Some manufacturers have shifted away from extruded metals into specialty molded plastics or even incorporating concrete, which would traditionally be a ballast, into the racking itself.

Sun Ballast brought its proprietary concrete-racking technology to the United States in fall 2023. The company was founded in 2011 by Maurizio Iannuzzi, an Italian solar contractor, after he sought a simpler solution for the complicated flat-roof market in Italy.

“He came up with the idea to integrate ballast and racking into this single component and actually started manufacturing it for himself, so he could install it and be more efficient,” said Edoardo Brignoli, CEO of Sun Ballast USA. “In the mornings, he was manufacturing racking, and in the afternoon, he was installing them.”

The product Sun Ballast is a system of threes: it comes in three orientations (flush-mount, east-west and a 5 to 10° south-facing tilt), with three components (the concrete ballast-racking, a rubber mat to lay under and clamps to mount the modules) and in three weights (32, 64 and 96 lbs).

What makes Sun Ballast different from off-the-shelf concrete is how it’s cured. The concrete has a 5,000-psi mix, which is standard for use in weight-bearing construction projects.

“People learn the hard way that not all concrete is created equal,” Brignoli said. “It is not uncommon for us to run into jobs where installers or EPCs are having to go on a roof 10 years later, after the initial install, and basically scoop up sand, which used to be block at one point, but broke down with freeze-thaw over the years.”

The company is targeting the Northeast as a testing ground for Sun Ballast to prove it can withstand the region’s winters.

“We thought, ‘If we can figure out New England, we can pretty much figure out the rest of the country,’” he said.

Sun Ballast is cast domestically, and since concrete is non-conductive, it is awaiting approval for UL 3741 compliance — which would allow contractors to satisfy fire safety requirements without installing rapid shutdown devices on the roof.

Plastic, polymer and fiberglass racking

DynoRaxx first entered the solar mounting market in 2007 with a steel racking structure, but company reps found the assembly to be cumbersome. In 2011, it introduced a racking made from a proprietary molded fiberglass compound. DynoGrip Evolution Flat Roof System is a ballasted racking that is installed without using any tools.

Fiberglass material means the racking isn’t affected by thermal expansion like its metal counterparts. DynoGrip has been installed in regions with high sun exposure, and is UV- and fire-resistant, meeting the UL 2703 rating.  The racking elevates ballast blocks half an inch from the roof for air circulation and water drainage.

“In most instances, where solar was a retrofit into a building that’s been existing, they don’t really take into account placing modules and how much that affects drainage on the roof,” said Nathan Rizzo, who invented the racking. “We’re not damming or stopping the natural flow of water on the roof.”

In its 14 years on the market, DynoGrip has only undergone one change, which removed fiberglass rails and replaced them with tool-less clamps pinned to the upward supports for mounting modules.

“It speaks pretty well to the product that we initially designed and our goal with it — that it really was the evolution of solar and it didn’t require a lot of iterations,” Rizzo said.

DynoGrip racking is manufactured to be stacked on one another and palletized for simpler logistics.

FastRack, a modular rail-less racking from Sollega, uses a similar method for shipping. The first model of FastRack that launched in 2012 used a high-density polyethylene in the rail-less, modular racking before switching to glass-reinforced nylon 6 in 2014.

“If you go and look under the hood of your car, you’re going to see some components that actually are made out of the same material,” said Elie Rothschild, CEO of Sollega. “The reason being is its expansion-contraction is minimal, and it has a very high heat stability.”

FastRack is composed of the primary rack, or bucket, which can house ballast blocks or mechanically attach to the roof; then there are bolts, which are placed at s for 5, 6 or 10° panel tilts; panel clamps; and slide-on bonding jumpers. The lightweight buckets can hold up to 1,700-lb loads.

Glass-reinforced nylon has an operating lifespan of between 40 and 50 years, and it is fully recyclable. Rothschild said Sollega is considering using post-industrial recycled materials to manufacture its racking, which already has a smaller carbon footprint than extruding metals. Additionally, glass-reinforced nylon is non-conductive, so FastRack was earned UL 3741 compliance by default.

Non-traditional materials like concrete, fiberglass and glass-reinforced nylon present certain advantages for commercial solar logistically and for ease of installation by keeping component counts low. Metal remains the popular choice for flat-roof projects, but other racking options give installers alternative approaches to solar construction.

