The fledgling residential plug and play solar market got a little more momentum this week thanks to GreenRay, Inc. The Westford, Mass. startup announced that its SunSine 200 AC module, a device that links solar arrays to a home’s electrical system has met the UL 1741 standard, earning the ETL mark from Intertek. So pleased is the firm with its performance, that it’s offering a 20-year warranty when the SunSine 200 goes on sale.

The milestone marks a shift in GreenRay’s operations, according to Miles C. Russell, founder and CEO. “We expect to have product available for delivery starting in October. This has been a long development path, and we owe thanks to many partners who helped us get this far, including the Department of Energy, the MA Clean Energy Center, and our investors, 21Ventures and The Quercus Trust,” he states.

Undoubtedly, GreenRay’s backers will be glad to see some product in the channel, but for the U.S. Department of Energy and MA Clean Energy Center, it will be a test of whether their clean energy investments are paying off. Signs are that they may be on the right track.

Why are solar panels a relatively rare sight on residential rooftops?  High costs. But lately, there’s been an effort to market easy-to-install solar systems that reduce complexity and drastically cut installation costs. To tackle the cost side of the equation, 1BOG, which uses a group purchasing and financing to lower costs for individual homeowners, has been steadily branching out across the country. Costco and Lowe’s are considering carrying Clarian’s plug and play solar system next year. Sunfish has been making waves with its Lego-style approach to building up solar capacity.

Image credit: GreenRay