Merit Controls, a provider of grid integration products and services for utility-scale renewable energy power plants, has debuted its flagship PiQ41 grid integration product platform, designed to manage utility-scale inverter-based generation resources.
PiQ41 (pronounced “peak – 41”) delivers industry-leading response time driven by four-quadrant, single-cycle phasor-based controls technology, the company says. Additionally, it offers an integrated solution for hybrid systems, utility-scale solar, and wind power that optimizes renewable generation and energy storage behind a common point of grid interconnection. In turn, EPCs and plant operators can improve system availability to minimize downtime, mitigate compliance risks and optimize performance in ancillary services markets to maximize returns.
PiQ41 platform users benefit from direct access to a turnkey solution that controls, monitors, and manages solar photovoltaic (PV) assets, battery storage systems, and other inverter-based resources to meet evolving grid requirements, the company says. The platform efficiently orchestrates the complex ecosystem of inverters and other controllable equipment necessary to meet these requirements, ensuring reliable and consistent plant operations with over 99.9% control system availability. In addition, Merit has developed the source code for this platform 100% domestically based on the industry-standard IEC 61131-3 programming environment for improved security and reliability.
“This platform demonstrates our commitment to scalability and innovation for our customers,” says Tina Dornbusch, director of product management at Merit. “We offer our customers a secure platform of power plant controls for solar, storage, and hybrid systems that is seamlessly integrated with SCADA, plant communications, and meteorological stations for an efficient and proven solution.”
The PiQ41 platform name is derived from the company’s core values: Performance, Innovation and Quality (PiQ), as it represents Merit’s commitment to outstanding performance, innovative technologies, and high-quality service. The “41” refers to its four-quadrant, single-phasor controls technology.
