Install Solar Ground Screws Mount for Solar Arrays Ground screws allow for faster installation time with less impact on the environment, when compared to concrete foundations. One of the most common questions regarding grounds screws is: “How are they installed and what type of equipment is required?” Basically, it depends on the soil type at your location and the size of the ground screw. In lighter soils, with the smaller screw size, a handheld electric driver can be used. In most cases, a machine-mounted, low-speed, and high-torque driver is best. These can be mounted on skid steers and mini excavators. The best way to keep it straight is to use two levels with magnets attached to the ground screw, making adjustments as you go. Solar Ground Screws Mounting system are fast becoming the preferred foundation method for ground-based arrays. In a recent survey of installers, ground screws were chosen over cement pilings 2-to-1. It’s easy to understand why, given that at least a full day can be shaved off the installation since there’s no need to wait for foundation inspections and cement to cure. Plus, ground screws perform well in a wide variety of soil types and conditions, from sandy and rocky to hard-packed clay. That isn’t always the case with cement footings. We have further streamlined the process of designing and installing Ground Mount arrays when using Ground Screws as the foundation method. SunModo offers the next generation Ground Mount System. The streamlined design combines the simplicity of a pipe-based system with next-level engineering. SurTurf Ground Mount is ideal for solar installers looking for a low cost high performance system that can accommodate a wide variety of soil conditions.

Why Deck Attachments are trending in residential rooftop solar mounting The most commom method for installing solar roof attachments onto residential pitched roofs is to secure an L-foot flashing to the roof by installing a lag srew into a roof rafter. Rafters are structurally sound, after all, and mounting to them means fewer mounts, which can mean fewer holes and less work. But, locating those rafters isn’t easy, and neither is hitting them dead square, especially with a lag bolt. Rafther attaching can mean just as many extra holes that then need repaired. The number one solar PV system rooftop leak is from pilot holes not being properly flashed or caulked. Deck(sheathing)attachment means more overall penetrations, but it can be a more leak-proof approach in total. Also, more attachments doesn’t necessarily mean more time. “Deck mounting is an evolutionary step in residential rooftop solar installation,” says Roland with SunModo.”Solar installers find that deck mounts are faster to install because they don’t have to locate the roof rafter. With a deck mount roof attachment system, the roof attachments are simply laid out and installed on the roof without the worry of locating the rafter, splitting rafter or missing the rafter altogether. SunModo’s Nano Mount can attach to rafters or straight to deck without the need to lift shingles to install traditional large metal flashings. It forms a watertight seal by compressing its integrated sealing gasket tightly against the asphalt roof shingle and is installed by using four self drilling wood screws and sealing washers. Similary, SunModo’s TopTile Mount can mount directly into roof decking above roof tiles.

World could install 250 GW of solar this year, claims Bloomberg analyst Rob Barnett, a senior clean energy analyst for Bloomberg, forecasts a 30% increase in global PV deployment this year, and double-digit growth through 2025. Demand is pushing solar growth across the world to new heights, as Bloomberg senior analyst Rob Barnett forecasts deployment to increase by 30% this year. Total global solar deployment is closing in on 1 TW installed – an impressive milestone for the energy transition. “The global solar picture is just staggering at this point,” Barnett told Yahoo Finance. “We are on track to install something like 250 GW of solar capacity this year.” China is contributing the largest share to capacity growth this year, with about 108 GW of new operational PV. This is a near-doubling of the roughly 55 GW installed by China last year. The country has the world’s largest exposure to renewable energy, with 323 GW of solar and 338 GW of wind energy. President Xi Jinping aims for 1,200 GW combined by 2030, and the nation is currently ahead of schedule on that goal, said Bloomberg. Renewable energy is hitting all-time highs in the United States, too. Renewable generation from solar and wind installations reached 28% in April – a new record for the category. And Barnett said the solar boom has just begun. “There really is this big, top-line growth scenario that we see unfolding for all of the companies that are participating in the solar supply chain,” said Barnett. Climate goals are one driver of the red-hot demand for solar, but Barnett said there is another force that is accelerating demand in the near-term. “I would actually argue that the bigger driver for clean energy demand, particularly here in Europe, is elevated energy costs,” he said. Costs continue to fall for PV, making it increasingly cost-competitive with oil, which has spiked in price since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Shipments of solar modules have fallen precipitously over 20 years, from $4.88/W in 2000 to $0.34/W in 2021, based on a recent report by the Energy Information Administration. Barnett said he expects solar demand to retain its momentum, even if oil and natural gas prices cool off. “It’s certainly possible that if you had some easing in the traditional fuel markets, that it might take the accelerator off, but I don’t really see that as being a material risk on the demand side of the equation for clean energy,” he said. This demand-side momentum is likely to continue as prices improve and the global economy targets decarbonization. “I do think that the economics are already quite good. And so you’d have to see such a sea change in terms of gas prices or coal prices, if you’re thinking about the power grid, to really reverse some of the trends. And I just don’t think there’s any appetite for it either,” said Barnett.

