Power Up in the Rockies with BayWa r.e.
Join us for an immersive two day solar training with both hands-on and theoretical presentations from leading manufacturers in racking, inverters, modules and more. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, this unique event id designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and practical experience needed to excel in the rapidly growing field of solar energy.
Be a part of this transformative event and contribute to the sustainable energy future of our region.
Join us at this year’s summit featuring keynote presentations from industry leaders, engaging panel discussions on the latest advancements and challenges in solar and energy storage technologies, and ample networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration among stakeholders. Our attendees will gain valuable insights into policy developments, market trends, and innovative projects driving the clean energy transition in Atlantic Canada.
All Energy Australia Exhibition & Conference is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and most anticipated clean energy event. For 15+ years, All Energy Australia serves as a vital platform for industry professionals, experts, and enthusiasts to gather and witness the latest developments, innovations, and trends in the renewable energy sector.
This event provides a comprehensive showcase of cutting-edge technologies and solutions in areas like solar, wind, bioenergy, energy storage, and electric transportation. Attendees can explore a wide range of products and services, connect with key industry players, and gain insights into sustainable energy practices.
All Energy Australia is not only an exhibition and conference but also a knowledge-sharing hub. The conference component features a series of insightful presentations, panel discussions, and workshops, where experts share their insights and expertise on critical topics related to renewable energy, climate change, policy, and market trends. It offers a unique opportunity for attendees to network, learn, and collaborate with like-minded individuals and organisations dedicated to the global transition towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
Join NYSEIA and hundreds of clean energy professionals
Join us for a powerful program that will provide insights into winning strategies to innovate, adapt, and continue deploying unabated. The New York Solar + Storage Summit is New York’s largest and most consequential clean energy conference.
Lead times can derail your schedule — but not with Polar Racking.
We Offer:
✔️ Driven piles: 3-5 week delivery
✔️ Made in USA
✔️ Safe harboring to guarantee 2025 install
✔️ Full compatibility with SAT & Fixed Tilt racking
✔️ Engineering support to adapt foundation designs
No matter where your project stands, we’ll help you move it forward — fast
We Offer Many Foundation Types
With over 16 years of expertise and thousands of foundation project installations worldwide, Polar Racking delivers more than products — we provide performance.
Helical Piles
Best for unstable soils, clay zones, or water-challenged.
Driven Piles
Efficient, cost-effective foundation for most commercial builds
Ground Screws
A smart alternative to concrete in dense or restricted-access areas.
Geo Ballast
Perfect for remote areas where stones are readily available, like mining sites.
Pre-Cast Ballasts
Zero-penetration options for sensitive or capped sites.
Pour Onsite Ballasts
For complex designs or where transport is constrained.
Polar Racking, a global provider of solar mounting solutions, is pleased to announce its upcoming Installer Demo Event and participation in technical education sessions at Electricity Transformation Canada (ETC) 2025, taking place
– at the Enercare Centre in Toronto.
Held throughout the ETC event, Polar’s two-day hands-on demo experience will provide solar installers, EPCs, and renewable energy professionals with live product training and expert-led technical discussions. All demo participants must be wearing PPE to access the installation area (Polar Racking will be providing some PPE on site).
Attendees will get hands-on with Polar Racking’s flagship systems:
Guided by Polar’s engineering and field services teams, installers will take part in live fixed racking and single-axis tracker installations. Demonstrations will highlight efficient product assembly, time-saving installation techniques, and product performance features including terrain adaptability.
In addition to the demo event, Polar Racking will lead two technical sessions:
Understanding Solar Racking Systems and the Role of Single-Axis Trackers in Today’s Market
–
| Halls B & C
The Future of Local Manufacturing in the Energy Sector
–
| Halls B & C
“We’re excited to connect directly with the installer community through hands-on demonstrations and knowledge-sharing sessions,” said Mathieu Crevier, Director of Sales at Polar Racking. “Whether you’re working on flat terrain or complex landscapes, our CORE and SOL-X systems are designed to simplify installation and enhance long-term project performance.”
