As the solar industry has expanded rapidly in recent years, the technology used to mount panels to residential rooftops has experienced incredible innovation and rapid growth. Solar panel mounting systems are now available for all kinds of roofs, from asphalt shingles to clay tiles, to standing seam metal, and everything in between.
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Modern solar mounting systems consist of roof attachments (with or without flashing), mounting rails, and module clamps. These products are designed to allow workers to quickly and effectively install solar panels that will last for decades on the roof, with minimal effect on the roofing materials and no roof leaks. Ground-mounted racks are also available.
There are many options for what you need, no matter your roof style or ground mounting system necessities. Your solar installer will know the best option to get the most use out of your solar system.
Below is our expert review of solar panel mounting solutions, which highlights the top three solar panel mount brands, and discusses the pros and cons of rooftop solar systems versus ground-mounted systems.
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Solar panel mounts and racks are equipment that secures solar panels in place.
Mounting allows the panels to be adjusted for optimal tilt, which can be based on latitude, seasons, or even time of day &#; to ensure maximum solar energy production. The most common locations for mounting are on the roof, using solar roof mounts, or on the ground with ground-mount options.
Mounting systems are the metal racks that hold up solar panels either on roofs or on the ground. Image source: PV Solar First
In terms of cost, mounts and racking typically account for about 10% of the total cost of an average solar system. For example, if your solar system cost $10,000, the racking system portion would be about $1,000 of the total cost.
The price will depend on the type of racking you use, the amount of equipment needed, and labor costs for installation.
The most common technique of module mounting is using a solar panel mounting bracket. Mounting brackets are heavy-duty equipment, usually made from stainless steel or aluminum. All solar racking and mounting products, whether for the rooftop or ground, must meet strict guidelines to ensure durability and structural integrity to withstand high winds and weather events.
Next, we will walk you through the main components that make up racking equipment so you can better understand the structure that will support your solar panels.
Solar panel racking equipment is built with 3 main components:
Roof attachments
Module clamps
Mounting rails
Each tool plays a key role in how the structure supports your panels, to ensure you get the most amount of solar power out of them.
The roof attachments are the fasteners that will be drilled into your roof in order to secure the racking system in place.
The holes these drills create will be surrounded by &#;flashing&#;, which is a plastic or metal shield that is inserted between shingles to prevent water from getting into the hole. However, roof attachments differ for each roof type.
To dig a little deeper, take a look at more information on installing solar panels on clay tile roofs, metal roofs, and flat surface roofs.
Roof attachments are drilled into the roof and secured with flashing to protect against water. Image source: EcoFasten
The module clamps attach the drilled-in roof attachments to the mounting rails. There are a few different module clamp types for each angle and corner of the solar panel.
Module clamps come in a few different sizes and shapes to secure the roof attachments at every angle. Image source: PV Europe
After drilling into the roof, the roof attachments are then connected to mounting rails via module clamps that will then support the solar panels.
Although there are railless racking options available, rails are most commonly used because they can be secured to most roof angles, and because many installers are trained using rail mounting systems.
Mounting rails are attached to the roof via the roof attachments and are able to angle solar panels properly to most angled roofs. Image source: Solar Builder Mag
While many manufacturers produce solar panel mounts, only a handful of companies come out on top when it comes to quality. You can&#;t really go wrong with IronRidge, Quick Mount and Unirac, but we will walk you through the pros and cons of each brand.
The top two high-quality solar mounting and racking brands are:
Ironridge
Unirac
Originally, IronRidge supported mostly small, off-grid projects. But today, IronRidge is known for its uniquely shaped and durable XR rail series for pitched roofs. They have equally great options for flat roofs and ground mounts, as well.
Unirac sells mounts for flat roofs and fixed-tilt ground-mount frames. Unirac&#;s solar mounts each come with different tilts, allowing the direction of the solar array to be independent of the angle of the roof, ensuring the best productivity.
Each brand offers no obvious weaknesses, and each offers very innovative mounting and racking kits to meet most solar needs.
You can buy any option through a local solar equipment supplier for DIY projects. But if you work with a solar installer, they will buy the panel mounts for you since they know what will work best with your roof and solar panels.
Tackling a solar panel project DIY-style can make things a bit more complicated. Most of the time, you cannot go out and buy a fully-constructed solar panel mount system. You need to buy each individual part separately to then form a complete mount. If DIY is the route you want to go, buying entire solar panel kits with their corresponding racking solutions makes things easier.
