DCE Solar announced its Eco-Top rooftop solar mounting structure has achieved UL 3741 certification, placing the product in compliance with National Electric Code (NEC) 2020 standards.

The Eco-Top rooftop mount structure is designed for commercial and industrial rooftops. It is a ballasted racing system with durable recycled rubber ballast pads. DCE Solar said the mounts are designed to be roof-friendly, protecting the integrity of a roof by leveraging aerodynamics and structural performance to minimize roof loading. The mount uses recycled rubber ballast pads that limit vibration and protect the roof membrane and uses decreased ballast blocks and attachment counts to limit roof penetration and damage.

DCE Solar said its system requires five times fewer mechanical attachments and ballast blocks, resulting in material and labor savings of $0.03 to $0.06 per watt.

The company offers two main options – the Eco-Top High Density, which increases capacity by up to 20% with more wattage per square foot, and the Eco-Top-MR for metal roofs.

All structural components are constructed from g115 galvanized steel. An integral wind deflector minimizes system loading and also functions as a ballast tray, providing a location to place ballast in the array.

The structure is fastened via serrated flange heads. It has built-in vibration resistance and integral grounding and bonding, and all nuts are wax coated to eliminate galling.

The structure is rated for an average dead load of 3.5 psf, or 90 mph wind. It enables flat, 5 degrees, or 10-degree angle tilt. It has a 14 inch or 18 inch shade spacing. The Eco-Top mount supports all major module brands.

“Passing the UL 3741 certification for our Eco-Top Roof-Top solution underscores our dedication to safety, innovation, and efficiency in the solar industry,” said Bill Taylor, chief executive officer, DCE Solar. “This certification not only validates the quality of our product but also provides our customers with the confidence that they are investing in a top-tier, secure solar solution.”

DCE Solar is a U.S. manufacturer of solar ground-mounts and roof-mounted racking systems, founded in 2009. Find a product sheet for the Eco-Top here.

Battery storage deployment in Canada kicks into gear  The deployment of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Canada is picking up the pace, with the announcement of a 705 MWh battery storage system delivery to Nova Scotia by Canadian Solar’s e-Storage and various other projects in provinces across the country. However, this surge cannot come quickly enough says Energy Storage Canada.

Vineyard installs solar to keep distillery warehouse cool  The 55kW system is expected to produce more than .06 MWh a year and will help keep the vineyard’s distillery storage warehouse at the optimal temperature of 50 to 60 F throughout the year.

California approves 525 MWac of solar and 320 MW of geothermal Southern California Edison received approval from the State of California to proceed with power purchase agreements for three solar power projects and two geothermal projects from startup Fervo Energy.

How grid operators and renewable energy producers can use batteries to develop a flexible energy system As the urgency of mitigating the impacts of climate change intensifies with each passing year, it is the collective responsibility of grid operators and renewable energy producers to spearhead the transition to a renewable energy system.

Global solar installations to nearly quadruple by 2033 Wood Mackenzie forecasts 4.7 TW of solar capacity to be built between 2024 and 2033, with China accounting for about 50% of the growth.

TrendForce says 210 mm module shipments surpassed 260 GW in Q1 Market intelligence platform TrendForce says 210 mm n-type technology is “set to spearhead a new industrial revolution.” It expects 210mm modules to account for 78.29% of the large-format module market this year, increasing to 82.51% by 2027.

Aggreko Energy acquires C&I solar developer With the acquisition of Infiniti Energy, Aggreko expands its commercial and industrial development portfolio.

Enphase begins shipping U.S.-made microinverters for commercial applications The IQ8P-3P commercial microinverters support up to 480 W of peak output power for three-phase commercial installations, and they’re compatible with a wide range of solar modules up to 640 W.

Truro Vineyards, a family-owned winery on Cape Cod, partnered with Sunbug Solar, which is now a part of ReVision Energy, to install more than 160 Q.PEAK solar panels from Qcells on the rooftop of the 4,000 square foot warehouse.

The 55kW system includes Aire System racking from IronRidge and a SolarEdge 50kW inverter. It is expected to produce .06 MWh a year and will help keep the vineyard’s distillery storage warehouse at the optimal temperature of 50 to 60 F throughout the year.

The warehouse is a brand new building so, while there isn’t load data yet, it is anticipated that the system will offset more than the full load of the warehouse, with excess production credited to other buildings on-site including the production floor, offices and retail shop. This new solar installation is the second solar project at the facility, so combined, they will exceed the vineyard’s needs by at least 50%, according to ReVision.

“Investing in solar energy reflects our commitment to responsible land stewardship and our hope for the future—to continue making wines and spirits for as long as possible,” said Truro Vineyards owner, David Roberts, Jr.

The solar project could not be completed until the warehouse construction was finished, so while the project was in the works for a year, the actual installation took place in May and June of this year. When asked if there were any permitting issues, a ReVision spokesperson told pv magazine USA that “There are always challenges in permitting in Massachusetts, including a long interconnection queue.”

The new solar array will offset more than 59,841 pounds of carbon emissions each year or the equivalent to the energy generated by burning more than 28,000 pounds of coal.

“Truro Vineyards embodies the best that the Cape has to offer – great wines, a history that dates back to the early 1800s, live music and weekly events that gather the community, and family owners that understand the value of preserving the environment for future generations,” said Janice DiPietro, Chief Customer Officer of ReVision Energy.

ReVision Energy is a 100% employee-owned solar company based in New England that now has over 400 employee co-owners, 15,000 installations, and 20 years of experience.

GCL Perovskite, a branch of GCL Tech within the GCL Poly and GCL Solar group, introduced their latest perovskite and perovskite-silicon tandem solar modules. A key highlight was the public IEC test documentation, indicating they may have conquered the perovskite degradation challenge. The company plans to incorporate this technology in the top layer of their tandem modules, aiming for efficiencies above 27% in limited deployment testing next year.

The Solar Roll by Apollo, featured in the main image above, is a flexible roll measuring 20.1 feet in length and 6.6 feet in width. This innovative setup combines six 300-watt solar panels into a 1.8 kW array capable of generating more than 10 kWh in a single day. The unit, equipped with MC4 connectors, is designed for easy integration with any standard solar inverter.

Throughout the three days of Intersolar, as detailed on the pv magazine Intersolar Live Blog pages – Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 – attendees witness an impressive array of battery products. Numerous manufacturers showcased their latest offerings, particularly focusing on home battery solutions.

EcoFlow’s latest release, the PowerOcean Plus, represents a significant increase in residential system size and capacity. This smart hybrid inverter can manage up to 40 kW solar input with a 29.9kW AC output. Notably, it can support up to 60 kWh of battery capacity, 15 kWh more than its predecessor. Kevin Benedict, EcoFlow’s product and solutions manager, explained that this upgrade was a direct response to customer demand for larger systems to optimize home solar use and EV charging.

The presence of electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure was also a focal point at the event.

The Evum-motor aCar, showcased with a solar panel cleaning robot strapped to its flatbed, is tailored for operations and maintenance tasks. Starting at €33,990, this versatile vehicle is offered in several configurations: the base model features a 16.5 kWh battery with a range of 91 km. Additional options include a 23 kWh battery, which extends the range to approximately 128 km for an additional €4,290, and a 33 kWh battery that offers up to 203 km for an additional €10,890. Available in six base packages, the aCar punches above its weight with a payload capacity of 1,100 kg and a towing capacity up to 1,500 kg.

The aCar’s design, including its 1.5 meter width, allows it to fit comfortably between the rows of panels on solar farms, enhancing its utility. Its low-speed torque is specifically advantageous for traversing loose and steep terrain, facilitating the transport of essential hardware and personnel to less accessible areas. The inclusion of the solar panel cleaning robot underscores the vehicle’s practical application in maintaining and operating remote or large-scale solar operations.

Electric bike charger econec shared three electric bike chargers: the eBike Box micro for home use, eBike Box mini C for businesses, (featured in the image below), and eBike Box Vision for public charging. A notable feature of these systems is their customizable charger. Representatives noted that the e-bike industry has around 25 charging standards, with the public charging model, the eBike Box Vision, accommodating up to five unique plugs. Although Bosch dominates the market with 50% to 60% of all charger adapters, it offers two different types of connectors. Currently focused primarily on the European market, Econec is actively seeking U.S. partners as it works to expand its certifications.

Aiko is poised to launch the ABC Infinite Gen 3 solar module range, with efficiencies ranging from 24.2% to 25.2% in the fourth quarter. The standout 650 watt module, featuring 25.2% efficiency, aims to be the highest efficiency module globally upon its release. These products will be produced in the company’s two manufacturing facilities, with capacities of 10 GW and 14 GW of modules per year. A significant efficiency enhancement in these modules is the relocation of the busbars to the backside of the solar panels. While this adjustment reduces the bifaciality value to nearly 70%, it opens more silicon to face the sun on the front site, white significantly improving shade management capabilities.

Georg Giglinger, an environmental engineer, shared via Twitter what may have been the highest wattage module at Intersolar: Tongwei’s 765.18 watt rated, 24.63% efficiency panel.

Announced directly from the floor in Munich, Germany, Nextracker has acquired specialty ground screw manufacturer Ojjo in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $119 million. Ojjo’s truss systems are designed to use half the steel of conventional foundations, aim to reduce grading requirements, and would be the foundation that supports NexTracker’s motors and torque tubes.

The pv magazine team at Intersolar Munich 2024 included over 30 representatives from regions such as Ireland, England, Western and Southern Germany, the U.S., among others.

During high wind events, utility-scale solar assets are often automatically tilted to a stowed position to prevent damage and downtime from repairs. High wind can cause solar panels to vibrate and rotate, leading to microcracking, twisting, or shattering of panels. 

However, stowing solar trackers can lead to a loss of production as they do not follow the sun in an active stow system. 

Array Technologies, a leading provider of solar tracker systems, worked with independent engineering and design firm DNV to study an alternative method to active stowing called passive stowing. The analysis focused on evaluating the energy losses associated with various tracker wind stow methods and considered multiple variables, including wind velocity stowing thresholds, wind direction, dwell time, stow exit wind velocity threshold, stow angle, and stow direction. 

In Array’s passive stow system, most of the rows track normally when stow is triggered by a wind event. Array modeled a wind event with DNV, showing that only the exterior rows of the solar array, and 17% of the interior rows were stowed out of alignment of normal tracking. Meanwhile, the active stow system moved the entire array out of tracking position, did so at a lower wind speed, and did not use wind direction as a criteria for stowing. 

The study found significant differences in energy production losses between passive and active stow systems. Passive stowing was found to lead to a 0.05% annual energy loss, while conventional active stowing led to 2.8% average annualized energy losses. The DNV study showed that conventional active stow systems can lead to as much as 4.3% annual energy losses. 

“Weather events costing $1 billion or more have escalated dramatically, with wind events now ranking as the second highest cause of insurance claims in the last three decades,” said the report. “Array’s passive wind stow technology not only mitigates these risks by maintaining higher operational efficiency during wind events but also enhances predictability in energy production forecasts.” 

Array Technologies’ DuraTrack and OmniTrack products both employ passive stow technology.

U.S. solar tracking solution provider Nextracker announced its NX Horizon utility-scale solar trackers are now available with up to 35% lower carbon footprint.

The tracking solution is produced with an electric arc furnace manufacturing process and uses recycled steel. The carbon footprint of the solution is also reduced through strategic siting of logistics operations near the project sites, cutting trucking and shipping miles.

“Upstream control for sourcing sustainably produced steel and components is highly complex and requires expertise and deep partnerships to navigate,” said Kevin Smith, chief executive officer at Arevon.

Nextracker helps its customers like Arevon navigate upstream sourcing, providing a transparent view into the supply chain. A full life cycle assessment document is provided, including data on reductions in carbon footprint, land use, water consumption, and other metrics related to sourcing, manufacturing, delivery, and operation of solar trackers.

The low-carbon tracker solution is initially offered in the United States.

“Our low carbon tracker delivers measurable results in decarbonizing solar power through circular and increasingly renewably powered steelmaking, optimized logistics, and careful selection of raw material providers,” said Dan Shugar, Nextracker founder and chief executive officer.

Nextracker said it has already secured initial orders for its new NX Horizon low carbon tracker system. Developer and Nextracker customer Sol Systems said the low carbon solutions are “setting the standards for tomorrow’s energy infrastructure.”

In addition to using electric furnaces and recycled steel, the tracker solution’s carbon-intensive materials have been reduced. Aluminum now represents less than 1% of the total weight of the product.

“Industry represents more than 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions; steel alone is 7%, making it a crucial industry to decarbonize. Based on our analysis, the steel sector invested $35 billion last year in clean capacity globally, but much more is needed to reach net-zero,” said Jon Moore, chief executive officer, BloombergNEF.

Nextracker has two upcoming panel presentations at the Cleanpower conference May 6 to 9, 2024 in Minneapolis:

• “Domestic Clean Energy Manufacturing,” Dan Shugar, founder and chief executive officer, Nextracker (May 7, 2:15-3:15 p.m. CT, Charge Up Theater).
• “Solar Supply Chain,” Alejandro Riofrio, vice president, supply chain North America, Nextracker (May 8, 2:15-3:15 p.m. CT, Charge Up Theater).

In its last earnings report, the public company reported strong results, with quarterly revenue reaching $710 million, up 38% year-over-year. It raised its guidance for fiscal year 2024 to between $2.425 billion and $2.475 billion, up from previous estimate of $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion.

“As the world transitions to renewable energy and with solar leading new power generation, we are well positioned as the global leader in trackers, and we’re just getting started,” said Shugar.

The Fallon Two Rock Road Solar Farm is now operational, according to partners MCE and Renewable America.

MCE is a not-for-profit electricity provider for more than 585,000 customer accounts and 1.5 million California residents and businesses. The company reports that 60% to 100% of the electricity it sells comes from renewable power, and that it is currently delivering 14 GW. The Fallon installation is MCE’s sixteenth feed-in tariff project to come online in the Bay Area.

Renewable America is a renewable energy developer that specializes in small utility-scale solar storage and community microgrid projects in California. The company reports that it currently has over 320 MW of solar and 680 MWh of energy storage projects under development throughout California.

Fallon is a 1 MW agrivoltaics installation that is expected to produce an estimated 2.3 GW/h annually. Renewable America told pv magazine USA that the project uses 2,240 650W Astronergy bifacial solar modules on 25-degree, fixed tilt OMCO Solar Choice trackers, with 10 Chint Power 100 kW inverters (each power derated to 96kW). The site is expected to power 300 homes and save about 19,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions throughout its 35-year lifetime.

“Renewable America’s motto ‘Think Local. Act Local’, drives us to prioritize local projects like Fallon Two Rock that positively impact local communities. This is our first project with MCE, supporting local clean energy generation and committing to fast-tracking progress toward a clean energy future in California,” said Ardeshir Arian, president & CEO of Renewable America.

Renewable America designed the project to occupy only 3.5% of a 4.5-acre parcel, with the rest remaining in a natural state. The fixed tilt trackers follow the natural slope of the land, so no grading was needed, according to the developer. The project also accommodates sheep grazing between the rows, for natural vegetation management.

Fallon Two Rock was built with nearly 4,000 hours of prevailing wage labor, according to the developer. Prevailing wage is a requirement of the Inflation Reduction Act that developers must meet in order to qualify for a tax credit adder. In essence, the prevailing wage requirements states that the taxpayer (developer) must pay any laborer, mechanic, contractor or subcontractor at the prevailing rates for the location in which the construction takes place, as determined by the Secretary of Labor.

RNA Services LLC, a subsidiary of Renewable America, served as the EPC partner during construction and is continuing its role in operations and maintenance. RNA has also committed $20,000 to MCE for local workforce development.

“Clean energy is just one part of the transition to a sustainable future,” said Katie Rice, MCE board director and County of Marin supervisor. “The additional funding RNA committed will help MCE grow the clean energy economy, providing training opportunities for local residents to enter the green workforce.”

All stakeholders enter a commercial solar project with the goal of an on-time, on-budget delivery, but delays and overages are becoming widespread. Impeccable installation execution with an eBOS wire management system holds a key to timely and efficient delivery.

With an increasingly crowded solar market and more competition for solar projects, developers and EPCs can gain a competitive advantage by developing a track record of completed projects with minimal delays or overages. With the cost of a delay at $200,000 per MW, and PV solar installations delayed by an average of 4.4 GW each month, even a brief delay can take a significant toll on a project’s financials, and put profitability and capital management at risk.

While there are numerous external pressures that can delay a project, such as supply chain slowdowns or local ordinance issues, efficient installation is within a developer’s direct control.

