Solar Shading - Solar Power Construction...

Solar Shading

solarbuildermag.com september/october 2014

alSo inSide:

Power oPtimization

FaStenerS and CliPS

SPi ShowCaSe

carport pioneer still busy after 20 years

Solarbuildermag.Com | 3

Cover Storysun blockM Bar C Construction is a pioneer in the solar carport scene, claiming to build one of the first in California back in the 1990s. The company uses its experience and expertise to build multi-site projects across the region.

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☼ on the coverM Bar C Construction employees secure a carport at Chaffey High School in Ontario, Calif., one of eight schools in a 7.2-MW contract for the school district.

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Solar Shading

10050 Brecksville rd, Brecksville, OH 44141 electrOnic service requested

solarbuildermag.com september/october 2014

alSo inSide: Power oPtimization FaStenerS and CliPS SPi ShowCaSe

carport pioneer still busy after 20 years

contents september/october 2014

14

dePartmentSmounting and racking

quick climb to the top Looking to shake up the solar mounting market, GameChange Racking has made some big strides in its first few years.

balance of system

snap-and-play Fronius USA’s new inverter line for residential and small commercial installations comes with a unique “snap-in” ability, securing the unit to a wall more quickly and efficiently.

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4 SePtember/oCtober 2014

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contents september/october 2014

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a decade of solar in reviewSunLink, SolarBridge Technologies and Standard Solar take a look back at what the last 10 years have brought (all three companies formed in 2004!).

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FeatureSbuilt to beat the elementsNine Fasteners produces stainless steel wire management clips for modules and racking systems with safety and longevity in mind.

30 solar power int’l showcase Solar Power International invades Las Vegas on Oct. 20. Check out what some of the hundreds of exhibitors will have on display in their booths.

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APS Microinverters ....................................... www.APSamerica.com .................................... 9

Advanced Racking Solutions ......................... www.advancedracking.com ........................... 11

BMI Resource Center .................................... edu.benjaminmedia.com .............................. 41

DPW Solar .................................................... www.power-fab.com ..................................... 13

Ecofasten Solar ............................................. www.ecofastensolar.com .............................. 44

Fronius LLC USA .......................................... www.fronius-usa.com .................................. 21

OutBack Power .............................................. www.outbackpower.com ................................. 7

Roof-Tech ..................................................... www.roof-tech.us ........................................... 2

Solar Flex Rack ............................................. www.solarflexrack.com ................................. 15

Solar Roof Hook ........................................... www.solarroofhook.com ................................. 5

SolarPower International (SPI) ..................... www.solarpowerinternational.com ................ 39

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key induStry abbreviationS

PV: photovoltaics (using solar cells to produce electricity)

V: volts

W: watt

kW: kilowatt or 1,000 W

MW: megawatt or 1,000 kW

GW: gigawatt or 1,000 MW

kWh: kilowatt hour

BOS: balance of system (all components except PV panels)

6 SePtember/oCtober 2014

editor’s message

back to the basicsComing off the last two issues of Solar Builder with specific focuses (the Mounting

Guide in May and our directory in July), it’s nice to take a deeper look into the many different markets within solar PV, and we sure have a lot to look at in this issue.

Our Decade in Review, which starts on page 24, features three companies that got their start in the industry in 2004. It was really fun to look through “old” pictures and hear about building the first solar projects in the United States (Spoiler alert: They were small and complicated!). It’s fascinating to see how much the industry has changed in 10 short years. You can see just how much everything has changed by checking out the latest and greatest products in our Solar Power International show-case on page 32 (SPI is in Las Vegas starting Oct. 20).

We also take a look at different forms of construction associated with solar. Our cover story features a solar carport pioneer — M Bar C Construction — and how the company has transformed its building practices over the years. M Bar C wasn’t involved with module installation until very recently. We also explore the art of installing underground wires for solar farms on page 22. There are many ways to be involved with solar projects besides just hooking up the panels, and it’s great to see how different contractors are becoming players in this evolving industry.

We can’t wait to present our Project of the Year award winners in the next issue! Stay tuned!

Kelly Pickerel, Associate Editor

solar builder (issn 2166-5362) is published bimonthly by benjamin media inc., 10050 brecksville rd., brecksville, oh 44141 usa. copyright 2014. all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. one year subscription rates: complimentary in the united states and canada. single copy rate: $10. subscriptions and classified advertising should be addressed to the brecksville office. postmaster: send address changes to solar builder, 10050 brecksville road, brecksville, oh 44141 usacanadian subscriptions: canada post agreement number 7178957. send address change information and blocks of undeliverable copies to canada express; 7686 Kimble st., units 21 & 22, mississauga, on l5s 1e9 canada.

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publisher robert d. krzys [email protected]

editorial associate editor kelly pickerel [email protected]

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solarbuildermag.com | 9

MICROINVERTER

2015 code at the end of the year, will begin enforcing the code shortly — if they’re not already.

How are these fire ratings making solar installations safer?

If a rooftop is on fire, then panels will eventually burn. It’s a matter of how quickly they burn, and do they increase the spread of flame? Now modules can be installed in a manner that limits the potential for the system to create a fire. All wiring can be encapsulated so they don’t run the risk of fraying and creating an electrical arc. The system can have redundant grounding. Encapsulating the modules or adding a back deflector can stop rooftop debris/tinder from accu-mulating underneath the system.

What fire concerns should solar installers be aware of? How do the new requirements help them avoid issues?

Modules or racking that increase the risk of starting fires should be a prime concern. Poor wire management and ground-ing, utilizing the module frame as a ground path, etc., are all issues. The new requirements provide them with a design standard that was created with the intent of giving firefighters the ability to fight fires on the roof or on the arrays. To avoid issues installers need to become more aware of the problems, codes (both California and IBC) and be more proactive in addressing them during the project planning stage.

What benefits does a rated solar system (like the motech/solardock configu-ration) bring to end-users?

It allows end-users to have an IBC code-compliant system on their rooftop, to have peace of mind that their system will not start a fire — but, God for-bid there is one, the PV system will not accelerate the fire. In fact, it will slow the fire. The system will allow firefighters to fight the fire and save their building.

End-users can also know that, for insurance purposes, they’re putting the safest and best rated product on their roofs. This will give their building insurance group the ability to provide premiums that are not increased by the PV system.

8 sePTember/ocTober 2014

The U.S. solar industry will be hearing a lot more about UL 2703 (mounting) and UL 1703 (modules) standards in relation to fire ratings and “class” designa-tions in the coming months. The 2012 International Building Code requires all rooftop PV sys-tems to have the same fire rating as the rooftop itself. All U.S. states that have adopted the 2012 code should be enforcing this fire rating requirement, but some states have given a grace period. California has a grace period that ends Dec. 31, 2014. Effective the first of the year 2015, all roof-mounted solar installations in the

state have to have a “Class A” racking/mounting system. Many mounting manufacturers are rushing to meet the deadline. At press time, Solar Builder can con-firm SolarDock, Quick Mount PV, SunLink and SnapNrack have met these requirements, and many other companies are work-ing toward that Class A fire rat-ing.

Dave Holleran, senior sales manager for Motech, answered a few questions for Solar Builder about the fire ratings. Motech’s modules were recently tested with SolarDock’s mounting system to achieve the Class A fire rating.

How will california’s code requirements affect the rest of the country?

To clarify, it’s not California’s code. California took national codes like International Fire Code (IFC), NFPA Code and 2012 IBC Code requirements and utilized them to create their own code that takes into account and enforces these different pieces. California is the leader in PV development and most states follow their lead, so we expect more states where PV develop-ment is heavy to follow suit. Any state that has adopted 2012 IBC code, or will be adopting

news

Fire-rated SyStemS required in CaliFornia For 2015


The world’s 10 largest PV engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies are set this year to install a combined 8 GW of solar capac-ity, equivalent to 20% of the world’s non-residential PV demand, according to a new report from IHS Technology.

Keeping their top positions in the IHS PV integrator ranking for 2014 similar to last year, Arizona-based First Solar and TBEA SunOasis from China are expected to install more than 1 GW of additions this year. Both companies will focus on completing in-house devel-oped projects in their home markets. Rounding out the Top 5 are SunEdison, headquartered in Missouri, at No. 3;

SunPower, based in Silicon Valley, in fourth place; and GD Solar from China, ranked fifth.

“The largest EPC companies build their success on expanding domestic PV demand,” said Josefin Berg, senior analyst for solar demand at IHS. “The main exception is SunEdison, which is set to install half of an estimated 950 MW of PV capacity outside its home base in the United States.”

