The Alliance
Acelerex and Maple Systems have formed an alliance to bring industrial-grade computing to renewable energy and storage projects. Developers, IPPs, utilities and EPCs receive a pre-engineered site controller, configured and tested before delivery, that combines proven industrial hardware with a complete energy control platform.
• Maple Systems supplies rugged industrial PCs, backed by US-based technical support.
• Acelerex delivers the REX™ platform, integration, commissioning and lifecycle support.
Company
Acelerex, Inc.
Industry
Energy & Power
Headquarters
Cambridge, MA, USA
| 15+ | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| REX™ projects with Maple Systems | Hybrid solar and BESS plants | Microgrids | BESS, genset and fleet SCADA |
REX™ Case Study
Solar plants, battery energy storage systems (BESS), hybrid solar and BESS plants and microgrids depend on reliable on-site control. Acelerex selected Maple Systems Industrial PCs, including the 15.6″ PC1316AP Panel PC and the IPC2410 Box PC, as qualified hardware for its REX™ platform (EMS, SCADA, PPC and DAS), matching the hardware to each project’s requirements.
Pre-loaded with REX™ software, each Maple Systems PC becomes a REX™ Appliance: a ready-to-install site controller for the plant control cabinet.
“Our customers expect utility-grade reliability from the first day of commercial operation. Maple Systems gives us rugged, fanless industrial PCs that install directly in the plant control cabinet and run the full REX™ platform without compromise.” Randell Johnson, CEO, Acelerex
Project History
Acelerex delivers the REX™ platform to developers, independent power producers (IPPs), utilities and EPC contractors. Many plants are in remote locations with limited site access, and every one needs an on-site computer in the control cabinet that keeps the plant running without depending on the cloud. That computer must:
- Communicate with every device: inverters, battery management systems (BMS), power conversion systems (PCS), meters, genset controllers and protection relays, over serial and Ethernet.
- Control the plant locally: power setpoints, charge and discharge schedules and grid operator commands, even if the internet connection is lost.
- Stay reachable from anywhere: secure remote access and monitoring, including at remote sites with no wired internet.
- Give technicians a local view: a touchscreen at the cabinet for commissioning, troubleshooting and operation, where required.
- Operate reliably in the enclosure: continuous duty in a closed cabinet exposed to dust and wide temperature ranges, with minimal maintenance.
- Fit standard cabinet designs: compact mounting and DC control power input.
Commercial desktop PCs are not built for this duty. Their cooling fans draw in dust, their components are not rated for enclosure conditions, and they depend on AC power and a separate monitor.
The Solution
Acelerex selected Maple Systems industrial PCs as qualified hardware for the REX™ Appliance, matching the model to each site:
the PC1316AP panel PC where operators need a local touchscreen,
and the fanless IPC2410 series box PC for compact, wide-temperature and remote installations.
Each unit is configured with REX™ OS on Linux® Ubuntu®, loaded with the project point list and control logic, and tested by Acelerex before delivery.
| Form factor | 15.6″ panel PC with touchscreen | Compact box PC |
| Best suited for | Sites that need a local operator HMI | Space-limited, wide-temperature and remote sites |
| Processor | Intel® Core™ i5-7300U, 2.6 GHz | Intel® Atom® x6000E series, quad-core |
| Memory / Storage | 16 GB DDR4 / 1 TB SATA SSD | 16 GB DDR4 / 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ 1920 x 1080, projected capacitive touch | None (REX™ Remote HMI) |
| Network | 2 x Gigabit Ethernet | 2 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet |
| Serial | 1 x RS-232/422/485, 3 x RS-232 | 2 x RS-232/422/485 |
| Cooling | Fanless | Fanless |
| Power Input | 9 to 24 VDC, 39 W | 12 or 24 VDC ±10%, 72 W max |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 60°C | -40 to 60°C |
| Ingress Rating | IP65, NEMA 4 when panel mounted | IP30 |
| Compliance | CE, FCC Class B, RoHS | CE, FCC Class A, RoHS |
| Operating System | Linux® Ubuntu® LTS with REX™ OS | Linux® Ubuntu® LTS with REX™ OS |
Typical REX™ configurations shown. Hardware specifications per Maple Systems published data; processor, memory and storage are configured per project.
Remote Connectivity
REX™ Anywhere with Maple Systems and Starlink
Many sites have no reliable wired internet. By pairing Maple Systems industrial PCs with Starlink satellite connectivity, Acelerex can deliver the REX™ platform almost anywhere on Earth where Starlink service is available, from remote and off-grid microgrids to isolated power stations, supporting both electricity access and grid resilience.
The REX™ Appliance keeps full control on site, while Starlink carries secure VPN access, REX™ Remote SCADA, cloud data synchronization and remote support. If the satellite link is interrupted, the plant keeps running under local control and data is stored until the link returns.
The Value Maple Systems Hardware Delivers
Reliable by design
Fanless hardware with no cooling fan to clog or wear out.
Wide temperature range
Box PC rated -40 to 60°C for remote and outdoor enclosures.
DC powered
Runs from the cabinet DC control supply, with no separate AC adapter.
Right form factor for each site
A 15.6″ touchscreen panel PC, or a compact box PC for tight enclosures.
Direct device connectivity
Serial (RS-485) and dual Ethernet ports for field devices and network separation.
Redundancy-ready
Primary and redundant appliance pairs for hot-failover at critical sites.
About the Author
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