Data Monitoring Systems

In the spring of 2011, the NYC Solar America City Partnership will be distributing a limited number of data monitoring systems to new and existing systems in the Solar Empowerment Zones. Please register your system on the NYC Solar Map and check "Yes, please contact me about this opportunity" when prompted by "I would like to participate in the NYC solar monitoring program." to be considered for this limited-time opportunity. Supplies are limited.

 

More about the Solar Empowerment Zones >>



Solar Installation


 

ARRA Funding

This project is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) with additional resources contributed by NYSERDA.

Background

Since being selected as a Solar America City in 2007, the New York City Solar America City Partnership has made significant progress in understanding the technical barriers to interconnecting distributed PV with Con Edison's network grid system. The Smart Solar City Project will build on this knowledge by monitoring real-time PV production information on select Con Edison networks located within the Solar Empowerment Zones.

Project Partners

  • City University of New York (CUNY)
  • Consolidated Edison of New York
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
  • NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC)
  • New York City Mayor’s Office
  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

 

Project Objectives

Currently, there is no way to track the amount of PV generation in New York City. This knowledge could be useful on several fronts: utility planning, solar mapping, education, promotion of solar energy, and smart grid applications. The New York City Solar Data Acquisition System (DAS) will use data from existing and future PV installations in the New York City Solar Empowerment Zones in order to gain real-time information on local solar production. This information can and will be used in several ways, and additional applications will likely be developed in future.

The data will primarily be useful for Con Edison, the local distribution utility, as it will allow Con Edison to: 1) evaluate the impact of solar production on network reliability, 2) integrate solar into smart grid efforts, and 3) improve demand-side management applications. The measurement of solar as a real energy resource will also lay the groundwork for Con Edison to be able to reduce the use of peaking power plants during periods of peak demand that coincide with high PV production. This will reduce the use of fossil fuels, lower maintenance requirements, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

City and State energy policy stakeholders will also be able to use this data in order to analyze the actual value of PV generation to grid-constrained areas. New York City is required to generate 80% of its peak electrical load within its own limits, and knowing the true ability and value of PV in meeting that goal will be a crucial tool for designing solar policies and programs.

In addition, the DAS will create a data set valuable for verifying the accuracy of solar estimator tools. Data from the DAS will be used to validate and calibrate the estimation layer of the NYC Solar Map.

The real-time production information will also support the NYC SAC outreach efforts by demonstrating PV generation as well as by tracking the growth of solar. This information will be publicly available on the Sustainable CUNY website as well as the New York City Solar Map (map to launch in the spring of 2011).