February 22, 2018
Smart inverters play a key utility role and UL is working to help keep them safe and compliant
Use of solar energy continues to increase and, in response, interconnection requirements are changing to allow smarter inverters to help keep power grids stable in the face of varying conditions that occur with this renewable energy source. Smart inverters – or advanced inverters – work to intelligently manage varying conditions, and UL is working to help ensure these inverters are as safe and reliable as possible. In January, UL’s Bruce Bailey, VP of renewable energy, and Ken Boyce, Principal Engineer Director, joined Kathie Zipp on the Solar Speaks podcast to discuss.
According to Bruce and Ken, California is leading the way due to high solar penetration in the state, but other states are making progress. For example, Hawaii has a very ambitious requirement for renewables and needs to be careful with management because they’re an island grid. To help the industry, UL is focused on grid compatibility and safety in addition to inverter reliability and performance metrics.
Listen today to learn how UL can help support the growth of solar energy, and to better understand the evolution of smart grids.