Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractor’s Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2021 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Podcasts
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
  • Leadership
    • Vote for the 2022 Leaders!
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • 2018 Winners

Install tip: Reduce project costs with shared-rail roof mounts

By SPW | March 25, 2019

Share

This installation tip was provided by Johan Alfsen, senior director of product marketing, Everest Solar Systems

Residential solar installers can reduce labor and material costs by using shared-rail systems. Racking prices have come down in the last five years, and a focus has been on rail-free systems to reduce costs further. But these systems have yet to deliver the savings installers hoped for and instead created a steep learning curve. However, shared-rail systems have reemerged to provide a happy medium by using traditional rails while reducing materials.

A visualization of shared rail solar mounting systems. Everest Solar

Shared-rail systems have been around since residential solar gained popularity. Shared-rail and rail-less systems attach to roofs similarly, but the former requires less precision. With shared-rail, installers have a rail as a foothold on steeper roofs and another to manage wires.

Shared-rail systems can be trickier to install. They have limited grounding options and work only on certain roof types and layouts.
Racking manufacturers have started using standard racking systems to also work in a shared-rail layout, with minimal differences in hardware.
Since many roofs are rectangular in shape, a landscape orientation can fit more panels. However, designing an array in landscape can sometimes double the material cost of racking — not to mention labor. Installers will avoid landscape orientation, despite customer preference and increased power density.

Three concerns that Everest Solar Systems hears from homeowners is cost, risk and aesthetics. Shared-rail options directly impact all three of these concerns. By reducing materials and labor, shared-rail systems can make solar proposals more competitive and attractive. With fewer penetrations in a roof there is a reduced chance of leaks. With fewer materials on the roof and hidden rails in the shared system, aesthetics improve and installers can use standard mill aluminum instead of higher priced dark black rails. All these factors make shared-rail an easy system to reduce labor and material costs on the roof.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

Related Articles Read More >

Solar panels, trackers, inverters and batteries would all get manufacturing credits in Inflation Reduction Act
Steel is being considered as an alternative to aluminum solar panel frames
FTC Solar and AUI Partners target distributed generation PV projects in new collaboration
EV dealership goes greener with dual-axis solar tracker project

SPW Digital Editions

Solar Power World Digital EditionBrowse the current issue and archived issues of Solar Power World in an easy-to-use, high-quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading solar construction magazine today.

Contractor's Corner Podcast

July 25, 2022
Contractor's Corner: Built Well Solar
See More >

Solar Policy Snapshot

Solar policy differs across state lines and regions. Click to see our monthly roundup of recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Read More >

Solar Power World
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Solar Articles
  • Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Top Products
  • Leadership
  • About/Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • WTWH Media

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractor’s Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2021 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Podcasts
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
  • Leadership
    • Vote for the 2022 Leaders!
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • 2018 Winners