What if you could install a sloped-roof solar array without penetration? What if you could ballast it, like on a flat roof?
It’s possible, according to Joe Byles, an aerospace engineer with a long resume in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. His work has taken him to diverse industries and markets including the Department of Defense, NASA, big-box retail and, most recently, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He’s also an inventor—the type of scientist who lies awake at night, mentally tweaking ideas and imagining new concepts.
History has shown inventions are often the result of known facts that—on purpose or by accident— collide and create something new or better. Byles’ latest collision of ideas, in the form of a non-penetrating, sloped-roof solar mounting system for asphalt shingle roofs, could have far-reaching benefits for the solar industry—if it’s commercialized.
The spark
Byles developed a passion for sustainability, and an interest in solar, while working with a Department of Energy grant to improve building thermodynamics using advanced roofing materials. Around the same time, he had been patenting ideas for asphalt shingle roofing.
The interests intersected when he watched roofers sit or kneel on polyurethane expanding-foam pads, which look a little like pillows, while working. He thought the pads were for their comfort, but he learned they provided safety, too. The pads stabilized workers, preventing slides or falls. In fact, some roofers wear shoes bottomed with the material, in effect cementing their every stance on a roof.
“I [learned about] the increasing friction coefficient effect,” Byles said. In short, the increasing friction coefficient effect is a function of two material pressing against each other, causing an increase in shared surface area. Certain polymeric materials, which are porous and expand at a cellular level under pressure, can have strong bonds that are increased under force, such as the weight of a roofer or the pressure of strong wind.
“You can take a 200-lb person, and he can sit on these pads, and he’s stuck, like a lizard is stuck on a glass building,” Byles said.
In a moment of inspiration, he thought:
“If we take this material and ballast a solar panel with it, like they ballast panels in a commercial solar installation, I wonder if we can make the physics work? So I did the calculations, and it worked on paper, theoretically.”
So Byles did what any good inventor would do—he made a prototype.
The test
Byles built several prototypes in his workshop, each with different polymer and ballast combinations, measuring the gripping effect each had on asphalt shingle roofing.
“In some of my preliminary adhesion testing, I used everything from high-power leaf blowers to mounting small sections on my truck and driving 100 mph on backroads to confirm the performance,” Byles said.
The result was a ballasted friction plate connected to a solar panel with L feet. The friction plate bottomed with a 3/16-in. thick, semi-rigid material that feels like a mousepad, Byles said. The material, a cross-linked polymer, is inflammable and relatively lightweight, about 6 lb/ft2 without a solar panel. (Solar panels run about 4 lb/ft2, for a total of 10 lb/ft2 on the roof with the ballast plate, evenly spread.)
The plate allows the installation of solar panels in mere seconds, without any need for roof penetrations. Wires can be managed with clips, similar to how it’s done with rail-less systems, Byles said, and bonding pins would keep the system grounded.
In-house tests showed a successful concept, so Byles has “marched through” the appropriate wind, fire and loading tests. Byles has been working with performance testing entity Intertek to successfully complete the industry standard UL 1703/2703 testing. One of those tests included wind, where it withstood severe 130-mph constant wind force. Byles explained how:
“You have the shingle, and then you have the cross-linked polymer with a cell structure to it so that as you increase weight or wind blows on it, it moves a little bit, but the cell structure is such that the more surface area that hits the asphalt shingle, the stronger the bond,” he said.
The friction plate stays in place in the same way a gecko can stay attached to a vertical window. The gecko has many thousands of fine hairs on its footpads. The trick, according to Byles, is that the composite surface area of the hairs is huge compared to the body mass of the gecko, letting it stay attached and walk up the side of a glass surface.
Reflecting that, the polymer material with an expanded cell structure represents a composite surface area much greater than the apparent area the friction plate is covering. In other words, what you see is not what you get when it comes to this technology.
A video (view it here) of the wind testing process also shows, as part of another test, a panel-adorned friction plate on a sample roof, which is tilted at 45°. On top of the panel rests 60 lb of sandbags, with gravity pulling them downward. Impressively, the plate holds steady.
Solar Power World asked what would happen if it rained, concerned water would weaken the bond.
“Absolutely nothing would happen,” Byles said, noting the porous nature of the polymer. “I’ve used this material in some green roofing applications, and so I had to qualify that to a standard … Because it’s an open cellular structure, the rain can move through the cells, but you still have the contact between the roofing material and polymer.”
The future
The solar industry has taken an interest in Byles’ invention, he said, confirming that he is holding meetings with companies in both solar installation and manufacturing. It’s clear why they’re interested: If the technology is commercialized and the market accepts it, it could be an instant game-changer.
“[A supplier could] take this technology, go to their installer base and say, look, we have this technology, there will be no penetrations, and your own roof labor will be reduced by 95%, so you can do many more jobs and achieve a better end product for your customers,” Byles said.
The Texas-based inventor points to several other ways his invention could help the industry. Removing the need to penetrate a roof is the most obvious. The possibility of leaks is a key concern among homeowners.
A system without the added material and labor costs associated with roof penetrations would also reduce costs and length of ROI, “democratizing solar,” Byles said. And when a customer is prepared to sell his or her house, or re-roof, a system without attachments would be simple to move. Installers would only need to lift each panel off the roof, just the way they set it down. Byles does not, however, a slight Velcro-like effect between the polymer and rough surface of the asphalt shingles.