Metal roofing has become a driver for roof type selection in many cases because not only is a metal/solar roof system less expensive upfront than other roof system combinations, but it also leads to improvements in the lifetime return on investment of the system. Within the past four decades, well over 2 billion square feet of metal roofing has been installed in the United States each year. That number continues to grow, and it’s more than any other roof type except asphalt shingle. The roots and technology of metal as a cladding material date back more than 3,000 years. It has always been coveted as a premium roofing option but, until more recent history, has been handicapped by higher initial costs than the alternatives. Beginning in the mid-1800s and continuing to the present day, production technologies and the use of aluminum and coated steel sheeting began to narrow the premium price chasm. Now it competes with other premium roof materials but lasts two to four times as long. Today’s trends point toward evaluating the long-term costs of owning a roof, as landfills are overburdened with former building components discarded due to shortsighted budget-conscious building objectives. The life-cycle costs and environmental appeal of metal truly offer many advantages. As a result, metal is becoming the roofing material of choice for both commercial and residential applications. Service life Metal roofing is known for its durability, sustainability and versatility and is increasing in popularity in the solar marketplace. The metal roof is the ideal host for mounting PV, as it is the only roof type with a service life that actually exceeds the service life of a solar PV system. In the commercial/industrial market sector, the field/lab study published by the Metal Construction Association indicates that the service life of (standing seam) coated steel is in the range of 70 years. Most alternative roofing systems will expire long before the life of the PV system. This leads to costly disassembly of the PV array, re-roofing and re-assembly. The service life of solar PV is between 28 and 37 years with an average at 32.5 years, according to a Berkeley study. Aside from metal, there are no other roof types that measure up to that without requiring replacement. High-end slate or tile may be the only exception, but it comes with a high price tag and is also much heavier (5 to 8 psf vs. 1.5). Mounting solar to tile or slate is a bit complex and very tricky to do without breakage so the cost is also much higher than mounting to metal. Going ‘rail-less' It is easier and less expensive to mount solar to a metal roof than any other roof type. The uniqueness of metal roofing is that the structural ribs or seams can be used as inherent (and cost-free) “rails” for mounting solar PV via reliable mechanical attachments, so the need for a traditional rail system is eliminated. Direct attachment of solar modules to a metal roof can be accomplished with fewer components and lightweight materials, resulting in better load distribution and zero penetration, which preserves both the integrity of the roof and the roof manufacturer’s warranty. Because there are no rails, the material required for a mounting system is reduced by weight (up to 85%) and savings on hard goods (up to 35%). The key to labor savings (30% to 50%) is the simplicity of rail-less attachment: requiring 65% to 75% fewer components, roof clamps are aligned and installed as modules are installed “on the fly.” Finally, shipping long lengths of rail to project sites and transporting them up to a rooftop is costly and often a logistical nightmare. With rail-less attachments, shipping costs for the mounting system can be 60% lower than railed mounting systems, with fewer logistical hassles transporting the product to distribution, then the site, and then within the site and onto the roof. A traditional rail system of 750 kW would normally require a semi-truck to transport; a rail-less attachment solution could fit in a short-bed pickup truck. Whether railed or rail-less, the simplicity and cost savings of mounting to a metal roof are significant, and the future need of roof replacement is avoided. Metal roofing is the most sustainable roof type (at an 85% recycle rate, steel is one of the most recycled construction materials available). By installing solar on metal roofs with lower material, labor