Heliotronics Unveils PV Live™ - July 2007

Heliotronics Inc., the innovation leader in educational data displays for solar photovoltaic systems, has launched its PV Live™ initiative that brings up-to-the-second renewable energy data to the general public via the Internet. This dynamic display technology sets a new standard and compares to industry standard displays much as video does to stills.

With updates every 1 to 2 seconds PV Live™ is designed to promote interest and engage the public in order to garner support for expanding the use of renewable energy. PV Live™ extends the reach of the high speed data link to anywhere there is an Internet connection.

According to Amelia Amon, founder of Alt Technica a design firm that is widely known for creative renewable energy displays, “movement is a highly effective tool for engaging the public. The Heliotronics PV Live™ displays offer a state-of-the-art approach to that end.”

Since many members of the public in the U.S. have only recently begun to hear about the benefits of PV and solar technologies, being able to see a truly live data display updated every second has a memorable impact. Now with PV Live™, when the clouds part and the sun comes out, people can see the needle on the power gauge respond immediately–and it helps them make the connection at a visceral level that this system is producing energy from sunlight.

Building on that vision, Matt Arner, Heliotronics Manager of Business Development, said “We are seeing considerable excitement regarding PV Live™. It is being used on a small scale in some local projects and on a considerably larger scale in projects that will be announced later this year.”

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Solar Today Article - Mar 2005

The current issue of SOLAR TODAY has an article about Heliotronics project at the Dexter School Clay Center.

"Administrators at the Clay Center recognized the educational potential of these monitoring systems as they
planned the Center, and sought out a system that would allow students hands-on experience with this equipment. After evaluating several educational software products, they chose the Solar Learning Lab(TM) data-monitoring system from Heliotronics Inc. of Hingham, Mass. The system comprises data acquisition electronics, Sun Viewer interactive monitoring software and SunViewer.net(TM) Web-based data display."

This article is republished courtesy of SOLAR TODAY, the award-winning magazine published by the American Solar Energy Society and dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. www.solartoday.org.

Read the full article (PDF)...

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Rhode Island Schools Go Solar with Heliotronics - Jan 2005

The Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund, administered by the Rhode Island State Energy Office is providing solar arrays for educational sites around the state, including schools and Roger Williams Zoo. Each of the 12 selected sites will use the solar arrays to generate some of their electricity without polluting the air. However, the biggest payoff may be the education of students and the general public about the benefits and feasibility of solar energy.

Each of the arrays will be outfitted with fun educational Epiphany™ data displays by Heliotronics. According to Matthew Arner, Heliotronics Manager of Business Development, “Heliotronics specializes in making renewable energy accessible and understandable to the general public.” Computers at each site will display the data in a dynamic, fun, and informative way. Off site, data will be available over the Internet. SunViewer.net™ is a powerful database and Internet display service that allows interested people to view the performance of individual systems or all of the systems aggregated together as a virtual power plant.

Link to RI Solar Schools Website...

Meteorological information is also displayed clarifying the relationship between the environment and energy production for students. This combined approach brings lessons to life and stimulates student's imaginations.

According to Clayton Handleman, President of Heliotronics, “School children are surprisingly aware that clean energy means a cleaner environment. These educational systems show them that clean energy systems are powerful and can provide energy for their school to run. With this real life tool to engage them, students can find a context within which their studies make sense. For many this can be a powerful catalyst to learning.”

Each system will be installed by Solar Wrights, the leading installer of photovoltaic systems in Rhode Island.

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RE Insider Feature Article by Clayton Handleman - July 2004

Heliotronics President Clayton Handleman was featured as an RE Insider on the Solar Access website.

"A progressive program of public education and awareness is crucial to developing widespread public support for a vibrant renewables manufacturing industry in this country."

Read the full article (PDF)

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Heliotronics, Inc. and WPI Partner to Install Solar Learning Lab™ - June 2004

See the news coverage that ran on New England Cable News and Channel 3 News in Worcester.

Heliotronics, Inc. and Worcester Polytechnic Institute have partnered to raise public awareness of renewable energy technologies in the greater Worcester community. WPI students, sponsored by the WPI Class of 1975 Alumni Fund, recently completed the installation of a Solar Learning Lab™. The installation includes a working photovoltaic system with Heliotronics educational monitoring system.

View the complete case study (PDF)

View system performance of WPI Solar Learning Lab™

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SunViewer.net™ Renewable Energy Database - March 2004

Heliotronics, Inc. has launched SunViewer.net™, a powerful renewable energy database that takes data uploaded from renewable energy sites around the country and allows users to access it from the Internet. Users can display the data in graphical form or they can download it in spreadsheet compatible CSV tables.

In addition to viewing data from individual sites, the database is able to aggregate multiple systems into one output. For example, if your state had 50 schools, SunViewer.net would allow users to answer questions such as, how much pollution was avoided due to the renewable energy production of all 50 schools in one particular day.

The system can store power and energy data as well as meteorological data from any site that has an Internet connection and a compatible data acquisition system. Heliotronics offers their Epiphany™ series data acquisition systems for this purpose.

SunViewer.net™ enables schools and other institutions to provide national access to data from their renewable energy system.
”SunViewer.net™ is a great education and research tool that provides data, processed in fun and informative ways" said Clayton Handleman, President of Heliotronics.

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Heliotronics, Inc., a leader in the design and development of educational electronics and software for the photovoltaic industry, has been selected by Solar Works Inc. to provide data acquisition systems for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) School Power Naturally program. Heliotronics will provide both data acquisition hardware and software for the project.

Since the 'Request for Proposals' for this project first hit the streets, we recognized it as an extremely important opportunity for the solar industry," said Clayton Handleman, president of Heliotronics. "We are thrilled to be a part of it and look forward to supporting Solar Works and NYSERDA in making this the solar schools program by which others are measured.

Heliotronics will supply 50 Epiphany Series™ data acquisition systems, which will be used to monitor solar arrays placed on the rooftops of each of the 50 participating schools. The data will be displayed on computers in classrooms and integrated into curriculum being developed as part of the NYSERDA project. The computer displays use an engaging graphical user interface to show the dynamics of energy production from the solar array, which consists of 20, 100 Watt solar modules.

Meteorological information is also displayed clarifying the relationship between the environment and energy production for students. This combined approach brings lessons to life and stimulates student's imaginations.

"We are very excited about working with Heliotronics," said Richard Eidlin, Solar Works' School Power Naturally project manager. "They have shown an eagerness to work with our team members to make this the best solar education project in the country by improving their products, which are already among the industry's best."

Installations of the PV projects are expected to take place between September 2003 and May 2004.

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