ProjectEconomics — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 13

Description

There is a lack of appropriate software tools for managing shared solar programs. While some platforms are available, they stand-alone and lack the ability to integrate with external systems. As a result, energy retailers, solar developers and utilities are limited in their ability to offer shared solar to their customers, which restricts community groups and homeowners from participating in and monetizing the benefits of shared solar. Addressing the problem: Establishing a network enabled shared solar platform that integrates with external systems will provide more solar developers, retail energy providers, program managers and utilities with the software tools required to offer better shared solar programs. This will drive a more competitive and accessible shared solar marketplace. The work of Phase 1: We will establish a series of application programming interfaces to serve as the foundation for our open network platform. Upon that platform we will build a series of network components that will connect to enterprise billing and customer management systems, including Salesforce. Commercial Applications: As the network architecture matures, increasing numbers of participants will be able to build on the foundation. Utilities, retail energy providers and solar developers will be able to create new and more compelling shared solar models that incorporate emerging technologies like advanced metering infrastructure. The network foundation will remain relevant and continue to drive commercial innovations in the shared solar market into the future. Key Words: Community solar, software platform, shared solar, API, middleware, service oriented architecture, software as a service, CRM, array monitoring, customer experience