The degree of installation success is driven in part by wire solutions. Wiring that integrates easily in the field can simplify installation, enhance both quality and longevity, and improve overall project efficiency. Wire solutions with a balance between customization and pre-fabrication can yield optimal results, including:

● The ability to pre-fabricate custom harnesses and source circuit lengths can significantly shorten installation time in the field.
● Wire stripping and adding connectors in the factory to controlled, manufacturer recommended tolerances will provide better longevity – enhancing a project’s financials in both the short-term, through faster installation, and in the long-term through better performance.
● Prefabricated and customized wire solutions have better consistency and reliability due to factory precision vs. manual fabricated on site.

The true cost of generic wire

While utilizing bulk wire solutions may seem like a fast and easy road to completion, it can slow down a project and cause installation delays. Every project has its own unique system design that requires a specific wire gauge, harness length and combiner box combination customized for each site. When evaluating wiring options consider the risks of using field-fabricated solutions, such as:

● Generic wiring that’s cut and fabricated on site lacks factory-assembled consistency, increasing the potential for connection issues and safety risks.
● Inconsistent tolerances and inefficient wire planning can necessitate procuring larger amounts of wire, creating budget creep and waste.
● Installing in the field requires more hours of skilled labor and entails on-site problem-solving instead of proactive planning ahead. This makes time and cost budgeting more unpredictable.

The bottom line – wiring options can make or break a project’s timeline and the quality of installation.

Assessing wire solution options

EPCs and developers that are assessing eBOS partners and wire solutions can benefit from these considerations:

● Assembly: Is assembly in-house, or managed via-subcontractors? In-house assembly allows a partner to have more control over quality and lead times.
● Design: Custom designed harness solutions can reduce the amount of wire required and therefore reduce overall eBOS cost.
● Plug-and-play: Does installation require manual cutting and problem-solving on-site, or can the solution be prefabricated for faster downstream installation and reduced labor costs?
● Project-specific solutions: What’s the degree of project customization? Problem-solving upfront and estimators who design tailor-made solutions will smooth installation and reduce risks of delays and budget overages.
● PV project lifecycle knowledge: Installation is only one piece of a much larger project with a much longer timeline. Does the wiring solution partner have a track record of success in complex PV projects, and understand the solar project lifecycle from upstream to downstream?

Wiring solutions can lay a foundation for ongoing success and an industry-leading reputation for timely, on-budget, and high-quality projects. As we move toward a clean energy future, competition among solar stakeholders is likely to increase, and developers and EPCs known for impeccable installation will stand out from the rest.

Case study: Cranberry fields forever

The Scenario: Installation execution was put to the test in Southern Massachusetts at a local cranberry wetland farm. Also known as cranberry bogs, these wetlands were designated as dual-purpose land (i.e., agrivoltaics). A leading solar developer was engaged to install 9-MW solar panels with 36-MWh storage over the fully-functioning bogs.

The Mission-Critical Task: Precision and accuracy were imperative, as installing solar panels over 150-year-old cranberry vines allowed zero room for error. The process required that arrays were high enough to prevent any damage to the cranberry crops below, while allowing for farming activities to take place without disruption. The complexities of this project simply could not be met with off-the-shelf-wire solutions.

The Challenge: A $53 million project set to power 1,800 homes was at stake. On top of that, there was a tight six-week delivery window, much shorter than a typical turnaround timeline. To meet the project requirements by the deadline:

● The solar arrays had to be mounted on 25 to 40-foot-long wooden,vwet terrain-resistant utility poles.
● The poles had to be driven 15 to 30 feet into the ground, keeping the solar modules at least 10 feet above the cranberry bogs. At this height, significantly more wire is required than the average solar project.
● The wiring solution needed to minimize long and heavy in-field installation activities to keep the cranberry bogs fully functioning.

The Solution: To ensure that the arrays would have solid foundations, durable racking structures, and be placed at an atypical height to minimize impact on crop growth, the deployed wiring solution had to be truly customized to every condition and variable: height, placement, quantity, human activity, and project timelines.

To meet the tight turnaround, the wiring was coordinated alongside the racking and module installations and the wiring was factory-assembled to ensure quick field installation. A total of 1,384 source circuit conductors (half positive, half negative) were cut to length and labeled in the factory with MC4 connectors installed on the panel end. It was blunt cut on the opposite end for field connection to combiners. The wiring was shipped on spools to the site, and the end-to-end connectivity of the wiring solution allowed for quick plug-and-play in the field.

The Outcome: The installation proceeded smoothly and efficiently, and the project was completed on time and on budget. Throughout the project, the cranberry bogs were fully operational and yielded a bountiful harvest.

Joe Parzych is eBOS product manager at Terrasmart. He brings over 15 years of product management experience to Terrasmart, focusing on wire management, product development, and production improvements. Terrasmart’s integrated eBOS solutions have delivered 23.5M feet or wire for solar projects across the country.

Renewables and storage interconnection backlog grew about 30% last year  The wait for transmission interconnection studies constitutes a “major bottleneck” for solar, storage and wind projects, which accounted for over 95% of all active capacity awaiting studies at the end of 2023, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has reported.

S-5! unveils new mounting systems for rooftop solar  S-5!, a supplier of mounting systems, plans to release two new mounting components for rooftop PV systems, including a new mount that allows for module-level power electronics to be attached directly to solar panel frames.

A guide to help homeowners understand how to go solar Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory published an open access guide to rooftop solar and battery energy storage that covers costs, incentives, policies and more.

New quantum solar cell material promises external quantum efficiency of 190% The new material consists of an heterostructure combining germanium, selenium, and tin sulfide, which also integrates atoms of zerovalent copper. It features an average photovoltaic absorption over 80% and could help photovoltaic cells break the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit, according to its creators.

California’s electricity multi-crisis can be aided by virtual power plants By operating distributed resources like solar, batteries and demand response devices in concert, California ratepayers could be paid $500 to $1,000 per year while improving resource adequacy.

California Supreme Court to review rooftop solar net metering The state’s highest court granted review to a lawsuit challenging a “regressive” rooftop solar policy called NEM 3.0.

Rutgers University’s 170 kW agrivoltaic project on its farm on the Cook campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey features a vertical solar installation designed by California-based Sunstall.

The farm operates as a production farm, research facility and teaching operation in support of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station related activities. At the farm, students, faculty and staff care for a variety of animals, including sheep, goats and cattle.

Agrivoltaics refers to the dual use of land for agriculture and solar energy generation, and the Rutgers farm is an example of such dual use, where a forage crop will be planted and beef cattle will graze between rows of solar modules. The design includes animal shelters that provide a shade area, animal drinking facilities, and a handling chute for safely managing large animals. Rutgers reports that the objective is to study the impacts of the agrivoltaic system on forage production and animal grazing, including any behavioral changes the animals may exhibit when grazing among the panels.

Results from the project will contribute to the Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program administered by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU). The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station received $2 million from the state for building research and demonstration agrivoltaic systems on its Research Farms.

Sunstall chose New Jersey-based developer and EPC contractor Advanced Solar Products as the installer. The vertical racking system from Sunzaun will consist of 18 rows of 21 solar modules, mounted in rows running north to south, enabling the system to receive sunlight from east and west.

The Sunzaun vertical racking system will hold bifacial solar modules that produce energy from both sides of the vertically oriented array.

The project will use ZnShine 450 W bifacial solar modules with a bifaciality rating of 70%. The system is designed to mount the modules using holes in the module frames, enabling them to be attached to two piles without the need for a heavy racking system.

This is not the first Sunzaun vertical agrivoltaic system in the U.S. Another example can be found in a vineyard in Somerset, California, where Sunstall installed 43 450 W modules on Sunzaun vertical solar arrays.

Agrivoltaics have been found to have other benefits as well, such as reducing water evaporation from the soil. A research group led by the University of Liège in Belgium studied this and verified that the vertical PV system could reduce water demand for the irrigated main crops. In addition, agrivoltaics can help meet the U.S. clean energy goals. Research by Oregon State University found that solar and agricultural co-location could provide 20% of the total electricity generation in the United States. Wide-scale installation of agrivoltaics could lead to an annual reduction of 330,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions while “minimally” impacting crop yield, the researchers said.

IRS releases updated guidance on energy communities  Tax adders are offered for projects within brownfield, coal and other communities that will face challenges in the transition away from fossil fuels. 

Polar Racking fixed-tilt mount supports 38 MW solar project in Canada Concord Green Energy selected the mounting provider for its fixed-tilt solar mounts.

Duke Energy Progress seeks approval for 76 MW solar project in South Carolina If approved, the project will be sited adjacent to the operational Robinson Nuclear Plant.

Solar energy rising: Predictions to illuminate 2024 Climate the entrepreneur and chief executive officer of Sunrock Distributed Generation, Wilson Chang, shares his predictions for the changing energy landscape.

Consumers Energy developing 250 MW solar project in Michigan The Muskegon County project will support the utility’s goal of adding 8 GW of solar by 2040.

DOE releases funds to streamline siting and permitting for renewables The U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $22 million in funds under its Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program.

Polar Racking announced it has been selected by Concord Green Energy to supply its solar mounting systems to a 38 MW solar project in Tilley, Alberta, Canada. The mounting provider will provide engineering design services for the project.

The project will make use of Polar Racking’s all-weather fixed tilt racking product called CORE. The mounting system includes helical pile foundations.

Polar Racking is among the only Canadian suppliers of solar mounts and racking for the commercial and utility-scale market. Its products are designed to be constructed and maintained in areas with heavy environmental loads like snow, wind, and frost. The company has supplied over 3 GW of racking across North America and has a 3.4 GW project pipeline.

While many utility-scale solar projects make use of single-axis tilt racking, the fixed-tilt CORE racking system was chosen for this project. The racking system has fewer components to assemble, built-in wire management, and integrated bonding. Polar Racking said the fixed-tilt system leads to reduced civil costs, faster installation, and has high assembly tolerances. It enables both top-down or direct bolt clamping.

Polar Racking said the fixed-tilt racking is optimized for bifacial and thin-film solar panels. Bifacial panels collect light from both sides of the panel, which is particularly advantageous in northern climates where snow on the ground leads to high levels of reflectivity, known as albedo.

The galvanized steel racking product is UL 2703 tested for the U.S. and Canada and wind tunnel tested up to 195 mph. CORE is designed for projects varying in size from 500 kW to 500 MW.

Polar Racking also develops single-axis solar trackers, solar carports, and a residential and small commercial version of its fixed-tilt mount.

PureSky Energy announced the acquisition of a 2.47 MW community solar project in Potomac, Maryland from the project’s developer, Chaberton Energy.

Over 4,500 ET Solar modules will be mounted on an Erthos mounting system, and because of the unique qualities of Erthos, the project will take up just 4 acres of land and is expected to take just nine weeks to install. Chaberton told pv magazine USA that being in a suburban setting, the project is significantly land constrained.

“The Erthos solution provides the highest electricity production per acre and also provides a low-profile solution relative to conventional racking systems, which helped us secure the support of the surrounding community,” Chaberton said.

The project is expected to be built this summer using what Erthos calls Earth Mount Solar, because it installs solar on the ground with no mounts or trackers below. While most utility-scale solar installations use single-axis trackers, Erthos said that with the drop in solar module prices, it is more cost-effective to buy additional solar modules to make up for the loss of efficiency from foregoing trackers.

The company said the design also increases panel density, which reduces the amount of land needed. Visual impact is minimal because the modules sit on the ground. And the company says it can install the modules in about half the time.

“This project is not just a step towards expanding our footprint; it’s a leap into the future of solar energy,” said Jared Donald, president and CEO of PureSky Energy. “By utilizing the Erthos mounting system, we are setting a new standard for solar installations that are both community-friendly and efficient.”

PureSky Energy, based in Denver, Colo., is a developer, owner, and operator of community solar, C&I and storage projects. The company entered the U.S. market in 2016 and now has approximately 233 MW installed across 44 sites or under-construction projects expected to be completed in the short term.

Chaberton Energy, based in Maryland, is a public benefit corporation focused on developing sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy projects. Its work ranges from site conception to full operations. After four years of growth, Chaberton reports it controls 650+ MW of community solar sites in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, New Jersey and Italy.

Even with the threat of heavy snow (that turned into a light drizzle), solar professionals flocked to the RE+ Northeast event in Boston’s Seaport district, for an expanded convention center floor hosting over 200 booths with thousands of attendees. The RE+ Northeast show, located in New England in February, has grown from its humble beginnings in the Westin hotel to the cavernous Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, with plenty more space for future growth!

Now, onto the floor!

Sun Ballast has reduced its use of aluminum racking components by 95%, opting instead for concrete racking components. This approach simplifies the installation process and utilizes the weight of the concrete racking for ballasting, effectively securing modules to the roof.

As seen in the image above, metal clips secure the modules to the ballast components. pv magazine USA reached out to a tax attorney to determine how the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) domestic content bonus, which requires a 40% average of “Made in America” components across the basket of products, will categorize the ballasts. The question at hand is whether the concrete racking components will be considered part of the 40% basket with some flexibility in sourcing, or if they will be subject to a stricter “Made in America” requirement as standard structural components. This distinction will impact how these components can be used to meet the domestic content requirements of the IRA.

Pegasus showcased two unique products: one that eliminates the need for caulking during attachment and another that reduces the number of racking components needed. The company’s InstaFlash unit integrates a non-hardening, semi-liquid sealant into the flashing, which fills any spaces made by drilling lag bolts into a roof.

The product is designed to squeeze out of the flashing when the integrated lag bolt is tightened, ensuring a secure and watertight seal.

Pegasus’ second product on display, SkipRail, is a mid-clamp product that sits between modules and connects two separate rows together. This design allows installers to skip adding a set of rails and flashing as well as holes in the roof, for the row of modules that connects to a standard two-rail row of modules.

Anker, traditionally known for making small portable batteries and other gadgets, has launched a home battery system. The system features an inverter with up to 6 kWac of standard output, which can be combined with up to six 5 kWh battery packages, totaling a potential 30 kWh.

The Solix X1 battery chemistry is lithium phosphate, which contains no cobalt.

SolarPanelRecycling.com showcased a sampling of the materials it recycles from solar panels during the deconstruction process, including silicon, plastic, copper, and glass. The featured image at the top of this article provides a visual representation of these materials after deconstruction. The company claims it has the capacity to recycle 100 million pounds of material per year, which equates to approximately 2 million solar panels.

All Correct Solar offers EL imaging services, with Beryl Weinshenker, formerly of PVEL, highlighting the company’s ability to provide deliverables to insurance companies and manufacturers that determine module acceptance and deficiency. The image below shows a solar module removed from a site after a recent inspection, with multiple cells damaged. Weinshenker suggested that the damage might have been caused by a solar panel above this one being dragged across the pallet, rather than being properly lifted.

The company also offers services for scanning solar modules as they are unloaded from shipping containers, emphasizing the importance of clear “module acceptance provisions” in purchase agreements with distributors and manufacturers. Spot-checking modules and informing manufacturers of such checks can help ensure the integrity of deliveries.

Span was onsite as well, showcasing its advanced electrical panel and new electric car charger at the booth. A representative demonstrated the company’s mobile app, which smoothly allows users to prioritize circuits powered by the battery backup and automatically recalculates the battery’s runtime based on the adjusted “must have” items.

Sistine Solar refers to their printing technology as “SolarSkin,” which is a proprietary process that allows for the application of graphics on a thin-film polymer. This technology enables businesses and homeowners to customize the appearance of their solar panels to blend seamlessly with their roof or display any design they desire. 

The company was open with pv magazine USA about their costs and pricing for printing in color on both residential and commercial sized solar modules. The printing costs are eligible for the 30% IRA tax credit. Sistine Solar noted that homeowner associations are a popular driver for residential solar consumers, while advertising is the top driver of commercial panel installations.

A graphic displayed at the booth illustrated the trade-off between “Maximum PR Value” and energy yield, with options for 85%, 90% and 95% module efficiency.

BrightView Vegetation Management offered a basketball shooting arcade game at the conference, with the highest scorer winning a pair of Apple Airpods. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company provides vegetation management services for ground-mounted solar facilities, as well as tree trimming services for commercial and residential solar projects.

Invaleon, a residential, commercial, and utility solar engineering, procurement, and construction company from Haverhill, Massachusetts, also had a booth at the show. However, the representatives were a little too busy to attend on Tuesday.

Additionally, pv magazine USA had a booth at the event, with Matt Gallinger, Anne Fischer, Ryan Kennedy, Eckhart Gouras, and yours truly in attendance.

We look forward to seeing you on the floor at the next show!

