ConnectDER Will Expand Distributed Energy Products Business

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Individuals who set up rooftop photo voltaic and/or residential battery techniques assume they are going to be capable to energy their properties if there’s a energy outage. A lot to their shock, they discover that isn’t true except their system is ready to be disconnected from the grid — a course of often known as islanding. The reason being apparent if you consider it. The individuals who restore the grid after an outage wish to be sure the wires they’re engaged on should not energized so that they don’t get shocked whereas they’re up of their bucket vehicles.

To have the ability to use the electrical energy out of your photo voltaic panels throughout an outage, you want a change put in in your electrical panel that disconnects your property or enterprise from {the electrical} grid till repairs are accomplished. Not solely are the automated disconnect switches costly — a Generac 200 amp transfer switch is $809 at House Depot — however getting it put in can price some huge cash relying on the age of your electrical panel. There are handbook lockout units which are less expensive, however they require the proprietor to go down within the basement at midnight to seek out {the electrical} panel. Not everyone seems to be snug poking round inside their panel with a flashlight caught of their tooth.

ConnectDER has a low price various, nevertheless, and it’s sensible. DER stands for distributed energy resources. ConnectDER now has two merchandise obtainable that may save dwelling and enterprise homeowners 1000’s of {dollars}. Each are meter socket adapters — units which are put in between the meter field and the meter. One, known as IslandDER, supplies that essential islanding functionality wanted to permit these with rooftop photo voltaic techniques to make use of their self-generated electrical energy throughout outages. The system is UL listed and NEC authorized, and right here’s the perfect half — it prices lower than $600. It nonetheless must be put in by a licensed electrician, however the course of is straightforward and quick. Pull the meter, plug the IslandDER into the meter field, then plug the meter into the IslandDER. Join the feed out of your photo voltaic system and also you’re good to go till the facility comes again on. Candy!

“It shouldn’t take an expensive electrical panel upgrade to connect solar panels or electric vehicle chargers to your home,” the corporate says. “ConnectDER meter socket adapters were designed to make it easy. Think of MSAs as a power adapter for your home. With the help of a licensed electrician or participating utility meter technician, MSAs are easily installed between the meter socket and utility meter, enabling easy solar and EV interconnection.”

ConnectDER additionally makes a meter socket adapter that permits EV homeowners to cost their autos with out the necessity for an costly electrical panel improve. Merely energy your charger instantly from the ConnectDER EV system and also you’re completed. The ache and expense of getting your electrical panel rewired to attach an EV charger is eradicated, and the allowing course of is simplified, which implies decrease prices for householders.

The corporate has just announced that it has accomplished a $34 million Collection D funding spherical, which can enable it to speed up its market enlargement and product growth. The spherical was led by Decarbonization Companions, a partnership between BlackRock and Singapore-based Temasek, with participation from MassMutual Ventures, each new traders. Current traders Avista Growth, Clear Power Ventures, Power Innovation Capital, Evergy Ventures, LG Expertise Ventures, and Zoma Capital additionally participated. Decarbonization Companions chief funding officer Meghan Sharp said the ConnectDER workforce “built an elegant solution that solves a major adoption pain point for customers, enabling and accelerating affordable home electrification in North America.”

“With this latest Series D funding we’re poised to not only expand our existing markets but also our offerings by bringing a transformative solution for energy storage systems to the market,” stated Ivo Steklac, CEO of ConnectDER. “Our forthcoming IslandDER enables homes to disconnect and reconnect from the grid enabling customers to harness stored energy from solar plus battery systems or EVs providing innovative backup power and resilience to market at an incredibly competitive cost point.”

Within the US, 60 million properties lack the capability for photo voltaic, EV charging, or resilient power options with out pricey gear upgrades, based on Rewiring America. ConnectDER claims its merchandise could be put in in minutes and price a lot lower than upgrading a house’s electrical panel or utility interconnect. Relying on how previous the prevailing electrical service is, a panel improve may price 1000’s of {dollars}. The corporate claims that by simplifying interconnections, its merchandise can scale back coaching complexity and set up errors.

ConnectDER plans to make use of this funding for market enlargement, scaling manufacturing, and continued product growth. With over 25,000 adapters in operation and authorized to be used in lots of states, ConnectDER stated it expects to be promoting nationwide within the subsequent few years. In Californiaeach PG&E and SDG&E are selling modern vehicle-to-grid and Builder’s Specific applications designed to make the interconnection course of less complicated for dwelling and enterprise clients. In 2023, New Jersey handed laws that requires public electrical utilities within the Backyard State to authorize the set up and operation of a “meter collar adapter,” so long as they meet particular necessities for security, suitability, and adherence to the Nationwide Electrical Code. The brand new regulation is a vital step ahead for residents who wish to join rooftop photo voltaic, battery storage, and electrical automobile chargers to their properties extra simply.

The ConnectDER IslandDER is a UL listed “plug-and-play” meter socket adapter designed to securely combine a wide range of power sources and tie them into the distribution grid on the meter. After this newest funding spherical, the corporate stated it was planning to make meter adapters extensively obtainable all through a lot of the United States. Here’s a map exhibiting the states the place its merchandise have been authorized to be used:

Inserting a tool between the meter and {the electrical} feed to a house or enterprise makes a lot sense it’s a surprise folks didn’t consider it sooner. Even in case you don’t have to island your photo voltaic system, simply utilizing a meter socket adapter to feed an EV charger is a sublime resolution to what could be an annoying downside. However like all innovations, it must be examined and authorized by all related authorities earlier than it may be put in at your property. There’s a hyperlink on the ConnectDER website that permits you to verify whether or not its merchandise have been authorized to be used in your space.