Case Studies Archives - Morningstar Corporation https://www.morningstarcorp.com/project-category/case-studies/ The world's leading solar controllers and inverters. Wed, 15 May 2024 14:32:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-Morningstar-favicon-32x32.png Case Studies Archives - Morningstar Corporation https://www.morningstarcorp.com/project-category/case-studies/ 32 32 Dual-Energy Renewable Technology with Morningstar On-Board Helps Stricken Communities Recover and Thrive https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/powerpanel-morningstar-help-stricken-communities-recover/ Wed, 01 May 2024 14:37:03 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=26718 Summary: PowerPanel’s innovative Gen₂O systems are changing the way disaster teams respond to crises, enabling populations at risk to access clean and hot water along with electricity even under the […]

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Summary:

PowerPanel’s innovative Gen₂O systems are changing the way disaster teams respond to crises, enabling populations at risk to access clean and hot water along with electricity even under the harshest, most challenging conditions.

Systems:

Portable and integrated PowerPanel systems, featuring combined PV and solar thermal panels, energy and hot water storage, and optional water filtration, incorporating Morningstar SunSaver™ 20 (SS-20L-12V) and TriStar™ 60 (TS-60 or TS-60M)  solar charge controllers. 

In the Case of a Crisis:

In a situation of extreme distress, while the average person can survive without food for weeks, the amount of time they can get by without water is measured by just days. Equally important is the ability to communicate with the outside world—because without that, the chances of improving or ending that distressful, emergency situation remain very low.

It was a “convergence of consideration” for these essential human needs that was the inspiration for the convergence of technologies behind PowerPanel. Founded by its president Garth Schultz in 2007, the mission is simple: “do good work out in the NGO world.” That’s a reference to Non-Governmental Organizations, the type that do the “heavy lifting” during emergency situations around the globe. However, achieving something that could meet the basic needs of potable drinking water, hot water for cooking and washing, and electricity—was a complex engineering challenge. Solving it required a uniquely integrated design approach, as well as new patented photo-voltaic/thermal hybrid technology—an all-in-one, easily and quickly deployable unit that could run nearly indefinitely in a remote location. 

Solution: 

Schultz’s background and experience proved up to the task. A veteran of vehicle development on projects involving GM, Chrysler and Ford, as well as clean agriculture initiatives, he started PowerPanel as a concept that, in the company’s own words, would be “curious, creative and not conformist.” The key was in integrating both photo-voltaic energy generation and thermal solar technology, the type used for solar hot water heating into a single panel, for maximum efficiency in harnessing the sun’s output. A photovoltaic system uses sunlight to create electricity and a solar thermal system uses sunlight to generate heat.  While PV electricity from solar modules is typically just above 20% efficient, if combined with thermal solar, that efficiency can jump up to an over 80% energy harvest.

The PowerPanel dual-energy module was developed as a result of their research and is capable of outputs exceeding the best single energy source PV or solar thermal conventional types individually. The four panels used in PowerPanel’s innovative Gen₂O Portable unit can produce 2.5kW of thermal energy for water heating, along with 540W of electrical energy for powering communications and/or to power the pumps and filtering equipment to supply 200 gallons of purified water per hour simultaneously—enough “solar powered electricity, hot water, potable water in one device” as stated in the spec sheet to meet the needs of a settlement or even an entire community during an emergency.

The next step was ensuring that the output of both PV solar generated electricity and solar heated water being generated by the same integrated panel could be effectively stored for on-demand use. To achieve that, PowerPanel’s Gen₂O Portable unit combines a proprietary molded polyethylene 52 gallon/200 liter thermal storage tank with a pair of matched AGM batteries with 2.4Wh electricity storage. The electrical system can also power an optional water filtration unit as well. Two Morningstar SunSaver 20 PWM charge controllers are on-board to manage and optimize solar battery charging and ensure long-term operation.

“We originally tried another brand of charge controller. After a month of use in our application, the case actually changed color and they quit working,” says Garth Schultz. “So we switched to the Morningstar SunSaver after seeing that it was rated for oil & gas use, and figured it had to be good. It was, and we’ve never had a charge controller failure since. I even have one powering my own chicken coop at home!”

PowerPanel’s Gen₂O Portable can be easily transported on a pick-up truck. A team of several people can carry a Gen₂O to a site and set it up quickly, with all the necessary materials built-into the unique foam pallet/base itself. It takes less than 2 hours to go from unboxing to being fully operational. That became a real advantage at PowerPanel’s “trial by fire” in two challenging humanitarian crises, in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017 and most recently in the Ukraine in 2022.

The Gen₂O Portable unit deployed in Dos Bocas P.R. provided a dependable, long-term source of clean water to the small community it served. In that emergency situation, PowerPanel teamed up with Good 360, Crisis Response International and RG Resource Technologies to successfully deploy the unit. Around the world in the Ukraine, a Gen₂O Portable is providing hot water and enough electricity to serve an entire small community and keep them connected to the internet for vital communications, under extraordinary wartime conditions. 

