This document outlines the basic reporting process and the information Locus Energy needs to report SREC data for your PV system to the Massachusetts CEC incentive program.
Massachusetts CEC PTS Reporting Setup Guide
Thank you for choosing Locus Energy!
This document outlines the basic reporting process and the information Locus Energy needs to
report SREC data for your PV system to the Massachusetts CEC incentive program.
How does Locus Energy report to the CEC?
The LGate solar production meter records generation data at 5 minute intervals, which the Locus Energy software platform then aggregates and submits monthly to the Massachusetts CEC PTS program. This information is then used by the CEC in order to award renewable energy certificates (RECs) to the account holder for a given renewable energy system.
The following 3 steps must be completed for Locus to begin reporting to PTS:
Step 1. Register the PV system with the Massachusetts CEC SREC program. For more information on how the registration process works, visit www.masscec.com.
Step 2. When registering the system with the CEC, designate Locus Energy as the System Representative.
Step 3. Fill out a Locus Energy Reporting Setup Spreadsheet and the Automated Incentive Reporting Contract and send both documents to reporting@locusenergy.com
How do I fill out the Reporting Setup Spreadsheet?
After the Mass CEC PTS registration is complete and the LGate monitoring equipment has been installed, the last step is to submit a reporting setup spreadsheet to Locus Energy. The spreadsheet can be found here and contains some basic information that Locus Energy needs to accurately submit data to PTS. The form will ask for the following information:
1. Partner Name on Monitoring Website: The partner account this system is registered to in SolarNOC.
2. Client Name on Monitoring Website: The system owner’s name OR the project name, as it appears on the CEC registration application and on SolarNOC.
3. System/Component Name: The name of the PV Meter component as registered on SolarNOC.
4. System Address: The street address of the PV monitoring system to be reported for.
5. Monitoring System Comm Device ID: This ID serves as an identifier for the LGate device and allows the LGate to communicate with Locus servers to send interval data. The Comm Device ID is composed of the MAC Address and Node ID, and may be found on the ‘component details’ tab on SolarNOC.
6. PTS ID: This ID serves as a tracking number for the specific PV system within the PTS database. This alpha-numeric ID can be found on the CEC registration approval letter in the form XXX-XXXXXX-XXXXX OR XXX-XXXXXX-XXXXXX.
7. Date in Service: The date the PV system received approval from the utility to operate. The date in service (DIS) on this form must be the same as the date in service registered with PTS.
8. Meter Reading at Date in Service: If there is a backup dome meter on site, what did this meter read on the DIS?
9. Meter Reading at Monitoring Installation: If there is a backup dome meter on site, what did this meter read on the date the monitoring system was installed?
10. Installer Contact Name, Company Name & Department, Contact Phone & Contact Email: Who should we contact in the event that we are unable to submit data to the Massachusetts CEC PTS (i.e. if the monitoring system is offline)? If this information changes at any point the installation partner is responsible for notifying Locus Energy and providing updated contact information.
How do I fill out the Automated Incentive Reporting Contract?
Please enter the company name and primary contact, and sign and date the form. In addition, please be sure to include partner contact information so we may reach out to you if we’re unable to submit data to the Massachusetts CEC PTS. Note that once we receive this form, the contract will apply for all new and existing systems set up for automated incentive reporting.
After completing the Reporting Setup Spreadsheet and Automated Incentive Reporting Contract, please email both documents to reporting@locusenergy.com. When Locus Energy receives the completed documents we will run cursory data checks to confirm that the LGate is online and sending accurate production data.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: When does Locus Energy report to PTS?
A: Locus Energy submits production data to PTS between the 1st and 5th of each month. For example, August generation is reported between the 1st and 5th of September.
Q: When do I need to submit the CEC reporting setup form?
A: To report for the current month, Locus Energy needs to receive new setup forms by the last business day of the month.
Q: What happens if I don’t submit the setup form by the deadline?
A: If we do not receive a completed reporting setup form by the cut-off date for submitting data to PTS, you will not lose SRECs for that period. Instead, Locus Energy will submit a report the following month for the previous two periods.
Q: Where can I find the CEC PTS ID?
A: Receiving a PTS ID is one of the final steps in the CEC approval process. The ID can be found on the final approval notice. It can also be found on a report that is available to each SREC Aggregator. If you’re having trouble locating the PTS ID, we recommend contacting your aggregator or the MA CEC directly.
Q: How can clients view production data?
A: Clients may log in to the Locus Energy monitoring website at https://SolarNOC.datareadings.com to view real-time generation data and environmental benefits.
Q: How can the client confirm that Locus will report to PTS?
A: Please log into the Mass CEC PTS portal to confirm that Locus has been designated as the System
Representative. If this step is not completed, Locus Energy cannot report for the system.
Q: My client is switching from another System Representative to Locus. What information is required to complete this switch?
A: Please submit a reporting setup form with a baseline generation reading and ensure that the system has designated Locus Energy as System Representative within the Mass CEC PTS portal. When Locus confirms receipt of the reporting setup form, the system is all set for reporting to PTS.
Q: What happens if the system goes offline?
A: If the system goes offline and comes back online within the same month, we will submit production data and there will be no delay in SRECs. If the system goes offline and does not come back online before the reporting deadline, we will not submit the partial data. Instead, we will report all production data from when the system was offline as soon as the system comes back online. The LGate has an internal memory that can store about two months’ worth of production data.
Q: What happens if my LGate is offline for more than two months?
A: Please contact reporting@locusenergy.com and provide a recent reading from the inverter or backup dome meter. The Locus Energy reporting team will work with the Mass CEC to try to account for the lost generation data. We also recommend setting component-level alerts so you know when your system goes offline.
Q: How do I get Locus registered as the Third Party Reporter?
A: This can be accomplished on http://www.masscec-pts.com/. Please contact PTS directly for assistance if need be.
Q: The monthly production on the PTS website does not align with what is found on the Locus Energy portal.
A: Locus Energy submits a lifetime reading as of the last day of the month for the reporting period. This value is then used by PTS to determine monthly values. This issue only occurs when there is a delay in reporting, and generally does not affect SREC minting. If a client feels that the monthly values have affected quarterly SREC minting, please contact reporting@locusenergy.com for assistance.
Q: The Locus meter has been offline for a long period of time, how do I ensure a client receives SRECs?
A: Mass CEC allows inverter readings for SREC minting. To resolve this issue, simply email reporting@locusenergy.com with either a photo of the inverter face with the lifetime energy production, or a screenshot of the inverter monitoring portal displaying the lifetime energy value. Locus Incentive Reporting will then work with Mass CEC to ensure that production on site gets credited while Locus continues to use its meter readings for automated reporting.
Q: Locus reporting has emailed alerting us that their reading was rejected for being too high or low. How do we resolve?
A: First step is to ensure that the system capacity listed on the Mass CEC portal matches up with what is installed on site. If that checks out, check the initial meter reading listed in Mass CEC and ensure that the lifetime AC energy listed there matches with what is recorded on the Locus meter. Contact reporting@locusenergy.com for further assistance.