Ohio-based Roll-A-Rack has announced the development of a roll-up solar racking system that collects rainwater on solar panels. Collected rainwater can be used for irrigation. This product is designed for flat roof or ground systems.
The compact system requires only 11 inches between rows of panels, greatly reducing the space normally required for erosion control by planting vegetation. The company says the solution requires half the land to produce the same amount of energy as a traditional shelving system.
The product is currently in development under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technology Administration Small Business Innovation Grant Program.
Roll-A-Rack President Don Scipione will present this solar-powered stormwater management innovation at the 2022 Ohio Department of Natural Resources Floodplain Management Conference, August 24-25 in Columbus, Ohio.
The ability of the rack to collect rainwater complements the innovative Roll-A-Rack design, which is based on a profile installer that works as a gutter-mounted device. The design is directly related to membrane flat roofs, which usually cannot accommodate solar panels due to the need for penetration that destroys the roof structure.
To avoid compromising the structural integrity of the membrane roof, the firm installed a 12-inch metal channel frame that extends over the existing roof ballast while providing solar panels. Racks can be up to 22 gauge thick and profiled. Roll-A-Rack claims to withstand a snow load of 50 pounds per square foot and wind lift of 37.5 pounds per foot. The company states that automatic installation is possible for its products.
Roll-A-Rack says its solution can reduce shelving and traditional system installation costs by 30%. It says material costs are 50 percent lower than traditional shelving systems, and installation time and labor are reduced by 65 percent.
The company is currently accepting applications for beta testing of the product, which will end this month. The first 100kW racks will be provided free of charge and operators will receive free training. The test site will serve as an example for the company and can be used for marketing purposes.
This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to partner with us and reuse some of our content, please contact us at editors@pv-magazine.com.
This seems like a good idea for buildings, parking lots, and other areas that can’t be used for plants to keep plants growing in the surrounding areas. Some water companies pay people to install rain barrels, and this system fills them up with ease.
By submitting this form, you agree to the use of your data by pv magazine to publish your comments.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise shared with third parties for spam filtering purposes or as necessary for the maintenance of the website. No other transfer to third parties will take place unless justified by applicable data protection laws or pv magazine is required by law to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time in the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if the pv log has processed your request or the data storage purpose has been met.
The cookie settings on this website are set to “allow cookies” to give you the best browsing experience. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or click “Accept” below, you agree to this.
Post time: Jun-18-2023