With an optional Gen₂O storage tank added , a single Gen₂O Portable can potentially supply clean water for the daily drinking needs of a village of over 100 people indefinitely. PowerPanel also produces a larger version called the Gen₂O Integrated, which consists of 20 dual-energy PV/thermal modules and over 2kW of electricity as well as up to 700 gallons of hot water storage. Using Morningstar’s TriStar 60 controllers for the larger PV array, these rooftop-mounted units are successfully serving hotels and apartment buildings. One Caribbean hotel using the unit is realizing energy savings of $6,000 annually.

Garth Schultz says the best endorsement of his company’s technology may be the simple and grateful one from one of the people benefiting from it in the Ukraine, as translated into English: “Despite all the outside challenges, this machine has made it so we can live less stressful lives… an enormous ‘thank you’ for this wonderful equipment!”

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Viridian Energy’s hybrid solar micro-hydro system on Vancouver Island using TriStars https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/viridian-energys-hybrid-solar-micro-hydro-system-on-vancouver-island-using-tristars/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 21:25:01 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=25666 Overview: A unique hybrid solar micro-hydro system on Vancouver Island, using Morningstar TriStar controllers, provides a technological showcase for the Viridian Energy Co-Op on Vancouver Island, B.C. It is a […]

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Overview:

A unique hybrid solar micro-hydro system on Vancouver Island, using Morningstar TriStar controllers, provides a technological showcase for the Viridian Energy Co-Op on Vancouver Island, B.C. It is a remote off-grid residential “triple threat” system consisting of solar, hydro, and generator, presenting diversion load challenges met by Morningstar TriStar controllers.

System components:

– 9kW of solar panel input
– 6 Morningstar TriStar TS60 controllers,
– 7.2kW total load diversion
– 1 Schneider XW inverter, 4.8kW
– 40 kWh AGM battery bank

Situation:

The International Co-Operative Alliance defines a cooperative, or co-op, as “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically controlled enterprise.” Unlike corporations and by nature, co-ops are jointly owned and democratically controlled by the participating members and accountable to them. A socio-economic development now approaching its third century, co-ops traditionally have thrived in areas where people, driven by a strong sense of community and self-sufficiency, came together to form them to provide for themselves with basic needs, including groceries, farm supplies, and financial services (through credit unions). Other services, including energy, have also made the list of types of cooperatives, most recently with solar co-ops springing up to supply renewable electricity to individual users as well as entire communities. Viridian Energy Co-Operative is one such organization headquartered in Duncan, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, just off the west coast of Canada. Island living, with its inherent need for greater self-reliance and sufficiency, provides a thriving location for co-op development, which two decades ago placed Viridian squarely in “the right place at the right time” to become the first and now the leading supplier of solar panels and installations in the area.

Solution:

They are a “good neighbor” in the co-op tradition, donating 10% back to the communities served and supplying donated systems to some of them in need of solar to power key sustaining projects. Viridian’s diverse installation portfolio includes farms, warehouses and even lighthouses, along with single homes and entire communities, and spans both grid-tied and off-grid system design, installation and maintenance services. A newer area for the co-op is micro-hydro systems, which Viridian expects will become more commonplace as more members explore and develop sustainable living methods.

Explains Don Cameron, Viridian’s Service and Operations chief, “micro-hydro is still a relatively novel, ‘outlier’ project type for us, because it depends on specific land features—a stream and elevation at the minimum. Plus, waterways can be encumbered by numerous use restrictions and limitations, posting a permitting challenge. That makes designing such systems a highly-customized craft, with no two alike. But we expect to be doing more of them, and the lessons learned on this well-developed application requiring load diversion will help blueprint others in the future.” The system to which Don refers is a “triple threat” hybrid consisting of solar, hydro and generator produced electricity. It incorporates a 4.8 kW inverter, 40 kWh AGM batter bank, and 9kW of solar. Key to it is the need for a diversion or “dump” load, to safely “bleed off” and store the excess energy output produced by the micro-hydro turbine
during peak flow periods, particularly in winter. As Cameron describes the requirement, “think of a system needing a giant “resistor’ to divert away excess production, because without that you’d wreak havoc on inverters and potentially boil batteries. It has to go someplace. One method might be to put electric baseboard heaters outside so the electricity can be turned into heat that dissipates. But a better and less wasteful method would be to heat a reservoir of hot water that can be used for the household. That’s what we did here, for this remote homestead client.”

In this particular micro-hydro hybrid application, that entailed using an array of six Morningstar TriStar TS-60A controllers, each capable of 1.2kW to provide 7,200W of diversion control into a hot water storage system. Explains Cameron, “the system runs throughout the winter and the TriStars are enough to keep things from literally boiling over, with superior diversion load management capabilities.”