At the RE+ 2023 conference in Las Vegas, vendors from across the globe displayed their largest, thinnest, bi-facial solar modules, showcasing achievements in photovoltaic cost efficiency. Boasting wattages once unthinkable, the cost reduction juggernaut of solar has marched forward.

For those of us who have designed a solar module and performed mechanical load testing, there is one head-scratching detail that sticks-out and begs for further exploration. These massive modules come equipped with some of the smallest module frames ever seen.

The previously ubiquitous 2- by 1-meter module with a frame height of 50mm is now approximately 55% larger in surface area with frame heights as low as 30mm. How is this possible when mechanical load ratings have remained constant, and the height of a beam is of paramount importance to its strength? Those physics hold true for bridges, buildings, and even the frame of a solar module. Wind and snow loading rise proportionally with the increased surface area, but the latest, longest-ever module frames see a height reduction of ~40%, severely reducing its load-carrying capacity.

Modules are tested to various standard mechanical load tests for certification. These tests apply loads to the front-side and back-side of the module to rate them for withstanding real-world environmental conditions. The current industry standards (UL 61730-2, IEC 61730, IEC 61215-2) all generally agree on mechanical load testing procedures. Many of the modules on the conference floor advertise compliance with these standards and the industry-leading testing labs perform these certification tests with the utmost care and diligence.

While the large-format modules meet these standards in the lab, the lab is not the real-world. The field loading applied to a solar module depends on the structure on which it is mounted and the terrain of the project. The greater the wind zone, the greater the load on the module.

Less obvious is that larger tilt angles typically also increase wind loading on modules and that this varies across locations throughout the array. Picture a ship with its sails raised versus lowered during a storm. Which one has more force to project their vessel forward?

Snow can often have the opposite effect. Panels of a higher tilt angle will often shed more snow than lower tilt panels and thus be more favorable to module loading from snow. Any house roof in a northern latitude will showcase this phenomenon. The project designers must carefully check that the modules selected work with the mounting structure at every location on the project site.

Therefore, to understand the engineering gap at hand, a marriage of large-format module frame design and structural design of racking systems is key. Because module loading is dependent on the supporting structure (e.g., tilt angle, among several variables), structural vendors typically specify expected module loading in project design. Many structural vendors are good at validating that the module itself falls within the certification rating. However, is it possible that some vendors are still missing peak module loads for wind?

Image: Azimuth Advisory Services

A SETO-funded research project being carried out through a joint venture of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and UC Berkeley has determined that vendors need to look at smaller effective wind areas than the spans between foundations (not what is shown in Figure 1 A) when estimating individual module loading. PV modules can be broken if attributable areas as small as one-quarter of the module are overloaded (individual fastener level loading – D in Figure 1) and this can be shown to occur at maximum project design conditions for many projects getting installed today. While the evaluation typically carried out is around a maximum design loading, the SETO-funded research team is currently exploring how a lower, uneven cyclical loading can lead to structural failures as well.

If understated peak module wind loading has been common practice in project design for the last 15 years, then module failures should be rampant, no? In practice, older module frames have been pulling double-duty masking this oversight. Some of those module frames were designed with safety factors of 3. Today, large-format modules appear to be designed to safety factors of 1.5 based on reviews of some module manufacturers datasheets and industry standards. This allows the modules to be competitive in the downward march on cost.

When a certification laboratory tests a module to an actual 2,400 Pa of back-side loading, the maximum design pressure it is certified for is 1,600 Pa. It is critical to check if the module rating advertised is what was tested (including safety factors) or if it is what the maximum allowable design pressure is (without safety factors). 1,600 Pa of pressure on a module is approximately equal to a 72-mph wind gust for a module pressure coefficient of 3. The LBNL / UC Berkeley research team has determined that this coefficient is achievable at row ends for module tilts over 15 degrees. This is hardly a sufficient design for any project in the U.S. based on the latest ASCE 7-22 wind maps. If a designer mistakenly used 2,400Pa to be the design pressure, this would increase the allowable wind gust to 88-mph. Thus, it is important to understand what the module rating includes.

Load capacity

The market has driven module load capacity to its breaking point. This seems to be particularly the case regarding backside (wind uplift) loading. Combining legacy engineering assumptions, larger module areas, smaller module frame heights and unclear manufacturer ratings yields a recipe for failures. The goal is not to lay blame, but to understand the technical issues at hand and offer guidance on what stakeholders can do.

Here are tangible ways that developers, financiers, insurance companies, owners, asset managers, structure manufacturers and module manufacturers can manage these risks:

1. Make sure sufficient independent engineer (IE) budget and time is allocated per project (particularly smaller projects) so key details about module loading can be checked not only per project, but at every location on the project (e.g., exterior rows, corners, fasteners).

2. Structure manufacturer due diligence should confirm that:

• Clip and bolt loads for module retention use “module clip loads” (D in Figure 1) instead of average row areas (A in Figure 1) or even module-level areas (B in Figure 1). See the wind tunnel testing coefficients for more details.
• Module loading should not be assumed to be the same across the array for wind. The wind loads on modules at the end of the rows are typically higher than those on the interior. This is true for both tracking and fixed tilt systems. [See the latest SEAOC PV2 Wind Design for Loading Arrays]
• Clip/bolt loading should not be assumed to be the same at each location on the module. Loading on one half of the module is often quite different than the other. The fasteners may end up being the same design, but they should be designed to withstand the highest loading and not a lower average load distributed across the four fasteners.
• Module rails should be sized accordingly as well, with particular emphasis on exterior module rails and their appropriate rail-level area loading (C in Figure 1) and with assumptions for uneven module loading.

3. Module due diligence should confirm:

• Whether the module datasheet front-side / back-side mechanical load rating includes the test safety factor (typically 1.5). If it does not, reduce the load rating by the appropriate safety factor and confirm that the structural loading demand does not exceed that new, lower rating based upon the module wind/snow stow angle (tracker) or installation tilt angle (fixed tilt).
• That the module frame is designed to withstand the extra forces that come with uneven loading for the wind/snow stow angle (tracker) or installation tilt angle (fixed tilt) of the system.
• The mounting method exactly matches the module certification mounting method and is listed in the module installation manual. If not, the module manufacturer should be requested to issue a letter that the unapproved mounting method will uphold the warranty under the project conditions. Testing may be necessary.

Unprecedented volatility. Materials shortages. Equipment pricing uncertainty. These dynamics set the pace in today’s solar sector. But reliable partnerships across the value chain can help alleviate some of these supply constraints for EPCs and developers.

We recently sat down with two of our partners to hear their thoughts about thriving in uncertain times. A Northeastern EPC with projects ranging from small engineering jobs to builds exceeding 100 MWs and an integrated developer with construction, ownership, and operation of DG, community, and storage projects in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Here they share their top five challenges and opportunities in today’s volatile market.

Top 5 challenges

1.Supply variability

Everyone talks about supply constraints. But according to our partners it’s the fluctuation in lead times, more than availability itself, that makes planning difficult. Procurement lead times can stretch four months overnight, trickling down to affect project interconnect schedules, delaying the start of energy production, and cascading down to erode margins and other financial targets.

Pandemic-related material shortages are still very much an issue, despite reports to the contrary in mainstream media. Trade conflicts between the U.S. and China also are creating pressure, aggravating polysilicon and battery cell supplies.

In some cases, construction of the racking equipment can create long lead times. Or quick material change orders to take advantage of new incentive opportunities like the Inflation Reduction Act’s domestic content requirements (DCR) might derail schedules. It’s at times like these that a trusted partner can navigate around supply risks to support a seamless experience.

Flexible partners who are ready to pivot when needed can make all the difference. The EPC offered one example when it changed its order to domestically source ground screws to take advantage of DCR tax credits. If a partner can make the shift quickly, it has negligible impact to the schedule. The shift saved the owner from the risk of missing their net energy billing deadline.

2.Materials price volatility

Today’s macroeconomic climate impacts all industries globally with stubborn inflation and ongoing market volatility. The recent 4% jump in the consumer price index affects everything and everyone. This marketplace variability burdens EPCs and developers as they seek to provide a firm, fixed price.

3. Constrained and costly interconnections

Across the board, everyone feels the pain of interconnection and grid reliability. Utilities are trying to transform an aging infrastructure with a patchwork of new lines to connect renewable energy generation capacity while maintaining safe power and still keeping costs down.

In some regions, interconnection queues span out years with resource-intensive feasibility studies, limited visibility into a project’s interconnection, and burgeoning costs. A regional cluster study for a new project pool can result in hundreds of millions of dollars in interconnection upgrades. These costs get allocated to each project — in some cases beyond what DG projects can bear. Some see socializing grid upgrades as a necessary evil that spreads the cost of infrastructure upgrades across all ratepayers, instead of leaving developers holding the entire bill.

4. Execution risks

EPCs tend to be more susceptible to construction risks. They have set schedules and are dependent on their vendors once a project is under construction. As a result, they rely on their partners for precise planning and execution support. A sub-contractor’s ability to deliver on a well-thought-out plan is a huge benefit if done well — or a major detriment if done poorly.

That means it’s crucial to find a seasoned partner with portfolio construction experience and the ability to organize multiple simultaneous projects seamlessly, including mobilizing production teams from one project to another. When the unexpected arises, that same partner must be adept at managing course corrections and work-arounds while maximizing everyone’s time.

“Contingency planning makes a good contractor,” explains our EPC partner.

5. Regulatory risks

Community solar and DG developers do not have the luxury of operating in a singular, national market. Instead, they must juggle a variety of constantly changing laws and regulations across 50 disparate states forming a complex maze of market norms.

Top 5 opportunities

To offset these market challenges, EPCs and developers are leaning more than ever on integrated partnerships to maximize value and profitability. Proactive problem solvers with a design-to-build approach across portfolios help create new opportunities for faster, smarter solar.

1.Solving problems for optimized constructability

EPCs and developers appreciate racking partners with the know-how to innovate new ways to optimize construction. It requires far more than just putting a foundation in the ground. Only in-the-field experience can take things like wire management, field tolerances, and table alignment into account to design the fastest, highest-quality installation possible. Problem solving is key to ensuring PV longevity. For example, how can additional subsurface galvanization ensure reliability across all environments? How can it be done most cost effectively?

“Once you work with a partner that anticipates your needs, you get the quality and safety that is of the utmost importance to us,” said our development partner.

2. Partnerships across portfolios

Portfolio partnerships that encompass developers, EPCs, and racking companies create significant advantages for all players, including pricing certainty and helping to leverage the cost of capital. Master sales agreements across portfolios help stabilize equipment supply risks. Some inventive racking partners are creating mechanisms to share risk with their customers through steel price hedging that is only possible with larger portfolio commitments.

But it’s more than that. When racking designers understand their customers’ long-term goals across project portfolios, additional value can be found through optimization, effectiveness, stability, and long-term quality.

Ultimately, successful owners look for partners who pay attention to details throughout every project across a portfolio.

3. Integrated racking and installation

Ground mount companies that install their own products have both the design and the construction mentality that EPCs and developers want. Having a broad variety of products allows flexibility to work on diverse sites with vastly different installation demands. There are unique advantages to being able to identify whether a site calls for driven piles or ground screws and then being able to deliver the best option quickly and cost effectively.

4. System quality

Racking companies that prioritize research, product development, and field testing for new and existing systems deliver the highest possible quality. For EPCs and developers, innovation is as much about field efficiencies for faster installations as it is about novel products.

Mounting vendors that take the time to have engineering and development teams meet with clients are able to keep on-site issues at the forefront, creating transparency and certainty around things like workmanship and overall warranty periods.

5. Partnership model

Strong partnerships are based on mutual understanding all along the value chain. It’s a two-way street: Vendors want to know what is important to their customers and customers want to know how to be a good partner in tough times as well as in good ones.

The most effective partnerships have a mutual understanding across functions and levels, aligning goals and mentalities through each phase of the project. When transparency and communication are built in on both sides of the organization, the true value of the partnership can be realized.

Ashleigh Kent is director of marketing at Terrasmart, a specialist in commercial to utility-scale solar ground mounts. 

Scientists with Texas A&M AgriLife are taking a look at agrivoltaics as a potential solution to the growing demand for both electricity and food.

Agrivoltaics is the practice of pairing solar energy and agricultural production on the same land. As the economy and population in Texas grows, so does its demand on the electrical power grid as well as its demand for sustainable food production. The researchers find that agrivoltaics offers the potential to enhance the efficiency of both.

A large number of coal plants were retired in 2018 and solar has been on the upswing ever since. The state had enough solar installed by Q3 2023 to power 2.5 million homes. Over 11,000 Texans are employed by the solar industry, and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reports that over $24.4 billion has been invested in the technology there through Q3 2023. Just over 5% of Texas electricity is generated by PV. SEIA estimates 40 GW to be installed over the next 5 years, putting Texas first in the nation in solar power generation.

Texas is now one of only two U.S. states with a population of 30 million or more: the nation’s second-most-populous state reached a population milestone by passing the 30-million threshold.

According to the U.S. Census, the population in Texas grew 43% from 2000 to 2022, making it the fourth fastest growing state in the country. It is now one of only two states with a population over 30 million; Texas’s population in 2022 was 30,029,572 with only California topping it at 39,029,342.

Not surprisingly, with that growth comes increased demand. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported an unofficial record demand of 85 GW during the summer heatwave of 2023.

“As the population of Texas continues to grow, we will see limitations in the amount of land available for the production of food and other agricultural commodities,” said Dr. Nuria Gomez-Casanovas, assistant professor in regenerative system ecology in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.

The Texas A&M team is taking a look at the potential for agrivoltaics as a result of the growing loss of agricultural lands, coupled with expanding energy requirements, according to Gomez-Casanovas.

The team collaborated with researchers from across the country on a recent paper Knowns, Uncertainties and Challenges in Agrivoltaics to Sustainably Intensify Energy and Food Production, published in Cell Reports Physical Science.

With an understanding that agrivoltaics has the potential to enhance the sustainability of agricultural land while helping to meet energy and food demands, the research focused on the challenges including the ecological, environmental, and socio-economic consequences of agrivoltaics.

Enhanced land productivity

“We reviewed existing scientific literature to assess how agrivoltaics can provide synergistic benefits across the food-energy-water nexus compared to solar power arrays or agricultural systems alone,” Gomez-Casanovas said. “One of the take-home messages from our analysis is enhanced land productivity through the implementation of agrivoltaics.”

Agrivoltaics can reduce the competition for land resources and can minimize or “avoid the unintended negative consequences of conventional solar energy deployment” with smart decision making.

“The idea is to make each acre more profitable for landowners and agricultural operations,” said Gomez-Casanovas.

Using the land equivalency ratio, the researchers found that planting agricultural crops under solar panel arrays can enhance land productivity by up to 60% compared to crop monocultures or solar panel arrays on the same land area.

While land is usually heavily graded before solar is installed, with agrivoltaics vegetation is planted under the solar arrays.

“In a photovoltaic system, vegetation is often removed or kept low under the solar panels, which can result in biodiversity loss associated with land conversion and clearing, as well as an increase in local temperatures due to what is known as the photovoltaic heat island effect,” said Gomez-Casanovas.

Reduction in water loss

Most of the large-scale solar development in Texas is happening in the wide open, arid regions amenable more to cattle grazing than agriculture. Gomez-Casanovas said agrivoltaic systems could boost solar energy production and agricultural resiliency in semi-arid regions of the state.

“Because the solar panels provide shade to the plants, less solar radiation reaches them, resulting in a reduction in soil water evaporation and plant transpiration,” Gomez-Casanovas said. “This is very beneficial for plant health during intense summers and periods of drought.”

Other agrivoltaic studies, such as one conducted by Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, have noted a reduction in water loss. According to Chad Higgins, an associate professor in Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and the senior author of the paper published in the journal Sustainability, “Agrivoltaics provide a rare chance for true synergy: more food, more energy, lower water demand, lower carbon emissions, and more prosperous rural communities.”

Reduction in water loss is important in Texas, as water becomes an increasing challenge, and the Texas study notes that the reduction in plant water loss ultimately translates to water savings in irrigation, an important factor for agricultural production.

“Although shading might be expected to lower plant productivity, and it does in certain agricultural settings, there is increasing evidence that agrivoltaics has the potential to enhance crop and forage yields compared to traditional agricultural systems alone,” said Gomez-Casanovas.

In a 2019 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and co-authors from the University of Arizona and University of Maryland studied the potential benefits of agrivoltaics on food production, irrigation water requirements, and energy production. The study, published in Nature Sustainability, found a two-fold increase in yields from tomato and chiltepin peppers grown under solar panels in a semi-arid environment compared to a traditional agricultural system.

