Pile driving quality goes to the very foundations of a PV array, quite literally. Helge Biernath, CEO of Sunstall, speaks to pv magazine about the importance of getting the foundations and footings of a PV array right. In this, being mindful of the weather, Biernath notes, is a vital factor.
Helge Biernath, president and CEO of solar installer Sunstall, joined Solar Power World at Solar Speaks Live 2016 to discuss the changing market of large-scale, ground-mount solar and how the company adapts to new installation techniques. More at solarpowerworldonline
June 8, 2016
West Sacramento, CA – In light of the recent completion of a 4 MW PV project in Livermore, CA, Mounting Systems is proud to announce its contribution to the success of this solar development at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Mounting Systems supplied its signature Sigma I Steel ground mounts, which utilizes a new, proprietary cold-rolled steel with Clickstone technology for speed and ease of installation. With ISO-9001 and UL 2703 certification, contractors could depend on the efficiency and reliability of ground mount installations through Mounting System’s services. Read more
From the perspective of an installer the better the planning and the better the execution matches the planning the better the end result and the less likely it is that CO’s will be issued! Sounds easy – should be easy, but in reality….. it is not that easy!
If a project is executed on the fly – the costs have to be higher than well planned & executed projects so therefore the contingency has to be higher!
Check out the presentation to get some ideas how to reduce costs & call us to discuss and support your project!
The $1/watt White Paper from the U.S. Department of Energy was a great start to kickoff discussions and movements towards the goal of making solar power competitive without any incentives. To achieve this goal, the cost of an installed PV system would break down into the following components:
• $.50/watt for Modules
• $.40/watt for BoS/Installation
• $.10/watt for Power Electronics
With new production capacities going online almost every week and new players consistently entering the global market, it seems that the question is not if, but when the module prices will hit the $.50/watt. Innovation, scale of production and fierce competition will lead the way to the defined goal, not only for the modules, but also for power electronics.
BoS/Installation
Currently, physical system costs, including labor, are accounting for about 75% of BoS costs for a ground-mounted installation. These costs are divided between structural components and the electrical system.
How can these costs be driven down to the $.40/watt goal? A 2010 Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) workshop suggested the following steps:
• Reduce forces at work – such as reduction of the wind load
• Optimize structural form and materials
• Design for low-cost installation
