While interest in renewable energy solutions such as solar power in residential and commercial settings is on the rise, and more Americans convert to electric vehicles (EV’s), one of the biggest remaining impediments is the hidden cost of upgrading the electric panel, also known as the load center or panelboard. Upgrades could be required for at least half of American households and can add thousands of unanticipated dollars to the initial purchase and investment as well as countless hours of permitting and delays to installations.

Technology innovator Q Factory 33’s energy division, QFE002, is announcing receipt of its critical UL 67 & 489 (Underwriters Laboratories) Certifications for its B3 Bypass. The B3 Bypass, the first and only commercially available bus bar bypass breaker, delivers exponential gains in backfeeding of energy from solar panels and other green energy sources, eases connectivity to electric vehicle charging stations and battery backup systems, and substantially reduces the installation cost of solar and other clean tech for residential and small business applications.

Experts who have seen the unit in testing consider the B3 Bypass a “game changer,” and have been closely monitoring its progress toward achieving its UL certifications. The B3 Bypass has undergone extensive testing, and with these certifications, is now positioned to help consumers and businesses more affordably install virtually any renewable energy source. Such UL certifications mean the B3 Bypass has met UL’s stringent requirements for Standards and Safety, making the unit ready and approved for widespread commercial use. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the US solar market is expected to triple in the next 5 years, and a new solar project is being installed every 2 minutes. The International Energy Agency wrote in a 2015 report that, “Renewable energy will represent the largest single source of electricity growth over the next five years.” There’s no underestimating the impact the B3 Bypass is likely to have on such an expanding market.

“What impresses me about this solution is the simplicity of the idea for the benefit it gives,” said Dr. Clark Guest, Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer engineering Department, University of California San Diego. “The B3 Bypass represents one of those ideas where everyone who encounters it says, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ It’s a missing element solution that bypasses a great many of the soft and hard costs associated with scalable energy production while accelerating exponential gains in energy output,” Guest said. “The more widespread adoption of renewable energy created by such devices as the B3 will be a great benefit for individual homeowners and the planet.”

“The B3 Bypass is the solution the industry and anyone installing solar or renewable energy power sources have been looking for to continue to drive down costs and to take full advantage of their installation of such power sources,” said Q Factory 33 Chief Scientist Paul Cruz. “The ease of installation and immediate cost savings to those who deploy the B3 Bypass make it one of the most valuable cost saving weapons in the renewable tool box and produces a win for the installers, for the end users and for anyone involved in the renewable energy continuum.”

“The B3’s impact will be felt by a wide variety of consumers. For example, if you’re one of the several hundred thousand Americans who have reserved a $35,000 Tesla for delivery, you may not be aware that the upgrade required to charge your new car at home could cost you an additional several thousand dollars, upwards of 10-20% of the cost of the car itself. In fact that applies to many EV’s. The B3 Bypass will cost a fraction of this for these Tesla owners and anyone purchasing an electric vehicle,” said Cruz.

Applications for the B3 Bypass are virtually limitless among renewable energy solutions constrained by the available breaker panel and thus the amount of power that can be generated or stored. The true beauty of the B3 is that without the expense of replacing the entire breaker panel, small businesses and homeowners can commission the installation of as many solar modules, wind turbines or renewable power sources as desired for a fraction of the cost. The B3 Bypass is estimated to cost $599.00, giving it the capacity to save residential solar installers between $2000 and $10,000 per installation. The commercial applications eliminate line side AC connections, more commonly known as line side taps. The device can be used for connectivity of solar, wind, bio fuel sources, generators, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, and stationary batteries.