tenKsolar Introduction
GRID READY PV
SYSTEMS
• Better Financial Return
• Unmatched Reliability
• Low Voltage Safety
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We are tenKsolar
• PV Solar System manufacturer, privately owned and headquartered
in Minneapolis, MN
• Leadership:
– Dr. Dallas Meyer, President – CTO & Founder (formerly Seagate)
– Joel Cannon, CEO, formerly Cannon Technol. / Cooper Power Systems
• Idea: Bring principles from other high reliability semi-conductor industries to
address design weaknesses in solar
• Result: An elegant, simple PV system, delivering remarkable efficiency and
reliability
• Investors: Strategic focus, Electric utility (ESB, NRTC), Solar Manufacturer
(Hanwha), Energy Infrastructure (Oaktree)
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Fundamentally Better Systems
Key Metrics – All Systems:
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Cost per kWh – Generate Energy at the Lowest LCOE
Energy Density – Fit More on the Space Available
Reliability and O&M – Redundancy and Reliability Designed In
Safety – Low Voltage, Auto Disconnect
Using Industry Proven, Standard Materials & Processes
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Simply More Energy
System Architecture
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Conventional Series Solar Limits Performance
600-1000VDC
30VDC
...
60VDC
90VDC
String or
Central
Inverter
Current flow limited by lowest performing cell on string
High Voltage induces PID losses / arc risks
Modules are uncontrolled energy source
Inverters are single point of failure
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tenK RAIS® Low-Voltage, Parallel Architecture
Bus voltage < 60VDC
240/277/480VAC
Internal panel voltage always < 16VDC = Zero PID
Redundant Inverters Share Workload Maximizing Uptime
Modules produce control current output
Flexibility to size DC & AC Plant as needed
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DC Plant – tenK RAIS PV Module
• Patented architecture connects cells so
shade affects only the shaded area
• Cells are independent and current
flows around shade, damage or soiling
• Opens up huge system advantages in
design, performance, energy density
• So advanced yet so simple, it makes
the idea of a “smart module” obsolete
RAIS® Patented frame-extensions eliminate added racking costs speed installation,
Impossible in legacy solar because of self-shading.
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Simple, quick assembly on Rooftop
Racking features integrated with module frame
Module frame
extension
• Pair a module with a reflector or another module create a selfsupporting “wave” structure
• Decreases install labor and reduces racking costs
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tenK Ground Mount Capabilities
Driven Pile XTD (1000 kWDC)
Helical Pile XT28 (120 kWDC)
Ballasted XT26 (100 kWDC)
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AC Plant - Redundant Inverter Bus (RIB)
–
AC Output
DC Input
• 6 - 12 Inverters Grouped Onto One Bus
• Ship Pre-Wired
• Fully Fault Tolerant - Any Module Can
Feed Any Inverter
• Integrated Wear Leveling
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Controlled by Vbus - No Digital
Optimize Efficiency at Low Light
All Inverters Located at Array Edges
LED Diagnostics Based
Multiple Inverter Sources
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RIB: Key Benefits
• No Need to Place Pedestal or Pad
• Fully Pre-wired Inverter Bus
• Nests Inside Array
• Pre-Wired AC Disconnect (12-30 kWAC)
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Improved System Longevity – Workload Sharing
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
Annual hours operating
tenK RIB
SMA
TriPower
Warranty Years
30
20
10
0
Inversion Units All Come On at Different Times
Note: Total Power Curve is Smooth
Also – Repeats AM and PM
Randomized Each Day
Net Required On-Time: 25% vs. 50% For Module Dedicated Inversion
tenK RIB
SMA
TriPower
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Simply More Energy
System Configurations
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tenK Reflect
Reflected Wave – Similar Mechanical Features
Use a Low Cost Reflector Rather Than Second Module for WAVE
Spectroscopic Reflection Technology (Only Useful Wavelengths)
Result: Higher kWhAC/kWDC, Energy Density > High Tilt Arrays
Indirect light
from reflector
 South
Direct light
from sun
Static
reflectors
Non – penetrating,
self ballasted racking
Redundant Inverter
Bus + AC DIsconnect
RAIS® Silicon PV
Modules + Electronics
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tenKsolar Duo
Very Dense Packing
(Best in Industry Density)
15W/ sq. ft.
More Energy to Sell
Lower cost/kWdc
Broader energy profile
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DC Plant vs AC Plant
AC Plant
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DC Plant
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Simply More Energy
Addressing Customer Requirements
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Optimize financial return with any constraint
tenK’s flexible design allows you to optimize for any constraint:
Space Limited
Maximum energy density at an industry leading cost.
AC Limited
Drive DC ratios as high as you want with no impact on inverters.
DC Limited
tenK can use reflection to make more kWh per DC rated watt.
Shading/Obstructions/Orientation
Patented RAIS® cell-independent modules allow for flexible
layouts.