The Texas A&M researcher, Gomez-Casanovs noted, however, that more research is needed to understand how to enhance crop yields under solar panels because different plant species have varying light requirements. She added that animals can also benefit from the shade provided by solar panels, potentially reducing heat stress in the livestock.

Carbon sequestration

The team also studied the potential for increased carbon sequestration, seeking to increase to increase the body of knowledge around this important benefit. In 2021 a study was conducted by researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Lab, NREL and University of Minnesota, which analyzed solar power facilities that integrate natural grasses. The study modeled and averaged solar facilities in seven states in the Upper Midwest. Their modeling suggested that native grasses planted as part of 10 GW of solar generation capacity would sequester 129.3 tons of carbon per hectare; that is 65% and 35% greater than either an agriculture or a solar-turfgrass scenario, respectively.

The Texas A&M study expands on this knowledge, finding that prior land use is a key factor in predicting the impact of agrivoltaics on carbon accrual.

“For example, if you transition a native rangeland to an agrivoltaic system, there is a detrimental impact on carbon sequestration,” said Gomez-Casanovas. “However, if you transition from an agricultural system with low soil organic carbon to an agrivoltaic system promoting carbon buildup, there would be a positive impact.”

Types of plants, soil and agricultural practices can also influence the level of carbon sequestration at agrivoltaic sites, the study suggests. Strategic management, which might include restoring native vegetation or planning pollinator-friendly crops, can affect biodiversity, according to Gomez-Casanovas.

Strategic management of vegetation under the arrays, such as the restoration of native vegetation or planting pollinator-friendly species can also have a positive impact on biodiversity, Gomez-Casanovas said.

One of the challenges to implementing an agrivoltaic system is the significant upfront cost with a long-term investment window, the study finds. These costs are attributed to the infrastructure needed—not only the solar panels and racking, but energy storage and transmission, as well as crop selection. Other areas requiring more insight, the researchers say, include the optimal solar array configuration and policy support that will make agrivoltaics as competitive as possible.

“The profitability of agrivoltaics is expected to play an important role in farmers’ decisions to adopt the system,” Gomez-Casanovas said. “At this point, we have more questions than answers, which is exciting because these questions will guide our future cross-discipline research.”

U.S. solar company iSun Inc. is partnering with German agrivoltaics manufacturer Next2Sun AG to construct a vertical agrivoltaic system in South Burlington, Vt., set to begin operation early this year. 

The 50.37 kW (ac) plant will sit on 3.7 acres and consist of 3 rows separated by 30 feet. There will be 138 monocrystalline bifacial solar modules placed on 69 ground-mounted Next2Sun racks. Next2Sun also states that vegetables and saffron can be planted between each row. 

Vertical solar plants are an alternative for landowners transitioning to renewable energy because their directional orientation and bi-facial design allow them to absorb more energy than other tilted models. One study published in the Office of Scientific and Technical Information database found that ground-mounted, vertical, east-west facing bifacial solar panels outperformed south-north-facing, optimally tilted modules by almost 15%, showing an albedo of 0.5 percent. 

Next2Sun reports that its vertical plants help to avoid the overbuilding of agricultural land because they take up less space. One Colorado farmer found that installing vertical, bi-facial solar panels offered a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for renewable electricity generation. “Nestled between two greenhouses, the unique vertical bifacial solar panel system optimized land use while potentially capitalizing on the high albedo effect of the highly reflective greenhouse materials,” he said.

This most recent project is part of a more extensive portfolio of Next2Sun’s patented solar panel design. At the start of 2023, the company announced a partnership with international green energy infrastructure developer TEP Renewables Ltd to expand agrivoltaic systems in the U.K. 

The Next2Sun system also adds to iSun’s burgeoning clean energy technology portfolio. The organization has been exploring innovative solutions to help advance technology since the early seventies. “Of all the innovations we’ve enabled, none have been as important as the transition from dirty to clean energy,” the company states. 

The Renewable Energy Solutions Program of the German Energy Solutions Initiative supports the project. The program helps German companies in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry enter new markets. The initiative is part of a government program intended to support suppliers of sustainable energy solutions start in foreign markets. 

The German Energy Solutions Initiative focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses. It supports participants by giving them a good idea of what’s needed to enter a specific market in addition to sharing insights on what new markets to watch out for. 

Heiko Hildebrandt, the CEO of Next2Sun, said, “In iSun, we have found a partner who, like us, wants to accelerate the energy transition. With our vertical bifacial agrivoltaics system, we can contribute to this, especially in areas such as the north-east of the USA. The vertical Next2Sun system always produces electricity when conventional P.V. systems are producing less.”

Read more about vertical agrivoltaic installations around the word here.

Two solar projects, totaling over 12 MWdc sit on a 197-acre decommissioned landfill in Lancaster in Erie County, New York.

The first site, Lancaster 1, is a 6.06 MWdc community solar project, with Finger Lakes Health as the anchor commercial utility off taker. Lancaster 2, a 6.63 MWdc project, is not a community solar site and is instead classified as a “remote crediting” site, and Finger Lakes Health is one of its many off-takers.

Ampion, a community solar subscription management company, enrolled Finger Lakes Health along with the Town of Hector’s municipal sites and other subscribers.

Both of the solar installations use 540 W Znshine solar modules, Gamechange racking and Chint inverters. Lancaster 1 has 11,232 modules installed, whereas Lancaster 2 has 12,298. The projects are connected to the New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) distribution infrastructure by two different interconnection points.

Originally designed by AC Power, a woman-owned development company specializing in repurposing previously disturbed land into productive solar fields. Catalyze acquired the two installations, which it will now own and operate.

“In working alongside Catalyze, we’ve managed to turn a once dormant landfill into a source of clean energy, contributing to New York’s ambitious renewable energy targets,” said AC Power founder and CEO Annika Colston. “This project is a shining example of how solar development can not only offset land maintenance costs but also transform a challenge into a revenue-generating asset, all while supporting the community and the environment.”

Catalyze is a national independent power producer (IPP) with a strong presence in the California and New York markets. Catalyze is backed by EnCap Investments L.P. and Actis.

“We’re proud to support New York’s efforts in expanding solar energy access to commercial and mass market energy users that may not have the option of putting solar on their own building,” said Jared Haines, CEO of Catalyze. “This project further demonstrates renewable energy’s role in supporting local economies, and we will continue to look for opportunities that both accelerate the clean energy transition and create value from unused space.”

These projects will support New York’s goals of expanding clean energy access to commercial users and the state’s clean energy target of 6 GW of distributed solar by 2025, and 70% renewable energy by 2030.

The completion of community solar installations on two warehouse rooftops is being celebrated in New Jersey by local community leaders including Monroe Township Mayor Stephen Dalina and  South Brunswick Mayor Charles Carley, along with representatives from Solar Landscape.

The installations, which are installed, owned and operated by Solar Landscape, are on Heitman Capital Management warehouse rooftops in Monroe Township and South Brunswick.

With 11,000 Znshine modules mounted on PanelClaw racks, the combined rooftop projects provide 8.8 MWdc of clean, discounted solar energy to more than 1,400 nearby homes. The projects also promote clean energy equity, as more than half of those homes will be low- or moderate-income households.

The spread of commercial rooftop community solar has contributed to New Jersey-based Solar Landscape’s growth, which the company reports has tripled over the last two years. The company currently employs over 150 people and has more than 250 MW of solar projects built, and over 150 MW operating and under construction.

Solar Landscape recently announced that Public Storage, owner of self-storage facilities across the U.S., signed a contract to install solar on more than 130 of its rooftops in Maryland, New Jersey and Illinois. The solar generated on the self-storage rooftops, enough to power 10,000 homes, will be available to local residents on a subscription basis. Subscribers will receive discounted electricity, and Solar Landscape reports that the clean energy will offer additional savings for many LMI households.

Due to the company’s growth, it moved into a new 10,000-square foot office space in the spring of 2023, and recently announced plans to hire over 100 new employees in 2024. The new jobs will span all functions, including engineering, business development, finance, legal, community engagement, and project management. Job candidates interested in future positions at Solar Landscape can click here.

The expansion is expected to double its operations next year, with a goal of building 100 MW of commercial rooftop solar and serving 20,000 new community solar subscribers – over half of which will be lower-income households.

Erthos, Inc. announced 34 MW of new projects under contract that will feature the company’s Earth Mount Solar, which installs solar on the ground with no mounts or trackers below.

The new portfolio includes sites in California, Utah, Arkansas, Texas, and South Carolina.

Ute Energy Exploration & Marketing was founded by the Ute Indian Tribe to protect the Tribe’s natural resources. The Utah-based developer selected Erthos for its upcoming 3 MW solar project, which will be located on the Tribe’s land in Utah.

“Electrical infrastructure is becoming more and more essential to the Ute Tribes development initiatives. Powering modern controls which monitor and measure emissions are essential to the Tribe,” says Devin Pehrson, CEO of Ute Energy Exploration & Marketing. “The Erthos installation methodology and development plan lead us to the lowest installed cost, which translates into the lowest power rates we could find.”

Erthos also announced contracts with Cedar Lake Power to deliver three new solar plants in South Carolina totaling 10 MW. “Erthos offered solutions to all three of our primary project challenges. They offered the highest energy density for our tightly configured sites, the highest wind rating, and the fastest installation method to address our aggressive schedules.” says a representative from Cedar Lake Power.

Two other undisclosed developers plan projects totaling 9 MW, bringing the newly announced portfolio to 34 MW. Erthos now has 17 solar plants under contract nationwide. 

Late last year Erthos announced the signing of an agreement with Industrial Sun LLC for a new utility-scale solar project of more than 100 MWdc in Texas.

In March 2022, the company announced the closing of a $17.5 million Series B funding round in March to scale up production. This follows a $7.4 million Series A in 2019, which launched the company and helped it finalize the earth-mount system architecture. It also funded the development of the autonomous cleaning robot, which drives over the surface of the panels to clean them, which is necessitated by having the solar modules so close to the ground.

“With each new project, Erthos proves its ability to offer a highly attractive alternative to the status quo,” says Jim Tyler, CEO of Erthos. “We’ve said from the start that we can deliver on the lowest cost of energy. Now, with two years of plant operating history, we can prove it with real-world performance data. The word is out, and you can expect many more project announcements soon,” says Tyler.

Erthos will be exhibiting in booth 28048 at RE+ solar trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 12th through 14th.

Solar racking conglomerate ESDEC is reportedly targeting a $5 billion valuation in preparation for its initial public offering (IPO), following significant acquisition-driven growth in the U.S. and Europe.

According to a report from Bloomberg, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley have been hired to manage the process, and is adding further banks to the IPO syndicate

Dutch-based ESDEC has built an impressive solar racking portfolio via a series of strategic acquisitions in the U.S., after making similar purchases in Europe. To date, the firm has bought out four key U.S. racking entities: Ecofasten in November 2018, Ironridge & Quickmount in September 2019, and PanelClaw in November 2020. Notably, in 2020, Quickmount shifted its manufacturing facilities to China.

In 2018, Rivean Capital, a leading European private equity investor, made its first investment in ESDEC, propelling the solar group’s acquisition momentum. Last year, in a significant transaction, Blackstone, dubbed the world’s largest real estate developer and alternative asset manager, alongside Rivean Capital, acquired the ESDEC group, cementing its position in the burgeoning solar market.

This joint acquisition drew close attention from European regulatory bodies. Blackstone emphasized that such strategic acquisitions played a vital role in its growth, as evidenced by the company’s yearly sales leap from approximately €30 million ($28.9 million) in the Benelux regions to €500 million across three continents. The purchase was finalized by the end of 2022. As part of the recent transaction, Rivean Capital not only realized its original investment in ESDEC but also reinvested into the company, demonstrating their continued faith in ESDEC’s potential.

Highlighting the rationale behind the ESDEC purchase, Blackstone’s Senior Marketing Director of Private Equity, Bilal Khan, stated:

We believe this partnership with ESDEC is going to allow access to reliable, low-cost rooftop solar solutions for other businesses Blackstone invests in, creating an opportunity to generate value for Esdec and drive decarbonization across our portfolio.

Blackstone has made multiple investments in the solar industry. The company offered development and construction credit to commercial solar developer Altus Power, put several billion into utility scale developer Invenergy, and launched a $100 billion sustainable credit platform.

pv magazine USA reached out to ESDEC CEO Stijn Vos for further comment.

Even in non-traditional orientations solar panels can provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy solution when strategically installed.

This principle is currently being showcased by Spring Hill Greens, a Colorado-based farming operation nestled between two greenhouses. Their unique vertical bifacial solar panel system optimizes land use while potentially capitalizing on the high albedo effect of the highly reflective greenhouse materials.

We get morning sun and evening sun but during the day we also get reflection off the buildings which we hope will produce a significant amount of solar–Tom, from Spring Hill Greens Farm in Fort Collins

The system’s design and installation were handled by Sandbox Solar. While they don’t yet have a tool to fully measure the albedo effect without a control vertical system, the company has commenced experiments to provide further insights into generation curves.

Ian Skor, owner of Sandbox Solar noted that the production on snowy days is dramatically higher than any other installation. The project’s peak generation periods are at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., which Skor likened to a “reverse duck curve”.

To help design and simulate the generation curves of the facility prior to construction, Sandbox Solar employed their inhouse software, SPADE Agrivoltaic.

Preliminary data shows promising results. During the months of September through April,  the vertical bifacial system produced 559.28 kWh/kWp. This performance surpasses that of a nearby east-west rooftop system owned by Spring Hill by 14%, which produced 489.93 kWh/kWp. However, it falls behind a south-facing ground mount project, also a Spring Hill property, which achieved an output of 857 kWh/kWp, by 34%.

Denver-based Greentech Renewable provided the hardware for the project, which includes Canadian Solar 445 W BiHiKu bifacial solar modules, SolarEdge 11.4  240V single-phase inverters, p505 rail mounted optimizers, and Tamarack bifacial vertical solar fence racking.

Acknowledging the customer’s initial desire to maximize land use, Skor commented, “My summary is that the system saves dramatically on footprint and can increase the number of usable project areas. The production during snowy days is dramatically higher than any other installation. This application may work extremely well in northern climates that experience significant snowfall.”

Solar generated 7% of U.S. electricity in April  Solar electricity was up 16% from 2022, a relatively modest increase due to lower deployed solar capacity in 2022 than in 2021. For the year, solar has covered 5% of all electricity so far, with emission-free sources greater than 43%.

U.S. clean hydrogen roadmap needs work, say analysts  Clean Energy Associates ‘senior director, George Touloupas, and Wood Mackenzie principal analyst, Hector Arreola, suggest The Biden-Harris Administration address cost and scaling roadblocks to meet the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap’s ambitious goals.

Ballasted racking from PowerField Energy scales up to utility-scale installation  PowerRack is PowerField’s portable, ballasted racking system that is used in residential, commercial, industrial, and now utility-scale solar.

How California employers can reimburse EV drivers for charging at home  Failure to reimburse employees for charging EV fleet vehicles at home can have serious consequences. Employers can reduce that risk by offering employees an IRS-compliant program that accurately reimburses employees.

Utility ordered to repay customers for illegal community solar metering  Pepco was found to undercount solar generation and failed to credit its customers in a timely fashion.

U.S. national labs evaluate potential for floating solar in Southeast Asia  The labs assessed the technical potential for floating PV and underlined its co-benefits in environmental protection and food security.

A new public utility for Maine would speed clean energy, say advocates  A Maine referendum would create a new publicly owned utility that could purchase and operate the assets of the state’s two investor-owned utilities. Advocates say that would speed Maine’s path to 80% renewables by 2030.

An idea that began with PowerField Energy co-founders David Flory and Paul Burdick tinkering in a garage is now a growing company scaling up in production, funding and project pipeline. Both Flory and Burdick came from solar backgrounds and aimed to find a simple, low-cost racking solution. That tinkering led to development of the PowerRack, which is an injection-molded high-density polyethylene container that can be filled on site and used to mount solar panels of almost any size, no tools required.

pv magazine USA spoke with Drew Bond, co-founder and chief executive officer, Patrick Fleming, chief operations officer, and Corbin Abshier, director of business development, on the history of PowerRack. One of the first PowerRack installations was at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colo., where they set up a two-year test model. To date, the company has installed PowerRacks supporting more than 4 MW of solar in residential and commercial as well as portable installations, like the one at this year’s Coachella music festival.

In seven years, the Virginia-based company has scaled production several times, has raised $1.3 million in funding and now is raising a Series A for $5 million to scale sales, manufacturing, and product development for global distribution.