and shipping costs, the rail-less attachment solution is proving to be a “green” innovation in both the solar and roofing industries. Recyclable metal roofs have a demonstrated service life of several times that of any other roof type and are never destined for a landfill. Therefore, solar metal roof attachments enable installation on most aged roofs without a roof replacement. Production of rail-less systems saves an estimated 90% of the energy used to produce rail mountings and 85% of carbon emissions in transportation. Lifetime ROI Once the decision is made to install solar, often a new roof is required. Metal roofing has become a driver for roof type selection in many cases because not only is a metal/solar roof system less expensive upfront than other roof system combinations, but it also leads to improvements in the lifetime return on investment (ROI) of the system. Therefore, the PV array and the roof should be regarded as a single asset. When computing ROI within the solar pro forma, inverter replacement is usually factored in at about year 15 – but what about the cost of roof replacement? The solar array has to be totally dismantled and then re-installed on the replacement roof. Often, even the initial cost of the solar + metal roof is less than solar and other roof-type alternatives. Factor in roof replacement and the cost advantages become grossly magnified. A number of exorbitant expenses associated with completing a PV system re-roof for a traditional (non-metal) roof could include: removing the solar modules; removing the mounting and racking system; de-commissioning the system during the reroof; re-roofing; re-installing the PV system; re-commissioning the system; the potential for damaged components during this process; possibly needing new wiring and loss of power production during downtime. With metal, you can avoid roof replacement due to its long service life. The roof will still be going strong long after the service life of the solar array has expired. With the cost of solar decreasing significantly over the last decade, in addition to federal and local incentives as well as public policy mandates driving the popularity of solar, the breakeven and ROI improves every year – evident even more with solar on metal roofs because of its lower installation costs, so it makes even greater financial sense. Metal is the most solar-friendly roof available and the PV contractor should know about it. Metal roofing is attractive, durable, non-flammable and requires almost no maintenance. The “buy-it-cheap and fix-it-later” mentality has steadily diminished over the last few decades and more building owners are choosing metal than ever before. The growing demand for more durable and environmentally-friendly construction materials, as well as methods that reduce maintenance and have longer service lives, is on the rise―evident by statistics clearly indicating that metal has a much larger share of replacement roofing than it does in new roofing within the residential market. Solar contractors should know about roofing alternatives and their service lives to bring added value to their customers. The long-term costs of both the roof and solar PV should be evaluated as a single system. Advising the mounting of a solar array with a 30-year plus life on a TPO or asphalt shingle roof with a 15-year life is a bit like mounting a Ferrari engine on a Mini-Cooper chassis. Who would do that? Please come to us for learn more about the key factors to consider when mounting solar on your metal roof.

GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION Fuhzou SunModo now has a more big permanent home and it’s time to celebrate! Join us for a special grand opening celebration, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, Nov 11,2021, at our new industrial building, Mingtai Blue Economic Industrial Park, Jiangjin County , FQ, FJ 350300, CN . Finish off your week by joining us for a fiesta while touring our new factory which occupied 8,000 square-meter,usage area 25,000 square-meter. This celebration is an opportunity for us to say thanks. We appreciate our many customers, business partners, friends and VIPs who continue to be instrumental in helping us serve the fast-expanding solar industry. Your support is deeply appreciated and we are excited to share with you our new factory. We look forward to seeing you on Nov 11，2021.