Of the 10 companies that IHS forecasts will take the top positions in this year’s ranking, six are based in China while four are in North America. The vast majority of projects result from ambitious in-house project developments by the companies, combined with their ability to

attract major financiers and investors under favorable domestic incentive schemes.

Falling out of last year’s Top 10, however, are European sys-tem integrators Abengoa and Belectric. Abengoa in 2013 completed its 246-MW U.S. flagship project named Mount Signal for 8 Minute Energy and will be unable to match that size of installations in 2014. For Belectric, IHS expects the German integrator to take 16th place in 2014, as it shifts focus from Germany.

These findings are in the lat-est edition of the EPC and Integrator Market Share and Project Market Tracker report, from the Power & Energy ser-vice of IHS Technology.


news

u.S. and ChineSe Solar ePC ComPanieS Continue to dominate in Global PV

inStallationS


fabrication of c-Si solar cells. So far this year, capacity upgrades have resulted in strong growth for a specific cell variant using new equipment in rear-side cell processing, known as passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC).

The PERC upgrade alone has the potential to add 10 W

to 60-cell multi c-Si modules and 15 W to mono c-Si ver-sions. If successfully imple-mented, this upgrade would push multi c-Si modules toward 275 W, enabling solar panel installers to immediately lower system costs, while improving profit margins.

film technologies by First Solar and other suppliers.

Within c-Si based solar mod-ule production, 68% comes from cells that use lower-cost and lower-quality multi c-Si wafers, compared to competing mono c-Si wafers. Multi c-Si based modules are used extensively by Yingli Solar, Trina Solar, Renesola and other leading Chinese suppliers.

During 2011, 4 to 6 GW of new c-Si cell capacity were added every quarter, mostly sur-plus to market requirements. This over-supply situation led to a rapid decrease in the number of new c-Si cell factories built in 2012 and 2013.

Cell manufacturers focused on reducing costs in 2012 and 2013 by starting to upgrade printing equipment used within process steps on the front side of the cells. The upgrades reduced the quantity of silver paste used in production, which was one of the main sources of overall solar module costs.

Efficiency increases for solar cells were achieved primarily due to the use of higher quality multi c-Si wafers, which allowed industry-standard 60-cell multi c-Si based modules to reach 265 W, without the requirement to perform significant process step changes at the cell stage. “To move existing silicon-based cell capacity further forward now requires new technologies to be implemented, which has the potential to drive solar manufac-turing into the first widespread technology buy cycle seen within the industry,” Colville noted.

A leading candidate for effi-ciency enhancement today is the introduction of new advanced process stages during rear-side


Manufacturers of solar PV cells are increasing research and development efforts to push cell efficiencies to record levels. According to the latest NPD Solarbuzz PV Equipment Quarterly, the power rating of industry-standard 60-cell multi-crystalline silicon-based mod-ules is forecast to reach 275 W within the next 12 months.

“The solar PV industry previ-ously operated without a clear technology roadmap, which is no longer an option in the rap-idly growing solar PV industry,” said Finlay Colville, vice presi-dent of NPD Solarbuzz. “Legacy over-capacity within the industry, combined with uncertainty arising from trade disputes, is now forcing cell

manufacturers to improve man-ufacturing processes to attain record efficiencies.”

Modules based on crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells continue to be the dominant technology used by solar PV installers today. In fact, during Q2’14, 92% of solar module produc-tion was c-Si based, with the remainder coming from thin-

news

Fewer new Solar module manuFaCturinG SiteS beinG built, inStead ComPanieS FoCuS on r&d

“We looked at the ballasted ground industry and saw there was no cost-effective ground system in the marketplace,” Worden says. “At the time, there was nothing under 30 cents per watt. Our original product was pavers on metal trays, and we came in at sub-20 cents including pavers. We’ve since come out with the pour-in-place tech-nology.”

Recycled plastic tubs are dropped onto the ground, and support rails are dropped into the tub. Then con-crete is pumped into the tubs. Compact track loaders can maneu-ver around with wet concrete, but for especially temperamental ground conditions — like landfill caps — GameChange suggests using con-crete pump trucks. With the right crew, a pump truck can fill tubs in 45 seconds or less without putting a strain on delicate ground surfaces.

Panels can then be mounted using T-bolts and clamps, and inte-grated wire management trays are on the aluminum rails. GameChange says the complete system price including ballast runs at just under 20 cents per watt.

Worden says that GameChange’s ballasted roof system is the compa-ny’s biggest seller by way of number of installations, but he expects the pour-in-place technology to really pull ahead.

“We’re focusing our existing products for commercial and utility-scale,” he says. “We have four great products. The orders are not an issue to get. We want more responsible control growth on our existing product line and to keep flushing out and making improve-ments on install time and execution.”

Customers are GameChange’s best asset, Worden says.

“We’re in the field with electricians

asking them what they would do bet-ter,” he says. “We come up with inno-vations on a weekly basis, and most of them come from our customers in the field. A year ago, we didn’t have any in-house engineers; now we have four. We’re filling out our bench in-house, and we’re completely pedal to the metal right now.”

Kelly Pickerel is editor of Solar Builder. @solar_builder

Quick

14 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 SOlaRBuildERMag.COM | 15

G ameChange Racking has taken its mantra to be a “game changer” in the solar industry very seriously in

its short life span. Focusing on quick installation, quality and value, GameChange products are carving out a niche for themselves in the commercial and utility-scale roof- and ground-mount markets. Within the last year, its newest product — the GC Pour-in-Place Ballasted Ground System — has introduced a unique way to install solar on difficult or unstable grounds. It probably won’t be the last product in GameChange’s arsenal to transform the way installers build solar projects.

GameChange Racking formed when two ambitious brothers took their career knowledge to the next level. Andrew Barron Worden had been involved with finance, starting Baron Partners, which invested in various clean tech companies, when he had a chat with his brother James — the founder of inverter manufac-turer Solectria Renewables. The pair

decided to use their expertise to build and operate some solar power plants. As they worked on projects, they began to understand that racking was expensive, cumbersome and difficult to install.

“We just thought that there has to be a better way to do it,” says Andrew Barron Worden, GameChange’s CEO. “So we started our own racking business [in 2012], designing our own racks. We were able to install a lot of racks very quickly because we were building our own power plants. The last six power plants we built, we were able to move through multiple gener-ations of innovation in the field.”

James stayed on at Solectria, and Andrew immediately started putting all the mounting designs through UL, wind and load testing.

“When you’re new, people are kind of nervous, so we figured we’d better get the best testing and certification in the industry,” Worden says.

By the end of 2012, Worden says the GameChange crew felt they had a great product, so the systems were

launched to the outside world. Installation numbers have grown very quickly — 5 MW in 2012, 32 MW in 2013 and an expected range of 150 to 200 MW to close out 2014.

“We’ve really focused on bankabili-ty,” Worden says. “We don’t want to just sell them. They have to be well put together.”

GameChange has been certified by Intertek (UL testing), CPP (wind), American Society for Testing Materials, International Building Code, Association of Structural and Mechanical Engineers, Architectural Testing and Black & Veatch (specifi-cally for bankability).

“It’s kind of overkill for fixed-tilt racking, honestly, but it gives you the golden seal of approval,” Worden says of all the testing.

GameChange has four product lines — ballasted-roof, post-ground, ballasted-ground and car-ports. The latest pride-and-joy is the Pour-in-Place ballasted ground-mount, one that doesn’t use precast concrete blocks.

m o u n t i n g

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N e w c o m e r G a m e C h a n g e R a c k i ng h a s

s h a k e n u p t h e m o u n t i ng m a r k e t .

By Kelly P ickerel

16 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

We at Solar Builder try to present

stories about products and practices that can make installers’ jobs easier. We’ve known about

Fronius USA’s new SnapINverter line of inverters for the last year, but with two new models entering the U.S. market

before the end of the year, we thought it was time to take a closer look. Does their “snapability” really speed along installation and save on costs?

Fronius’ Martin Beran, head of system support group, and Thomas Enzendorfer, director of solar energy, gave us the lowdown and allowed us to answer in the affir-

mative to that burning question.First, the SnapINverter product line is geared toward residential and commercial solar

system sizes ranging from 1.5 kW to 2 MW. The Fronius Galvo (out since last year) and Fronius Primo (to be released in Oct. 2014) are single phase, 240-V inverters, perfect for resi-

dential installations. The Fronius Symo (to be released in Dec. 2014) is a three-phase string inverter, ideal for distributed commercial rooftop, carport and ground-mount installations.