Billy Ludt

From: solarpowerworld

The post Commercial solar racking goes beyond steel and aluminum first appeared on Valin New Energy.

Founded in 1874, Vaillant (Germany) has a history of more than 150 years in the field of heating and domestic hot water. Its products are sold to more than 60 countries and regions, serving over 30 million users worldwide. In 2007, Vaillant invested and established a factory in Wuxi, China, and officially started mass production. The Vaillant Group has approximately 17,000 employees, with 10 factories and 8 product R&D centers located in Europe and Wuxi, China. Committed to excellence in products and services, Vaillant has won the trust of global users. Its wall-hung boilers, heat pumps, and fresh air products have repeatedly received recognition from authoritative design awards such as the German iF Design Award, German Red Dot Design Award, and ISH Design Plus.

Thanks to Valin New Energy’s innovative membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution, which adopts a unique integrated membrane-rail design. The integrated brackets are welded and fixed on the surface of the original roof TPO/PVC membrane. This eliminates the need for drilling holes on the roof, avoids damaging the original TPO waterproof layer, and fundamentally prevents leakage hazards. Meanwhile, each integrated bracket can easily withstand wind uplift loads in extreme windy weather with a minimum super-strong adhesion of 100KG. Valin New Energy participated in the entire project implementation process, from the design of membrane roof brackets and on-site pull-out tests to factory prefabrication, production and assembly, as well as on-site welding construction, fully ensuring the reliable and efficient execution of every link of the project.

It is also due to Valin’s high professionalism and responsibility that its membrane roof solution has gained the trust and support of many foreign customers, as well as high recognition from power station investors and EPC contractors.

Valin New Energy’s TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution directly addresses the waterproofing and construction difficulties of membrane roofs. With highly integrated and modular integrated brackets, it empowers the installation and construction of various membrane roof photovoltaic projects. Meanwhile, relying on Valin New Energy’s professional membrane roof construction organization, it ensures the efficient operation of TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic power stations for 25 years, injects new vitality and momentum into the development of building-integrated photovoltaics, and helps achieve the dual carbon goals.

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The 4MW distributed photovoltaic power station with membrane roof of Jahwa Shanghai Home Chemicals Co., Ltd. located in Qingpu District, Shanghai, was directly in the path of Typhoon “Bebinca” and near the center of the storm eye, with wind force reaching Category 13 during the passage.

Image: Shanghai Jahwa 4MW Membrane Roof Photovoltaic Power Station – Overall

Valin New Energy provided the TPO membrane roof installation bracket solution for this project. With reliable structural design and excellent product quality, each base has a super strong pull-out resistance of up to 200KG, which escorted the photovoltaic power station to withstand the Category 13 severe typhoon head-on and ensured the power station passed the test of extreme windy weather.

Image: Shanghai Jahwa 4MW Membrane Roof Photovoltaic Power Station-On site after Typhoon

When “Bebinca” passed through Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai with winds of about Category 12, it passed through cities such as Suzhou, Huzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou where photovoltaic power stations with membrane roof bracket solutions provided by Valin New Energy are installed. The iconic Changshu Hormann Door Group 1MW membrane roof photovoltaic power station, Huzhou Honeycomb 35MW membrane roof photovoltaic power station, Wuxi Vandewiele 4.5MW membrane roof photovoltaic power station, Changzhou China Automotive Engineering Research Institute 0.9MW membrane roof photovoltaic power station and Sonnini 0.45MW membrane roof photovoltaic power station all successfully withstood the test of “Bebinca”.

Valin New Energy’s TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution directly addresses the waterproofing and construction difficulties in the installation of photovoltaic power stations on membrane roofs. With highly integrated and modular integrated brackets, it empowers the installation and construction of various membrane roof photovoltaic projects. Meanwhile, relying on Valin New Energy’s professional membrane roof construction organization, it ensures the efficient operation of TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic power stations for 25 years, injects vitality and momentum into the development of BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics), and helps achieve the dual carbon goals.

The post Withstanding Category 13 Severe Typhoon “Bebinca” – Valin’s Membrane Roof Bracket Solution Passes the Test first appeared on Valin New Energy.