In 2022 the company landed its first utility-scale contract for an installation in Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania where the developer, Endless Energy, had run into challenges around site conditions and environmental concerns and the developers couldn’t get the project across the finish line. The developer had already sunk a lot of money into the project, so they needed a solution that would get the project up and running as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Once the contract was signed, it was delayed for a year due to permitting issues, but once approved, the PowerRacks were installed, and modules mounted in four weeks. The project is at a ShopRite store, where 8,800 PowerRacks hold 4,400 Hanwha Qcells 480 W solar modules in the 2.1 MW system, powering more than 85% of the store’s energy needs.

According to Fleming, the site had underground water table issues and there was exploratory well equipment on the site that had to be avoided, so penetration with a traditional racking system was not going to work. The developer had already sunk a lot of money into the project, so they needed an inexpensive solution. The PowerRacks met their needs, and while the project was ten times larger than anything PowerField had done previously, they said they only needed to have one field employee on site to get the job done.

The racking is brought on site as empty 15-pound plastic containers, which are filled with any dry loose aggregate material such as gravel or crushed rock. The solar modules slide easily onto the racking and are held in place with clips. Clips are attached by hand, with no tools needed. When it’s time to decommission the solar installation, the modules are removed, the racking is emptied, and they can be removed from the site and recycled.

PowerRacks were also used to set up a temporary solar installation to power lighting the Coachella music festival held in April in Indio, California. Overdrive Energy Solutions chose the PowerRack after seeing them at a trade show and thinking their portability would meet their needs. Neel Vasavada, founder and president of Overdrive said a crew of four installed 15 kW of solar divided across ten locations.

“And we had never used the product before. We were down to 10 min. a location – less time than it takes to fuel a gasoline generator,” he said.

Once the festival was over and it was time to disassemble the temporary solar installation, Vasavada explained that “disassembly” doesn’t apply in the same manner as other products here.

“We used PowerRack specifically because there isn’t any disassembly of the racks themselves, except for picking up the plastic locking pieces after the panels are lifted off,” he said.

With the PowerRacks being portable and sitting above the ground, installers have a few options when it comes to handling the wiring. Fleming noted that there is a channel in the rack where the cabling rests along the sidewalls of the rack and up under the modules, just as it would with any system. The wiring can be run above ground with cable hangers or messenger cables, or the site can be trenched if that works better for the installation.

To date, PowerField has sold their racks in 38 states, with customers ranging from electric utilities to do-it-yourself homeowners. The company recently expanded its manufacturing capacity to meet the growing demand and PowerField is developing future versions of the PowerRack to accommodate ever-larger modules, different pitch angles and other unique customer requirements.

In Central Florida, ESA Solar this week announced completion of a first 1.2 MW phase of a 3.6 MW ground-mounted solar project for a cannabis grower utilizing indoor growing facilities.  The three-phase solar farm project is part of ESA’s ongoing expansion efforts to provide pathways to decarbonization for companies and communities in new markets and regions, including recreational cannabis.

The solar farm uses Q Cells Q-Peak Duo XL bifacial double glass solar modules mounted to Terrasmart Glide racking hardware, a design built to provide maximum efficiency and stability, an ESA Solar spokesman told pv magazine USA. The array’s panels are strung together using 62.5 kW Sunny TriPower Core 1 inverters from SMA Solar, he added.

A 2022 report from the United Nations’ Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated climate control measures represent more than 80% of the carbon footprint of indoor cannabis production. On-site solar systems can reduce costs for growing operations, as electricity can add up to 30% to 50% of the cost of cannabis production.

Cannabis production represents over 1% of U.S. electricity demand, said the National Conference of State Legislatures, presenting a large opportunity for renewable energy adoption.

According to the State of the Cannabis Cultivation Industry report of 2021, 54% of growers solely operate indoor facilities, while upwards of 80% operating an indoor facility in addition to a greenhouse or outdoor facility. Related to energy consumption, 150 kWh is used annually per square foot in an indoor grow facility. This equates to less than 750,000 kWh of annual energy use for small facilities and over 5 million kWh for large growers.

Various recreational cannabis market growers have turned to on-site solar and energy storage systems to offset their energy consumption in addition to using energy efficient LED lighting systems designed to operate at daily intervals when power is less expensive on the grid. Such practices have in turn saved an additional 50% or more on energy consumption.

ESA’s three-phased solar farm will be used to support all the electricity needs on-site for the Floridian greenhouse cannabis grower. The solar farm project will help cut electricity costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create a more reliable source of electricity, and promote clean energy across the central Florida region, the developer said.

“We are happy to already be wrapping up phase one of this new solar farm project near our home base of Central Florida,” said Justin Vandenbroeck, executive vice president of ESA Solar. “Working alongside local agricultural leaders to promote sustainable energy practices is how we help them meet their growing energy needs. This project will power a cannabis facility, one of the fastest growing sources of new electricity consumption, rivaling data centers and EVs.”

The second phase of the solar farm is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, opening a path for more on-site solar for cannabis facilities in the coming years, the developer said.

Founded in 2017, ESA is a Maitland, Fla.-based commercial, community and utility scale solar developer which has developed projects in more than 10 states. Collectively its team has developed over 3 GW of projects over their career.

Elsewhere in the U.S., Santa Barbara, California-based Canndescent boasts more than 100,000 square feet of indoor cultivation space and produces close to 17 tons of cannabis per year. In 2019, the grower installed a 282.5 kW solar system at its facility in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. The grower’s solar system offsets 25% to 35% of the company’s electricity consumption, depending on the time of year, senior director of compliance Andrew Mochulsky told pv magazine in April 2023.

Ontario, Canada-based Polar Racking announced it will add two facilities to manufacture solar mounts in the United States. One factory will be located in Michigan, the other in Florida.

A spokesperson for the company told pv magazine USA that it is building up to over 1 GW of tracker and fixed-tilt capacity by mid 2024, with the ability to scale up from there. The company said each site will add 10 jobs, with job opportunity growth as demand increases.

The Michigan facility is currently operational, and the Florida plant is expected to reach commercial production by the end of summer 2023, said the spokesperson.

“Our new U.S. facilities mitigate shipping lead time risks for our customers and gives us additional control over the entire supply chain,” said Pals Saddyappan, director of supply chain and global manufacturing, Polar Racking.

The company currently has a pipeline of 3.4 GW of solar mounting and racking across North America and the Carribean.

Made-in-USA solar components, including racking, trackers, and mounts, are in-demand across the nation, as the Inflation Reduction Act includes a 10% tax credit adder for renewable energy projects that include a certain threshold of domestic content. The Treasury Department recently released guidance on the content requirements, which contain complexities and are actively being evaluated by the industry. The subject of domestic content requirements was a hot topic at the RE+ Southeast renewable energy conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

“The expansion of Polar Racking’s manufacturing operations is in response to our customers’ needs to meet the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) domestic content requirements,” said Vishal Lala, managing director of Polar Racking. “Polar Racking supports the government’s initiative to re-shore the PV supply chain to create local jobs and bolster the local economy.”

Tracker for all terrains

This March, Polar Racking was tapped by OYA Renewables to supply its solar mounts for community solar projects in New York, the nation’s largest community solar market. Polar will supply its terrain-following Axsus series single-axis tracker for the construction of the Camillus Site 1 (6.61 MW), Camillus Site 2 (6.64 MW) and Vernon Site 1 (5.93 MW) community solar projects.

The company’s Axsus Sol-X tracker was developed in collaboration with leading automotive manufacturers to meet the challenge of installing solar on uneven terrain. As of April, Polar Racking has installed 200 MW of the product, with up to 400 MW expected to enter construction in 2023.

By applying automotive manufacturing best practices for a modular, on-site factory process, Polar Racking has increased assembly efficiencies, said Lala.

The Sol-X tracker features independent tables that can hold 6 to 24 modules per table for a total of up to 180 modules per row that are all controlled by a single motor. The table purlin design and flexible drive shaft allow it to follow the undulations of the terrain. Additionally, the Sol-X is can connect directly to various types of foundations, such as ground screws, helical piles, driven piles, and concrete ballasts for landfills. Its purlin table design also allows for greater pile and assembly tolerances that the company says allows for a much simpler and quicker installation.

pv magazine USA recaps the top earnings reports and conference calls for public companies that supply solar modules, silicon wafer materials, inverters, hardware and energy storage systems to the North American renewable energy market, as well as integrated residential solar installation companies and rooftop solar finance providers. This report tracks quarterly and annual volumes of orders, wafer material shipments and customer allocations.

On Friday, U.S. solar stocks traded up between 12% and 25% following the release of guidance from the U.S. Treasury on domestic content as it relates to the sourcing of American-made solar modules, hardware components under the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Nextracker, an integrated tracking hardware and software supplier, was up 12.7%, with its stock trading at $40.03 per share, its highest trading performance since becoming a public company on February 8, 2023.

Tigo Energy

Tigo Energy, a distributor of inverters, optimizers and energy storage systems, reported $50.1 million in Q1 2023 revenue, up 406% from $9.9 million generated in Q1 2022, while the company also had its first successful profitable quarter, with $6.9 million net income.

“Looking ahead, our focus remains on providing an exceptional customer experience, including through our technology’s open architecture, easy installation, and powerful software,” said Zvi Alon, chief executive officer of Tigo Energy “We anticipate that we will close our previously announced merger transaction with Roth CH IV later this month and believe that this transformation will propel us into a successful second half of the year.”

The company provided Q2 2023 guidance with revenue expected of $70 million to $74 million.

In December 2022, Tigo announced a merger with special purpose acquisition company Roth CH IV, a SPAC funded by Roth Capital Partners and Craig-Hallum Capital Group, with $117 million of gross proceeds. Upon completion later this month, Tigo Energy will trade on the Nasdaq exchange under ticker ‘TYGO.’

Nextracker

Nextracker, a Fremont, Calif.-based solar tracking hardware and software solutions provider, reported $518.4 million in its fiscal Q4 2023 revenue and net income of $27.5 million for the quarter, its first quarter as a public company.

The company also reported full year revenue of $1.9 billion and net income of $121.3 million for FY 2023. Over the last year the hardware company saw a 90% increase to its backlog, growing to $2.6 billion, while the company executed multiple project portfolio contracts with owners and developers.

In 2023, Nextracker shipped 17 GW of hardware systems.

During its Q1 2023 earnings call, management said for customers that require domestic content, the company can accept orders for 70% to 80% of domestic content this year and in 2024 anticipated accepting orders for up to 90% domestic content.

“Our ability to grow revenue by 30% and earnings by over 120% for fiscal 2023, while posting our fifth consecutive year of profitability, reflects our leadership position in solar markets around the world, a global supply chain footprint supporting those operations, as well as solid execution across the business,” said Dan Shugar, chief executive officer of Nextracker.

The company provided fiscal year 2024 guidance with revenue expected of $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion, and net income in the range of $175 million to $205 million.

FTC Solar

FTC Solar, an Austin, Texas-based solar tracking hardware provider, reported $40.9 million in Q1 2023 revenue, a slight beat over the market consensus of $39 million, though down 17.5% year-over-year from $49.6 million of Q1 2022 revenue.

In Q1 2023, the company attributed strong bookings of $235 million to the United States’ continued enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which has banned since December 2021 the imports of various solar components from global suppliers from the Uyghur region of China that had seen forced labor violations.

“Results for Q1 came in at the high-end of our target ranges on all metrics,” said Sean Hunkler, president and chief executive officer of FTC Solar. “Our strategy is working, the multiple initiatives we’ve executed on over the past year are improving our operating performance. For example, our improved cost structure has enabled us to post our first positive gross margin since our IPO, one that is 14-points higher today than it was in the fourth quarter of 2021 when we had two and a half times the revenue, and one that is 57 points higher than just two quarters ago.”

The company provided Q2 2023 guidance of $42.5 million to $52.5 million revenue and continues to forecast egative earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of negative $3.5 million to $7 million as the company sees continual growth ahead since becoming a public company in April 2021.

Upcoming earnings:

• FREYR Battery reports Q1 2023 earnings on May 15, with a conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET;
• Canadian Solar reports Q1 2023 earnings on May 18, with a conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET; access to the call is available by calling 877-704-4453.

Stanley Black & Decker, the venerable tool manufacturer founded in 1843, unveiled a 4.3 MW solar farm in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, said to be the state’s largest privately funded on-site solar project. Completed by Castillo Engineering and RPG Energy Group, the solar farm will power Stanley Black & Decker’s 280,000 square-foot onsite production facility, and is expected to deliver 5,500 metrics tons of C02 reductions and an annual energy savings of $400,000.

The ground-mount solar installation is made up of 10, 415 First Solar Series 6 thin film modules, mounted on Solar Flexrack S-Series single-axis trackers with self-powered tracker controls. The facility has a total of 28 Sungrow 125W string inverters. The distributor for the modules, inverters and AC gear was Greentech Renewables, formerly CED Greentech.

According to Stanley Black & Decker, this solar installation will produce enough energy to offset 100% of the annual energy needs from the plant. Rather than building the solar system off site and claiming the carbon credits, Stanley Black & Decker has committed to building this solar array on its property, connecting behind the meter to achieve the company’s net-zero energy goal at this facility.

Stanley Black & Decker’s environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) strategy includes 2030 commitments aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “As part of Stanley Black & Decker’s global environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives, this project represents an impactful milestone as the organization progresses toward its mission of carbon neutrality by 2030,” said Rob Kirts, director of global energy and utilities at Stanley Black & Decker.

While the tool manufacturer has powered some of its other facilities in the U.S. with on-site and off-site renewable energy, this project represents the company’s first on-site, wholly owned, 100% offset solar project. Stanley has many solar and energy saving projects planned for the future, some of which are currently underway. These projects range from on-site solar to energy efficiency upgrades that reduce scope 1 and scope 2 emissions to support the company’s ESG goals.

RPG Energy Group, headquartered in Indianapolis, is a renewable energy company that offers schematic design and engineering through final construction and system monitoring within the renewable energy markets.

Based in Maitland, Florida, Castillo Engineering is a design and engineering firm that delivers expertise in solar and energy storage design, engineering and consulting services to developers, EPC contractors and utility companies. The company’s services cover electrical, structural and medium & high voltage for residential and utility-scale projects ranging from 5 kW to 500 MW.

From pv magazine global

Industrial robotic systems manufacturer Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corp. has developed a solution to automate and streamline the construction of large-scale solar plants.

The Utah-based company recently achieved the final validation of its prototype solution in the Outdoor Autonomous Manipulation of Photovoltaic Panels (O-AMPP) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. It did not disclose the exact location of the pilot installation.

“The solar construction industry is facing unprecedented labor shortages while simultaneously facing an increase in demand for solar energy,” said Trent Mostaert, vice president of industrialization at construction engineering company Mortenson, a partner in the O-AMPP project. “We believe the O-AMPP system can address these challenges while improving safety, productivity, and efficiency for our workers. It will also enable solar project developers to scale output and production to the levels needed to achieve the Energy Department’s 2030 and 2050 renewable energy goals.”

The proof-of-concept robotic system consists of an autonomous working vehicle (AWV) featuring Sarcos’ Guardian XM robotic arm and an autonomous delivery vehicle (ADV). The solution uses cameras to identify where the PV panels need to be installed. The robotic arm then autonomously lifts up the panel using a vacuum system and places it approximately where it needs to be clamped to the mounting structure. “The arm then goes into a special mode where the person clamping the panel can easily move that panel however they need, in order to align it and attach it into the panels,” Sarcos explains in a video on its website.

The company did not share details on whether the vacuum system lifting mechanism would lead to mechanical stress on the PV modules. It says that the robotic solution’s benefits include lower soft costs for projects, projection multiplication, improved construction timelines and quality, and a safer worksite that reduces the risk of lifting and fatigue-related injuries.

The O-AMPP project started in 2021 and Sarcos expects to commercialize its solution by 2024. “Achieving this market validation and field test milestone is a mission-critical step on our path to commercializing our robotic solar field construction solution and, ultimately, enhancing safety and productivity in the solar field construction industry,” said Kiva Allgood, CEO of Sarcos.

Array Technologies supplied the tracker system used in the pilot project. Other industry partners included equipment manufacturer JLG Industries, automotive company Pratt Miller, and Mortenson.

With the handing down of NEM 3.0 still fresh in mind for the California solar market, much focus at Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America 2023 this week in Long Beach, Calif., was on an integrated residential battery storage system paired with solar and EV charging systems.

The event, held Feb. 14 to 16 at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, is dedicated to advancing the clean energy transition. It featured four keynote addresses, the third annual Solar Games installer competition, and valuable distributed energy panel sessions and networking opportunities. Diversified Communications, the event organizer, reported after the conference that they welcomed over 8,000 solar + storage professionals and hosted 400+ exhibitors.

