ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. — Demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is on the rise globally, in part due to the need to provide more electrical power at a lower cost and low CO2 emission.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast for 2024, Renewable power capacity is set to expand by 50% between 2019 and 2024, led by solar PV that will alone account for almost 60% of the growth. Groud mount and rooftop PV installation is expected to grow from 630 GW to 1,500 GW globally by 2024.

One barrier to market growth is the high cost of panel installation. Standard mounting with typical nuts and bolts can stress the PV modules, leading to maintenance cost increases and durability concerns. Other challenges are:

• Carrying heavy tools around during assembly
• Installation time
• Safety issues caused by climbing on top of modules as well as potential damage to panel
• Loosening of panels requiring re-torque

ARaymond delivers solutions for solar

ARaymond’s panel clips simplify PV module assembly. They provide fast, easy installation in field operations, resulting in significant labor cost reduction compared to nuts and bolts.

The fastener installation requires no heavy tools and takes place underneath the system, eliminating the need to climb above the modules, reducing potential for employee injury and damage to the module. Clips have proven, long-term performance, and have been tested in both static and dynamic loading.

“With our clips, a customer in Australia recently set the world record for the fastest installation; a 130-Megawatt installation at 690 panels per person and per day (team of 3), with a slide and clip structure,” said Jean-Baptiste Chevrier, V.P. Sales & Marketing for ARaymond Energies.

Cable management is also a factor that may impact the overall installation and maintenance cost. Incorrect practices can lead to undesirable consequences, such as overheating.

Faulty PV wiring management practices are one of the leading technical failures encountered in PV projects, causing significant financial impact, sometimes more than 15 percent of the initial investment, according to Solar Bankability, a project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program.

ARaymond’s dedicated selection of robust metal and plastic clips, cable straps and adaptors avoid mechanical stress and strain, excessive heat when bundled, and water intrusion when attaching cables over, or on the side of module edges or structure rails.

They ensure a long-term solar installation, and in turn reduce potential risk to PV project investment.

About ARaymond Energies

ARaymond Energies believes in the importance of renewable energies for our future and is committed to developing breakthrough technologies in order to make the assembly process easier, faster, cheaper. The headquarters of ARaymond Energies are in Grenoble, France, with sales offices around the globe. We take pride in being able to leverage the 150 years of expertise of the ARaymond Network to develop unique and meaningful solutions, while being able to produce them in large quantities and standardize them.

About ARaymond

With more than 7,000 employees in 25 countries around the world, the ARaymond Network designs, manufactures and markets assembly and fastening systems. Founded in 1865, this family business based in Grenoble, France, and inventor of the press stud, has always put human values at the heart of its success. ARaymond, based on the conviction that the wellbeing and empowerment of its collaborators is essential to its continued success.  Guided by innovation and value creation, the ARaymond Network is today one of the global leaders in fastening and assembly solutions for many market segments.

— Press release courtesy of ARaymond

Kyyba Innovations LLC, a Michigan-based technical solutions corporation focused on solving global issues, has announced its weTrace app to help municipalities across the U.S. flatten the curve and reduce the spread of COVID-19 by more quickly identifying those at risk and micro hot spots. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has gripped the world, causing anxiety and fear. The new app will help track symptoms of thousands of users across the country, while still protecting user privacy. Kyyba Innovations will partner with local health units to use this data to assess how best to support high-risk communities in Michigan and beyond as we fight this pandemic.

“The app uses technology to connect people with health systems and vice-versa,” said Kyyba Innovations Managing Director Tel Ganesan. “COVID-19 news and information changes daily and we are all in a silo, operating in our own bubble. This app will help us communicate and empower ourselves with safe tools and trusted resources.”

In addition to looks and performance, one of the most important elements that plays a major role in most car buying decisions is the technology, from infotainment setup to safety features.

If you’re going to use a vehicle for many years, you don’t want to get something that’s outdated and not up to snuff in terms of user experience and its ability to keep the driver and passengers safe.

This review will take a look at the tech and safety offerings on the 2020 Toyota lineup, based on my time driving a 2020 Toyota Corolla.

Infotainment controls (voice)
Voice commands are one of the best innovations that allow for vehicle safety, by freeing the driver from distractions tied to changing radio stations, fixing the climate settings, making phone calls and more.

The Corolla’s infotainment system delivered in this regard, as voice commands worked extremely well across the board. The navigation system also understood spoken addresses clearly, changing radio stations by voice was a breeze, and via Bluetooth it was also a smooth process to make phone calls by voice.

StradVision, which specializes in AI-based camera perception for ADAS systems and Autonomous Vehicles, has announced it is developing Animal Detection capabilities for its deep-learning based SVNet software. 

In the U.S. each year, there are more than 1.5 million deer-related accidents, which cause around 200 human deaths and 10,000 injuries, plus more than $1 billion in property damage.

Stream Companies, a marketing industry leader that has been successfully merging and integrating the worlds of traditional and digital advertising for more than two decades, will be sharing its latest technology and expertise at NADA 2020 from Feb. 14-17, 2020. 

In today’s high-tech world of auto dealership marketing, Stream Companies is leading the way with its innovative technology, improving both user experience and sales success for dealerships. 

Co-founder and CEO David Regn highlighted a few top trends to watch in 2020 and beyond. 

“The three biggest trends in digital marketing for dealers in 2020 are personalization, AI-based automation and voice search,” said Regn. “People-based marketing and building innovative technology solutions to elevate marketing efforts will define this new decade.”