If you are not purchasing a kit, you can browse racking equipment on the AltE website and purchase the different components that make up the racking system. Just make sure they are the proper size for the solar panels you purchase.
The best way to make ensure your solar installation goes off without a hitch (and uses the proper equipment suited for your specific roof) is to work with a licensed solar installer.
Get a free quote from top-rated installers near you
A problem with rooftop solar is that it&#;s heavily constrained by the characteristics of your roof. Homeowners who install ground-mounted solar panels do so for one of three reasons:
They have insufficient roof space
Their roof faces north - which is bad for panel output
They want to optimize the performance of their system
Solar panels produce the most energy when they&#;re facing south. Depending on the orientation of your house, this isn&#;t always an option. On a roof, there might be further limitations like shade from surrounding buildings and trees.
Options to choose from include ground mounts that can be secured into the ground or ballasted mounts. Ballasted mounts sit on top of the ground and are not secured in - but are held down by the weight of the panels themselves. Ballasted ground mounts tend to be more popular since there is no drilling required for installation.
The best options for ground mounts also come from the top brands, Ironridge and Unirac.
These are built to be long-lasting, flexible, and withstand any weather. They also come with a 25-year warranty.
Image source: Ironridge
Pricing is difficult to pinpoint because it will depend on the size of your solar array, costs of material at the time of purchase, and the fact that many suppliers ask that you request a quote.
Image source: Unirac
The Unirac Ground Fixed Tilt is another great choice - it is durable and lightweight and also has a 25-year warranty. Unirac ensures fast shipping times and ease of construction. You can work with a licensed solar installer to determine which ground mount system is best for your terrain and solar panels.
Including racking and mounting, an average 6kW solar system would cost about $18,000 given the US average solar panel cost of about $3.00 per watt as of January . After applying the federal solar tax credit of 30%, that works out to $12,600.
It is up to you and your energy needs whether or not you want to install solar tracking systems, but generally, installing either roof or ground-mounted solar panels will work for any home.
Working with licensed installers is the best way to determine which solar panel mount system will work best for your roof. If you research mount brands and have a preference, you can discuss your options with your solar installer. Enter your zip code below to find out the potential savings for installing solar panels with solar panel mounts on your home.
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Solar panel mounts secure solar panels either to your roof or on the ground.
Solar panel mounts typically account for 10% of the total solar panel installation cost.
IronRidge and Unirac are the best options for roof and ground mount solar systems.
Solar panels perform best when exposed to direct sunlight. For that to happen, modules get mounted at an angle facing the south.
This is where solar panel mounting structures come into play.
Solar Mounting Structures are critical components that ensure the efficiency of a solar power system in both utility and rooftop applications. These frameworks allow panels to rest comfortably at the right angle which helps in maximizing energy generation.
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Solar projects in India use a variety of solar mounting technologies and designs, like Rooftop solar mounting structures, ground solar mounting structures, carports, and sun tracker solutions.
Since mounting structures affect the overall generation, efficiency, and durability of the system, it is crucial to select the right one for your needs. It is also vital to ensure that the structure is stable and can withstand wind, hail, rain, snow, and even moderate earthquakes.
There are five primary types of solar mounting structures.
1. RCC Roof Mounts
2. Ground Mounts
3. Solar Carports
4. Shed Mounts
5. Tracking structures
RCC Roof Mounting Structure
RCC stands for Reinforced cement concrete. These kinds of mounting structures are used to install solar panels over concrete rooftops. Roof-mounted racks reduce the distance between the solar array and the solar inverter. In doing so, it decreases the amount of wiring required, which prevents DC losses. These are the most common types of installations in the residential and commercial segments.
But these kinds of mounting structures require roof penetration. If the area where the mounting structure is drilled into the roof is not sealed properly, it can lead to roof leaks.
Another downside of roof-mounted structures is that if the roof orientation and angle are not appropriate, your system will waste a lot of energy. You must ensure that there is no shade from trees or other structures that can obstruct sunlight.
When your home or building has enough room for all the solar panels you need, roof mounts are ideal. These racks can also be used in conjunction with a solar tracker.
