Case Study: Future-ready solar with the Pika Islanding Inverter™
When Peter decided to convert his residence and potato farm in rural New England to solar-generated power, he looked at a range of options. Only one had the ability to meet all his needs.
On a bright, brisk winter morning, Peter’s solar array is generating all the power his small farm needs. And that’s how Peter planned it when he contacted Portland, Maine-based ReVision Energy about getting a solar array for his residence and small business.
As a resident of rural New England, Peter loses his electricity periodically during most winters. He remembers well how bad it got one year. In 1998, Maine suffered one of its worst ice storms in decades, leaving Peter’s family –and many others– without power for weeks. So when it came time to go solar, Peter wanted to be sure he has an option for staying up and running when the grid fails, without relying on a dirty gas generator.
In considering several options for solar equipment to do the job, Peter saw in the Pika Islanding Inverter a system that can support battery-based backup power. He contacted ReVision Energy, who offers the Pika Islanding Inverter to customers in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
“As I learned more about the Pika Islanding Inverter, I realized that it was an excellent choice, as I now have flexibility to expand my solar capabilities, provide battery backup, and efficiently transport DC current to other buildings,” Peter said.
While his primary considerations were in providing himself with a future-ready system that can add a battery at a later date, Peter saw another plus in selecting Pika equipment. “I wanted to support a business that is located here in Maine,” Peter said.
Peter plans to add a lithium ion smart battery to his Energy Island in the future, providing his farm with automated, reliable, quiet backup power when the grid fails. The battery will also help to protect his investment in solar power by enabling him to use the Pika Islanding Inverter’s “Self-Supply” mode (storing power in a battery to use at night). This is particularly appealing in areas where utilities are changing their net metering policies, and if that day comes for Peter, he’ll be ready.
Peter is glad he opted for the Pika Islanding Inverter over conventional inverter equipment that can’t manage batteries or offer the same smart energy management features. “To date, the system has worked flawlessly, and I am impressed by the amount of electricity generated even when weather conditions are not ideal,” said Peter.
Homeowners and business owners love the forward-compatible nature of the Pika Energy Island, which, unlike other solar inverter systems, is ready to connect to an optional battery without needing expensive additional hardware like battery inverters or auto-transformers.
Source:pika-energy