He makes no secret about his enthusiasm for the product, but notes that he’s working on “Ten other ideas,” as well. Still, it’s clear he has a view of the solar industry and how this product could help.
“The industry has gone from conventional mounting to shared rails, and now rail-less. That’s the way the industry is moving to reduce parts and labor, and that makes sense,” Byles said. “I’ve spent a lot of time on these roofs, and it’s not a fun place to be with tools.”
Residential solar installation without a need for tools? It could happen soon. And as if that weren’t enough, Byles offers a “moonshot vision,” too:
“Ultimately, I envision this thing as an omni-panel, all built on ground,” Byles said. “An autonomous panel, with a battery backup replacing the ballast material, a microinverter. It would be a complete mounting system with battery storage, all of which you install in 10 seconds. That’s the future, but it’s possible with this system.”
Curious says
Any life testing? Performance on new materials is one thing. Performance at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 year points is another. Then, factor in different climates for each, to simulate different areas, such as dry/humid/wet/hot/cold climates, and the natural swings between the seasons. Think Seattle vs Maine vs Arizona vs Florida climates. And that’s just within the USA.
Other concern – this, in essence, means the tiles/shingles now support the load, as opposed to the rafters under the tiles/shingles on a penetrating system. Comments?
John Galloway says
So now 3 years later, where does this stand?
Kelly Pickerel says
Here’s an update I found: https://www.herox.com/solarprizeround2/update/2767
John Galloway says
Thanks Kelly (just saw this now 2 years later), but sadly it does not appear to have gone anywhere. The domain omnisole.com has no server behind it, so there is no “home” website, just a facebook page with posts from 2019.
russell says
Would this work on a residential EPDM membrane almost flat roof? Would the friction plate come in different degrees of angle?
Joe D Byles says
Yes, it will work on EPDM and TPO low slope roofs. Different angles are achievable with 10 deg East/West optimum.
joe Byles
bylesj@msn.com
830 305-2299
Kris Berry says
I really like everything about ballasted systems – a direct mount with little space between roof and module has no room for airflow increasing array operating temperatures and increasing heat transfer to the building…any testing results on this aspect? thank you
Patrick Khosravani says
Has there been wind pressure testing done, either by Intertek or by others, to demonstrate if this most interesting and promising invention can handle the reduced pressures brought about by winds originating on the opposite side of the roof from where the solar modules are positioned. Essentially I’m talking about the effect of Bernoulli’s Principle on solar modules using this mounting method.
SolarSpeedRack, Inc. says
This is a very interesting concept, how do you apply this to tile roof or is it limited to comp.
Joe Byles says
I have tested it on spanish tile roofs with the polymer cut in an undulating fashion so that it matches rests on the tile surface. Similar friction response was observed.
Green House says
Great Invention, does someone knows how to get in contact with Joe Byles?
Jeff Spies says
Thermal expansion contraction is an important consideration for non-anchored systems. The considerable majority of building departments feel racking systems must be mechanically connected to the roof to resist wind loads, snow loads, etc…
Joe Byles says
Jeff
Mechanically attached racking with metal bolts in wooden trusses suffer from thermal expansion loosening. My system with the polymer provides a thermal brake and there is no effect of thermal coefficient expansion of different materials.
Jim Schwarzbach says
Looks cool. What about moisture remaining in contact with the roof for long periods of time? I’m thinking after a heavy rain the polymer between the roof tiles and the friction plate would remain wet for weeks on end. But it’s still way cool and I really like the moonshot idea of having the heavy friction plate be a battery.
Joe Byles says
There is airflow and moisture evaporates at a controlled pace. I have not experienced any asphalt shingle degradation due to excess moisture.
Nikodemis van Rensburg says
How secure is this mounting in terms of crime and theft? South Africa is notorious for any kind of object being stolen if it isn’t welded or seriously attached to your person or house etc…
Joe Byles says
It has a natural deterrent in that it is up on a roof. If a thief is determined enough to climb a roof, a simple screw or bolt from a conventional rack mounting would not stop them from stealing either. I have seen copper wiring stolen from inside sheet rocked walls and AC coils stolen where they took apart compressors. Conventional PV racking is not theft proof.
cj stone says
Are you working with a mfg yet, or is it “just” testing now?
BradleyB says
Would it hold with seismic loads, pulling it directly off the roof?
Joe Byles says
The polymer base actually acts to attenuate any seismic movement, absorbing the force. A rigid base attachment transmits seismic energy.
jamcl3 says
I heard that solar in Germany tends to be installed without roof penetrations, I wondered how and even whether it was true. Do they do something similar?
Nikodemis van Rensburg says
Awesome!
Larry McKinney says
If this is true. It is a game changer.The only pentration would be the DC conductors going to the Inverter. Please keep the readers up to date as to when & where we can obtain.
GreenSunNJ ♻ says
Very cool idea! Is the polymer affected by cold weather?
Joe Byles says
The material is not affected by cold weather or temp cycles. We have tested it in real world conditions and through environmental chamber tests.
James J Johnson says
Hi Joe, I noticed there were a couple of comments asking if you’re mfg. yet, or further testing/proof of concept. Any update on that?
Thanks,