Energy Trust is providing solar project data in Oregon to the energy startup Kevala Analytics.

Kevala was recently awarded a $1.7 million U.S. Department of Energy Sunshot grant to help the solar industry and electric utilities understand the local value of solar installations across the country. The grant will allow Kevala to complete development of its Grid Assessor platform that uses sophisticated analytics and local distribution systems data to help reveal where demand and grid value for solar and solar plus storage opportunities are most beneficial. The tool can also help regulators by increasing transparency and facilitating long-term planning activities.

Kevala’s platform will help identify where distributed energy resources have high value and greatest probability for customer adoption. This will provide the ability to assess grid benefits for a mix of distributed energy resources (DER) within local distribution systems, and identify where to deploy distributed energy resources assets where they provide the highest grid benefits.

“Smart technologies and analytics allow both utilities and the solar industry to use data to improve the grid for everyone,” said Nat Kreamer, CEO of Spruce and chair of the Solar Energy Industries Association board. “The solar industry needs access to data to make the right investments for their customers and the grid, and Kevala’s ability to consolidate decentralized data will provide an invaluable roadmap for solar deployment in markets around the U.S.”