FranklinWH Energy Storage Inc., a specialist in whole-home energy management, saw throngs of visitors at its booth on the exhibit floor. The San Jose, Calif.-based company was demonstrating its residential battery system, which has shown a five to 15 minute commissioning time.

The company’s energy storage system debuted over a year ago and is made in Shenzhen, China. The system integrates a 13.6 kWh lithium iron phosphate “aPower” battery with adaptive learning, part of the aGate smart control system. FranklinWH reports the battery is compatible with any PV inverter technology, and it can connect with existing solar systems while scaling up to 15 units for a total of 204 kWh of capacity. In the event of a power failure, its “black start” feature creates a micro-grid for the home.

Nearby, electric panel startup SPAN.io Inc., also headquartered in San Francisco, was showing off an EV charging plug interconnected with its digital and off-grid electric panel system, housed in a mobile tiny house trailer. The company reports that it enables residential electrification without replacing infrastructure like wires and transformers.

Unlike a traditional electrical panel, SPAN provides circuit-level control and digital real-time usage to energy consumption at the appliance level of the house. When paired with solar and storage, makes the home self-reliant and sustainable during a power outage by enabling  flexible backup. At Intersolar the SPAN panel was paired with Enphase home battery systems and can also be paired with Tesla Powerwall, among others.  The SPAN panel retails for $4,500 before professional installation and tax.

Among new EV solutions debuted at Intersolar was Enteligent’s EV Fast Charger, a 25 kW home and commercial-scale DC to DC charging port which allows daily charging directly from solar generation. Without the conversion of solar photovoltaic energy from DC to AC at the grid level first, Enteligent’s wall-mount and ballast configurable charger adds back 13 to 20% of lost energy from traditional AC home charging systems.  The small charger is about the size of traditional home EV chargers and doesn’t require additional batteries or electrical infrastructure upgrades.

The company’s chief executive officer Sean Burke told pv magazine USA that the first Enteligent fast chargers will be delivered in Q3 2023. The company recently closed on a $7 million Series A round from NOVA, the venture arm of Saint-Gobain, and Taronga Ventures, a real estate technology investor.

Utility-scale innovation

Across the exhibit hall at Intersolar North America, a number of utility solar operations and maintenance solutions vendors were showing off their solutions. After Zeitview (formerly Dronebase) showed its new North American Solar Scan, an asset rating system for utility solar projects, it was easy to see the value in O&M solutions at Intersolar.

Two such firms, Bird Control Group and RST CleanTech, are literally removing the crap from dirty panels in coastal regions or areas with regular migratory birds.

Using the Avix Autonomic laser system, Bird Control Group provides a 5,000-hour, 360-degree green laser gun that is mounted on a tripod or racking system adjacent to a solar project. The laser senses incoming birds in its periphery and deters birds from flying above or around solar systems, providing a 90% reduction in birds and bird poop from reducing the efficiency of solar panels within a range of 1,640 yards, just shy of one mile.

Ihor Mulyck, sales manager at Bird Control Group, told pv magazine USA that the laser systems were developed by its Danish parent company, and typically sell for $15,000, including installation and O&M services.

Matt Casey, owner of RST North America, the U.S. business of Israel-based RST Cleantech Solutions, said RST sells and maintains a sprinkler system network that cleans 2 million solar PV panels each day across systems that average 20 MW per project.

RST’s sprinkler mounted on PV modules improves efficiency by up to 35%, and Casey told pv magazine USA that many of its commercial and industrial customers have assets more than a decade in service that are performing at peak performance. Using a mobile phone application, RST’s sprinkler systems are deployed on panels to discharge water to clean panels during the night time, with projects routinely cleaned about every 10 to 14 days to maintain efficiency.

“Without cleaning, it’s like buying a movie ticket and not going to the movie performance,” Casey said about the U.S. solar market that has not yet fully embracing solar cleaning solutions. “There’s a real gap in solutions. EPCs [engineering, procurement & construction] just want to install projects and not worry about anything else.”

The Israeli company reports that it cleans approximately 40% of the Middle Eastern country’s PV systems, and Casey said the company expects to achieve a similar metric in the U.S. in the coming years. In addition to its sprinkler nozzle and tubing system being evaluated for inclusion in solar investment tax credit status, Casey said RST’s systems are beneficial to agrivoltaic system usage, as its water-based cleaning systems use no chemicals, are deployed overnight using water conservation, and excess water flows to the ground level to water plants or nearby bushes or shrubs.

Outside the Long Beach Convention Center, Nevados Engineering’s All Terrain Tracker was on display, equipped with First Solar Series 6 modules. The Nevados tracker provides for ground-mounted installations at slopes of up to 37% in any direction, allowing for 96 modules to be installed in a single row. The trackers are designed to fully eliminate site grading constraints in projects with uneven terrain. This avoids time and cost-intensive permitting, construction, and revegetation steps, and accelerates project schedules, according to a product circular.

The All Terrain Tracker system’s torque tube and damper designs improve wind performance and has been tested at hurrican force winds of 80 miles per hour.

Mark your calendars: Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America 2024 returns to San Diego, Calif. next year, taking place January 17 to 19, 2024.

This article was amended to include updated attendance figures from Diversified Communications.

Solar racking and mounting supplier SnapNrack announced an innovative new solar panel mount called TopSpeed, which is designed to be attached to the panel on the ground before being hoisted to the rooftop for installation.

The new product is aimed at reducing installation times and limiting time spent on the rooftop. SnapNrack said duration of time spent on the rooftop can be cut by over 50% when compared to traditional racking solutions. This is a boon to the safety of installation workers.

The mounts are attached to the roof, leveled and aligned on SnapNrack’s universal skirt. The process helps simplify materials staging and racking assembly.

The installation process involves three steps. First, TopSpeed mounts are attached to the solar modules. Next, wire management is performed, with Smart Clips and module level power electronics (MLPE) frame kits set in place. These first two steps are performed on the ground, while the universal skirt is laid out on the roof. Finally, the modules are quickly affixed to the skirt.

The product is UL certified and is rated to perform under 90 mph to 180 mph wind loads and up to 90 pounds per square foot of snow load.

All mounts are secured with a proprietary half-inch head wood screw and roof sealant. The design allows for single-tool installation. The mounting system includes new features like retained fasteners and deck mounts.

The product is made of alloy aluminum and 300 series stainless steel. It is finished on the top with a black oxide bolt and bonding clip and a black anodized clamp, while the bottom has a mill finish. It is approved for installations between zero-degree and 90-degree roof pitches.

The product will be displayed at Intersolar North America 2023 in Long Beach, California from Feb. 14-16, 2023 at the SnapNrack booth #1461.

In a volatile, supply-constrained environment, pricing and availability can change in an instant, sending buyers right back to the starting point. Ask a large energy buyer how to manage the solar procurement timeline, and the answer might go something like this: “Recently, if panels are available, we and our competitors are buying them within hours of hearing about the availability.”

The “buy first, ask questions later” strategy carries some risk. But so does almost every approach to solar procurement. Each step can take the buyer closer to a supply agreement that in turn leads to project profitability or deals a frustrating setback.

Experienced module buyers probably know the steps to take and the considerations to make, but as the graphic below suggests, procurement can sometimes feel like the children’s game, Chutes and Ladders. Even the most seasoned players can benefit from a refresh of the best practices and guiding strategies needed to navigate the ever-changing procurement process.

There are three key areas that impact a buyer’s success: visibility into the supply chain, buying power, and module value analysis. This article reviews the most important questions to ask at each step along the way.

How to play the procurement game

Data collection is the first step in the procurement process. Large-volume module buyers need to know which modules are available for purchase in line with their budgets and the timing for project development. They also need answers to questions such as:

• What are the electrical and mechanical characteristics of these modules?
• What are the purchasing terms and conditions?

There might be a procurement team responsible for data collection, or that work might be delegated to someone who has various responsibilities. Either way, most buyers have to contend with limited access to supplier data and poor data quality once their information is no longer up to date.

With a valid set of module data in hand, one can move to step two — data analysis. Some of the analysis can be completed in-house, such as verifying that equipment is compatible with the rest of the project components and overall system design. Other aspects of data analysis depend on third-party input, including the following:

• Has the combination of modules and racking been used in a previous project?

If not, the module manufacturer may need to show allowable mounting options.

• Has testing been done, and if so, is a test report available? If not, this could mean sending module samples to the racking supplier or vice versa for analysis.

Wait times for responses from suppliers can vary, and it often depends on the supplier and the buyer’s relationship with the supplier.

Performance engineering, the third step in solar procurement, helps module buyers evaluate the impact that selected equipment will have on energy production. If a project is financed, as most are, the financier will want to see independent test results answering questions such as:

• How is the module affected by light-induced degradation that occurs in the first hours or days that a module is exposed to sunlight?
• How do the modules respond to variations in temperature and irradiance, as reflected in PAN files?

For each module, it can take days or weeks to get third-party reports if they exist, and then the results must be vetted until there is enough confidence to proceed with the project. This itself is a multi-step process.

Here are the steps to ensure an accurate performance model:

• Verify that the PAN file was produced based on test data from a third-party lab.
• Then review the results to ensure that the lab followed accepted testing standards and confirm that the PAN file parameters produce a good match to the test results.
• Finally, compare the PAN file to the module datasheet to make sure the parameters match.

Leveraging buying power in procurement

The end of the procurement process is nearly in sight. But timeline management continues to be unpredictable and full of risk, which undercuts buying power for the module buyer.

The next step is vendor due diligence. In this fourth step, the questions to answer include:

• Are the financing parties involved in the deal satisfied with the bankability of the modules?
• Do the financing parties believe the quality of the vendor’s production process and its risk mitigation strategies, including the manufacturer’s warranty, are sufficient?
• Are the product reliability assessments convincing enough to win approval from financiers?

It’s also important to account for legal and regulatory compliance, such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), a law enacted in 2021 to keep goods produced in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, including raw materials used in solar modules, out of the U.S. market.

Contracting, step five, might be the riskiest step of all. So many resources have been invested to reach this point. And yet, a shift in module pricing or availability could send the buyer back to the start.

Module buyers might have to wait several months before they have a negotiated and executed supply agreement. Once again, it depends on the supplier and the buyer’s relationship with the supplier. All the while, none of the procurement terms can be guaranteed until the contracts are signed.

The inherent risk at this stage can put module buyers at a disadvantage when negotiating terms with the supplier. At this point, the questions to ask are:

• How long will it take to get signatures on a purchasing contract?
• Can the cost of shipping be quantified based on the manufacturer’s proposed terms in the supply agreement?

Using module NPV to optimize project value

If the data can be synthesized from each step in the procurement process, the value of different modules can be compared and that comparison can be used to optimize overall project value. The best way to do so is to determine each module’s net present value (NPV). NPV calculates an asset’s costs and projected income and assigns a present-day value, accounting for the fact that money has greater value now than it will in the future, a concept known as the time value of money.

Consider the purchasing terms learned during data collection. Terms that reduce capital costs will generally improve NPV. The data analysis performed in step two provides insight into labor and balance of system (BOS) impacts of a given module. Simple, streamlined installation processes also boost NPV.

Now it’s time to consider module degradation during performance engineering. As a general rule, NPV is higher when module degradation is lower. Degradation also affects project O&M. Higher degradation has the effect of driving down gross revenue.

Questions to ask to evaluate overall module value include:

• How do low-price modules stack up in terms of long-term energy output and revenue?
• Are there modules that aren’t the lowest cost, in terms of dollars per watt, but create the most project NPV?
• Which factors in module procurement (i.e., timing, brand, module risk) are most important to the success of the project?
• Are you struggling to find availability to satisfy the requirements of your projects?

Procurement solutions reduce risk 

It might seem easy to take a do-it-yourself approach for some steps in the procurement process for a couple of module options. But doing a deep dive into all the module options can be time consuming.

What’s more, taking the time to eliminate production model ambiguity and deliver a trustworthy model that financiers are more likely to accept can slow the time to get to the finish line. Having a reliable procurement solution means not having to risk starting the game over again if some of the checklist steps are missed, or if something goes wrong.

Aaron Hall is a solar veteran with 22 years in the industry. He is currently president of Anza, a Borrego business that is an optimized online marketplace where large-scale solar module and energy storage equipment buyers can quickly see a list of vetted, attractively priced options maximized for net present value based on project inputs.

Bethlehem, New Hampshire, a small town with a population of 2,500, was named on Christmas day in 1799. Fittingly, the town is known for a Christmas tree farm at The Rocks, a historic property, now owned by the non-profit Society for the Protection of NH Forests (Forest Society).

The Rocks was a working farm in the 19^th century and features exceptional period architecture including an Olmsted-designed garden and a network of woodland trails. The owners’ descendants donated 1,400 acre property to the Forest Society in 1978, which has continued as a Christmas tree farm and educational center, as well as being maintained as a working forest. In 2019, the main building burned to the ground, and since that time The Forest Society has undertaken a major renovation, which includes a new solar array that will bring The Rocks’ facilities close to net zero energy use.

In 2020, The Forest Society engaged ReVision Energy, a large New England solar installer, to install a ground-mount solar array of 180 QCells 480 Watt solar modules. The modules are mounted on an APA racking system, installed in the rocky ground with ground screws. A PowerDash DAS provides monitoring and management. And there are nine single-phase SMA SB 7.0 kW inverters.

The 86.4 kW array, which will be powered up just after the new year, will produce over 100,000 kWh of clean solar energy annually, offsetting 156,000 pounds of carbon, or the equivalent to removing 15 passenger cars from the road.

In addition to the solar array, The Forest Society is having the 1884 Carriage Barn renovated while retaining its historic stone and shingle exterior. The solar array will power new heat pumps, and a geothermal system will be added for heating and cooling. To ensure that the building is as energy efficient as possible, an insulated building envelope will be created on the interior. With the renovation, The Rocks is becoming The Forest Society North, where professional conservation staff who serve the North Country will be based.

GameChange Solar, a specialist in fixed-tilt racking and tracker equipment, announced that the company is increasing domestic manufacturing to 24 GW annual capacity. The company has both expanded existing facilities and established new factories, and reports that it now has manufacturing facilities in in Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

“GameChange has always been committed to the USA market with the majority of our employees and vendors residing in the USA,” said Derick Botha, chief commercial officer at GameChange Solar.  “With our growth and the growth in the utility scale solar industry anticipated for the next decade, we have greatly expanded our USA annual capacity to 24 GW for key structural systems to directly meet the needs of our customers for domestically sourced products. We are pleased to be able to expand greatly the domestic manufacturing sector supporting renewable energy and the many jobs it will create.”

The company has demonstrated steady growth since founding in 2012 and in 2020 was ranked the third largest solar tracker company in the United States and sixth globally by Wood Mackenzie. The company reports that it has sold over 21 GW of racking systems.

In November 2022 GameChange Solar unveiled a new fixed-tilt racking system for ground-mounted projects. It has a 5-degree or 10-degree east-west landscape configuration. The MaxDensity system is designed to maximize the number of modules packed onto a site, with a ground coverage ratio of up to 98%. It can be installed in blocks of up to 7 MW, in configurations of up to 12,000 modules. It supports all commercially available framed modules, according to the company.

In December 2021, GameChange Solar Holdings Corp., received an investment of $150 million from Koch Strategic Platforms (KSP), a subsidiary of Koch Investments Group. The preferred stock investment, if converted, would represent a minority stake in GameChange. In addition to capital investment, Koch and GameChange are exploring further synergies across Koch Industries, including KBX, a global transportation, logistics, and technology arm, and Koch Engineered Solutions.

Microsoft, Nike and Common Energy partnered on the Skyward Community Solar project, Standard Solar’s first community solar project in Oregon. Skyward Solar is a 2.5 MWac photovoltaic solar facility located on 12 acres. The facility is now fully operational and 100% subscribed. It consists of modules on a fixed-tilt solar racking system, supported by stationary piles. The clean energy will be fed into the Portland General Electric (PGE) grid, thus benefiting the entire community.

Common Energy is the subscriber manager for the community solar project and manages all interactions with the subscribers, interfaces with the utility, and ensures everyone gets their savings and renewable energy credits. Earlier this year, Common Energy secured $16.5 million from S2G Ventures to expand consumer access to local, community solar projects across the country, scale Common Energy’s energy management platform, and grow the company’s management and operating teams. 

“We are proud and excited to bring more world class partners into the community solar sector,” said Richard Keiser, founder and CEO of Common Energy. “We hope that Microsoft and Nike’s leadership on climate solutions will inspire other businesses and non-profits to support community solar projects across the country.”

Oregon’s Community Solar Program permits large corporations to subscribe up to 50% of the community solar project, and Microsoft will make up the commercial allocation of the Skyward project.