“Reliability in a dump (diversion) load scheme is crucial, “continues Don Cameron, “because should the system fail you’d cook the batteries and likely damage the rest of the electronics. We don’t worry about that with the TriStar, though—we’ve used lots of them over the past 15 years and I think we had maybe one replaced? As Service Manager, I want something that’s not even on my mind… my biggest thing is choosing components that I can forget about entirely! Morningstar TriStars are in that class.” Concludes Cameron, “I think Morningstar is cheaper for our clients in the end. There’s less chance of failure and of having to call us back out to their remote homes to fix something. For both of us, it’s all about reliability. The Morningstar TriStars always do what we need them to do… they are our one go-to for off-grid design.”

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Using Solar-Powered Flood Monitoring Systems to Make New York City Safer https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/using-solar-powered-flood-monitoring-systems-to-make-new-york-city-safer/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 13:37:00 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=25567 Summary: Through a pilot program underway in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, solar design firm Voltaic Systems is working with NYC’s FloodNet cooperative to potentially bring greater security to neighborhoods throughout […]

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Summary:

Through a pilot program underway in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, solar design firm Voltaic Systems is working with NYC’s FloodNet cooperative to potentially bring greater security to neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area.

Project overview: a “proof of concept” solar-powered IoT Gateway system for flood monitoring networks, designed by Voltaic Systems and deployed in the Brooklyn Naval Yard in NYC

System components include:

  • 2 100W solar panels
  • 1 Apex 12V 120 Ah lead-acid battery
  • 1 Morningstar SunSaver MPPT solar charge controller
  • Mikrotik LtAP LR9 LTE Gateway

Situation:

Unfortunately, between climate issues and denser populations in at-risk, prone areas, flooding is developing into an immense safety and economic challenge this century.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that tidal-induced flooding alone has increased 50% over the past 20 years, much of that driven by shifting coastal conditions.  Since the 1980s, over 300 weather/climate disasters on record have cost the United States more than 2 trillion dollars—and the average cost of each major flooding event is now at $4.7 billion.

While agencies including NOAA and the USGS (United States Geological Service) do a good job monitoring potential for flooding in both coastal and interior areas that are vulnerable, the technologies used and data collected are often focused on downstream activity— for example, at the points where excess water from tidal surges drains into basins, or the points where excess water from streams and rivers flow into the oceans or lakes.  While that’s critical, so too is understanding flooding conditions at the micro-level, in specific neighborhoods and streets.  During a storm or other event these can vary considerably—a back-up that can quickly flood a neighborhood might go unnoticed at a conventional monitoring station downstream. 

Solution:

The FloodNet Cooperative was created to make sure that emergency personnel and first responders have an accurate idea of conditions at the neighborhood level in New York City.  FloodNet (www.floodnet.nyc ) consists of researchers, various city agencies, educational institutions, and community leaders “to better understand the frequency, severity and impacts of flooding” and to aid local residents in planning and coping strategies.  FloodNet drills down to the street level in neighborhoods “vulnerable to high tides, storm surge, and stormwater runoff”—all critical factors that can make all the difference in an emergency.   

Monitoring at such a dispersed and diversified neighborhood  level requires a number of “micro-monitoring” stations placed throughout the at-risk areas. The FloodNet network in the NYC area consists of over 50 sensor stations, augmented by 10 tidal monitoring stations maintained by USGS and NOAA.   Unlike conventional flood monitoring schemes which depend on gauges and volumetric sensing, the FloodNet sensors use the innovative method of bouncing ultrasonic signals off the surface of any water present, measuring that against the known ground conditions to more accurately determine depth.  Through them, anyone can monitor local flood conditions through their real-time data dashboard, featuring both a map viewer and sensor list page, at https://dataviz.floodnet.nyc/ 

However, one challenge is that the very nature of catastrophe-driven flooding conditions is that this is precisely when grid electricity is also the most vulnerable. New York City learned this all too well during storms and hurricanes in the past years.  Any monitoring network should have an independent source for an electricity supply, as well as energy storage for enough autonomy to continue functioning during an extended power outage.  

For the FloodNet project, the power solution was two-fold.  First, the network is based on the LoRaWAN communications protocol, an abbreviation of “Long Range Wide Area Network”  The LoRaWAN communication platform and protocol uses spread-spectrum modulation techniques similar to the ones in other wireless communications schemes; its combination of low-frequency, low bit-rate operation make it exceptionally efficient for long-range communications with very low power consumption.  The Things Network, a global collaborative dedicated to LoRaWAN solutions, provided the network server to deliver  the type of secure, low bit-rate long-range communications FloodNet needed. 

Second, to provide network resiliency under catastrophic flood conditions (such as during a massive weather emergency) the project worked with Voltaic Systems, a provider of remote charging solutions for IoT devices and systems.  Voltaic’s track-record and experience in portable solar charging systems in particular—going back to 2007— made them an ideal resource to conceptualize, design and build a fully-independent solar-powered IoT Gateway capable of supporting the FloodNet network.  

