From pv magazine USA
Ohio-based Roll-A-Rack introduced it has developed a roll-forming photo voltaic racking system that captures rainfall on photo voltaic panels. Harvested rainwater can be utilized for irrigation. The product is designed for flat roofs or ground-mounted programs.
The compact system requires solely 11 inches between rows of panels, considerably slicing down the quantity of house that’s usually required for erosion management by planting vegetation. The corporate stated the answer requires half the land to supply the identical quantity of power as typical racking programs.
The product is at the moment below growth and was launched by a Small Enterprise Innovation Grant from the US Division of Power Photo voltaic Applied sciences Workplace. Don Scipione, the president of Roll-A-Rack, will introduce the innovation in a presentation on Aug. 24 in Columbus, Ohio.
The rain-harvesting characteristic of the rack is a part of Roll-A-Rack’s progressive design. The design has direct implications for membrane flat roofs, that are typically unable to accommodate photo voltaic arrays.
To keep away from damaging the structural integrity of a membrane roof, the corporate installs a 12-inch metallic channel rack that’s distributed throughout present roof ballast, whereas securing the photo voltaic panels. The rack may be as skinny as 22-gauge, and roll-formed.
Roll-A-Rack stated its resolution reduces the racking and set up prices of conventional programs by 30%. It stated the fabric prices are 50% lower than typical racking programs, and that set up occasions and labor prices are decreased by 65%.
The corporate is at the moment taking functions for beta testers of the product, with functions ending in July. The primary 100 kW of racking will probably be supplied totally free, and workers will probably be skilled for free of charge. The check website will develop into a case examine for the corporate, and the power could also be used for advertising and marketing functions.