“At Microsoft, part of our vision for a sustainable future is advocating for innovative technology that empowers and benefits everyone,” said Katie Ross, global sustainability program manager. “We are proud to be a lead partner in this initiative that helps achieve environmental goals while also supporting low-income residences with clean, affordable energy. We are excited to partner on this project and be part of bringing a greener grid to the entire Clackamas County community.”

Approximately 100 Nike employees have subscribed the residential portion of the project. Like all subscribed residents, they will receive a contracted discount on their electric bills each month and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) proportional to their share of the project’s energy generation.

“Nike and our employees are proud to support this new and innovative way to lower carbon emissions and reduce the cost of energy in our backyard,” said Seana Hannah, vice president of sustainable innovation. “We’re also excited that a portion of the project’s savings will be directed to households in our community who need these benefits most.”

In addition, 10% of the Skyward generation has been allocated to qualified low- and moderate-income households, who in turn will receive a substantial discount on their electric bills.

“We’re excited that our first completed project in Oregon, a state that requires 50% of electricity come from renewable sources by 2040, not only serves the residents of Clackamas County, but also some of the large corporations that employ them,” said Mike Streams, chief development officer at Standard Solar.

Last year several changes were made to Oregon’s Community Solar Program. In addition to opening up to development a remaining 80 MW of PGE and Pacific Power’s combined allotment, other policy changes made include increasing the discount from 20% to 40% for low-income customers, reducing the bill credit for participating non-residential customers to 90% of the customer’s retail rate, adding an annual 2% escalator on the bill credit rate to support subscribing more residential customers and to reflect expectations that retail electricity rates will increase over time, and retaining the 25% carve-out for community-based projects, to ensure that smaller, more innovative projects and projects managed by local non-profit organizations have an opportunity to participate.

CEP Renewables and CS Energy have begun construction of two co-located solar projects on the Big Hill Landfill in Southampton, N.J. Not only does the project convert previously unusable land to a clean energy generating asset, energy generated by the solar installation will serve low-to-moderate income (LMI) residents and enable the township to recoup 40 years of back taxes and interest. Construction of this project is expected to be complete by May 2023.

“We are excited to be able to build upon the success of our redevelopment project in Mount Olive, N.J. – the largest solar landfill project in North America, by utilizing a similar process with this project,” said Chris Ichter, Executive Vice President at CEP Renewables.

 Earlier this month, CEP Renewables and CS Energy announced the completion of what is reportedly the largest North America landfill solar project, at 25.6 MW(DC). According to New Jersey’s Environmental Protection website, the capped Mount Olive landfill is a 65-acre brownfield site that ceased accepting waste in 1981. The project involved the purchase of the landfill by way of the redevelopment and tax lien foreclosure process.  As a result, the project won the 2021 Award for Innovation in Governance from the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

The BEMS project was also purchased by way of the redevelopment and tax lien foreclosure process, which the companies report is a structure that was entirely unique before the Mount Olive project. The Big Hill landfill site in Southampton had been abandoned by its former owner, resulting in the site accruing millions of dollars in tax liens. As part of the public-private partnership between CEP and the Township of Southampton, CEP acquired the tax liens from the township, paying back all past-due taxes in the process, and foreclosed on the landfill property.

“We’re proud that CEP Renewables has selected us to provide our expertise for this impactful landfill solar project due to our proven ability to complete these challenging projects safely and cost effectively,” said Michael Dillon, director of operations at CS Energy. “We look forward to working alongside CEP Renewables to convert a previously unusable site into a solar generating field that will provide substantial environmental and financial benefits to this local community.”

Like the Mount Olive project, the Southampton project will use ballasted solar racking systems from Terrasmart.

This project represents just one of 16 landfill or brownfield projects that CEP currently has under development, and brings CEP’s New Jersey installations to over 100 MW, contributing to New Jersey’s ranking as the number one U.S. state for installed solar capacity per square mile, according to CEP, as well as for the most planned community solar capacity serving LMI households.

First Solar names Alabama as site for its fourth U.S. solar manufacturing facility The company plans to invest approximately $1.1 billion in a 3.5 GW manufacturing facility to be commissioned by 2025.

The day Indiana rooftop solar died  Since July, only two customers have installed solar in NIPSCO’s 1.2 million customer territory following a new net metering rulemaking. The case has been elevated to the Supreme Court.

Enel North America to build 3 GW solar module manufacturing facility in U.S. The proposed facility will be Enel’s second global PV manufacturing facility after Catania, Sicily, and once completed will be the largest U.S. PV module manufacturing facility.

Urban Racking to focus on rooftop solar canopies in U.S. metropolitan markets  The company’s first 46 kW solar canopy was recently deployed in Brownsville, NYC, and features a low 4.5% shading factor.

Proposed HVDC macrogrid to transmit low-cost renewable power  A grid modeling firm proposes an underground high-voltage DC transmission overlay for the continental U.S. that, along with increased solar deployment and even greater wind deployment, would help reduce climate pollutants and electricity costs.

Solar company protects 215,000 acres of Mojave Desert  Avantus partners with BLM and wildlife services to retire grazing rights and permanently dedicate land to wildlife forage.

California climate policy to kill fossil fuels, shining a spotlight on solar  The California Air Resources Board released its most aggressive climate plan to date, targ ting net-zero by 2045 or earlier, and creating 4 million jobs along the way.

Is hydrogen about to have its solar moment?  As Longi and other solar manufacturers kick off massive growth in hydrogen generation capacity, expect large price decreases resulting from steep learning curves, echoing the rapid advances experienced by the solar power industry since the 1970s.

PEG racking system survives near-direct 120 mph hurricane hit in Cuba  PEG’s low profile, 180 MPH wind code approved, high-density racking system weathered a powerful Category 3 hurricane, less than 50 miles from the eye wall.

EIA study finds high solar penetration states showed resiliency to major power outages  The EIA study found that increasing solar states experienced outages of less than 102 minutes, while states with prohibitive markets for solar saw outages of more than 19 hours.

TVA aims to build 100 MW solar installation on retired coal site in Kentucky Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) approved a $216 million program to explore turning the Shawnee Fossil Plant, a closed coal ash storage location, into a utility-scale solar project.

Visualizing the remarkable progress of solar energy  The last decade laid the foundation for solar to be a major energy source going forward. What will the next decade have in store?

Altus Power increases portfolio by 100 MW, increasing revenue 51%  The commercial and industrial PV developer grew its portfolio over the last quarter by acquiring a 100 MW portfolio of assets in 5 states.

The role of solar in the Inflation Reduction Act  The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 sets aside $369 billion to decarbonize the economy and respond to climate change. pv magazine USA’s Anne Fischer and Ryan Kennedy report on the boost the landmark legislation is expected to provide to solar and battery deployment and manufacturing.

Racking systems have evolved significantly in the past decade. Even in the past two years there have been considerable improvements. For ground mounts, there are fixed racking systems, single and double axis trackers, and trackers that use air, hydraulics  or motors. More recently, we have seen a racking system that *isn’t* a racking system. In this article, we’ll be discussing the ultra-low-profile PEG system.

PEG is a racking system developed by Jurchen Technology, headquartered in Germany, with offices in California. PEG’s claim to fame comes from its racking system’s low-cost hardware coupled with quick installation time, which results in a very competitive price. The hardware is relatively low priced because there is so little of it. Each solar module requires only 1.1 metal rods, 2 plates, and 2.2 clips, according to documentation from PEG.

Somewhat unintuitively, this ultra-light low-profile racking system was able to meet very aggressive wind codes. PEG recently promoted that its system was certified by the I.F.I. Institut für Industrieaerodynamik GmbH to withstand up to and greater than 185 miles per hour. This certification has already been put to the test, since PEG has been installing a project in the Caribbean, which is known for its beautiful beaches and devastating hurricanes.

Because the company holds its data close to its vest, prospective customers will have to reach out to the company directly to get information regarding their wind certification.

PEG’s high wind speed rating began to pay off just a few weeks ago, as hurricane Ian’s eyewall passed less than 50 miles from their site in Cuba, which was under construction at the time. As the hurricane passed by, wind speeds from the Category 3 storm were at a sustained 125 mph or greater. As the storm continued north, into the very warm Gulf of Mexico, its speed increased. Winds coming from the north eventually reached 155 mph, just 2 mph shy of a category 5.

While no post-storm images are available,  Matthew Lusk, vice president of business development at Jurchen Technology told pv magazine USA that its facility was not damaged. Others were not as lucky. Total damage from the storm ran into the billions of dollars, and killed at least two in Cuba and at least 114 in the United States.

Land on an island is expensive, and for the island nations of the Caribbean, the densely configured hardware with resistance to extremely high winds is a particularly attractive combination.

An analysis by DNV suggests that a PEG system, with its 97% ground coverage ratio, installs 0.74 MW per acre capacity and generates 1,520 kWh/kW/year. While this 1,520 kWh/kW/year value is, of course, lower per panel than we would see from a tracking facility in North America, it is still a very impressive feat for a single acre to fit 0.74 MW. The per-acre capacity of a tracking facility is low by comparison: just 0.2 MW/acre.

The DNV analysis suggests that PEG’s energy dense facilities can generate more than double the electricity per acre than a fixed and single axis tracking system.

In a world where the price of solar modules continues to decline and labor takes over as one of the highest costs of a solar project, it now makes more sense to design for maximum land efficiency, rather than for maximum solar panel efficiency.

FTC Solar, a solar tracking equipment provider, announced a new Voyager clamping product that enables a quicker installation of First Solar Series 6 and Series 6 Plus solar modules, which accounts for the thin-film module technology.

The updated Voyager clamp series uses FTC’s patented Slide and Glide method as well as First Solar’s SpeedSlot mounting feature, creating a clamp that requires no traditional hardware.  The Slide and Glide method uses a mechanical fastener to secure and ground the module frame to the clamp’s rail.

The company reports that the improved clamp enables the rapid installation of solar modules, suitable for ground-mounted applications such as utility and community solar development supporting framed mono, poly and bifacial modules in a double module portrait orientation.

The Voyager can be configured in a 1,500V string architecture of 4 strings per row and up to 30 modules per string, or 1,000V architecture with 6 strings per row and up to 20 modules per string.

The clamp has undergone rigorous wind tunnel testing by an independent engineering firm to assure structural and torsional stability in wind conditions up to 120 mph.

Founded in 2017, FTC Solar is based in Austin, Texas and provides its tracker systems around the world.

Q3 earnings recap

FTC Solar reported Q3 earnings results before the markets opened, posting lower revenue of $16.5 million, down from $52.9 million in Q3 21 based on lower U.S. demand in the utility solar market. This occurred as customers struggle to navigate the regulatory environment and get line of sight of module orders.  Its lower financial results widened to negative $0.25 earnings per share compared to negative $0.24 per share in Q3 21, driven by lower volumes and partly offset by higher average selling prices for its products.

FTC Solar’s common shares traded at $1.93 before the market opened, down from $8.25 per share a year ago, while the company traded for a $196.4 million market capitalization.

Westinghouse Electric to be acquired by Brookfield Renewable and Cameco  A consortium comprised of Brookfield Renewable and Cameco together with its institutional partners, has signed an agreement to acquire Westinghouse Electric Company from Brookfield Business Partners.

Estimate your home solar potential with the Solar Calculator  SolarReviews provides customized solar savings and design estimates for your home in a few clicks, with no utility bill, paywall, or registration required.

Solar racking updates from the floor of RE+  Cool booths, a dual axis tracker, air bags, and new racking were all on display, just around the corner from Disney in California.

Sunrun completes successful residential virtual power plant in New England  In the hot summer months, thousands of residents with solar-plus-battery systems networked together to reduce peak energy costs and provide grid stability for ISO-New England’s customers.

People on the move: SEPA, Invenergy, Noria Energy, and more  Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities, and energy transition finance.

Watch: OMCO Solar talks growth, Inflation Reduction Act, and made-in-USA  In an interview at RE+ Anaheim with pv magazine USA, Eric Goodwin, director of business development at OMCO Solar shares his company’s story, and where it is headed.

ChikoUSA put together a striking 90s style DJ booth (see header image). Even their team members were dressed in the appropriate Adidas tracksuits to match the retro excitement. The company advertised their low priced racking equipment. Pricing for ChikoUSA’s systems has dropped well below 10¢/Wdc.

Mechatron Solar was also on display – their gear was a remarkable sight. The M18KD is a gearless Dual-Axis Tracker. Mechatron suggests that the unit produces up to 40% more generation from always facing the sun. The unit has 1,800 square feet of surface area to place modules and the manufacturers suggest that up to 40 kW can be deployed per unit.

This author asked questions about the O&M requirements, the longevity of the units in the field, and the long-term viability of the company. Mechatron suggested that there is no need for O&M, due to the purely hydraulic system that moves the tracker on its two axes. They backed up these claims with data that showed off their trackers’ uptime – over 99%.

Mechatron directed us to their website, where a document from Black & Veatch specifically examined the viability of the company, and its 200 MW/year (~5,000 units/year) manufacturing facility in California.

It’s genuinely cool that here in the 21st century, with our 2 nanometer computer chips, vertically landing rockets, and budding quantum computers, that our favorite, advanced form of electricity generation is being guided by a bag of air. This brilliant design came from a NASA roboticist at Sunfolding.

Due to the air-based distributed actuation, rows can be any length, even as short as two posts. This small size per batch means that they can be installed on uneven terrain, on grades as high as 15-20%, significantly lowering the costs of civil work.

As in previous years, APA Solar had their giant ground screws on display. The group also brought their A Frame unit. We talked about projects in the northeast USA, and about their ground screws, which are regularly used in locations where pile driving is unable to achieve sufficient foundational grip.

APA Solar’s Melanie Garza also mentioned that the A Frame is currently evolving, as the company gets more experienced in hardware deployment. The market should expect an announcement about their platform soon.

Speaking of putting steel in the ground, Gayk’s HRE 4000-W pile driving system was on display. Salesmen at the booth suggested that this unit, along with its smaller and larger siblings (the 3000 and the 5000), and their predecessors, have the highest deployment of all pile drivers used in the solar industry, globally.

Next we transitioned from the largest items on the floor to the smallest of racking components – the Vespr Solar module attachment clip (see Justin Souza’s business card below). The manufacturer suggests that these clips will lower the cost of a solar power project’s labor requirements by 0.5¢/Wdc. This is an enormous savings, considering the diminutive size of the clip!

Another major benefit of the clip is that it is self correcting. If the solar modules vibrate in a wind event, the clip simply moves with the modules – always repositioning itself into a holding position. This is in contrast to nuts and bolts, which must be repeatedly spot checked and torqued – not only during construction, but also many times over the course of the project’s life (and especially after strong wind events).

Vespr has validated the clips’ static and dynamic mechanical performance, and demonstrated their effectiveness via sites they deployed in upstate New York.

Nextracker LLC, a specialist in smart solar trackers, has published a white paper based on third-party analysis showing how Nextracker’s machine-learning software improves utility-scale solar power plant performance. In a series of tests conducted at operational sites in three states, it was found that TrueCapture increased annual energy production by hundreds of thousands of megawatt hours per year.

“TrueCapture gains are predictable and bankable, providing asset owners with gigawatt-hours of additional production and millions of dollars in additional revenue,” said Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker. “Our trackers come with embedded communication and control capabilities, so we can provide our TrueCapture and NX Navigator control software both to our customers’ existing installed fleet as well as their new projects. Split-boost, added last year further enhanced TrueCapture performance.”

What sets Nextracker’s decentralized architecture apart from linked-row tracker designs is how it allows for highly granular row-level control and optimization. Each row in a Nextracker system is powered by its own solar module, battery, actuator and controller, so intelligent independent-row operation is possible. Furthermore, at the control level, the network components required to monitor, command and optimize each single-axis tracker row are all located on the project site. Nextracker’s hardware is wirelessly controlled by the NX Data Hub, a Linux-based industrial computer. And because it is locally powered and controlled, both hardware and software are secure from AC power outages and loss of external communications. The way the tracker works is that TrueCapture adjusts the position of each individual Nextracker row by dispatching real-time tracking parameters in response to site-specific conditions. Informed by sensor data and machine learning technologies, this enables TrueCapture to precisely orient tracker rows to account for terrain variance, construction tolerance, cell technology and weather patterns.

Three case studies

The paper reviewed longitudinal data across three operating projects in California, Georgia and Mexico, whose output averages over 2% in production benefit. At these sites, the performance of TrueCapture-equipped trackers was tested against a set of control blocks using standard backtracking.

