The Deadline is Approaching!
Smart inverters are becoming a key component for ensuring a safe and reliable energy grid in the U.S. and states such as California, Hawaii, New York, and Pennsylvania are mobilizing to adopt IEEE 1547-2018, the national grid interconnection standard for Distributed Energy Resources (DER). The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) reported that U.S. states with substantial DER markets will mandate product compliance starting as soon as mid-2022. For smart inverter manufacturers, this marks a 12-month countdown to complete IEEE 1547 testing and achieve UL 1741 SB certification.
The SunSpec Modbus communication interface, named in IEEE 1547-2018, offers the clearest path towards compliance. By completing SunSpec Modbus Certification prior to entering IEEE 1547.1 testing, product development teams can focus on isolating functional defects, thus saving days and weeks of development and testing time.
SunSpec Modbus Certification also guarantees interoperability with IEEE 2030.5 networks, another essential technology used by utilities and grid operators. With guaranteed compliance and improved quality once in production, vendors will benefit from being able to provide less technical support and focus on selling their products.
But without taking the necessary steps towards achieving compliance now, products will lose their competitive advantage and fall behind in the marketplace. We urge members of the SunSpec Alliance to take advantage of the tools and resources available through their membership in order to complete certification and achieve compliance. Contact Member Services by sending an email to membership@sunspec.org to get started with your SunSpec Modbus Certification now!
