The passage of the legislation, known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), already has industry
professionals buzzing about the potential for another Solar Boom. For those of you who have been in the
the industry long enough to remember the years following the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,
the rapid growth and expansion of the solar industry in the years following is something to be excited
about.

However, it is also wise to remember the pitfalls and lessons learned during these rapid years of industry
expansion. Otherwise, some may experience the finical fallout many companies endured from this time.
Here is a list of Gordian Energy’s Top Three suggestions to make sure you do not fall victim to the errors
of the past.

Pick Reliable Partners and Experienced Firms

With the increase in government spending in renewables, there is potential corruption and greed will
sink its teeth back into our industry as it did in the past. Cash grabbing from other industries trying to
break into our market will lead to a new generation of renewable energy companies. Ensure that
your EPC, Developer, and Design Partners have the experience to back up their claims. Make sure their
staff is knowledgeable and well vetting in their industry roles.

Pick Partners with the Required Professional Licenses and Insurance

All EPC partners should have the required business licenses, electrical licenses, manufacturer
certifications, and NABCEP certifications to design and build your project. With the Inflation Reduction
Act’s additional requirements for prevailing wage designations become even more paramount to
ensure successful project completion.

Use Vetted and Reliable Technologies

Unlike the Solar Boom of the early 2010s, our industry now has enough data and analytics to know who
can live up to the performance and reliability standards of our production models. We have all seen which
technologies work and can deliver on their promises. Although innovation and new technology should
continue to be researched, developed, and deployed; it is important to use enough trusted technology
partners not to destroy your project’s bottom line.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents the largest investment in Clean Energy in American history. The expansion of federal and state decarbonization policies, in addition to the historical incentives and major utility and corporate commitments to reduce carbon emissions, is continuing to drive extraordinary demand for renewable energy systems.

Gordian Energy Systems has been at the forefront of the commercial solar initiation for nearly 15 years.  Now is the time to consider new solar opportunities for your facility.  Let Gordian Energy Systems assist you with creating a plan.

As the Solar Industry continues to grow, new technologies and solutions are developing for ensuring quality control across the PV system. One such solution is using Aerial Thermography to identify deficiencies within the array. Aerial Thermography can identify module hot spots, panels not plugged in, issues with the PV strings, and damaged material. Aerial Thermography can be more reliable than hand-held thermography at ground level. Solar industry leaders will aim to incorporate these changes into the industry to maximize the quality and service provided to customers.

Many solar industry professionals with over ten years of experience have seen massive technology changes over the last decade. As many systems are now reaching tenure, we have a unique opportunity to look back at these older technologies and see how far we have come. Here are Gordian Energy’s Top Five Technology Changes over the last decade.

#5: Storage

Storage technologies have allowed us to offset peak hour demand and will be a driving force in the industry’s continued innovation.

#4: Community Solar Gardens

Adaptation to different markets’ ability to support NET Metering and customer-owned generation infrastructure has shaped legislation around the country. This delivers an ever-expanding opportunity to reach more customers with renewable technology options.

#3: DC System Voltages (600 volt to 1500 volt)

Our industry has supplied the greatest number of significant changes to the National Electric Code in a decade. Our innovation in using higher DC voltages to increase system performance has had a rippling effect across North America’s entire electrical industry.

#2: Inverters:

From central, string, and micro-inverters. Advancements in inverter technologies have allowed us to value engineer systems and increase system efficiencies.

#1: Modules:

Increases in wattage and global manufacturing have been the driving force in revolutionizing the industry. Experimentation with a thin film, cylindrical, and bifacial technologies, as well as advancements in material sciences, have allowed the industry almost to double our outputs.

Any customer looking to build a commercial or industrial solar array uses PV Production Modeling to estimate their system’s Annual Production. With this data, they are able to determine their return on investment and payback period, i.e. “how long it will take for the system to produce enough electricity to pay for itself.” However, the accuracy of production modeling is affected by the accuracy of the weather data, 3D models, and equipment data the model uses. As the solar industry continues to grow and utilize new technologies, leading companies will continue to improve upon the accuracy of modeling to maximize their client’s return on investment.

Global supply chain issues continue to present challenges to the Solar Industry. The Industry’s unique financing and operational milestone structure have made these supply chain issues distinctly harmful to successful project deployment.  The major component delays of modules, inverters, and switchgears are complicated now by pressure being felt on the balance of system components as well.  Gordian Energy Systems can assist in overcoming these challenges by clustering projects and engineering uniformed designs. This approach allows us to increase the purchasing power of the portfolio, reduce the balance of system costs, and better negotiate scheduling.