The location of the first IoT Gateway deployment was the Brooklyn Naval Yard, an icon of U.S. naval history going back to 1801 and now a center for urban manufacturing and technology innovation, housing over 500 businesses.  Co-owner Jeff Crystal explains the parameters of, and considerations behind, such a system.  “We built the system to have plenty of capacity during the shortest days of the year. The two 100 Watt solar panels are more than sufficient to run the 5 Watt continuous power consumption of the gateway and the 120Ah battery provides close to a week buffer during rainy stretches with little solar illumination.”  

The Voltaic IoT Gateway system incorporates a Morningstar SunSaver MPPT charge controller, which has communications capabilities and can support off-grid systems over 500 Watts.  On choosing the SunSaver MPPT for such a high-profile project, Jeff Crystal notes that “there were a lot of charge controller options out there.  We can always test them for performance and efficiency, and determine if they are working properly or not.  But we simply can’t test for whether or not they will still be working over the next 10 years as our customers expect.  That’s where reputation comes in.  Morningstar’s has been proven for over twice as long as we’ve been in business — and that is invaluable.”

Jeff sees this IoT testbed system leading to wide adoption of higher-powered solutions in the IoT customer space including other municipalities along with NYC as well as various agencies, research institutions, and security system users.  “We see a lot more need for such systems capable of running continuously with ‘hands-off’ operation.  This Proof-of-Concept project helps us better understand sizing, installation, and logistical improvements for future system build-outs.”

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Hakai Energy Standardizes on Morningstar https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/hakai-energy-standardizes-on-morningstar/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 14:01:46 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=25560 Summary: With projects covering Western Canada from Vancouver to the Arctic Circle, a diverse solar innovator standardizes on Morningstar for its smaller system requirements. Projects overview: a portfolio of data-driven […]

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Summary:

With projects covering Western Canada from Vancouver to the Arctic Circle, a diverse solar innovator standardizes on Morningstar for its smaller system requirements.

Projects overview: a portfolio of data-driven “smart, reliable” remote off-grid smaller solar electric systems for a wide range of applications, including communications, navigational safety, mining and environmental monitoring.

System components include: Morningstar TriStar™ MPPT, ProStar™ MPPT, and SunKeeper™ charge controllers; various other components depending on the system and its application.

Situation:

Ecologically, economically, and geographically, Vancouver Island, BC is unique. It straddles the Pacific Northwest from just north of Seattle and Puget Sound to Alaska. Its climate is best described as a “temperate rainforest.” And, in terms of size, this Canadian island is four times bigger than Puerto Rico and contains twice the population of Iceland. “The Island,” as it’s known to locals, hosts the seat for the provincial government of British Columbia, which is in Victoria.

While B.C.’s vast network of coastal mountains and valleys provides hydroelectricity for over 80% of the region’s demand, this topology complicates air quality management since inversions trap pollutants more easily. Therefore, other renewables, including wind, biomass and solar, now comprise a greater percentage of the remaining energy needs. That’s turned the province into an incubator for alternative energy research, technologies and companies engaged in construction projects of every size and type. One of those leaders is Hakai Energy Solutions— the largest solar energy company owned and operated in B.C., based in Cumberland on Vancouver Island in the traditional Territory of the K’omoks First Nation.

Established in 2011 to meet the emerging demand for renewable energy solutions, Hakai Energy Solutions has designed and installed systems across Western Canada, and as far north as the Arctic Circle. The groups’ projects range from small solar data collection and sensing systems for science research, data communications and other applications to large scale commercial and municipal installations, even getting involved with mining and other industrial operations.

Solution:

Hakai Energy has assisted entire communities transitioning away from diesel generator dependence through multi-kiloWatt solar photovoltaics, incorporating storage into complex microgrid systems. They’ve provided complete solar energy solutions for primary and secondary school complexes, university campuses, firehalls, and large-scale mission-critical municipal facilities. In another category of the power generating spectrum, Hakai Energy excels in small-scale containerized generation systems for remote applications, along with off-grid power systems for lodges and cabins, and even solar-powered buoys for scientific marine research.

To say Hakai Energy has “tried and tested” every conceivable solar and energy storage component type and brand imaginable is an understatement. The manufacturer that Hakai Energy has settled on for all its unique, lower-powered off-grid applications is Morningstar.

James McPhail heads Hakai Energy’s Network and Telemetry Division and explains, “Over the past decade, we’ve been increasing our involvement with off-grid and hybrid energy-type installations. With the smaller systems, we started with other brands of charge controllers which were OK, but ultimately ended up standardizing on Morningstar and now wouldn’t even bother using anything else. For small-scale remote systems, Morningstar is our go-to brand.”

The TriStar MPPT, Morningstar ProStar MPPT and SunKeeper SK-6 controllers are standard equipment in Hakai Energy’s smaller off-grid projects. In solar-powered marine and other harsh environmental uses, McPhail cites the SK-6’s uniquely tough, resistant build and dependability in these applications, while in communications and other applications, the ProStar MPPT well-suits his client’s needs. “Our customers thrive on and love data—and Morningstar provides it!” The company finds ProStars particularly useful in environmental monitoring systems for that reason. As a system integrator, Hakai has found Morningstar product’s industry standard communication protocols are well supported with other remote monitoring system equipment such as those supplied by Ethertek Circuits and FlexSCADA systems.