The SnapINverter units snap to the wall, speeding along the mounting process. The invert-ers are lightweight, compact and easy to handle, something Beran and Enzendorfer say installers have especially liked so far with the Fronius Galvo. The mounting base separates from the actual inverter compartment, and the inverter is swiveled/snapped into position. The reduced install time saves costs during the initial setup, and later maintenance and ser-vicing is quick with the easy separation of the inverter compartment from the wall — all wiring stays connected to the mounting plate. Fronius says a successful install can be completed in less than 15 minutes.

These new inverters are also Wi-Fi enabled and smart-grid capable. They’re set up for existing and upcoming code and safety requirements, including rapid

shutdown and arc fault detection. Fronius has made some useful changes to its new inverters simplifying the installation process. With inverter mounting done in a snap,

installers can quickly move on to the next job. Check out pho-tos and videos of the Fronius Galvo, Primo and Symo

SnapINverter products through the company’s YouTube channel and at snapinverter.

com.

SOlaRBuildERMag.COM | 17

bos

s n a p p l a y&


Solar carports have secured a strong foothold in the industry in the last

few years. They really are a double whammy — generating electricity while providing shade. California is a strong market for carports; many schools and municipalities have taken advantage. M Bar C Construction considers itself one of the first in the state — if not the country — to install carport structures with solar on top way back in the ’90s, and business hasn’t slowed since.

GAINING PROMINENCEM Bar C Construction origi-

nally started in the 1970s as M Bar C Carports, building plain carports for apartments, condo-miniums and office complexes. In the 1990s, someone asked if the company could put solar on top, and M Bar C Carports installed one of the first solar carports in California.

In 2005, the name changed to M Bar C Construction so the company wasn’t held to car-ports only, and it has since gained experience in other building plans, including ground-mount solar installa-tions. While solar has become the dominate money maker for the company, M Bar C will work on any biddable construc-tion project. The design/build firm is licensed in multiple states but finds most of its work in California. Projects come together quickly for M Bar C, mostly because of its pre-approved design from the Department of State Architecture (DSA).

“We spent time and energy on getting our design for a solar canopy/carport pre-approved through the DSA,” says Drew Lippert, vice president of oper-

ations. “In California, the DSA basically states that you can take a set of plans into them and have them completely gone through and make sure it meets all the state requirements, so any time you go on to a state-owned property — a school, a DMV — your plans and engi-neering have already been fully approved through the state.”

M Bar C’s pre-approved designs provide an “over-the-counter” solution to customers.

“Your typical permit time frame is anywhere from six months to a year and a half,” Lippert says. “With our plans already pre-approved, we just have to put the site specifics on and it’s an over-the-counter process — typically one or two days — and we can have plans ready to go. That’s what really sprung us into prominence in California, that we had a design that people liked that was high-ly efficient, not only in costs but also in the time frame it takes to put this on in the field.”

Although M Bar C has its own steel carport design, the company is open to installing other manufacturer’s designs.

“We do design/build on pri-vate work, and we build any one of the other biddable plans that are out there,” Lippert says. “We have built upwards of five or 10 other designs that people may want, but they want a real-ly good installation crew. We have a very good name for quality, schedule and execution on site. People come to us for our work crew as well. The people that know us well know that we will build any structure that’s out there that is biddable. We have our own, but we don’t just do our own.”

M Bar C fluctuates between 80 and 120 hard-working employees all year. And they’re

£ solar carport pioneer M Bar c construction

Builds quickly and efficiently.

By Kelly PickerelSun Block

cover story

SOlaRBuildERMag.COM | 2120 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

now even busier, since M Bar C’s car-port design can include the actual solar panel installation.

“We have always done all the items [of a carport install] ourselves up to the purlins, which is at the point you would attach the panels,” Lippert says. “We have just come out with a new patent-pending product that [includes] the panel install. We call it the Fast Install Track (FIT) system. That new track allows us to also install the panels for them with about a 50% savings in panel install time. We are now offering a complete

build, including the panels installed but no electrical being connected.”

ALWAYS WORKINGLippert says M Bar C typically

finds itself between 16 and 24 MW of work going concurrently at all times. One recent project includes a 21-site school installation coming in around 8 MW.

“We don’t do the single, small car-port work. We do commercial work,” Lippert says. “We have done 100 kW; it’s not our bread and butter. We will do it for our client base if they need

it. We’re always chasing the big jobs.”

Carports are M Bar C’s main focus, but ground-mount solar installations are becoming a big part of the equation too.

“We are actively bidding on ground-mounts every single day, every week,” Lippert says. “We look at them as an add-on for most projects.”

Most of M Bar C’s projects are multi-site installations, often requiring ground-mounts in addi-tion to carports.

“[With schools,] in some cases, they want to put a solar array over a parking lot, but they need a little more out of their system,” says Neil Bradley, director of sales. “They have a slope or field that they figure they could throw some solar on. They would just add on the ground-mount while we’re there.”

Bradley says that since M Bar C has been really tracking its instal-lations numbers beginning in

2006, the company has installed 160 MW in solar carports — around 10.5 million square feet. That num-ber is much larger when you consid-er M Bar C has been working with solar since the 1990s.

“We are one of the pioneers,” Bradley says. “Certainly we have a lot of competition, but not many people can hang their hat on how long they’ve been doing it.”

Kelly Pickerel is editor of Solar Builder.

@solar_builder

M Bar C installed carports at

Northwood High School in

Irvine, Calif., part of a six-site

job for the school district.

Crews work at Chaffey High

School in Ontario, Calif., one

of eight schools on a 7.2-MW

district contract.


I n a state where the average temperature approaches 90° and many days soar well beyond 100°, there is no short-

age of sunlight available. In the sunny, cactus laden landscape of Arizona, businesses are continually finding ways to harness the region’s solar abundance.

Two of these forward thinking

companies are Desert Boring and SolarCity, and they have found a way to work together to capture and convert solar power in a unique fashion.

Started in 2006 as a subcontrac-tor for telephone and power com-panies, Desert Boring, based in Coolidge, Ariz., began with just one horizontal directional drill

(HDD) and one vacuum excavator for underground work. One of the founding partners was Mike Magill, who remains one of the primary owners and operators of the company.

“We are a relatively small compa-ny,” he says. “We don’t have a large staff or large facilities. We typically have two crews of workers that are

feature very dedicated and proud of the work they do. It helps that when we go to a jobsite, our customers are getting the owner of the com-pany right there.”

Despite operating with a small-er number of employees than other boring companies, Desert Boring is still able to specialize in a number of different areas; the company has the capacity to dig pits, horizontal boring, private locating and potholing.

Magill and his team have steadily grown the company over the years, branching out from doing utility drops for a sole contractor. With a larger, updated fleet of Vermeer drills and Vermeer by McLaughlin vacuum excavators, Desert Boring has been able to find a niche for quality work, even with a small workforce.

SolarCity is on the opposite end of the business spectrum. The com-pany is the nation’s leading solar energy company, with power sys-tem design, financing, installation and monitoring services for every-one from homeowners to business-es to municipal buildings. While the company has only been around since 2006, SolarCity has a pres-ence in 14 states and Washington, D.C.

Carports and shade canopies are popular solar installation platforms for SolarCity. On each installation site — which has often been schools and large commercial buildings — there are multiple canopies. Each canopy is combined into a large conduit that then runs to an invert-er. Boring companies like Desert Boring make the holes in the ground for the conduit.

With the meticulous nature of these projects and the technology needed to maximize the energy from the solar power, all parties involved are very methodical in their approach. It all begins with an

engineered set of plans that details specifics of where the structure is going to go, where the inverters will be placed and the projected running lines that go from each canopy to the connection point.

After examining the plan, Magill will head out to the jobsite and per-sonally inspect the details outlined in the plan. During this job walk, he collects exact measurements to ensure that everything will work as well in the real world as it does in the con-ceptual design.

“I take a very close look at the job and sometimes there are things that may make sense from an engineer-ing standpoint but may not be as effective once we are out in the field,” Magill says. “We then have to give them feedback stating that it would be much easier and cost-effective to combine certain cano-pies, as well as adding or eliminating bores.”

Potholing is a key step in the underground construction process. The excavation method — which Desert Boring accomplishes with Vermeer by McLaughlin vacuum excavators — allows the crew mem-bers to visually locate utility lines or underground obstacles by removing soil, water and other debris before any boring or trenching is started. This is a critical step in reducing the risk of damaging other utilities.

Among the biggest companies to utilize solar canopies in Arizona is Walmart. The retail giant has installed the canopies in its parking lots at stores across the state. It is on these large jobs that the solar energy company calls Desert Boring.