SVOLT is a new energy high-tech company specializing in the R&D and manufacturing of automotive power batteries and energy storage systems. Its main products currently include cells, modules, battery packs, and a full range of energy storage products such as large-scale energy storage, unit energy storage, medium-sized energy storage, home energy storage, and portable energy storage. It can provide customers with overall solutions for power batteries and energy storage products according to their needs.

Thanks to Valin New Energy’s innovative membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution, which adopts an integrated membrane-rail design. After factory integration and pre-installation, it is directly fixed on the surface of the original roof TPO/PVC membrane by hot air welding, without drilling holes on the roof, avoiding damage to the original roof waterproofing and eliminating leakage hazards. Meanwhile, the integrated base can easily withstand wind uplift loads in extreme typhoon weather with its super strong adhesion performance of 200KG. The lengthened and widened integrated base can linearly distribute the weight of photovoltaic modules and snow loads on the roof, preventing sagging that may damage the roof insulation and waterproofing.

Valin New Energy participated in the entire implementation of the photovoltaic project, from the design of membrane roof brackets and on-site pull-out tests to the welding construction of integrated bases, as well as the fixation of cable trays, grounding systems, walkways, and cleaning systems. It fully guaranteed the reliable and safe execution of the project with professionalism and efficiency. For this reason, Valin New Energy has received high recognition from the power station investor, EPC contractor, and the owner.

Valin New Energy’s TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution directly addresses the waterproofing and construction difficulties of membrane roofs. With highly integrated and modular integrated brackets, it empowers the installation and construction of various membrane roof photovoltaic projects. Meanwhile, relying on Valin New Energy’s professional membrane roof construction organization, it ensures the efficient operation of TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic power stations for 25 years, injects new vitality and momentum into the development of building-integrated photovoltaics, helps achieve the dual carbon goals, and escorts the low-carbon development of SVOLT.

The post Valin’s TPO Solar Solution Empowers SVOLT’s 35MW Project first appeared on Valin New Energy.

Vandewiele (China) Textile Machinery Co., Ltd. originated in Sweden and is now fully owned by the Belgian VANDEWIELE Group. The VANDEWIELE Group is a leading manufacturer of carpet weaving equipment, industrial weaving and knitting equipment.

Figure: Vandewiele Wuxi Factory 4.5MW Photovoltaic Project

Figure: BOYSEN Exhaust Systems Shenyang Factory 0.85MW Photovoltaic Project

Founded in 1945, Germany’s BOYSEL is a high-tech enterprise in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It produces automotive exhaust gas purification systems and muffler systems with world-advanced technology, and is a supplier to auto manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce.

Thanks to Valin New Energy’s unique membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution, which adopts an integrated membrane-rail design and manufacturing. After the brackets are prefabricated and integrated in the factory, on-site hot air welding can easily fix them on the surface of the roof TPO/PVC membrane. There is no need to drill holes on the roof for fixation, which does not damage the original roof waterproofing and can eliminate leakage hazards. Meanwhile, each integrated bracket can easily withstand the test of extreme windy weather with a minimum super strong adhesion of 100KG. The installation plan specially optimized for lightweight flexible modules can avoid hidden cracks in battery cells and ensure efficient power generation.

Valin New Energy participated in the entire project implementation process, from the design of membrane roof brackets and on-site pull-out tests to factory prefabrication, production and assembly, as well as supporting on-site welding construction, fully ensuring the reliable and efficient execution of every link of the project. For this reason, Valin New Energy has gained the favor and high recognition of many well-known foreign enterprises.

Figure: Romania Ilfov Logistics Park 1MW Lightweight Module Photovoltaic Project

Valin New Energy’s TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution directly addresses the waterproofing and construction difficulties of membrane roofs. With highly integrated and modular integrated brackets, it empowers the installation and construction of various membrane roof photovoltaic projects. Meanwhile, relying on Valin New Energy’s professional membrane roof construction organization, it ensures the efficient operation of TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic power stations for 25 years, injects new vitality and momentum into the development of building-integrated photovoltaics, and helps achieve the dual carbon goals.

The post Valin’s Membrane Roof Solar Solution Gains Global Recognition first appeared on Valin New Energy.

Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd. is one of the time-honored national enterprises in China’s beauty and daily chemical industry. As a leader in the domestic beauty and daily chemical industry, it owns many well-known national brands: Liushen, Maxam, Herborist, Yashuang, etc. While keeping young beauty-loving women at the forefront of international fashion, Shanghai Jahwa actively responds to the national dual-carbon policy, pays attention to the enterprise’s own green development, and takes “a green and low-carbon ecological environment, shared and win-win social value, and improved corporate governance” as its corporate mission. It contributes to protecting the beautiful earth and brings beauty to the world.

Thanks to Valin New Energy’s unique TPO membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution, which adopts an integrated membrane-rail design. After integration, the brackets are directly fixed on the surface of the roof TPO/PVC membrane by hot air welding, without drilling holes on the roof for fixation, avoiding damage to the original roof TPO waterproofing and eliminating leakage hazards. Meanwhile, each integrated bracket can easily withstand wind uplift loads in extreme windy weather with a minimum super strong adhesion of 200KG. Valin New Energy participated in the entire project implementation process, from the design of membrane roof brackets and on-site pull-out tests to factory prefabrication, production and assembly, as well as on-site welding construction, fully ensuring the reliable and efficient execution of every link of the project. For this reason, Valin New Energy has received high recognition from the power station investor and Shanghai Jahwa.

Valin New Energy’s TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution directly addresses the waterproofing and construction difficulties of membrane roofs. With highly integrated and modular integrated brackets, it empowers the installation and construction of various membrane roof photovoltaic projects. Meanwhile, relying on Valin New Energy’s professional membrane roof construction organization, it ensures the efficient operation of TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic power stations for 25 years, injects new vitality and momentum into the development of building-integrated photovoltaics, and helps achieve the dual carbon goals.

The post Valin’s TPO Solar Solution Supports Jahwa’s 4MW Project first appeared on Valin New Energy.

Since the solar energy project adopts a lightweight module scheme, Valin New Energy has developed and designed a targeted TPO membrane roof bracket solution that is easy to install, high in compression resistance and anti-hidden crack performance, which has been highly recognized by the customer.

As a member of the European Union, Romania is actively seeking its own path of energy development. Romania has set a goal that the share of renewable energy power generation will account for 30% of its total power generation by 2030, and plans to add 3.692GW of solar power installed capacity in the next ten years. In addition to policy support, Romania has inherent advantages in developing solar energy utilization. Located in the southeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula, Romania is abundant in sunlight, with an average annual sunshine volume of about 1300-1500KWH/m². The excellent geographical and climatic conditions have further promoted the development of Romania’s photovoltaic industry.

As a leading manufacturer in the industry to provide integrated rail welding technology for TPO/PVC membrane roofs, Valin New Energy’s excellent product performance and reliable solutions have become the first choice for membrane roof photovoltaic projects at home and abroad.

The post Valin New Energy Delivers 1MW Membrane Roof Brackets to Romania first appeared on Valin New Energy.

Valin New Energy participated in the entire project process, from the design of membrane roof brackets and on-site pull-out tests to factory prefabrication, production, assembly, and on-site welding construction. It fully ensured the reliable and efficient execution of every link of the project. For this reason, Valin New Energy has received high recognition and praise from the leaders of the German company and the design party.

Valin New Energy’s TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic bracket solution directly addresses the waterproofing and construction difficulties of membrane roofs. It empowers the installation and construction of various membrane roof photovoltaic projects with highly integrated and modular integrated brackets. Meanwhile, relying on Valin New Energy’s professional membrane roof construction organization, it ensures the efficient operation of TPO/PVC membrane roof photovoltaic power stations for 25 years, injects new vitality and momentum into the development of building-integrated photovoltaics, and helps achieve the dual carbon goals.

The post Valin’s TPO Solar Solution Empowers Hormann’s Low-Carbon Development first appeared on Valin New Energy.

1. Overview of TPO/PVC Membrane Roof

2. Challenges in Photovoltaic Installation on TPO/PVC Membrane Roofs

• Piercing the membrane with fasteners to fix brackets to purlins or steel plates leads to potential water leakage if waterproofing at the pierced position is improperly handled.
• Directly adhering brackets to the membrane surface may cause the waterproof membrane at connection points to tear due to excessive wind force.

