Bandera Electric Cooperative announced the release of their new cloud based software, Apolloware, a solution for monitoring solar and energy storage installations in real time. The software allows the solar array owner to receive enhanced financial benefit from energy generated during daily peak energy consumption which, in turn, helps accelerate the return on the investment.

In addition, the software solution allows the utility to reduce system design and operation costs. This unique solution sets BEC Solar apart from all others. BEC developed Apolloware to allow solar members to monitor consumption, production and pricing in real time.

"Apolloware benefits all parties because it provides financial benefits that are correlated directly to the wholesale energy market," said William Hetherington, BEC CEO/general manager. "Since it is a cloud based solution, it is independent from the utility allowing autonomy and transparency of the data."

Hetherington says that this transparency of data allows for sophisticated analytics to optimize distribution systems design and operation. Utilities will be able to aggregate solar installations throughout their system and use that information to sell back into the wholesale market.

BEC Commercial and residential members will be able to see their system impacts and receive financial benefits by earning capacity reduction credits for production during electrical usage peak times. Commercial and residential members will have a better understanding of when to sell into the market when the price is high, and when to store energy when the price is low.

An Apolloware pilot program is underway through the end of 2017. The data obtained will help close the gap between predicted and actual models enabling a quantifiable determination of the benefit of solar production.

"This software will be applicable to anyone who generates or stores energy because it allows them to reconcile and capture the full value of their investment," said Hetherington.