“We did a project in Tucson at their Walmart, and it was very large,” Magill says. “We performed over 1,000 ft of directional drilling for three 4-in. conduit. In order to get all of the power from all of the parking structures combined, we had to directional drill from one end of

the property to the other.”One Call is typically a very accu-

rate method for locating on public jobsites, but on private lands and jobsites, other locating methods need to be incorporated. For Desert Boring, McLaughlin has locators always on hand to help determine where existing utilities are running.

While locating is often the most effective method for finding the utilities, slot trenching is also incor-porated to help determine the existing lines. Desert Boring will cut a trench a few inches wide and as deep as the utility lines need to be. This method has been particu-larly effective for finding lines at some of the area’s older schools.

Walmart provides a great deal of the solar canopy work, but Desert Boring has also worked with SolarCity at eight schools in the past year. It is at these schools where the boring company encoun-ters older water lines running to and from the meter that often require the use of slot trenching.

“When we see those lines, we know we have to cross it so we’ll make a slot trench. The slot is only a few inches wide and a few feet deep, but through that trenching process we verified that we were safe at that depth,” Magill says. “Once a safe depth is determined, the boring crew begins installing the conduits.”

As long as the Arizona sun keeps shining, solar power remains a viable energy source for the state. The innovative thinking of companies like SolarCity, paired with the utility installation expertise of companies like Desert Boring, and the state’s ability to keep harnessing the heat, is looking brighter.

Darrin Cline is a features writer for Two Rivers Marketing.

@tworiversmktg

A lot of work goes on underground to transport solar electricity from up above.

By Darrin Cline

THInkIng Deep


Feature

t’s often difficult to comprehend how far the solar industry has come in the last 10 years. But just look at the numbers: In 2004, the United States had 155 MW of installed solar capacity — total. Only 2 MW of utility-scale solar came online that year. At the begin-ning of 2014, the U.S. industry was sitting on more than 12 GW total. And 4,751 MW of that came in 2013 alone — 2,847 MW from utility-scale installations (all data from GTM Research and SEIA).

A lot has changed since 2004. Just as Apple, Google and Facebook have transformed the way we communicate and interact in the last decade, solar companies have completely flipped the industry upside down with new technologies and better-designed products, and solar is now as attractive to cus-tomers as ever.

Solar Builder talked with three solar companies that got their start in 2004 — mounting manufacturer SunLink, microinverter manufacturer SolarBridge Technologies and developer Standard Solar. How have they improved their businesses as they’ve ridden the steep incline of the solar roller coaster? Do they expect a sudden drop any time soon, or is there room to keep climbing? We’ve had fun listening to stories of the past and peeking into the crystal ball to see what we’ll be talking about in 2024.

After 10 steAdily successful yeArs of the u.s. solAr industry, whAt hAve we leArned?

W hen SunLink started producing mounting systems 10 years ago, founder John Eastwood says the field was wide open. A

few companies were out there — Power Light (eventually purchased by SunPower) and Unirac had been around for a handful of years — but no one was really dominating the mounting market.

“In 2004, there were few competitors in the mounting system space,” Eastwood says. “To start a solar racking company today would be considerably more challenging. The level of support expected by the larger, more sophis-ticated integrators, EPCs, developers and owners in today’s market is much higher than it was 10 years ago. Cost pressures have also continued to mount. These fac-tors have combined to create the most challenging mar-ket we’ve seen. At the same time, they’ve inspired a wave of industry consolidation driven by the need to attain the volume necessary to deliver on service and price. It is going to get increasingly difficult to start a new racking company.”

CEO Chris Tilley says every stakeholder in the indus-try — manufacturers, customers, engineers, permitting officials — has become more sophisticated in the last decade.

“When SunLink was founded, we were one of a hand-ful of pioneers in a marketplace that could have very eas-ily been compared to the ‘Wild West’,” he says. “There were few industry standards in terms of design or perfor-mance requirements, and companies were designing and installing very inconsistently. Today the solar sector has matured considerably on both the structural and electri-cal sides of the equation, which has generally made sys-tems safer.”

As the industry began to work out the kinks and man-ufacturers produced safer, more reliable and cheaper

products, solar really took off in America. “The industry has progressed much further and faster

than we would have ever considered possible in 2004,” Eastwood says. “The availability of low-cost Chinese modules has been an enormous driver in this regard. In 2004 modules were approximately $4 per watt. Now they are approximately $0.75 per watt and dropping. This has been an unanticipated turn of events and a significant factor in the exponential growth of the solar industry. The fact that large fixed-tilt systems are being installed for a total cost of just over $1 per watt is remarkable and bodes well for the future of solar.”

Eastwood believes mounting system prices will contin-ue to drop, but at a much slower pace than what has been experienced in recent years. Safety will again become a stronger focus in the coming years.

“We predict [that] the need to satisfy the insurance industry regarding fire safety and other standards through UL certification is going to significantly impact rooftop mounting systems,” Eastwood says. “In fact, we believe compliance with evolving standards is poised to be a game changer in the rooftop sector of the market, particularly negatively impacting non-metallic systems that are more prone to damage from fire.”

SunLink overall expects the global solar industry to see exponential growth in the next 10 years. With the com-pany’s decade of experience, Tilley says SunLink is in good shape for what’s to come.

“SunLink’s tagline is ‘install confidence,’ and that is exactly what our longevity promises our customers,” he says. “Longevity equals experience, and we have learned a great deal from our experience which provides comfort to our customers and puts us in a much better position to serve them than those manufacturers without our proven track record.”

A Decade in Review

c

I

By Kelly Pickerel

LEFT: SunLink founder John Eastwood talks to customers

at a 2004 ASES show, which he recalls was held in a "hotel

garage in Portland." CENTER: One of the first renderings for

the company's RMS legacy system. RighT: SunLink's first

official installation, a 28.8-kW project for Whole Foods in

Providence, R.I., completed in 2005.

Mounting systeM MAnufActurer

SunLink — San Rafael, California

SOlaRBuildERMag.COM | 2726 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

I n 2004, there weren’t a lot of incentives for people to purchase solar systems. Standard Solar started as a residential installation com-

pany, building systems for those wanting to make an envi-ronmental statement. It wasn’t until 2008 when incentives — like the 30% investment tax credit (ITC) — started spilling into Maryland that Standard Solar looked at com-mercial options.

“Until 2008, we were a residential solar installer, primar-ily doing business in D.C., Maryland and Virginia,” says CEO Tony Clifford. “We got our first commercial job when Sunpower (then our module supplier) asked us to install a 205-kW system on the roof of the Department of Energy headquarters in downtown Washington. That install really put Standard Solar on the map. When we completed it in August 2008, it was the largest solar installation between New Jersey and central Florida. And that was only six years ago. It may not even be in the Top 10 in Washington, D.C., now. There’s been a real sea change in this area.”

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) and appropriate finance options have really sped along the installation game. Clifford says it’s easier for new installation compa-nies to get started, but it’s more difficult to grow into a successful company.

“Anyone can get a residential solar business started, but dabblers also tend to get weeded out,” he says. “Getting a residential solar business past two guys and a truck is a challenging process. We’ve been through the growing pains. We’ve built a solid business over the past 10 years. There are plenty of opportunities for newcomers, but they have to do the work to get to the point that we’ve man-aged to get to.”

Clifford says the real growth opportunity is in residen-tial solar going forward. Q1 2014 saw 480,000 solar sys-tems installed in the United States, with the vast majority being residential systems. Clifford says while that is great

progress, the market potential of residential solar has bare-ly been tapped.

“Residential solar systems cost about the same as many automobiles,” he says. “You’re going to see local banks, credit unions and other financing organizations get into the busi-ness of financing solar systems. I think as more attractive loan options show up for residential systems, there’s going to be a shift away from leases and PPAs to more homeown-er-financed systems, and I think that’s great for local solar installers. There’s a real opportunity there.”

Installers may have to deal with fewer manufacturing companies in the future, Clifford suggests. He says more mature industries, like automobiles or semiconductors, typically have 10 companies doing 75-80% of the world-wide business in their industries. Today in PV, Yingli is the world’s largest module manufacturer, and its share in 2013 was only 10%.

“There’s no way that PV manufacturing is a mature industry yet,” Clifford says. “We’ll see some real shakes there. I don’t know who will end up being the survivors in this, but we’re probably going to end up with 10 to 12 huge solar manufacturers that all address the worldwide market.”

The next hurdle will be when the ITC expires in 2016, Clifford says. That, coupled with the recent trade war with China, could halt the steady growth pattern of the solar industry.