3. Introduction to Valin New Energy’s Integrated Photovoltaic Bracket System

4. Core Advantages of the System

4.1 No Drilling, Leakage Prevention

4.2 Stable Load-Bearing Performance

• No additional ballast is required, ensuring linear load distribution and improving roof structural stability.
• The additional load per square meter is only 2KG, meeting the requirements of all concrete, color steel tile and wood structure roofs with load restrictions.

4.3 Convenient Installation and Strong Adaptability

• The integrated membrane-rail design enables high integration of the membrane and bracket rail. It is modular, with one specification suitable for various situations, easy to install, and no on-site processing is needed.
• It is compatible with all types and specifications of photovoltaic modules.

4.4 Reusable and Wind-Resistant

• The integrated bracket rail is detachable, allowing easy removal when replacing the original roof membrane and reuse after installing a new membrane.
• A single bracket can withstand an effective pull force of over 100 kilograms without peeling off from the membrane, ensuring the photovoltaic modules can withstand strong winds under four-point force. For coastal or high-wind areas, pre-reinforcement can be carried out if the membrane’s connection point peel strength is weak.

5. Significance and Value

The post No Perforation, More Safety | VALIN Launches Special PV Bracket for Membrane Roof first appeared on Valin New Energy.

Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: 603356), founded in 2005, specializes in the manufacturing, installation, renovation and maintenance of elevator components, mechanical parking equipment and additional elevators, as well as the manufacturing and sales of precision machined products and other mechanical parts.

Following the acquisition of Jiangsu Sansi Wind Power to enter the new energy field, Valin Precision recently invested in establishing a subsidiary, Anhui Valin New Energy Co., Ltd., to start engaging in the new energy photovoltaic bracket sector. It focuses on the design, production and manufacturing of photovoltaic brackets; R&D, production and manufacturing of distributed tracker technology; R&D and manufacturing of cleaning robots; and investment, development and construction of distributed photovoltaic and wind power projects.

Since its establishment, Valin Precision has focused on the elevator component industry and has become an absolute domestic leader in the counterweight block field, with a national market share ranking first—higher than the sum of the market shares of the second and third place. Currently, it has laid out five major production and manufacturing bases across the country in Anhui, Jiangsu (covering East China), Chongqing (covering Central China), Tianjin (covering North and Northeast China), and Guangzhou (covering South China), forming a national 3-hour service coverage network system.
Globally, 70% of elevators are manufactured in China, and 60%-65% of elevator sales are in the Chinese market. Being first in China means being first in the world. The company has entered the supply chains of global leading elevator enterprises, including Shanghai Mitsubishi, Hitachi Elevator, KONE Elevator, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Toshiba Elevator and Mitsubishi Electric, forming strategic cooperation with major customers. Entering the supply chains of well-known global enterprises marks that the company’s product quality, process control and after-sales service guarantee system have gained global trust.

With the central government putting forward the “30-60 Goal”—striving to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060—adjusting the energy structure has become an inevitable path, and renewable energy such as wind power and photovoltaic power will achieve rapid development.
Against the backdrop of the exponential growth of the wind power industry, Valin Precision acquired Jiangsu Sansi Wind Power Technology Co., Ltd. to enter the wind power track. Founded in May 2011, Jiangsu Sansi Wind Power Technology Co., Ltd. mainly produces brakes and ventilation equipment supporting wind power generation equipment. The company is one of the leading wind power brake enterprises in China, with a national market share ranking second. It provides supporting products for domestic leading wind power enterprises, including Shanghai Electric, Dongfang Electric, Mingyang Smart Energy, China Aerospace Wan Yuan and Envision Energy. At the brand level, from its main business to the newly laid out wind power and photovoltaic tracks, Valin Precision has established sufficient brand recognition in the market, as well as sufficient safety zone barriers and moat barriers. This high-value leading advantage is undoubtedly irreplaceable.

Valin New Energy will rely on Valin Precision’s strong advantages in talent, technology, equipment, , logistics and capital, give play to its annual production capacity of 20GW of photovoltaic brackets and accessories, accelerate industrial layout and overseas expansion, and achieve innovative leapfrog development in the new energy field.

The post Valin Precision Expands New Energy Layout, Entering PV Bracket Manufacturing first appeared on Valin New Energy.