum cap on the credit, and the credit can be applied toward the Alternative Minimum Tax. Any excess credit (greater than that year’s tax liability) can be rolled into the following year.

The solar industry and utilities clashed extensively on renewal, but the solar industry won. The renewal is expected to add $38 billion of investment for 20 GW of solar.

Section 1603 Grants

President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill in 2009 created a program known as Section 1603 grants. This program was designed so as to give federal grants to solar companies for 30% of investments into solar energy. Since 2009, the federal government has given solar companies $25 billion in grant money through this program. However, the Section 1603 grant program expired in 2011.

The United States Treasury Department has been investigating solar companies for potential fraud since 2013. The department promised a report by June 2015, but the report had not been released as of 2016.

Solar America Initiative

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced on September 29, 2008, that it will invest $17.6 million, subject to annual appropriations, in six company-led, early-stage PV projects under the Solar America Initiative’s “PV Incubator” funding opportunity. The PV Incubator project is designed to fund prototype PV components and systems with the goal of moving them through the commercialization process by 2010. The 2008 award is the second funding opportunity released under the PV Incubator project. With the cost-share from the industry, which is at least 20%, up to $35.4 million would be invested in these projects. These projects would run for 18 months and are subcontracted through DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Most of the projects were to receive up to $3 million in funding, except Solasta and Spire Semiconductor which would receive up to $2.6 million and $2.97 million, respectively. Some of the projects under this initiative include:

  • Massachusetts-based 1366 Technologies developing a new cell architecture for low-cost, multi-crystalline silicon cells, which will enhance cell performance through improved light-trapping texturing and grooves for self-aligned metallization fingers
  • California’s Innovalight using ink-jet printing to transfer their “silicon ink” onto thin-crystalline silicon wafers so as to produce high-efficiency and low-cost solar cells and modules
  • Skyline Solar, also in California, developing an integrated, lightweight, and single-axis tracked system that reflects and concentrates sunlight over 10 times onto silicon cells
  • Solasta, in Massachusetts, working on a novel cell design that increases currents and lowers materials cost
  • Solexel, another California-based company, commercializing a disruptive, 3D high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon cell technology that dramatically reduces manufacturing cost per watt
  • Spire Semiconductor in New Hampshire developing three-junction tandem solar cells that better optimize the optical properties of their device layers. This company is targeting cell efficiencies over 42% using a low-cost manufacturing method.

The PV Incubator project is part of the Solar America Initiative (SAI), which plans to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015 (grid parity).

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP) will achieve the goals of the SAI through partnerships and strategic alliances by focusing mainly on four areas. These are:

  • Market Transformation: activities that address marketplace barriers and offer the chance for market expansion
  • Device and Process Proof of Concept: R&D activities addressing novel devices or processes with a potentially significant performance or cost advantages
  • Component Prototype and Pilot-Scale Production: R&D activities emphasizing the development of prototype PV components or systems that are produced at pilot-scale with demonstrated cost, reliability, or performance advantages
  • System Development and Manufacturing: collaborative R&D activities among industry and university partners to develop and improve solar energy technologies

Another thing that is a part of the Solar America Initiative is the Solar America Showcase. For this activity, preference is given to large-scale, highly visible, and highly replicable installations that involve cutting-edge solar technologies or novel applications of solar.

SunShot Initiative

Announced by the Department of Energy in 2011, the SunShot Initiative aims to reduce the cost of solar power by 75% from 2010 to 2020. In great detail, this initiative’s goals are as follows:

  • Residential system prices reduced from $6/W to $1.50/W
  • Commercial system prices reduced from $5/W to $1.25/W
  • Utility-scale system prices reduced from $4/W to $1/W (CSP, CPV, and PV)

Additionally, the Department of Energy announced a $29 million investment in four projects that would help advance affordable and reliable clean energy for American families and businesses. The $29 million would be separated into two investments:

  • $21 million investment over five years to design plug-and-play PV systems that can be purchased, installed, and operational in one day
  • $8 million investment in two projects to help utilities and grid operators better forecast when, where, and how much solar power will be produced at U.S. solar energy plants

Other projects under the SunShot Initiative are the following:

  • Fraunhofer USA’s Center for Sustainable Energy Systems in Cambridge, Massachusetts developing PV technologies that allow homeowners to easily select the right solar system for their house and install, wire and connect to the grid
  • North Carolina State University leading a project to create standard PV components and system designs that can adapt simply to any residential roof and can be installed and connected to the grid quickly and efficiently
  • IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Armonk, New York leading a new project based on the Watson computer system that uses big data processing and self-adjusting algorithms to integrate different prediction models and learning technologies

All these projects are working with the Department of Energy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to improve the accuracy of solar forecasts and share the results of this work with industry and academia.