“We’ve been on this multi-year fight and effort to reduce costs across the board,” he says. “The only thing that has slowed that has been in cases with China. We have seen module prices go up, not down. If we don’t hit utility cost-competitiveness by the time the investment tax credit goes away in 2016, then the industry will be in trou-ble for a while.”


@solar_builder

S olarBridge got its start with power electronics tech-nology in 2004 and really ramped up its solar devel-opment in 2007. Initially, the company considered

focusing on string inverters but soon realized there was a real need for reliability and distributed power. Today, SolarBridge has taken the microinverter and really transformed the way people think about DC and AC power.

“In those days, nobody was using microinverters or AC mod-ules. We were almost laughed out of the room in some meet-ings,” says Pat Chapman, co-founder, CTO and vice president of advanced development. “Now microinverters account for almost 50 percent of the residential market, and every company has to have a module-level power electronics strategy. We’ve been involved in just about every module company’s discussion of that strategy, because of our focus on reliability. What we have learned is to stay the course, to never compromise on reli-ability and to build a strong ecosystem of partners who can build a market with you.”

Chapman says he agrees with those at SunLink — it’s much more difficult to start a solar manufacturing company today than it was 10 years ago.

“The market to raise money is much tougher,” he says. “If you’re not in cloud computing, or big data, or you’re not on Twitter or Instagram, it’s tough. Clean tech was a big trend then. New startups coming in now have an uphill battle. It’s harder for hardware and module technologies to get funded because now we’re in a cost reduction phase of the market. There’s still tons of innovation to come — integrating with energy storage, module integration, taking margin out of the integration itself. There is so much innovation yet to come.”

Energy storage and smart grid innovations will be the next big things in the industry, Chapman says. These advances will continue to make solar an attractive choice for customers.

“We’ve grown up quite a bit. There are a lot more choices for solar consumers now, and the choices are good,” Chapman says. “We’ve grown from systems that were very expensive with sus-pect payback times, to systems that meet grid parity with finite payback times that you can finance in a lot of ways. Now, the importance of having site-level monitoring is way up, and module-level monitoring is often considered a must-have fea-ture of solar. For years, system owners may have had underper-forming or nonperforming systems. Now people have insight into whether they’re getting the value out of solar. It’s hard to think of something going on in solar that’s more exciting than this.”

Chapman says the advances in installation times has trans-formed the industry and gained customer acceptance.

“Solar used to be an engineering science project; now it’s like installing a new water heater,” Chapman says. “It used to take two or three days to install a system; now you can do two or three in a day. There were all these barriers before — financial, technical, etc. Now those barriers have been removed.”

Building a name and having 10 years of practice with elec-tronics and solar technologies really benefits SolarBridge when it comes to establishing new customers, Chapman says.

“Longevity is important to the business, especially in custom-er service,” he says. “There’s brand loyalty in that — the market has learned that the lowest price module isn’t always the best investment. Absent anything else, people will go with the more trusted, well-known brand that has withstood the test of time.”

AcPv/Microinverter MAnufActurer

SolarBridge Technologies — Austin, Texas

Three of SolarBridge’s original founders — (L-R) Phil Krein, Brian Kuhn and Pat Chapman — at a recent 10-year anniversary party. develoPer/instAller

Standard Solar — Rockville, Maryland

LEFT: Standard Solar’s first commercial installation at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., in July 2008. CENTER: In 2008, Standard Solar signs its first PPA with Kelly Electric in Washington, D.C., for a 150-kW rooftop system (CEO Tony Clifford is second from right). RighT: Standard Solar’s first truck in 2006.


T he PV industry is faced with increasing pressure to lower the cost of PV systems without sacrific-

ing performance in order to achieve a lower LCOE. As much progress as the industry has made to date, cost reduction efforts con-tinue to be constrained by both technical and market dynamics.

From a technology perspective, traditional architectures that rely on the inverter to manage both DC and AC power are self-limit-ing by requiring system and equip-ment builders to make tradeoffs between performance and cost. Meanwhile, like most “early” mar-kets, the solar industry has a highly fractured supply chain. The combi-nation of these two forces hampers system-level innovation.

However, by considering reason-able architecture changes and col-laborating across the value chain,

the industry can capitalize on an opportunity to create significant system cost reduction while enhancing PV system performance — a true “spend less, get more” value proposition.

LimiTaTions of TradiTionaL sysTems

Traditional PV power plants use a series-parallel architecture with centralized power management controlled by an inverter. In this architecture, the inverter accom-modates a wide range of input voltage and current fluctuations to convert DC power to AC power. The limitations of this traditional architecture include: Under-Utilized Inverters:

The rated output power of tradi-tional inverters is limited by the minimum input voltage of the inverter. Since PV module output varies greatly with irradiance and

temperature, the inverter’s mini-mum input voltage must be low enough to accommodate the hot-test day of the year. The fact is that traditional inverters are capable of delivering a lot more power, but the lower input voltage require-ment constrains the inverter utili-zation and drives up inverter cost. Cabling Design and Cost

Issues: String lengths in traditional systems are hampered by the open circuit voltage of the PV module on the coldest day of the year. Strings must be kept short so the system voltage does not exceed code limits. This increases the number of strings and combiner boxes needed. Traditional systems also require an over-sun multiplier when determining wire size which further amplifies costs. MPPT-Related Energy

Losses: Traditional PV systems use an inverter with one or several max-

feature imum power point (MPP) trackers. These MPP trackers adjust the DC bus voltage while looking for the highest power possible aggregated across the array. The farther the MPPT is from the source of gener-ation, the more compromises are made between module and string performance which results in less energy being delivered over the life of the power plant.

spend Less, GeT more

The industry has already started to migrate away from traditional systems with the increase in adop-tion of distributed architectures such as microinverters, string inverters and DC optimizers. The problem with many of these alter-natives is that they come with a spend-more-get-more value prop-osition. In other words, spend more on capital costs to get more energy production. However, dis-tributed power optimization (DPO) uses DC optimizers to put MPP tracking as well as voltage and current limits on each string to deliver higher performing systems at a lower cost.

The higher resolution of MPP tracking and the voltage and cur-rent limits provide the following advantages to lower system costs and improve performance: Lower Cost Inverter –

Inverters can operate with a higher and narrower input voltage range since they no longer have to accommodate the low input volt-age at higher temperatures. The narrow input voltage range allows the inverter to always operate close to its maximum MPP voltage, which allows the inverter to deliver up to twice as much power from the same hardware. Doubling the output power is equivalent to cut-ting the inverter cost in half.

Lower Cost Cabling – The voltage and current limits of the DC optimizers allow for longer strings. For example, system designers can put up to twice the number of modules per string compared to traditional systems. Increasing the array voltage means that the same or more power can be generated with less current flow. This reduces the gauge of wire, size of conduit, number of com-biners and associated labor costs. This also can decrease wire losses as well. When considering these together, the electrical BOS costs are reduced by up to 50%. More Energy – DPO archi-

tectures have higher MPP tracking resolution than other string or sys-tem level solutions which mini-mizes or eliminates the effects of real world energy production inhibitors like non-ideal land-scapes, PV module mismatch, uneven soiling and non-uniform degradation. Putting MPP track-ing closer to the source of genera-tion increases PV system energy output. The more granular and efficient the power management is, the higher the system production will be under changing environ-mental and system conditions over the lifetime of the power plant.

CoLLaboraTinG aCross The VaLue Chain

Achieving these architecture changes and improving on them over time requires a new level of industry collaboration. This need has resulted in the formation of industry alliances focused on bringing companies together around a set of defined open stan-dards, shared best practices and unified product labeling. An exam-ple of such collaboration is the HDPV Alliance.

The open standards ensure prod-uct compatibility which provides the industry with choice. Since customers can choose from a vari-ety of interoperable products, com-petition remains intact throughout the collaborative innovation pro-cess. Sharing best practices allows the industry to accelerate the adoption of lower cost and higher performing systems. And unified product labeling serves the indus-try by making it easy to identify and source components that con-form to the open standards.

paradiGm shifTHistorically, distributed power

optimization that puts DC power electronics out into the PV array have presented a “spend more, get more” value proposition in which overall system costs go up, but increased production of energy and monitoring features are intended to justify the expense. For the most part, this has limited the adoption of DPO to residential and small-scale installations where the pres-ence of significant amounts of non-uniform shading can some-times justify the incremental cost of such solutions.

Today there is a new reality. Companies across the value chain are collaborating to deliver a DPO architecture that puts either mod-ule- or string-level DC optimizers in the PV field which can lower both the cost and risk of PV proj-ects to create significant value. This “spend less, get more” approach enables distributed power optimi-zation to thrive even in large com-mercial and utility-scale applica-tions.