Pros:
&#; Lower Installation Costs
&#; Easy to maintain
&#; Uses the unutilized roof space for energy generation
&#; Protects the roof underneath
Cons:
&#; Requires roof penetration
&#; The roof should be shadow free and provide space for the correct orientation
&#; Difficult to scale up the system
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Ground Mounting Structure
Ground mounts place solar panels on the grounds of your property. This is an ideal solution if your roof lacks space for a roof mount or is excessively shadowed by trees.
The disadvantage is that ground-mounted constructions are vulnerable to vandalism, dirt, leaves, and snow accumulation at the bottom of the array. As a result, ground-mounted racks should only be used in secure areas that are clean and stable (with little snow or dirt on the ground).
Pros:
&#; Allows for higher generation
&#; Can accommodate higher capacity
&#; No house modifications are required
&#; Easier to install tracking systems
Cons:
&#; High cost of installations
&#; Requires shadow-free land space
&#; Susceptible to vandalism and accumulation of dirt under panels
Carport Mounting Structure
Carport structures are very similar to ground-mounted solar structures. The only major difference is that unlike the latter, carports are installed at a considerable height to allow car parking space underneath.
Such installations make it possible to turn underutilized real estate into clean energy-generating spots. It is also easy to integrate these types of solar plants with in-built electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
These structures are suitable for both residential and commercial consumers. Solar carports also look incredibly sleek and enhance the aesthetics of the space.
Pros:
&#; Easy to Maintain
&#; Utilizes underused spaces for energy generation
&#; Provides dual function of energy generation and providing shade
Cons:
&#; Requires shadow-free land space for set up
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For rooftops, you can opt for Ojas. It is an elevated solar solution that can help you set up a solar plant in just 4 hours, using 3 primary tools- hammer, screwdriver, and hand drill. There is no need for welding.
The structure, created by APL Apollo Ornate InRoof, has been tested against wind speed of 180km/hr and can withstand strong winds. It uses roof space efficiently and looks neat and modern.
Shed Mounting Structures
Shed Mounting structures are essentially rooftop solar structures. However, rather than concrete roofs, they are mounted on metal sheds/sheet roofing. These can be used in the residential sector, but are more popular among commercial and industrial consumers.
Business owners opt for shed mounts to install solar plants over their factories, warehouses, cafeterias, etc. to independently generate clean energy and reduce their energy bills.
Pros:
&#; Low Installation Cost
&#; Easy to maintain
&#; Turns the unused roof space into an energy generation spot
Cons
&#; Average power output
&#; Requires shadow-free roof space to set up panels
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If adequate gaps aren&#;t provided between the modules and metal roof in an installation, then the panels tend to get heated up. This in turn brings down the generation.
A solar InRoof can solve this problem. The InRoof structure uses solar panels as the roof and replaces sheet roofing. As there is ample gap beneath the modules, your generation goes up and electricity cost goes down!
Tracking System Mounting Structures
Tracking System Mounted Racks are used for solar tracking and solar water pumping systems.
Solar trackers are automatic devices that allow your panels to follow the direction of the sun throughout the day for the best solar exposure. They are very beneficial in hot regions.
There are two types of tracking systems available- one-axis and two-axis trackers. One-axis trackers measure the sun&#;s movement from east to west, whereas two-axis trackers track the sun&#;s daily and seasonal path and are commonly deployed with PV concentrator systems.
While solar trackers improve efficiency and eliminate manual panel maintenance, they are not as common due to the high total cost. Moreover, since they are moving structures, there is a risk of breakdown.
Pros:
&#; Maximizes generation during peak hours
&#; Can optimize the potential of limited space
&#; Avoids shading to raise efficiency
Cons:
&#; High cost of installation
&#; Complex installation process
&#; Difficult to maintain
Conclusion:
As we established, all types of mounting structures have their advantages and disadvantages. So how do you choose the right one for you? To make an informed decision, ask yourself the following questions:
Comparing your answers with the information given above, you can choose the right structure for your PV system.
How Can We Help?
We are a one-stop shop for all BOS items, including junction boxes, mounting structures, cables, etc. For those looking for a fast and reliable solar installation- we also provide Ojas- a Made in India solution.
Ornate Solar is India&#;s leading solar company with 8 years of experience. By partnering with the best-in-class global solar brands, we bring the most reputed solar panels, inverters, and solar accessories to you and make your shift to solar cost-effective and easy.
We have also developed India&#;s first Integrated InRoof system- which turns solar panels into the roof and eliminates the need for sheet roofing.
We deliver across India.
For more information, please give us a call at 011 .
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