The technical care, careful design work and quality installation methods that McPhail and the Hakai Energy team practice consistently stem from the company’s mission: “deliver advanced power systems of the highest standard by combining deep trade experience with extensive renewable energy expertise.” To achieve that, the company upholds a strong sense of vertical self sufficiency, with a full-time team of electricians, installers, and system designers along with personnel in administration, finance, technical support and other key roles. The company provides turn-key power systems and energy solutions for regular monitoring and maintenance. Every project is undertaken with practices and policies in place to minimize harmful environmental impact something employees take home and live themselves as part of the Hakai Energy Solutions culture.

The company partners with the non-profit Tula Foundation, which originated from an installation project that group did, involving a remote field station for long-term ecological research. Explains James McPhail, “Our founders had completed the largest AC-coupled hybrid renewable energy system in North America during that initial phase and are still involved with the Foundation—who keeps our company busy with projects supporting their various science programs.”

Continues McPhail, “We’re long-term in every facet of the business. Along with our solar and electrical industry certifications, we adhere to the Builder’s Code Pledge, are active members of WorkSafeBC, COR certified through the BC Construction Safety Alliance, and are a certified Living Wage Employer. That investment in people is part of how we’ve cultivated and built a long-term team capable of achieving and maintaining the highest standards.

 

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Solar-Powered Portable Turnstiles for Stand-Alone Access Control https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/solar-powered-portable-turnstiles-for-stand-alone-access-control/ Mon, 08 May 2023 19:51:41 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=25008 Summary: Sensitive military and other installations — such as construction sites for hospitals along with fertilizer plants, solar array “farms,” and oil & gas facilities — require high-level security access […]

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Summary:

Sensitive military and other installations such as construction sites for hospitals along with fertilizer plants, solar array “farms,” and oil & gas facilities require high-level security access control, even if in some cases on a temporary basis (such as construction sites). “Smart” turnstiles with electronic access control are often the best way to secure the premises, manage the entry and exit of authorized personnel, and prevent those unauthorized from entering. However, such high-security turnstiles are expensive to purchase and deploy, requiring significant cost and effort to install. And in temporary applications, removing them and transporting them to the next job can be cost-prohibitive. This challenge provided Outlaw Industries, an innovative newcomer to the field, with an opportunity to create a high-value solution: a portable, solar-powered turnstile using Morningstar products to offer a reliable, rapidly-deployable, and mobile solution to an expanding customer base. 

Situation:

Jesse James Moses, along with his son Jesse James Moses Jr., founded Outlaw Industries in 2017, leveraging their construction expertise to design, engineer, and manufacture an installer-friendly turnstile. Their tandem design includes a pre-assembled protective canopy and portable base. Typically, a deployment requires providing a crew on-site at the project to perform various installation tasks including mounting the turnstiles to the ground. Once that’s accomplished, an electrician runs power lines while yet another vendor configures the access control system. This entire process is repeated to remove and reinstall the turnstiles on the next site.

Outlaw’s model helps customers save the time, money, and effort incurred by having to hire multiple trades for setup and teardown. With Outlaw’s solution, the pre-assembled, reusable turnstile simply connects to a power source for a relatively easy plug-and-play solution. Once the project is completed, users can just fold up the turnstile ramps and load the units on a truck for transport to the next location. “Instead of it being an expense to customers, it ends up being an asset,” Jesse James Moses Jr. said.

There’s also an option to outfit the turnstiles with solar electricity, an important feature considering that remote sites often need the highest access security possible to prevent theft, damage, and even sabotage. With a solar-powered model, three ~400W solar modules, six 100Ah batteries, and an inverter power both the turnstile and the point-to-point wireless communication devices needed for an independently-operating, stand-alone product.

Solution:

Autonomy is critical for these high-security turnstiles. When Outlaw Industries turned to the solar components distributor Ameresco for a reliable charge controller, they were assured that the Morningstar ProStar MPPT was the ideal choice for their application. Jesse James Sr. noted, “Ameresco’s support is great! We told them we needed a system with five days of autonomy, and their representative Adam Galia helped with the design we needed.”

This mid-range Morningstar solar charge controller features TrakStar Technology™ which provides maximum power point tracking battery charging to maximize PV efficiency and energy harvest. Other ProStar advantages include a fanless design for increased efficiency (no parasitic fan load) and reliability (no fans to fail), as well as special battery features including foldback circuitry for safe charging in extreme weather. With these advantages, the ProStar MPPT enables the turnstiles to autonomously operate without any solar production for up to five days. 

Most important for Outlaw is the ProStar’s remote monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. “The ProStar is super dependable, and if there is a problem with the system it allows us to diagnose it remotely,” Jesse James Moses Jr. explained. “That is a fantastic feature if a customer anywhere is having issues, we can see the chain of events that led up to them and provide assistance from our offices in Colorado.”  