Mark Kanjorski is chairman of the HDPV Alliance.

@HDPVAlliance

hdpv.org

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disTribuTed

power opTimizaTion

Companies are workinG ToGeTher To Lower The CosT of pV eVen furTher.

by mark kanjorski


feature

wire management clips for solar modules frames and racking sys-tems — the DCS-1306, -1307, -1414 and the DCX-2452A. The company also manufactures clips special for certain mounting and microinverter companies (for example, the new NFI-1461 clip fits to Enphase-specific cables). All clips are stainless steel, made in the United States and require no tools for installation.

“We try and take the feedback we get from the rail manufacturers and the installers to try and pro-duce the best clips, the most useful clips possible,” says Vin Marino, product manager.

The clips secure wires/cables out of view with just a push of the thumb to snap into place. Nine Fasteners’ clips lay flat on the panel without protruding — providing a better aesthetic value and securing panels properly.

While most ideal for smaller, microinverter-based projects (since the microinverters and wires are installed on the modules), Nine Fasteners’ wire management clips work well on any type of solar array. The same size wires are used on all projects, making the clips very versatile.

The National Electrical Code doesn’t have standards saying solar installers should specifically use a certain type of clip or tie for wire management, but Marino believes that will one day change as more research is done on the longevity and safety of wire management products.

“We’ve been trying to market against the use of plastic and wire zip ties,” Marino says. “They’re going to corrode and fail eventual-ly. It seems like a lot of people in the industry are coming to that realization. It’s good to know they’re coming to their senses.”

With solar components collec-tively having warranties outpacing 25 years, the short life-spans of zip ties aren’t great investment choices.

“It might cost you less now to use zip ties, but what is it going to cost you to replace them every five years for the next 30 years?” asks Marino. “That’s six times you’re going to have to send somebody out to the site, track down every zip tie that’s busted, which is probably a lot, replace all the zip ties — that’s a lot of money. It takes twice as long to install one zip tie over one of our clips. Not only are you saving money on the

labor to install our clips over zip ties, you’re also saving money on replacement and maintenance costs.”

Nine Fasteners’ clips also pro-mote longevity by way of wire safety.

“A lot of clips on the market now have a center hole punched in them,” Marino says. “That creates a rough edge which comes in con-tact with the wire, and over time that rough edge will cut through the rubber casing on the wire and lead to problems down the line. Our clips don’t punch a center slot, and we roll the outer edges, making sure the steel isn’t biting into the cable.”

Nine Fasteners works with man-ufacturers (like Enphase) to design clips, but the company’s standard clips can be found through various distributors. Installer feedback has led to the production of new clips, and some will be showcased at Solar Power International this year. Learn about the benefits of Nine Fasteners’ stainless steel clips at Booth 1745.


@solar_builder

Wire management on solar arrays is more than just an aesthet-ics-pleaser. Securing

wires properly prevents damage, ground faults and even fires. Many mounting, inverter and module companies have started to include wire management with their prod-ucts. But when that integration doesn’t come standard, many installers turn to plastic wire or zip ties as a quick fix. The problem with them is their quickness — they fail much more quickly than the solar power system ever will. Stainless steel clips offer longevity when zip ties fall short.

Nine Fasteners of Hopkinton, Mass., recently entered the solar market and has worked to educate the industry on the benefits of its clips. Originally forming in 1982 as Quality Components, the company distributed hardware products, nuts, bolts, clips, fasteners and some electrical componentry. In 2002, the name changed to Nine Fasteners and solar became a stron-ger focus in 2008.

“We still maintained our position as an overall distributor, but we began to concentrate on finding out what made the solar industry work,” says Art Noyes, president. “Since that time, we have put 90% of our

energy and assets into growing our clip business in the solar business.”

From 2012 to 2013, Nine Fasteners says its solar clip business increased by 5%. At the end of 2014, the company expects to grow by more than 50% over the previous segment. Noyes feels Nine Fasteners has finally hit its stride.

“Business has been good to us,” Noyes says. “What we’re trying to sell to this industry is our ability to resolve design issues. We got into the business by tooling standard fas-teners, clips, wire management clips. We began slowly but surely and have been building it since.”

Nine Fasteners has four standard

Built to last

The DSC-1306 clip from Nine

Fasteners is the company’s

best-selling wire manage-

ment product. It is used to

secure one or two USE-2

diameter wires to a module

frame.

NiNe FasteNers produces wire maNagemeNt clips with saFety aNd loNgevity iN miNd.

By Kelly Pickerel

The DSC-

1306 clip from

Nine Fasteners is the

company’s best-selling wire

management product. It is

used to secure one or two

USE-2 diameter wires to

a module frame.

Wires can

easily be secured

on module frames

with Nine Fasteners’

various clips.


AdvAnced RAcking SolutionSAdvanced Racking Solutions offers low-weight, tilted mounting solutions for all

metal roof profiles. The weight of a VICERACK/VICERAIL system (including solar modules) is less than 2 psf and is designed for inclinations of up to 30°.

Engineered design allows for arrays to be installed either square or skewed to the roof on both the north and south facing slopes. Analyzed by several pre-engineered building supply companies, racking systems are configured to avoid additional snow accumulation and won’t increase wind loading on the building. The rear-vented design results in lower operating temperatures and improved yield. Access is available to all modules for maintenance. advance-dracking.com Booth 2064

AetAET (Applied Energy Technologies) recently launched its Rayport-G

ECO ground mounting system. The Rayport-G ECO is quickly becoming an industry standard for developers and EPCs looking for a high-quality system that is easy to install and available at a competitive price point. The Rayport-G ECO has been engineered for strength and durability, and is lightweight and compact, reducing freight costs and allowing for easier handling onsite. The Rayport-G ECO has achieved UL-2703 listing and fits all solar panels avail-able on the market. aetenergy.com Booth 2327

ARRAy technologieS inc. What do you get when a leader in solar tracking solutions combines years of field

experience with cutting-edge innovation? An industry-changing product evolution that will transform the way site developers and EPCs look at solar tracking.

With more than 2 GW of product shipped and installed across the globe, Array Technologies Inc. (ATI) is a global leader of solar tracking and racking solutions. ATI’s flagship product, the DuraTrack HZ single-axis solar tracker, has been redesigned in order to further reduce installed cost, increase power density, accelerate installation and reduce maintenance requirements — enabling a highly competitive LCOE for solar projects at a time when the industry needs it most. arraytechinc.com Booth 1042

Bonfiglioli Bonfiglioli designs and manufactures hi-tech power conversion systems

and turn-key skid enclosures for utility-scale PV power plants. Its fully inte-grated solution, with power ratings from 375 to 1,575 kWac, is delivered ready for easy installation. With a modular architecture that guarantees increased energy efficiency, the RPS TL-UL inverter offers a unique solu-tion with excellent reliability for the North American market — consistent with the performance of its European version — with more than 2 GW installed worldwide. Bonfiglioli guarantees local service and support, war-ranties up to 20 years, up-time guarantee up to 99% of power conversion and lower balance of system costs. bonf iglioliusa.com Booth 542

ceRtAinteedApollo II is a next generation solar roofing system featuring integrated PV

panels that combine greater efficiency and improved aesthetics with easier wiring installation. Featuring 54-watt monocrystalline panels, it is light-weight, durable, resistant to wind uplift and can easily be integrated into either an existing roof or with the installation of a new roof with asphalt shingles for a clean, seamless appearance not found with rack-mounted sys-tems. Each slim, 12-lb module features 14 high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells. It does not require structural reinforcement or evaluation, and the sleek black frame, cells and backsheet visually blend with surrounding shingles. certainteed.com Booth 1266

ecoliBRium SolARThe PV installation professionals tested EcoFoot2, helped Ecolibrium

Solar find ways to make it better, and the result is EcoFoot2+. There are only three main components: the foot, deflector and preassembled universal clamp. The reduced part count plus preassembled clamps yield a more streamlined installation with less attachments and more flexibility. Ecolibrium Solar continues to seek the equilibrium between what is economically com-petitive, ecologically conscious and where innovation can be used to insure integrity. The company is proud to announce its newest addition, EcoFoot2+. ecolibriumsolar.com Booth 2545

AdvAnced eneRgyThe AE 3TL Horizontal Mounting Kit provides a compact and cost-effec-

tive means to install AE 3TL string inverters in a horizontal orientation — an option essential for complying with NEC 2014 Rapid Shut Down require-ments by enabling a low-profile installation at the edge of the solar array. The kit enables the 3TL to be installed in direct sun, rain and snow, at a range of angles from horizontal up to a 30° tilt from horizontal. It also facilitates more profitable system designs by eliminating shading setbacks for inverters, thus in most cases enabling the installation of additional panels. It also includes a sun shade, two low-power cooling fans and a base assembly. advanced-energy.com Booth 551

eAton Eaton is showcasing its complete range of electrical BOS solutions designed to

maximize energy harvest, improve system reliability and enhance safety in utility and commercial applications. Attendees can learn how Eaton’s Power Xpert energy storage grid-tied inverter and direct-coupled transformer help increase electrical resiliency in large commercial and utility-scale grid-connect applications, working with a wide variety of battery chemistries to offer high performance energy storage and conversion.

