sunspec allianceNREL has contracted the SunSpec Alliance “to build a database of real-world solar asset performances from solar facilities across the country,” the SunSpec Alliance notes. “The database, which uses associated data that is collected from thousands of systems across the United States, is designed to improve access to low-cost financial capital by enabling credit rating agencies and potential investors to assess the underlying risk of the asset class.”

This is all part of the DOE’s broader Sunshot Initiative to reduce the soft costs of solar power, and particularly part of Solar Securitization and Public Capital Finance work.

A webinar about how you can help the SunSpec Alliance build the Open Solar Performance and Reliability Clearinghouse is coming on April 25.

Here are some more details on the webinar from that link above:

At this one-hour webinar, you will learn:

  • The role of the Solar Access to Public Capital in expanding the solar PV market
  • How the oSPARC project leverages SunSpec Alliance specifications to answer the question of how solar plants perform over the long term
  • How your company can participate in the development of this important industry resource

To see a downloadable overview of the oSPARC project, please visit http://www.sunspec.org/osparc/.

oSPARC Webinar Details

This webinar will be held on GoToMeeting.com.

Agenda

  • Intro to Solar Access To Public Capital and the oSPARC Initiative
  • Benefits of the oSPARC system to plant operators, solar equipment manufacturers, and monitoring firms
  • Invitation to participate in the oSPARC effort

Like all SunSpec Alliance specification initiatives, this effort is member driven. The oSPARC workgroup is currently meeting every Monday at 1 PM PST to define customer requirements. The oSPARC system will begin collecting data in June 2013. Help us create this important industry resource.