Automated commissioning and inspection for pv systems

A method for commissioning an electric system comprising:

• installing the electric system, wherein the electric system includes:
• a local solar power controller, and
• a first branch circuit in communication with the local solar power controller, wherein the first branch circuit includes a first branch controlled switch and a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) modules;
• activating the local solar power controller;
• receiving, at a commissioning device, an identifier of the electric system;
• receiving, at the local power controller, site design data from a remote system, wherein the site design data relates to a predetermined electric system site design of the electric system;
• activating, with the local solar power controller, the first branch circuit by closing the first branch controlled switch;
• collecting, with the local solar power controller, first data relating to the PV modules of the first branch circuit;
• deactivating, with the local solar power controller, the first branch circuit by opening the first branch controlled switch;
• analyzing, with the local solar power controller, the first data and site design data to determine whether the electric system conforms to the predetermined electric system site design;
• and
• when the electric system conforms to the predetermining electric system site design:
• generating a self-test pass indicator,
• transmitting the self-test pass indicator from the local solar power controller to the commissioning device,
• receiving at the commissioning device one or more indicators of physical characteristics of the electric system, and
• transmitting, with the commissioning device, the self-test pass indicator and the one or more indicators of physical characteristics of the electric system to the remote system.