Eaton is also promoting the capabilities of its 1,000-Vdc solar switchboards, which incorporate UL-listed DC circuit breakers to provide a means of disconnect and overcurrent protection in a single, convenient enclosure. eaton.com/solar Booth 536

Spi ShowcASe(SolAR poweR inteRnAtionAl)

l A S v e g A S , o c t . 2 0 - 2 3 | v i S i t S o l A R B u i l d e R A t B o o t h 1 7 4 0 !


hAticon SolARHatiCon Solar introduces the alLite ballasted flat roof system. The modular

and wind tunnel tested design requires no on-site fabrication for easy assembly. The alLite in portrait orientation achieves higher panel density and optimal power generation. HatiCon Solar offers a range of high-quality mounting solutions. HatiCon Solar’s products are built from long lasting, lightweight, noncorrosive aluminum. Patented click technology and universal preassembled parts saves time and money. Mounting solutions for pitched roof, flat/low slope roof and ground mount installations can withstand the harshest condi-tions. HatiCon Solar’s exceptional products and service provide a simpler, faster and better solar PV mounting solution. haticonsolar.com Booth 2515

i-eneRgyFounded in 2009, i-Energy specializes in design, development and distribution

of microinverters. i-Energy has successfully launched its first generation of microinverter model GT260 in Europe, Mexico, Australia and Japan. After a year’s field experience and customer feedback, i-Energy offers a new model: the GT260. GT260 offers true plug-and-play installation with a fully-integrated cable/connector, allowing for lower BOS costs. The i-Energy microinverter can be used with both 60- and 72-cell PV panels. The GT260 has 20% greater heat dissipation ability which further enhances its long term reliability. Standard package includes a pre-packaged AC cable which offers a detachable feature, resulting in even more flexibility. i-energyinc.com Booth TBA

ideAl poweRIdeal Power introduces its award-winning three-port 30-kW Hybrid Converter

for off-grid, grid-tied and grid-resilient applications. The Hybrid Converter uses Ideal Power’s patented Power Packet Switching Architecture (PPSA), enabling integration of solar PV inverter functions on one DC port and bi-directional battery converter functions on the second DC port, while a third AC port sup-ports both grid-tied and microgrid applications. The DC port functionality is software-defined, enabling integration of other power sources including diesel gensets, EV charging infrastructure or DC microgrids. Ideal Power estimates that its Hybrid Converter will reduce the size and weight of microgrid power electronics that integrate PV and storage by 90%. idealpower.com Booth 2658

iRonRidgeIronRidge expanded its XR Rail Family to include three new rail sizes,

all featuring the company’s signature curved profile. The new offering empowers solar designers to improve solar mounting system performance while reducing cost by as much as 15 to 20%.

In addition, IronRidge introduced a number of new accessories, includ-ing Slotted L-Feet and T-bolt Grounding Lugs, as well as an upgrade of its web-based Design Assistant that supports ASCE 7-10. ironridge.com Booth 2109

kAco new eneRgyKACO new energy will be offering a new line of residential, transformer-

less inverters in 2014. The new product line will offer optional integrated AFCI, multiple MPPT channels, integrated revenue grade monitoring, dis-connection means and over-current protection. The TL1 will communicate via Modbus TCP/IP and is SunSpec-compliant for third party monitoring services. The efficiency expectations will be set at 97% and the broad operat-ing range will translate to maximum design flexibility for this offering. kaco-newenergy.com Booth 818

omg Roofing pRoductS PowerGrip Plus, from OMG Roofing Products, is watertight, easy-to-

install, provides a secure connection directly to the roof deck. Once heat-welded in place, properly installed PowerGrip Plus units can help to elimi-nate rack movement that can damage commercial roofing systems.

With 2,000 lbs of tensile strength and 1,075 lbs of shear strength, PowerGrip Plus is designed for use with ballasted solar racks as well as other rooftop equipment on roofs covered with thermoplastic (TPO and PVC) roofing membranes including pipe supports, crossovers, electrical conduit, satellite dishes, HVAC equipment and more. omgroof ing.com Booth 2460

exoSunExosun’s Exotrack HZ is a horizontal single-axis tracker that boosts plant

output by up to 25% in comparison to fixed-tilt installations. Operators can now further optimize Exotrack HZ-equipped solar plants by implementing Exosun’s unique backtracking program, called SMARTracking. Going beyond simple backtracking — shifting tables’ positions in order to avoid panel on panel shading during periods of low solar height, like the early morning and late afternoon — SMARTracking takes into account a plant’s field irregulari-ties (3D site topography) to achieve maximum system performance. Enjoy up to 5% more power output annually, compared to standard single-axis trackers, with this unique patented and third-party validated backtracking approach. exosun.net Booth 4906

mounting SyStemS inc.MSI will show its new, ballasted Lambda Light S+ (LLI S+) and Lambda Light

EW+ (LLI EW+) products for commercial, flat roof PV arrays. LLI S+ is a light-weight, highly economical flat roof system. The south-facing LLI S+ is engineered to minimize parts count and fast, easy assembly and installation.

The LLI EW+ (pictured) is an East-West oriented system with numerous perfor-mance and grid-integration advantages, especially for array sites in the lower latitude regions. Extensive component preassembly contributes to the products’ installation speed and cost-effectiveness.

Both products are fully wind-tunnel tested. Module tilt angles of 10° or 15° for either system are user-selectable. usa.mounting-systems.info Booth 3106

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QBotixThe QBotix Robotic Tracking System (RTS) is an optimized PV tracker

that produces up to 15% more energy than single-axis trackers and up to 45% more than fixed-tilt systems. Engineered to withstand harsh conditions and challenging topographies, the RTS employs two rugged, mobile robots per block of up to 378 kW with high accuracy, reliability and redundancy. Each robot travels on a rail through a loop of up to 225 trackers of five to six mod-ules and adjusts the azimuth and elevation. Compatible with all standard components and processes, the RTS delivers savings of up to 20%, high sys-tem level reliability and installation flexibility for the commercial and utility-scale solar sectors. qbotix.com Booth 4306

Quick mount pvQuick Rack is a simple, cost-effective rail-free mounting system from Quick

Mount PV. An integrated roof mount and racking system engineered to be robust and structurally sound, Quick Rack is fast and easy to install, requiring minimal tools. The system features integrated grounding, with just a single ground lug for up to 300 contiguous modules. Quick Rack also comes with pro-prietary design software, ensuring every solar array is accurately designed and code-compliant. Quick Rack features Quick Mount PV’s quality and superior waterproofing with patented Elevated Water Seal technology. It has certified UL System Fire Class Rating A, for Type 1 modules. quickmountpv.com Booth 1412

RBi SolARVisit RBI Solar at SPI to explore architectural aspects of carport struc-

tures and the robustness of highly-engineered ground-mount solutions. Touch and experience the steadiness of RBI ground and carport racking solutions. A giant tablet can help you investigate all the possible solutions to your racking challenges. Talk to RBI project managers about the pre-assem-bly options and turnkey offerings.

