SUNSPEC Modbus
A CLEAR PATH TO COMPLIANCE WITH THE IEEE 1547-2018 COMMUNICATIONS MANDATE
SunSpec Modbus defines common parameters and settings for monitoring and controlling DERs and their capabilities, such as voltage regulation, setting power factor, and power export limiting. It also structures data to increase interoperability. Leveraging the Modbus1 protocol, widely adopted for industrial electronic devices since the 1980s, SunSpec Alliance created the SunSpec Modbus interface in 2009 and has continually extended it to cover all solar inverters and many other commercially available DERs.
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COST EFFECTIVE
The cost of supporting SunSpec Modbus is low because the physical network interface exists in most DER devices.
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SIMPLE INTEGRATION
SunSpec provides royalty-free specifications, reference software, and development tools to help implementation teams get their products to market.
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IEEE 1547-2018
COMPLIANCE
Referenced in IEEE 1547-2018, SunSpec Modbus is the quickest way to insure compliance.
TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR SUNSPEC MODBUS
ACCESS SOFTWARE TOOLS FOR SUNSPEC MODBUS
Available to Members of the SunSpec Alliance, the SunSpec System Validation Platform (SVP) Dashboard is a Microsoft Windows application that enables visibility and control of SunSpec Modbus-enabled devices. The web browser-based interface leverages standardized SunSpec device information models and a web-service application program interface (API) for test harness integration, certification, and support activities.
- SunSpec Modbus Fact Sheet
- SunSpec Technology Overview
- SunSpec Device Information Model Specification
- SunSpec DER Information Model Specification
- SunSpec Information Model Reference (includes APPROVED 700 Series DER Models)
- SunSpec Model Definition (Includes SMDX and JSON) (Download from Github)
- SunSpec Energy Storage Model Description
- SunSpec Modbus Vendor Extensions
- SunSpec Dashboard Download
- SunSpec Dashboard License Request (Membership required)
- SunSpec Modbus Conformance Test Procedures
- SunSpec Modbus Test Procedures Results Reporting
SUNSPEC MODBUS EDUCATION
SunSpec offers online education courses for DER industry professionals working with SunSpec Modbus. Earn a certificate in Communications Software Development for DER, or take the Implementation of SunSpec Modbus course. SunSpec Academy courses are free to SunSpec Alliance Members!
SUNSPEC MODBUS WORK GROUP
Open exclusively to Members of the SunSpec Alliance, the SunSpec Modbus Work Group works on updates to the SunSpec Modbus specifications. The updates include additions to SunSpec information modeling, new DER information models for IEEE 1547-2018 support, and a SunSpec Modbus Conformance Profile for IEEE 1547-2018 compliance.
![](https://sunspec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image-2-min-3.png)
A CLEAR PATH TO COMPLIANCE WITH IEEE 1547-2018
SunSpec Modbus is an open standard, referenced in IEEE 1547-2018, that enables interoperability amongst DER system components. SunSpec specifications reduce the cost of system implementation. They enable applications to be written using a single, standard view of the components comprising a solar plant, independent of manufacturer and model; and enable devices to maximize their potential deployment possibilities by interoperating with applications and other protocols such as IEEE 2030.5 and IEEE 1815.