Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, Ala., has completed the Southeastern Solar Research Center (SSRC) dedicated to the study of solar photovoltaic systems in the region.
The facility includes multiple configurations of solar panel arrays, trackers, micro-inverters and an advanced energy-monitoring system. The SSRC will host research efforts, including an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) project focused on PV system orientation, tracking and aging. Southern Research Institute says a number of utilities, including Southern Co. and its subsidiary Alabama Power, are interested in evaluating the performance and operating characteristics of different configurations for solar PV systems.
‘This new facility will accelerate our solar photovoltaic research and provide unique data that may aid utilities in the optimal design of solar PV systems,’ says Michael D. Johns, vice president of engineering at Southern Research Institute. ‘The SSRC may provide key insights into their performance in the high heat, high humidity, high precipitation and high pollen environment typical of this area of the country.’
The SSRC will be located on the campus of Southern Research Institute. The center is looking for participants to evaluate solar technologies in the region.