RBI engineers and designers will be on-site to answer any questions for ground, carports, roof and landfill racking structure. RBI Solar offers signed and sealed drawings for all 50 states, manufacturing at four state of the art facilities and nationwide installation. rbisolar.com Booth 1400

SchletteRMeeting peak morning and evening power production demands is easily

accomplished with Schletter’s FS Uno-100 steel ground-mount system. Through extensive analysis and design, Schletter engineers developed a single post system that accommodates east-west module tables. Specifically designed to meet or exceed applicable IBC, ASCE and UL Standards, the FS Uno-100 uses 100% galvanized steel to meet the rugged demands of a ground mount installation. Regardless of the design specifications, the FS Uno-100 upholds the quality standards for which Schletter is known. The result is a steel solar mounting system designed to outlast the competition. schletter.us Booth 506

SmA AmeRicASMA America will unveil the Utility Power System, an integrated, com-

pact DC-to-AC system solution for utility-scale PV power plants. It offers precisely synchronized components, including the new Sunny Central 2000-US inverter, medium-voltage transformer, DC combiners, corresponding plant control and support from the industry’s top-ranked service team. Designed for use outdoors in all regions of the world, the SMA Utility Power System enables grid stability and maximized power production on a global scale. Its efficient design delivers higher energy yields while reducing capital and operating expenditures, resulting in a lower levelized cost of energy. sma-america.com Booth 524

SolARedgeSolarEdge recently announced an optional upgrade for its SafeDC archi-

tecture to include Rapid Shutdown functionality in accordance with section 690.12 of the NEC 2014 code. SolarEdge systems featuring Rapid Shutdown can de-energize PV source circuits from all sources to less than 30 V within 10 seconds. Rapid Shutdown functionality is available as an option in new SolarEdge inverters and is easily upgradable in existing installations, without the installation of any additional roof-mounted devic-es. solaredge.us Booth 1418

outBAck poweR technologieSOutBack Power Technologies Inc. will showcase OPTICS RE, a new cloud-

based system monitoring and control application, as well as its latest Radian inverters at Solar Power International. OPTICS RE provides installers and owners of OutBack systems the ability to easily track PV/solar system opera-tion, performance and output via an intuitive dashboard from any Internet-enabled device in real time. Paired with OutBack’s newest Radian inverters — which feature GridZero technology and Advanced Battery Charging for compatibility with any future or existing utility energy scenario — OPTICS RE gives installers more control over their renewable energy production and higher returns on their system investments. outbackpower.com Booth 2312

SnApnRAckSnapNrack continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation by fea-

turing a newly UL-2703 code compliant residential roof-mount system that includes Class A Fire Rating with Type 1 modules. In addition to showcasing the fully certified system with installation demos, SnapNrack will have its new Tile Roof Hooks on display. All of its products are specifically designed to make the jobs of installers easier while reducing the time and cost of installing solar. The SnapNrack team will share the latest information about its new UL Listed systems, wire management solutions and brand new acces-sories. snapnrack.com Booth 3112

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SolARmAxSolarMax has been a global manufacturer of grid-connected solar inverters

for more than 20 years. The company’s line of inverters include the RX A series, a central inverter that delivers output power of 500 kW or 600 kW to address the needs of large-scale solar farms. The RX A inverter consists of four independent power units, each with an independent, fast and precise MPP tracker. It also features independent DC wiring input, which eliminates the need for fuses and reduces BOS costs. The RX A delivers high efficiency and availability, as well as straightforward serviceability to lower lifetime costs. solarmax.com Booth 4514

SolAR Roof hookSolarRoofHook.com, known for designing innovative products for mount-

ing solar panels onto residential roofs, has a one-hook solution for tile roofs. The versatile 90°, 38-mm height adjustability of the hook resolves the fol-lowing issues: tiles that were installed without batons; variance in tile thick-ness; and height adjustment. This product can be used on flat and Spanish (curved) tiles, and its adjustability allows flexibility for the installer. solar-roofhook.com Booth 2228

SolectRiASolectria Renewables is a U.S. based grid-tied PV inverter manufacturer.

Its broad product offering includes inverters from 1.8 to 750 kW, combiners and web-based monitoring for residential, commercial and utility-scale solar systems. Solectria Renewables is backed by more than 25 years of power electronics and inverter experience. At Solar Power International, Solectria will showcase many of its products, including the SGI 500/750XTM (pic-tured) 1,000-Vdc, external transformer inverter and the PVI 23/28TL trans-formerless three-phase inverter with new options including a shade cover and DC/AC disconnect covers. solectria.com Booth 842

SolAR flexRAckSolar FlexRack offers a unique product line focused on maximizing labor

savings on the jobsite. On display at Solar Power International will be the pre-assembled, unfolding design of the ground Series G3L, along with the Series TDL, a single-axis tracking solution designed to accommodate irregu-lar terrain and challenging layouts. Solar FlexRack will have members of the field services team on hand to discuss the full suite of service offerings includ-ing installation, testing, design and support. Solar FlexRack is a division of Northern States Metals, a full-service manufacturer with more than 40 years of experience. solarflexrack.com Booth 1212

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Spice SolAR Spice Solar technology makes installing rooftop solar modules faster and

cheaper by integrating the racking into the frames of the modules themselves. With Built-In Racking, installers need 50% fewer parts on the roof, reducing equipment and labor costs on every job. Spice Solar-certified modules are manufactured at the factory by leading solar module companies and feature a specially-designed frame that is compatible with a wide range of industry-standard mounting brackets and flashings. Spice Solar components quickly connect and ground modules in both portrait and landscape orientations. Visit the Spice Solar booth at SPI for a live demo. spicesolar.com Booth TBA

SunlinkClass A fire-rated Precision-Modular RMS is the newest addition to SunLink’s

quality engineered, aluminum Precision RMS roof-mount line. As with other Precision products, Precision-Modular integrates wire-management and features rubber feet that prevent metal from touching the roof, often eliminating the need for slip sheets. Feet also stack to easily deal with roof undulations. The system is con-nected north/south and east/west to better distribute loads and doesn’t rely on the module frame as a structural element. The building block design is assembled, laid out and installed module-by-module to maximize layout flexibility, dramatically reduce costs through inventory and facilitate on-roof changes. Available for 60- and 72-cell modules and 10° tilt. sunlink.com Booth 318

tmeicThe Solar Ware Samurai is an outdoor PV inverter with a stand-alone

capacity of 1,667 kW. Its advanced hybrid cooling system offers fanless operation up to 50% load and maintains high reliability while reducing energy costs. Features: maximum 99% efficiency, 98.5% CEC; wide MPPT window, up to 950 V; and NEMA 3R outdoor enclosure. Utilizing TMEIC heat pipe technology, the inverter has the fewest moving parts of any invert-er in the industry, says the company. This leads to high reliability and lowest overall cost of ownership. tmeic.com Booth 2727

SollegASollega designs, tests and manufacturers solar mounting solutions serving

the commercial flat-roof PV markets. Its patented FastRack510 (FR510) high efficiency solar racking system, is a one-piece injection molded, low profile solar mounting system made from durable lightweight Ultramid (glass rein-forced nylon). It utilizes a UV inhibitor for durability and extended life. Our universal design enables the installation of nearly all framed PV modules. This ensures our clients can continue using their existing supply chains for mod-ules. The system comes with a 5° and 10° low-slope mounting solution and 25-year warranty. sollega.com Booth 1906

tRinA SolARTrinasmart modules incorporate innovative power electronics from Tigo

Energy. It offers the maximum energy harvest through module level DC power optimization, the module-level diagnostics in real time and a reduction in arc, fire and safety hazards. By integrating the module optimizer into the junction box, it enables patented Smart Curve technology to allow up to 30% longer strings, which reduces the balance of the system cost significantly. tri-nasolar.com Booth 823

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uniRAcUnirac will proudly announce several enhancements to its SOLARMOUNT

system designed to get installers on and off the roof faster than ever before. Components will be received by installers, pre-assembled and optimized to improve installation speed and reduce labor costs. It includes a new and improved bonding process and provides classification to UL-2703 for easy permitting. New accessories include a bonding microinverter mount with a wire management clip for a clean installation. unirac.com Booth 306

SOlaRBuildERMag.COM | 41

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last word recent news from solarbuildermag.com

sundance Power systems inc. installed 650 kw of Kyocera solar modules on sierra nevada brewing co.’s new mills river, n.c., brewery in July. 2,030 Kyocera Kd320 PV solar modules were installed atop the new brewery’s packaging center and warehouse, covering nearly two acres.

rec solar completed a 102-kw array for the Hampton inn & suites bakersfield north-airport in bakersfield, calif. the carport-mounted installation will offset 44% of the electricity costs for the 94-room hotel, saving up to $8,800 per month.

“solar never made sense for us in the past,” said braxton myers, vice president of operations for blackstone Hospitality group inc., which provides property management for franchise hotels throughout the united states including the Hampton inn. “but rec solar delivered a price point that convinced us to take another look.”

the Hampton inn had expressed concerns about installing a rooftop array that would require closing the top floor of rooms and forfeiting revenue. as a result, rec solar worked with the Hampton inn to design a solar carport that did not require disruption to existing operations. the carport not only generates clean electricity but will also provide much-needed shade for 30 parked cars.

meridian solar with dV & associates developed and con-structed a 322-kw system at the Veterans Health care system of the ozarks (VHso) in fayetteville, ark. the installation consisted of three solar carports, which provide shad-ing to 102 parking spaces for veter-ans receiving services.

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