Curated Lists
Avoid the headache of managing equipment lists and the associated data quality assurance and quality compliance with CPR’s distributed energy resource (DER) equipment lists. Our experts manage DER data for your benefit as a trusted resource to perform a variety of calculations PowerClerk programs often require.
Questions to ask yourself about Curated Lists
Is there a form element that fulfills my program’s calculation and data requirements backed by curated equipment lists?
Does CPR maintain a Global Equipment List I can tap into to capture required equipment data in a Custom List Data Field Group?
Do I want to share data from an equipment list with another PowerClerk program (e.g., an Energy Agency managing incentives) via a Channel?
- Lists which back PowerClerk’s built-in DER form elements: the PV System, the PV System + Battery and, the Energy Storage System.
- Global Lists, curated by CPR, and used to create a Custom List Group which can then be added to a form within the program.
Built-in DER form element lists
Programs with access to the PV System, PV System + Battery and Energy Storage System form elements have access to the Global Equipment Lists backing them. Anyone in a Role with the Edit Form privilege sees these fields available on the form editor. Once added to a form, the subsequent Data Field Group will be automatically created, and the associated equipment will be available for the end user to select from these form elements:
I cannot find my PV panel or inverter within PowerClerk, what now?
The list of inverters and PV panels of PowerClerk’s PV Systems form element is based off the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Equipment List. The CEC updates their equipment list three times a month on the 1st, 11th, and 21st day of the month (or the following business day). Clean Power Research’s general practice is to update PowerClerk’s PV Systems database within one business day of any CEC list updates.
Please note: We recommend manufacturers to submit their unlisted panels and inverters to the CEC promptly. Please reach out to your manufacturer if you have been carefully soliciting the CEC’s Equipment List and still cannot find your respective equipment. As soon as the CEC includes new equipment with one of their upcoming Equipment List updates, we will reflect this change accordingly in PowerClerk.
Global Lists
Specific Global Lists of DER equipment are available upon request. Our current offerings include an Electric Vehicle List and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) List. To gain access to one of these lists, please submit an access request to the PowerClerk team.
Once enabled, anyone in a Role with the Manage Custom Lists privilege will be able to view the lists on the Custom List tab of the Data Fields page.
Please note: To learn how to create a Data Field Group using a Custom List see the Custom Lists and Data Fields page.
What data is included in these lists and how often are updates processed for Built-in DER form elements?
PV System Equipment:
The list of inverters and PV panels of PowerClerk’s PV Systems form element is based off the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Equipment List. The CEC updates their equipment list three times a month on the 1st, 11th, and 21st day of the month (or the following business day). Our general practice is to update PowerClerk’s PV Systems database within one business day of any CEC list updates. We recommend that manufacturers submit their unlisted panels and inverters to the CEC promptly. As soon as the CEC includes new equipment with one of their upcoming Equipment List updates, we will reflect this change accordingly in PowerClerk.
Energy Storage Equipment Lists:
The storage inverters, batteries, and integrated storage lists are all updated from the respective CEC lists. The battery and integrated storage lists also contain models that are not yet on the CEC lists, but are available for sale in the US. Data for these models comes directly from the battery and energy storage equipment manufacturers.
If you wish to request a review of Battery or Energy Storage System Equipment to be added to PowerClerk’s PV system Battery list choices or ESS form element choices, please fill out the associated form within the PowerClerk Ticket System:
Figure 3: PowerClerk Ticket System Equipment Listing Request
Battery and integrated storage listing requirements:
Most of the batteries and integrated energy storage models listed are certified under UL 1973 or UL 9540, however we have not made these standards a requirement for listing, nor do we guarantee that listed equipment meets any specific requirement. The initial focus for the lists is equipment meant for residential or small commercial applications. To be included in the list, battery and integrated storage equipment must be available for sale in the US, have a listed nameplate energy capacity (in kWh) and a listed maximum continuous discharge rate (in kW). At this time, the list only includes batteries or integrated storage systems that are sold as a complete system with controlling electronics. We are not currently including individual battery modules that are meant to be paired with separate control equipment.
Our general practice is to update the energy storage equipment lists on the 1st or 15th of each month (or the following business day).
Electric Vehicle List:
The Electric Vehicle list includes EV and Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles whose models are included in the EPA’s Fuel Economy database and whose MSRP, battery size, and charging specifications have been released by the manufacturer.
Vehicle model years prior to 2020 are included on the following basis:
- Vehicle is an EV or PHEV
- Vehicle is included in the EPA’s Fuel Economy database
- Battery size and charging specifications can be found
- Not all data fields will be available for vehicles with model years prior to 2020
Vehicle data is updated once monthly.
EVSE List:
The EVSE equipment list data is collected from Specification or Technical Data Sheets provided by the manufacturer through their website or direct interaction. Information not provided on the Spec/Data Sheet is not added or maintained in the list.
The list primarily consists of Level 1 and Level 2 chargers that are suitable for 1-2 vehicles. As low power DC charging becomes available those chargers will be added to this list. Higher powered DC Fast chargers will be maintained in a separate list.
Chargers can be added to the list (new or discontinued) provided that a data sheet is available. Please submit requests to add equipment using the PowerClerk ticket system.
Additional Information
Learn more about enabling PV System battery addition element on Forms.
Learn more about program-wide PV System Element Options.
Capturing Different Inverter Variants Due to Power Control System and Other Inverter Limiting Technology
Power Control Systems are an emerging technology that enables inverters/ESS’s to limit current and loading on the busbars and conductors supplied by the power production sources, allowing for different power limiting operating modes and the ability to set a power export limit in some cases. The CEC maintains a PCS list and prior to 2023, it contained only a few dozen equipment listings. As of early 2023, this list has grown significantly. CPR recommends best practices on how to handle emerging technology within your programs, as described below. In addition, our team is actively working to enhance PowerClerk’s handling of new DER technology such as PCS to further streamline your interconnection and service request processes.
As a best practice, Clean Power Research recommends that program designers include an option within your application form for “equipment not listed or other” for the instances in which a specific piece of equipment cannot be selected or found. For the scenario where the inverter listing is included on the CEC PV inverter list, but the power output of the interconnecting system has an individual power export limit setpoint different than what is listed, we recommend a similar work-around.
- Utilize a checkbox asking if the listed inverter has PCS functionality
- If selected, conditionally reveal a drop-down menu displaying the CEC operating modes, can instruct applicants to select both available modes and the selected mode
(Unrestricted, Export Only, Import Only, No Exchange) - A 2nd checkbox asking if the PCS will be setting the inverter to a lower power setting than the listed equipment
- If selected, conditionally reveal a decimal field to populate the new power setting (reference screenshot below for an example)
This is just one potential solution, PowerClerk’s flexibility allows program admins to quickly react to emerging technology with program design changes to capture the information your utility requires.
CPR is actively investigating new features and updates to support this emerging technology within PowerClerk. In the meantime, we would love to hear feedback from our utility customer program managers and engineers about how they want this information captured and how they envision using these details within their interconnection review process. If you are interested in offering insight or speaking with us further, please complete the form below. We look forward to continuing to adapt and collaborate in this exciting and rapidly changing clean energy transition.
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