State and Local

There have been numerous instances throughout the years that showcase the efforts that state and local government officials have undergone to make solar possible. The following are the most well-known of these instances:

  • Governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation requiring California’s utilities to get 50% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by the end of 2030.
  • The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed solar incentives of up to $6,000 for homeowners and up to $10,000 for businesses. Applications for the program started on July 1, 2008. In April 2016, they passed a law that requires all new buildings below 10 stories to have rooftop solar panels. This made San Francisco the first major U.S. city to do so.
  • In 2008, Berkeley initiated a revolutionary pilot program where homeowners are able to add the cost of solar panels to their property tax assessment and pay for them out of their electricity cost savings. In 2009, over a dozen states passed legislation allowing property tax financing. All in all, 27 states offer loans for solar projects.
  • The California Solar Initiative has set a goal to create 3,000 MW of new, solar-produced electricity by 2016.
  • New Hampshire has a $3,750 residential rebate program for up to 50% of system cost for systems less than 5 kWp ($6,000 from July 1, 2008, until 2010).
  • Louisiana has a 50% tax credit up to $12,500 for the installation of a wind or solar system.
  • New Jersey law provides new solar power installations with exemptions from the 7% state sales tax and from any increase in property assessment (local property tax increases), subject to certain registration requirements.

Feed-in Tariff

According to experience, a feed-in tariff is both the least expensive and the most effective means of developing solar power. This is because investors need certainty, and a feed-in tariff definitely gives them that.

California enacted a feed-in tariff that began on February 14, 2008, while Washington has a feed-in tariff of 15¢/kWh which increases to 54¢/kWh if components are manufactured in the state. Hawaii, Michigan, and Vermont also have feed-in tariffs.

In 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory (FERC) ruled that states were able to implement above-market feed-in tariffs for specific technologies.

Solar Renewable Energy Certificates

In recent years, states that have passed the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) laws have relied on the use of solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) to meet state requirements. They have achieved this by adding a specific solar carve-out to the state RPS. The first SREC program was implemented in 2005 by New Jersey. Soon enough, this program has expanded to several other states, including Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

SREC offers many advantages, but one of its major problems is the lack of certainty for investors. A feed-in tariff provides a known return on investment, but an SREC program provides only a possible return of investment.

Power Purchase Agreement

In 2006, investors started offering free solar panel installation in return for a 25-year contract. They also began offering a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which is a contract between two parties — one which generates electricity (the seller) and one which is looking to purchase electricity (the buyer).

By 2009, over 90% of commercial PV installed in the United States were installed using a PPA. About 90% of the PV installed in the United States is in states that specifically address PPAs.

New Construction Mandates

In March 2013, Lancaster California became the first U.S. city to mandate the inclusion of solar panels on new homes, requiring that every new housing development must average 1 kW per house.

PACE Financing

The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing is a means of financing energy efficiency upgrades, disaster resiliency improvements, water conservation measures, or renewable energy installations of residential, commercial, and industrial property owners. This innovative financing arrangement lends money to a homeowner for a solar system, to be repaid via an additional tax assessment on the property for 20 years. This kind of financing arrangement allows the installation of the solar system at “relatively little up-front cost to the property owner.”

The principal feature of this program is that the balance of the loan is transferred to the new owners in the event the property is sold, and the loan is paid for entirely through electric bill savings. Unlike a mortgage loan, no funds are transferred when the property is sold — only the repayment obligation is transferred.

PACE programs are currently operating in eight states, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Additionally, they are on hold in many other states.

Current Status of Solar Power in the United States

Published on June 2019, the report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables, a market research group, have discovered that the first quarter of 2019 was the strongest in the U.S. solar industry’s history. A total of 2.7 GW of solar capacity was added to the grid at this time.

Aside from that, new solar installations should grow 25% from 2018, thus amounting to 13.3 GW. This bounceback — after solar installations dipped 2% last year — was driven by larger-scale utility solar projects, which account for 61% of the first quarter’s growth.

This development is a remarkable change from what was expected last year when President Trump announced that he was putting tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. During this time, the industry was worried that the tariffs would hinder solar. However, solar installations shot past the 2-million mark this year instead.

Moreover, the industry expects this growth to continue well past 2019. A number of U.S. utilities have solar projects in the works, and they should be a reality by 2024. And both residential and non-residential solar markets have grown tremendously over the years. Overall, solar power in the United States is currently on an uphill climb.

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