Roof Mount

This is the most cost effective and common type of installation for residential, commercial and industrial application. An array of solar panels will be located on the roof of the property. In most cases this array will be attached directly to the structural members of the building. These attachments must be sufficiently robust to withstand sufficient wind loading.

Solar panels are typically mounted to an aluminum or galvanized steel support structure. For some commercial, flat-roof applications there is the ability to install the solar modules without making any penetrations in the roof. Solar roof installations are typically light weight and usually add less than 4lb/ft2 to the roof load. Virtually all residential and commercial roofs are able to accept this additional load without the need for structural modification.

Ground Mount

In cases where there is not sufficient roof space, solar modules can also be mounted on the grounds of your property. The most common type of ground mount is a wedge structure constructed from steel supports anchored in concrete footings. The remainder of the structure is built from aluminum or galvanized steel.

Pole Mount

A second type of ground mounted array is a pole mount. In this type of installation an array is mounted on top of a single steel pole. This type of installation has the advantage of being manually adjustable, so that the system owner can change the pitch of the array at different times of the year.

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

These installations are integrated into the structure of a building. Common BIPV applications include car ports, awnings, and curtain walls. BIPV installations have the advantage of providing function in addition to power production. For example, in the case of a car port, the solar modules simultaneously produce power and provide shaded parking.