The 40 MWac California site, which is in the Mojave Desert, is one of five power stations that make up the larger 250 MWac Beacon Solar Project portfolio. Commissioned in 2017, the Beacon 5 solar power station integrates full-cell crystalline silicon PV modules and Nextracker’s flagship NX Horizon single-axis trackers. The site has a ground coverage ratio of 50.5% and an average diffuse irradiance percentage of 26.4%. Beacon 5 has significant shading while operating with standard backtracking algorithms. To mitigate the impacts of terrain shading, Nextracker proposed implementing TrueCapture’s yield-enhancing algorithms. Independent performance engineers at Black & Veatch validated TrueCapture’s performance gains, noting in its follow-up engineering report, a 2.2% increase in energy yield for the TrueCapture group relative to the control group.

The 120 MWac Mexico installation is located on 840 acres. Called the Bluemex solar project,  it integrates full-cell crystalline silicon PV modules on NX Horizon single-axis trackers.  Unlike the California site, the  Mexico site is relatively flat, however, it experiences extreme moisture on a seasonal basis. Nextracker estimated that the site would see a boost of 0.64% by implementing TrueCapture, with gains of 0.3% coming from Nextracker’s Diffuse Boost and 0.34% from Shade Avoid. At the end of the test period, performance engineers found that the Diffuse Boost module provided measured gains of 0.31% and the Shade Avoid mode resulted in an average gain of 0.32% for the test blocks that best matched the site’s average slope number. Overall, TrueCapture provided measured gains of 0.63%.

The 102.5 MWac site in southwest Georgia, called Bancroft Station, supplies 100% renewable energy to Facebook’s Newton Data Center. This dual-use site co-locates solar generation with regenerative agricultural practices, therefore Silicon Ranch did minimal grading to minimize negative impacts to the topsoil. In addition to using TrueCapture controlled single-axis trackers, the Bancroft Station site integrates half-cell crystalline silicon PV modules that Silicon Ranch sourced locally from a Hanwha Q Cells factory in Belton, Georgia. In a Split Boost test conducted in June 2021, performance engineers calculated that half-cell optimization algorithm improved performance by 1.7% relative to standard backtracking on a median sloped test block over a 12-month period.

By reviewing empirical gains for three real-world projects, independent engineers validated TrueCapture’s project yield enhancements and have accounted for these gains as part of a bankable independent energy yield assessment.

More details on the tests are available in the white paper, Enhancing Energy Yields with TrueCapture Using Nextracker’s Proven Intelligent Control Capabilities to Optimize Solar Project Financing and Plant Performance. 

This article was amended to state that the BlueMex solar project is in Mexico.

Within the past four decades, well over 2 billion square feet of metal roofing has been installed in the United States each year. That number continues to grow, and it’s more than any other roof type except asphalt shingle.

The roots and technology of metal as a cladding material date back more than 3,000 years. It has always been coveted as a premium roofing option but, until more recent history, has been handicapped by higher initial costs than the alternatives. Beginning in the mid-1800s and continuing to the present day, production technologies and the use of aluminum and coated steel sheeting began to narrow the premium price chasm. Now it competes with other premium roof materials but lasts two to four times as long.

Today’s trends point toward evaluating the long-term costs of owning a roof, as landfills are overburdened with former building components discarded due to shortsighted budget-conscious building objectives. The life-cycle costs and environmental appeal of metal truly offer many advantages. As a result, metal is becoming the roofing material of choice for both commercial and residential applications.

Service life

Metal roofing is known for its durability, sustainability and versatility and is increasing in popularity in the solar marketplace.  The metal roof is the ideal host for mounting photovoltaics (PV) as it is the only roof type with a service life that actually exceeds the service life of a solar PV system.

In the commercial/industrial market sector, the field/lab study published by the Metal Construction Association indicates that the service life of (standing seam) coated steel is in the range of 70 years. Most alternative roofing systems will expire long before the life of the PV system. This leads to costly disassembly of the PV array, re-roofing and re-assembly.

The service life of solar PV is between 28 and 37 years with an average at 32.5 years, according to a Berkeley study.  Aside from metal, there are no other roof types that measure up to that without requiring replacement. High-end slate or tile may be the only exception, but it comes with a high price tag and is also much heavier (5 to 8 psf vs. 1.5). Mounting solar to tile or slate is a bit complex and very tricky to do without breakage so the cost is also much higher than mounting to metal.

Ease and cost of installation- going “rail-less”

It is easier and less expensive to mount solar to a metal roof than any other roof type.

The uniqueness of metal roofing is that the structural ribs or seams can be used as inherent (and cost-free) “rails” for mounting solar PV via reliable mechanical attachments, so the need for a traditional rail system is eliminated.

Direct attachment of solar modules to a metal roof can be accomplished with fewer components and lightweight materials, resulting in better load distribution and zero penetration, which preserves both the integrity of the roof and the roof manufacturer’s warranty.

Because there are no rails, the material required for a mounting system is reduced by weight (up to 85%) and savings on hard goods (up to 35%).

The key to labor savings (30 to 50%) is the simplicity of rail-less attachment: requiring 65-75% fewer components, roof clamps are aligned and installed as modules are installed “on-the-fly.”

Finally, shipping long lengths of rail to project sites and transporting them up to a rooftop is costly and often a logistical nightmare.  With rail-less attachments, shipping costs for the mounting system can be 60% lower than railed mounting systems, with fewer logistical hassles transporting the product to distribution, then the site, and then within the site and onto the roof.  A traditional rail system of 750 kW would normally require a semi-truck to transport; a rail-less attachment solution could fit in a short-bed pickup truck.

Whether railed or rail-less, the simplicity and cost savings of mounting to a metal roof are significant, and the future need of roof replacement is avoided.

Eco-friendly sustainability

Metal roofing is the most sustainable roof type (at an 85% recycle rate, steel is one of the most recycled construction materials available). By installing solar on metal roofs with lower material, labor and shipping costs, the rail-less attachment solution is proving to be a “green” innovation in both the solar and roofing industries.

Recyclable metal roofs have a demonstrated service life of several times that of any other roof type and are never destined for a landfill. Therefore, solar metal roof attachments enable installation on most aged roofs without a roof replacement.  Production of rail-less systems saves an estimated 90% of the energy used to produce rail mountings and 85% of carbon emissions in transportation.

Lifetime ROI

Once the decision is made to install solar, often a new roof is required.  Metal roofing has become a driver for roof type selection in many cases because not only is a metal/solar roof system less expensive upfront than other roof system combinations, but it also leads to improvements in the lifetime return on investment (ROI) of the system. Therefore, the PV array and the roof should be regarded as a single asset.

When computing ROI within the solar pro forma, inverter replacement is usually factored in at about year 15 – but what about the cost of roof replacement?  The solar array has to be totally dismantled and then re-installed on the replacement roof.  Often, even the initial cost of the solar + metal roof is less than solar + other roof type alternatives.  Factor in roof replacement and the cost advantages become grossly magnified.

A number of exorbitant expenses associated with completing a PV system re-roof for a traditional (non-metal) roof could include: removing the solar modules; removing the mounting and racking system; de-commissioning the system during the reroof; re-roofing; re-installing the PV system; re-commissioning the system; the potential for damaged components during this process; possibly needing new wiring and loss of power production during downtime.

With metal, you can avoid roof replacement due to its long service life. The roof will still be going strong long after the service life of the solar array has expired.

The rise of metal roofing & solar

With the cost of solar decreasing significantly over the last decade, in addition to federal and local incentives as well as public policy mandates driving the popularity of solar, the breakeven and ROI improves every year – evident even more with solar on metal roofs because of its lower installation costs, so it makes even greater financial sense.

Metal is the most solar-friendly roof available and the PV contractor should know about it.

Metal roofing is attractive, durable, non-flammable and requires almost no maintenance. The “buy-it-cheap and fix-it-later” mentality has steadily diminished over the last few decades and more building owners are choosing metal than ever before.

The growing demand for more durable and environmentally-friendly construction materials, as well as methods that reduce maintenance and have longer service lives, is on the rise―evident by statistics clearly indicating that metal has a much larger share of replacement roofing than it does in new roofing within the residential market.

Main takeaway

Solar contractors should know about roofing alternatives and their service lives to bring added value to their customers. The long-term costs of both the roof and solar PV should be evaluated as a single system.  Advising the mounting of a solar array with a 30-year plus life on a TPO or asphalt shingle roof with a 15-year life is a bit like mounting a Ferrari engine on a Mini-Cooper chassis.  Who would do that?

For information, videos and webinars on this topic, please visit www.s-5.com and learn more about the key factors to consider when mounting solar on your metal roof.

Rob Haddock is CEO and Founder of S-5! is a former contractor, award-winning roof-forensics expert, author, lecturer and building envelope scientist who has worked in various aspects of metal roofing for five decades. He began ground-breaking innovation of penetration-free ancillary attachment solutions in 1991 and holds 60+ US and foreign patents. Together with his son, Dustin, they co-invented, a rail-less direct-attach solar solution that provides a simple, secure method to “lay & play” PV modules with tested, engineered, cost-saving, attachment to the only roof type that outlasts the solar—the metal roof.

The Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) project spans 29 acres and is one of the first in New York State to use bifacial solar modules and single axis tracking. For added sustainability, the site was planted with a seed mixture of pollinator plants, which will create new habitats for local pollinators, boosting the surrounding ecosystem.

The array, part of the Water Authority’s long-term goal to reduce energy expenses, is expected to generate 8 GW hours of electricity per year, which represents more than 15% of MCWA’s energy needs for water pumping and treatment.

“Reliably providing quality, affordable water is our top priority. MCWA should realize substantial savings over the course of this 25-year contract, helping keep water rates affordable,” said Nick Noce, MCWA executive director. “Beyond the financial benefits of the solar array, utilizing sustainable, clean energy is a significant step forward in our commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Sol Systems was selected through a competitive bidding process led by NYPA to install and operate the solar array at no expense to the Water Authority. In return, the kilowatt hours of energy produced by the panels are delivered to Rochester Gas & Electric and a percentage is credited to MCWA on its energy bills. The project also qualified for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) solar energy incentive, which will pay nearly $1 million toward the project over the first two years of operation.

“The New York Power Authority is pleased to have played an energy advisor role for the Water Authority to help make this unique solar project happen in Monroe County,” said Justin E. Driscoll, NYPA’s interim president and CEO. “This prudent use of Water Authority land will make a new source of clean power available to the Water Authority. Monroe County residents and New Yorkers as a whole will benefit from further reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which supports the state’s ambitious clean energy goals. We commend the Water Authority’s dedication to this clean energy project, even amidst the challenges that we faced together during the pandemic and over the last few years.”

The Water Authority’s new system will generate electricity to help support New York’s clean energy goals of achieving 70% renewables-sourced electricity by 2030 and a 100% carbon-free electricity sector by 2040. The state intends to build at least 10 GW of distributed solar by 2030, enough to annually power nearly 700,000 homes.

“The economic and sustainable benefits of this project will be felt for years to come, and we are proud to have had such committed partners in MCWA and NYPA,” said Anna Toenjes, Sol Systems’ senior director. “In addition to providing clean energy and cost savings, the project’s pollinator habitat will provide decades of positive impact to the local ecosystem.”

Roll-out solar racking collects rainwater, cuts land use requirements  The gutter-like racking system from Roll-A-Rack collects rainwater that can be used for irrigation.

50 States of Solar Incentives: Maryland  A historically solar-friendly state, Maryland’s capacity addition projections in the next few years are underwhelming, despite a suite of supportive policies and grants throughout the state.

Aurora Solar launches AI solutions for residential solar lead generation, design and sales  Lead Capture AI and Aurora AI for Design and Sales Teams will help installers to streamline residential solar lead generation, project design and sales processes.

Mississippi revamps its net metering policy  The new program tackles barriers to solar adoption for low-income customers through a net metering rate adder and a one-time $3,500 upfront cash rebate.

States that enable distributed storage will make room for more rooftop solar  In half the states, interconnection procedures for distributed energy resources do not yet mention energy storage. To help states remove that hurdle, and several others, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council is providing guidance on a detailed toolkit.

GAF Energy to open solar tile manufacturing facility in Texas  With strong demand for its Timberline nailable solar shingle, GAF Energy is looking to expand manufacturing capacity 500%.

Sodium-ion batteries for EVs, renewables storage  US scientists have developed a new electrolyte design for sodium-ion batteries to improve their long cycling performance. The low-solvation electrolyte was designed for high-voltage sodium-ion batteries, which retained 90% of their capacity after 300 cycles.

Pittsburgh Airport solar microgrid saved $1 million in energy costs  In one year, Pittsburgh Airport’s microgrid saved so much in energy costs that it’s considering doubling the size of the installation.

Tigo unveils rapid shutdown tech for large PV installations  Tigo’s latest product has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, a US-based testing organization. The company says the new tech can significantly reduce balance of system and labor costs.

BrightNight to meet one third of Arizona utility’s peak demand with solar and storage project  The developer entered a joint venture to deliver 300 MW of solar, 600 MWh of battery energy storage to Arizona’s Southwest Public Power Agency.

California moves a step closer to opt-in dynamic pricing to help balance renewables  Opt-in dynamic pricing of  electricity, which could help balance renewable generation while lowering electric bills for participants and non-participants alike, is now on deck for a California decision.

Lithium-ion battery fire danger causes recall of 433,000 solar LED umbrellas  The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada issued a joint recall for patio umbrellas due to fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries. overheating.

Leyline invests $10 million to support 1 GW of solar development  The investment will support Solterra Energy’s pipeline of 1 GW of distributed generation and utility-scale solar energy projects across the eastern United States.

It takes more than recycling to establish a circular clean economy, says NREL  Designing renewable hardware to last longer and using fewer materials to construct it can work to bolster recycling efforts in building an effective circular economy for solar and battery technologies, according to NREL research.

Community solar leader New York State gets another 25.4 MW across five projects  Amp Energy, Castillo Engi  eering and CS Energy partner on the five projects, which are all using bifacial solar modules and fixed-tilt racking.

A series of developers have announced a partnership that is set to bring roughly 25 MW on new community solar to New York.

The five community solar projects developed by Amp Energy, Castillo Engineering and CS Energy range from 3.9 MW to 6.2 MW in size. Four of the projects are currently under construction, and construction is about to begin on the fifth. All are expected to achieve commercial operation by Q4 2022.

Amp Energy is a solar developer that has built, constructed, or has under contract 7 GW of solar, wind and storage as well as a growing portfolio of green hydrogen developments. Castillo Engineering is a design and engineering firm. CCS Energy is an engineering, procurement and construction energy firm.

 “We are excited to be able to work alongside CS Energy on this portfolio of projects, given their leadership in New York, diversified labor base, and competitive pricing, even despite current market conditions,” said Kevin Foster, Director of US Projects at Amp Energy. “Through this partnership, we will be able to deliver more affordable clean energy to local communities throughout New York state, while also contributing to the state’s ambitious renewable portfolio standards.”

This portfolio of projects contributes to the continued growth of community solar in New York state, which has ambitious goals of sourcing 70% of the state’s electricity from renewable, increasing solar deployment to 10 GW by 2030, and ultimately achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. New York is an established leader in community solar in the United States, hitting the milestone of 1 GW of cumulative installations earlier this year, and currently holding a pipeline of more than 700 potential projects on the way. 

For more on New York, read 50 states of solar incentives: New York.

Perovskite solar module march continues with 30-year “no thickness” layers and speed testing  A team at Princeton University developed a new technique to accelerate solar cell longevity testing, while concurrently discovering a layer, only a few atoms in thickness, which is credibly projected to support perovskites lasting thirty years.

Construction complete on largest solar farm in Nebraska  The 8.5 MW community solar installation offers battery storage, a pollinator habitat, and an educational component for students at a local community college.

Renewables may replace hydro dams to restore endangered salmon  In a race between governmental processes and the process of extinction, top elected officials in Washington State consider replacing hydro dams with solar and wind in an attempt to save the salmon.

Boviet Solar earns 138 MW module order from US developer  The PERC PV cell, monofacial and bifacial solar module provider will supply its Vega series modules for a US project.

Sol Systems acquires 91 MW Indiana solar project  The Grandview solar project is the latest acquisition in the company’s commitment to developing a strong portfolio of renewable energy assets in the Midwest.

RETC releases 2022 Module Index Report  In addition to outlining the performances of leading solar modules in a range of tests designed to replicate the stresses modules experience in the field, the 2022 PV Module Index report also looks forward at emerging trends in the industry and upcoming technical standard changes.

Rooftop solar and solar carport bring clean energy to Chicago’s Southside community  The new rooftop and carport system was built for the Chicago Urban League through the Illinois Solar for All program.

People on the Move: Georgia Public Service Commission, Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, LUMA Energy, and more  Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities, and energy transition finance.