Outlaw’s distributor TURNSTILES.us can also help customers integrate and program customizable controlled access systems so companies can allow designated workers access at specific times and account for everyone on site. This ability to accommodate specific customer needs brings added value.

Outlaw Industries has sent turnstiles to sites ranging from the heat of Arizona deserts to the freezing temperatures of Buffalo, New York (the company even offers a heater option for such cold extremes). One customer has 15 turnstiles that have provided dependable, secure access for 4,000 individuals for more than seven years. “We haven’t had a single failure on any Morningstar product since our first deployment — they just work,” Jesse James Moses Sr. said.

Outlaw is looking forward to expanding its solar product line and continuing to work with trusted partners like Morningstar, Ameresco, and TURNSTILES.us.

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coreNOC System Connects Rural Community to Essential Services https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/corenoc-system-connects-rural-community-to-essential-services/ Mon, 10 Apr 2023 22:02:59 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=24919 Summary:  The lack of internet access in South American villages inhibits healthcare, education, commerce and cultural preservation opportunities for local residents. Together, coreNOC and Morningstar provided a high-speed, broadband connectivity […]

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Summary: 

The lack of internet access in South American villages inhibits healthcare, education, commerce and cultural preservation opportunities for local residents. Together, coreNOC and Morningstar provided a high-speed, broadband connectivity solution powered by solar for the village of Rockstone in Guyana. A Morningstar charge controller and SureSine inverter ensure that the remote, off-grid telecom site runs efficiently and reliably in the rough conditions of the Amazon jungle, keeping the village connected and online and enabling its advancement.

Situation: 

The “digital divide” between those who have and those lacking internet access has posed enormous problems for many villages throughout the country of Guyana in South America. With only 43% of its population currently online, Guyana’s government was aware that the country was missing out on new business, education and critical medical opportunities, and promised to improve connectivity in remote communities.

As part of these efforts, Oklahoma-based telecommunications expert coreNOC was asked to bring high-speed, broadband connectivity to the indigenous village of Rockstone. The village has little running water and electricity and struggled with limited internet that could barely power a mobile app. A privately-owned Guyanese company looked to coreNOC to replace the poor-quality satellite service with more powerful 4G LTE connectivity.

Any off-grid, remote solution for such an application required a system that could be easily transported and installed using local resources. Residents also had to be able to use the system with little training time. Finally, the system needed a reliable, efficient source of electricity to maintain connectivity in the harsh rainforest conditions. 

Project: 

Because diesel generators need refueling and regular servicing, which can be expensive and difficult in a remote location, coreNOC chose to install a solar-powered communication system to eliminate fuel dependency and maintenance costs. With solar-powered telecommunications systems, efficiency is paramount because they require operational autonomy to get by on batteries through long stretches without consistent sunshine. coreNOC knew Morningstar from the Telecom Infra Project, a community of companies and organizations working to deliver global high-quality connectivity. Morningstar was well-established in efficient and reliable solar electrical system components, and the logical choice for a system to successfully power an off-grid telecom system for this village too.

The teams worked together to oversize a system with four, 365W QCELLS solar modules and a 680Ah Deka battery bank, more than enough for the 2.5A satellite and LTE radio load to continuously operate for over a week—even without solar input. The lightweight tower consisted of 30-inch sections for easy pallet shipping and transportation on a small truck to the remote site where it could be bolted together on the dirt ground without a concrete base.

A Morningstar TriStar (TS-MPPT-45 ) charge controller serves as the “heart and brains” of the outfit, managing solar-generated electricity flowing from the modules into the batteries for storage while maintaining both system operation and battery health. TriStars are renowned for industry-leading efficiency. Morningstar MPPT-type solar charge controllers feature the company’s proprietary TrakStar technology, which optimizes solar harvesting for maximum production and storage. The brand’s hallmark fanless hardware design eliminates the need for cooling fans, which—along with their inherent risk of failure with moving parts and tendency to shorten component life by sucking in dust and debris—are a parasitic load requiring electricity to run. Together, these two innovations greatly improve reliability and system efficiency. 

As a key part of the design, Morningstar’s high-performance, industrial-grade 300W off-grid SureSine (SI-300-48-120-60-HW) inverter with 48V battery input also provides a comparable-quality DC to AC powering solution for the extreme environment, converting clean DC solar electricity into AC to power the Wi-Fi node off the system’s cell tower along with the modem for the satellite radio. Teams can remotely monitor system operation and health to ensure a resilient system with maximum uptime.

Solution: 

“The work our teams did to remove barriers to entry through simple and cost-effective technology innovation was demonstrated in real-time in this village,” said Ben Ealey, Chief Operating & Technical Officer, coreNOC.

In 2022, coreNOC connected the system to the local school, clinic and market to enable high-speed, broadband internet access to these resources throughout the entire indigenous village. As a result, residents can now open online shops, accept cash digitally, receive medical services and attend virtual appointments, and participate in online learning to earn degrees. The coreNOC team enjoyed seeing residents watch their first World Cup on mobile devices glowing amid the rainforest brush.