All tenK solutions set a new safety standard with low-voltage
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Space Constrained Systems
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Space Constrained Systems
Confined space
To maximize energy generation
• Increase inversion to
decrease DC to AC ratio
• Choose lower DC/AC ratio
(1.4 to 1.6) to maximize
energy (invert as much as
you can afford to)
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tenKsolar Duo offers More Profit Opportunity
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tenKsolar Duo
Conventional 310W
650 KW DC
762 MWh*
1.47 $/KWh
465 KW DC
534 MWh*
1.49 $/KWh
tenKsolar Confidential
* Energy is average kwh / yr over 25 yr lifetime
Typical NJ Output
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AC Power Limited Systems
AC Power Limited System
To maximize energy generation
• Increase total power output
by adding DC
• Choose high DC/AC ratio (1.8
to 2) to maximize energy
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DC Limited Systems
Defined DC Limit (MN)
To maximize energy generation
• Use XT-26 or XT 28 (higher
yield)
• Choose lower DC/AC ratio
(1.2 - 1.4 ) to invert as much
as you can
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Simply More Energy
What if the array doesn’t face due
south?
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Azimuth Sensitivity – XT-26 Reflect
• Yield @ 215 deg (35 deg off
azimuth) = 1378 kWhr/kW DC
• Yield @ 180 = 1399 kWhr/kW DC
• Difference = ~ 2.5%
• XT- 26 drops 1% @ 20 deg off
180
• Xt-26 drops 5% @ 40 deg off
azimuth
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Azimuth Graph for XT-26
60
50
40
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
10
20
40
50
60
82.41 kW DC XT 26
Degree kWhac/kWDC
120
1275
130
1309
140
1339
150
1363
155
1373
160
1383
165
1390
170
1395
175
1398
180
1399
200
1382
210
1363
220
1336
230
1305
240
1270
kWhAC/kWDC
91.14%
93.57%
95.71%
97.43%
98.14%
98.86%
99.36%
99.71%
99.93%
100.00%
98.78%
97.43%
95.50%
93.28%
90.78%
Sam, Bostom MA TMY3 Class I
1420
1400
1380
1360
1340
1320
1300
1280
1260
115
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125
135
145
155
165
175
185
195
205
215
225
235
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Azimuth Sensitivity – XT DUO
• Yield @ 215 deg. (35 deg.
off azimuth) = 1188
kWhr/kW DC
• Yield @ 180 = 1198
kWhr/kW DC
• Difference = ~ .08%
• XT-Duo drops .2% @ 40
deg. off azimuth
• XT-Duo drops 2.2% @ 90
deg. off azimuth
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Azimuth graph for XT DUO
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Fit @ 180 deg. vs 216 deg.
• 216 deg.
• 104 kW DC
• Total 1st year kWhr
– 124,678 (15% more)
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• On azimuth build
• 90 kW DC
• Total 1st year kWhr
– 108,043 kWhr
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Simply More Energy
Harm vs. Ruin
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Low Voltage Means Reliability and Safety
The only module in the world with Voc = Jsc = 0
Arc faults and fires are a real
rooftop solar hazard
Impossible with tenK
System Component
tenK
SunPower, Suntech, LDK, etc.
Cells
Independent in module
Series string – weakest link limits output
Modules
Each independent
Series string – weakest link limits output
Modules
Self diagnose in-situ
Must be removed for lab testing
Inverters
Fully redundant
Single point of failure
Open Circuit Voltage
0V
1000 V
Fault Protection
Each module arc fault detect
and GFDI
None
Max System Voltage
60 V
1000 V
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Safety should be #1 concern for large investors
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Every conventional solar array other than tenK has un-fused, high potential
Avoiding disaster depends on nothing ever going wrong
Better to engineer the risks out of the system as tenK has done
Liability risk is by far the most significant risk to commercial system owners
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We Offer the Industry’s Strongest Warranty
25 Year System Warranty
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3% LI Degradation First Year
0.2% Degradation thereafter\
25 years, end-to-end system,
inverts, rack, modules. One point
of contact
tenK Warranty Backs 12% More
Energy Over Project Lifetime
• Independent Engineering Report Available from Leidos
• Independent Audit Available from SolarBuyer
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Independently Verified Performance Results
Location
Mt. Angel, OR
Leupp, AZ
Minneapolis, MN
Time Period
Energy Yield
Model
Accuracy
TKS vs c-Si
Aug 2012 – Jan 2014
w/in 2%
18% vs 10° Tilt
May 2012 – Apr 2013
w/in 2%
18% vs 40° Tilt
Nov 2012 – Jan 2014
w/in 1%
27% vs 20° Tilt
Aug 2012 – Jan 2014
w/in 1.5%
21% vs 10° Tilt
Aug 2013 – Jan 2014
w/in 2%
19% vs 10° Tilt
Aug 2013 – Jan 2014
w/in 1%
15% vs 10° Tilt
Energy Predictions Accuracy: Within 2%
* Excluding
effectTilt
of snow
Energy Yield Advantage: RAIS XN 15% or more over
c-Si Low
systems
RAIS XT 15% or more over c-Si Low Tilt Systems
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Thank you!
tenK Reflect 275 KW DC Ashburnham, MA
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tenK Reflect 26 1 MW DC Frederick, MD
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tenK Reflect 26 1 MW DC Polamer, CT
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1 MW DC DUO Templeton, MA
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Simply More Energy
Thank You!
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