Expanding Project Opportunities with Innovative Racking Solutions
By Kayla Harris, Marketing, DCE Solar
Since the first installation of solar panels in 1884 on a roof-top in New York City, solar racking has provided opportunities for clean energy across the globe. While solar modules and inverters are the most notable part of an array, the racking is what provides the stability and the opportunity for solar to be successful. Generating the energy output a project needs means assessing the available space, whether it is a rooftop or ground-mount, and the environmental conditions it will endure in the next 15-20 years, such as soil type, shade space, or snow load. Solar racking offers many opportunities, especially throughout recent years, with the newest technologies vs. when commercial arrays were introduced into the market in 1956. These innovations mean the commercial industry no longer must settle; there is a racking solution for any project.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Solar energy is the fastest-growing and most affordable source of new electricity in America. As the cost of solar energy systems dropped significantly, more Americans and businesses have taken advantage of clean energy. As a result, solar energy has become more accessible for commercial and utility use, but developers now face the challenge of procuring the most efficient and reliable equipment for their sites; the “paradox of choice” has officially entered the solar energy market. Developers not only have to decide on which module, inverter, and racking companies to utilize but the location of the array and, within that location, which solutions will provide the best return on their investment.
Racking providers have cleverly adapted to this “choice market” by providing not just one solution but multiple. Racking manufacturers can dip into any and all solutions, such as roof-top, ground mount (fixed or tracker), and carport. Even within those main structure categories, most providers offer an array of foundation solutions that can handle most, if not all, soil and roof types. The highly competitive demand placed on racking providers has ceased the niche-focused and created a multi-solution-based mindset amongst racking providers.
One such multi-solution-based project type that has made waves in the commercial sector is Community Solar projects. The U.S. Department of Energy defines community solar as any solar project or purchasing program within a geographic area in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other groups. In most cases, customers benefit from energy generated by solar panels at an off-site array. Offering a diverse racking portfolio is vital for providing racking for community solar projects because they can be located on public buildings, private land, brownfields, and other areas deemed suitable by the local municipality.
Brownfield sites are also growing exponentially in popularity as off-site solar energy projects. Brownfields are landfills that are capped and grassed over, providing the appearance of rolling greens. Still, despite their appearance, these sites are environmentally hazardous without a favorable future. They are typically unsuitable for development because the contents below the surface are contaminated and/or unstable. Without the possibility of penetration, many racking providers have produced a clever solution for turning these futureless sites into a budding array of clean energy with ballasted foundations. Choosing a racking provider that offers a high-quality and topographical adaptable ballasted foundation is critical for developers to attain brownfield projects, now commonly known as “Brightfields,” after project completion.
In this highly competitive market, racking providers cannot only rely on providing every solution; they must focus on the quality of their products. An extensive portfolio but a failure rate higher than the interest on a payday loan will get a provider nowhere. A developer’s secret weapon is finding a racking provider that offers a diverse portfolio of high-quality products, and, of course, it never hurts to have open and honest communication with the provider.
Renewables are the fastest-growing source of energy in the U.S. According to SEIA, an expected 21% average annual growth is forecasted for 2023 – 2027, leaving racking providers ample time to develop new solutions to stay on top of the “choice market.” Will we see an increase in new products across the racking providers sector, or will companies take time to perfect the solutions they already have to compete properly with America’s racking elite?
DCE Solar has been proud to be a part of the clean energy movement since 2009 and is committed to expanding the availability and use of solar energy for commercial and industrial buildings, brownfields, landfills, and commercial properties throughout the country.
Learn more at www.DCESolar.com
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