“Working with Morningstar has been a good marriage of technologies to provide an answer for these rural and remote areas,” said Johnie Johnson, CEO, coreNOC. “Morningstar’s engineering team designed a power system that was both reliable and clear and simple for users. We didn’t have to worry. Together, I know we can continue to do things that haven’t been done to deeply impact global communities.”

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ECAMSECURE Solar-Powered Mobile Surveillance Units https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/ecamsecure-solar-powered-mobile-surveillance-units/ Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:21:38 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=24101 Summary: Fueled by the rising cost of materials along with concerns about rising criminal activity, construction sites, retail locations, and other businesses are increasingly seeking effective surveillance systems. ECAMSECURE strives […]

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Summary:

Fueled by the rising cost of materials along with concerns about rising criminal activity, construction sites, retail locations, and other businesses are increasingly seeking effective surveillance systems. ECAMSECURE strives to meet its clients’ goal of 100% equipment uptime for continuous protection. With sites often located in remote, challenging locations, Morningstar’s solutions are proven to deliver maximum efficiency and data needed to provide the 24n support that ECAMSECURE’s clients expect.

Situation:

Founded nearly thirty years ago, ECAMSECURE started as a traditional security guard service that quickly developed a reputation for reliability and customer service. By 2000, CEO and founder Chris Coffey recognized that emerging new technologies had the power to overcome human limitations in remote surveillance situations. Toward that goal, the company became one of the first to develop mobile, trailer-based camera platforms for flexible applications in the most challenging environments.

ECAMSECURE’s mobile surveillance units (MSUs) are portable, off-grid units with the form factor of a small trailer on wheels, and can accommodate a variety of security devices from cameras to lights. MSUs can draw power from 800W+ of solar panels and a 200-BOOAh+ battery bank or a diesel generator. In the case of batteries, lithium-ion is the first choice for this application because it provides the best capacity in limited space and the longest lifespan for simplified maintenance.

Solution:

ECAMSECURE produces hundreds of MSUs each month, all of which include a Morningstar ProStar MPPT. The mid-range solar charge controller features TrakStar Technology™ which provides maximum power point tracking battery charging to maximize PV efficiency and energy harvest. Other ProStar advantages include a fanless design for increased
efficiency (no parasitic fan load) and reliability (no fans to fail) as well as special lithium battery features including “‘lithium foldback” circuitry for safe charging in cold weather.

“Even in a shady construction site or on a cloudy day, the Morningstar controllers help capture enough amperage from the available sunlight to sustain the equipment overnight,” Lemuel Blanco. president and CTO of ECAMSECURE, said. ‘They are truly built to endure in the toughest environments.”

Additionally, Morningstar’s Ethernet MeterBus Converter (EMC-1) allows the MBU fleet to communicate with ECAMSECURE’s Certified Command Center by way of Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Through this platform, ECAMSECURE is able to view data for more efficient device management. By monitoring voltage and wattage levels. the team can pinpoint issues and make intelligent decisions to prevent the loads from losing power.

“We can look at data and see why a device may be dying, whether It’s from shade or too much equipment draw.” Blanco said. “With notifications, we can shed loads according to priorities before a unit goes down. Additionally, historical data helps us understand why a unit may be draining faster than others and take action to resolve the problem. With predictive
analysis enabled by data from Morningstar controllers, we can monitor system health and achieve our client ask for 24/7 surveillance.”

Discover the range of Morningstar’s products by exploring our 25 amp and 40 amp solar charge controllers!

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Apeiron Remote Integrated Arctic Solar Solution https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/apeiron-remote-integrated-arctic-solar-solution/ Mon, 27 Jun 2022 13:58:48 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=casestudies&p=23703 Summary When a tier-one telecom company sought to power a remote cell tower with clean energy, while tracking progress toward its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, Apeiron Energy’s innovative […]

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Summary

When a tier-one telecom company sought to power a remote cell tower with clean energy, while tracking progress toward its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, Apeiron Energy’s innovative hybrid integrated container system with Morningstar charge controllers provided an ideal solution.

Situation

Apeiron supplies energy solutions including diesel, natural gas, propane, and hybrid power products for diverse applications, from telecom to mining, military, and oil and gas throughout the U.S. and Canada. As the push to mitigate climate change increases, Apeiron sees customers looking for solutions to reduce fossil-fuel dependencies and their associated emissions, and track data as part of growing carbon abatement programs. For example, in 2021, a tier-one telecommunications client enlisted Apeiron to provide a way to reduce its cellular tower’s reliance on two AC diesel generators to meet ESG goals, all while maintaining 99.5% reliability. The tower’s remote location in Northern Manitoba’s arctic conditions added to the appeal of using renewable energy. Unlike the diesel generators, a solar electricity system requires no fueling and, with no moving parts, very little maintenance.

