A US-based leader in solar panels.
A US-based leader in solar panels.
As the driving force behind 50% of the U.S.’s renewable energy, California is leading the charge in clean energy innovation.
Through innovative legislation, such as California Rule 21 setting the IEEE 2030.5 protocol as the standard for energy communication, the state encourages energy providers to expand their offerings. It also allows consumers using renewable energy to participate in various grid programs. For companies in the sector, it’s thus important to offer solutions that allow customers to take advantage of these opportunities.
Our client, a Texas-based leader in smart energy solutions, specializes in overcoming energy challenges at both residential and large-scale levels. Focusing on solar power services and devices, they collaborate with some of the world’s leading organizations.
As their business rapidly expands, California has become one of their key markets. To continue growing, the company needed to ensure that its devices complied with the state’s regulations, making them eligible for California’s energy programs.
The goal was to enhance the company’s existing systems, which monitor and control inverter parameters, by enabling seamless communication with the grid aggregator. They wanted to create a Proof of Concept (PoC) that can be scaled across their entire product line.
Given the client’s plans for rapid expansion, the software powering their devices also had to be easily scalable without generating massive costs. This required refactoring some of the code present in the devices to improve stability and scalability.
Due to strict requirements and manufacturing deadlines, the organization faced time constraints, prompting them to seek third-party support to expedite the process.
Renewable energy customers in California can participate in up to 15 state-driven energy programs. The client’s software needs to handle requests for all these programs while maintaining compliance with the CSIP (Common Smart Inverter Profile) standard. This requires implementing the IEEE 2030.5-2018 protocol, which enables real-time data exchange between the grid and distributed energy resources, such as commercial plants and individual households.
The protocol facilitates real-time communication and data exchange, allowing for better monitoring and control of energy resources. It also benefits consumers by giving them greater control and visibility over their energy consumption and associated costs.
Our consultants recommended developing an innovative mapper serving as middleware between the inverter application API and the aggregator client. This software maps and translates events between the inverter and the aggregator using the IEEE 2030.5 protocol, facilitating effective communication between energy providers and distributed energy resources.
The software is designed to optimize energy flow and prevent grid overload, particularly during periods of high energy demand. It also supports demand response management, addressing fluctuating energy needs.
The system tracks and manages energy transfers in real time, ensuring optimized delivery and usage. When the grid needs additional power, inverters can redirect energy back to the grid. Conversely, when demand decreases, energy is rerouted to household devices for consumption or storage.
With this solution, customers will gain greater control and transparency over their energy use and costs. At the same time, the grid will benefit from two-way communication capabilities and real-time energy routing, making it more resilient and providing a stable supply of energy.
At the start of the cooperation, we conducted a thorough discovery and code analysis to ensure we build a system that not only meets current needs but is also ready for future demands. Our primary focus was to create a scalable solution that could seamlessly integrate new features without disrupting the existing codebase, making sure it is adaptable and reliable in the long term.
To guarantee optimal performance, we worked hands-on with a real inverter set up by the client. This allowed us to simulate live system controls, ensuring rigorous testing before deploying the solution.
Keeping in mind the solution must be ready for growth, we designed an event-driven microservice architecture on AWS, equipped to evolve with the client’s needs. The architecture is not only functional but also adaptable, making it easy to add new capabilities in the future. Leveraging our DevOps expertise, we streamlined the deployment process using CI/CD pipelines to ensure continuous progress and efficiency.
The client prioritized compatibility with the IEEE 2030.5 protocol, which we enabled by refactoring the original application’s systems. The solution is secured with the TLS 1.3 security standard to ensure that all data transmitted through the system is protected.
In addition to the base features, the solution includes integrated monitoring and alerting features, allowing the client to maintain peak operational efficiency. We’re also developing intuitive dashboards that visualize the infrastructure’s real-time status while providing easy access to historical data for informed decision-making.
As part of our engagement, we provided detailed cost estimations for both the pilot and MVP of the middleware solution. The system is designed to handle deployment across thousands of devices while remaining cost-effective. The architecture is optimized to manage high traffic volumes efficiently, ensuring peak performance without incurring excessive operational costs.
For the modernized device software, we utilized a robust MQTT broker to guarantee seamless management and full connectivity between the client’s devices. This ensures smooth, uninterrupted communication across the network.
Working closely with the client and discussing user needs also resulted in developing a new interface for the installer application, simplifying the process of configuring devices. The modernized UI ensures that the installation and management of devices are streamlined, enhancing the user experience for both technicians and end-users.
The cooperation has been highly successful. We have delivered a working PoC that the client can now validate for regulatory compliance and large-scale use. We are also discussing joint future projects to continue advancing the renewable energy sector together.
The successful implementation of the IEEE 2030.5 protocol enables the company to comply with California’s regulations and participate in state programs, opening them up to a new market. The new middleware ensures seamless communication between the client’s inverters and the grid aggregator, optimizing energy flow and supporting demand response capabilities. Additionally, the modernization of the device control software ensures easy scalability as the product is rolled out to thousands of users.
Through our partnership, the client is now positioned to meet their manufacturing and certification requirements, and ready to expand their business with speed and confidence.