Project

Apeiron’s Remote Integrated Arctic Solar solution (ARIAS®️) is a natural fit for a remote telecom site and has additional applications in mining and remote community work. The system provides operators with complete off-grid communications using peak solar electric production and reserving surplus electricity by storing it in a 1,200Ah lithium-ion Polarium battery bank. When solar energy production isn’t adequate, the system automatically engages an intelligent 15kW/48VDC diesel combined heat and power (CHP) generator to support critical infrastructure. What’s more, the ARIAS®️ system monitors and reports data (security, environmental, fuel consumption, carbon offsets, etc.) on a single, web-accessible dashboard through a private URL/IP address.

The building rests on a concrete foundation and consists of a 20-ft insulated shipping container, split down the middle into generator and equipment rooms. It has everything it needs to excel in a harsh environment. A hinged 13.4kW array of 40, 340W solar modules folds out from the structure. The black Qcells modules prevent snow accumulation, and Apeiron’s solar racks are designed to withstand extreme snow and wind loads. Each module is insulated to prevent rodent and pest infestation, and equipped with bird deterrents to keep them clean.

Four strings of ten panels feed into four industrial-grade Morningstar TriStar MPPT 600V charge controllers (sold through distributor Charge Solar), proven to accommodate high voltages reliably. The TriStar controllers also allow longer, fewer strings of solar modules for simpler installation. Their exceptional ability to manage heat eliminates the need for cooling fans, enabling 97.9% peak efficiency and unmatched reliability. This is critical for remote installations, where replacing cooling fans and dealing with their contaminating effects (by pulling in dust and debris) is a major cause of on-site service calls. The high-low voltage barrier of TriStar controllers and ground fault protection ensure the safe operation of the 48VDC site.

Solution

Using the ARIAS
®️ and moving from an AC to a DC genset helped eliminate one generator and increased efficiency, reducing about 90% of the client’s annual fuel costs because the generator now only runs when the solar resource is insufficient, rather than 24/7 as it previously did. The system also provides data on the client’s greenhouse gas emissions savings allowing tracking and reporting as the telecom company moves closer to its ESG goals—and enjoys some positive PR as an added benefit.

Apeiron Energy takes its name from an ancient Greek term describing the harmonious balance of energy found in nature.

“We see ARIAS®️ as part of a portfolio of products that enable the transition of energy from what were vicious cycles to now more harmonious, virtuous, and sustainable cycles for the production and consumption of energy,” Gurmeet Sahani, CEO of Apeiron Energy, said.

“We strive to achieve that same balance in our relationships with customers, stakeholders, and our innovative product solutions,” Kurt Chelsberg, Apeiron Energy, Vice President, North America, Energy Group, said. “Morningstar’s seamless compatibility with industry-leading component suppliers, such as Polarium, is why Morningstar is our preferred vendor of choice.”

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A Hybrid, Cost-Effective Oil & Gas Platform Powering System for the North Sea https://www.morningstarcorp.com/projects/a-hybrid-cost-effective-oil-gas-platform-powering-system-for-the-north-sea/ Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:07:25 +0000 https://www.morningstarcorp.com/?post_type=projects&p=22195 Summary: An oil & gas company sought to obtain cost-effective power on its unmanned platform in the Danish North Sea. Scotland-based JCE Energy supplied a solar and energy storage system […]

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Summary:

An oil & gas company sought to obtain cost-effective power on its unmanned platform in the Danish North Sea. Scotland-based JCE Energy supplied a solar and energy storage system using Morningstar components for a reliable solution in a dangerous environment.

Situation:

JCE Energy’s oil & gas client needed remote power for telecommunications systems, navigation aid systems, bird deterrent systems, foghorns, and other applications on its unmanned platform. Operating in a remote location at sea, the system had to fully operate long-term without any human supervision, and be sufficiently weatherized to withstand harsh sea conditions. JCE also had to consider Hazardous Location Zone 1 system compliance for safety, as well as the weight of the system to accommodate transportation and loading onto the deck.

Project:

In 2016, JCE engineered a Zone 1 hybrid power system comprising a Zone 2 wind turbine, ~10kW of solar panels for an 800W continuous load, a 24V, 4800Ah battery bank accompanying Zone 1 battery isolators, and Morningstar TriStar TS-MPPT-60™ and TS-MPPT-45™ controllers. This system is fully autonomous, requiring minimal maintenance while providing significant cost savings.

Solution:

As a world leader in the design and manufacture of electrical control systems and off-grid power solutions for hazardous areas, JCE Energy relies on Morningstar to help power critical applications in extremely remote, inaccessible, and dangerous environments.

“Morningstar’s high-quality, reliable controllers make them JCE’s No. 1 partner when supplying power to many of the world’s most remote, harshest environments,” said Lukas Geider, Business Development Assistant, JCE Group.

See how Morningstar’s 45 amp and 60 amp solar charge controllers can help you maximize the efficiency of your solar energy system and make the most of your energy savings. Learn more now.

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