Location: Enercare Centre, Toronto, ON
Dates: October 6 – 8, 2025
Audience: Solar installers, EPCs, and clean energy professionals
Polar Racking is a global provider of solar PV mounting solutions, specializing in utility-scale and commercial ground-mount systems — including fixed-tilt, single-axis tracker, carport, agrivoltaics, and foundation technologies. With advanced engineering expertise, rugged terrain-ready designs, and a distributed manufacturing network across North America and key international markets, Polar delivers innovative, reliable solutions that power solar projects across diverse terrains and climates. To ensure long-term asset performance, Polar also offers comprehensive Operations & Maintenance (O&M) services and full lifecycle project support — from development to deployment and beyond.
Solving the terrain challenge: a smarter approach to tracker design for faster, leaner solar builds.
As utility-scale solar projects face tighter timelines, shrinking margins and more challenging sites, terrain has emerged as a critical, but often underestimated, obstacle. In this feature, Polar Racking explores how smarter tracker design can turn rugged land from a project risk into a competitive advantage, cutting civil costs, accelerating builds and enabling solar where traditional systems fall short.
In today’s utility-scale solar landscape, timelines are tighter, margins thinner and viable land harder to come by. Developers are being asked to do more with less: build on irregular plots, manage construction risk with leaner crews and still hit performance benchmarks and investor expectations.
And yet, one challenge consistently disrupts all three: terrain.
Topography has become one of the most quietly expensive and logistically complex issues in utility-scale solar development. And while tracker manufacturers have made big strides in materials, controls and reliability, terrain adaptability still lags behind.
This article isn’t about touting a product. It’s about how our industry can better respond to one of solar’s most persistent cost and schedule risks. As land gets trickier, tracker design must adapt, because project success increasingly depends on what happens beneath the racking, not just above it.
A clear construction milestone
Documented project activity
Early compliance with ITC-preserving actions
*Clients should consult their own tax counsel to validate timing and documentation for their specific project.
U.S.-manufactured
Fully FEOC-compliant
Eligible for ITC bonus programs such as:
Preserve ITC eligibility before August rule changes
Maintain compliance for 2026 COD projects
Start with geotech and foundations in 2025
Use trusted structural systems that won’t go obsolete
Align with safe harbor best practices
Minimize risk with clear documentation and U.S. supply chain
Contact us to discuss a safe harbor strategy tailored to your portfolio.
Start Construction in 2025 to Maximize Your ITC 30% ITC + bonus adders (domestic content, energy community, etc.)¹ No 40% U.S.-made component requirement² Four-year safe harbor to place your project in service³
Polar Racking helps developers stay compliant and move fast. U.S.-Made. Credit-Eligible. Future-Proof.
Domestically Sourced Materials Full Documentation & Traceability Pre-Construction Procurement Guidance Seamless Installation Support[image_with_animation image_url=”5784″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”]
Product Type | Description |
|---|---|
Fixed Tilt Racking | Optimized for large-scale utility deployments |
Single-Axis Tracker | Increased yield and high-performance design |
Solar Carports | Engineered for C&I, education, and municipal sites |
Agrivoltaic Structures | Purpose-built for dual land use with crops or grazing |
Foundation Systems | Designed in-house for all soil conditions and terrains |
Get a Quote or ConsultationEmail: sales@polarracking.com
Call: 1-607-638-2055
Project Overview
The Summerside Sunbank Solar Project, located in Prince Edward Island, stands as the largest solar farm in Atlantic Canada, spanning over 80 acres. This landmark project integrates a 26.26 MW DC solar array with a 10 MW battery energy storage system, collectively forming a community microgrid. The goal: reduce the city’s reliance on imported electricity from 58% to 38%—boosting local energy independence and sustainability.
Polar Racking was selected to supply and engineer the structural racking and foundation systems. With years of experience designing for high wind and snow loads, Polar’s team delivered a custom, durable solution tailored to the unique demands of PEI’s coastal environment.
Impact of Hurricane Fiona
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Watch On-Demand: Solar ROI in the MENA RegionLearn from regional experts as they explore practical strategies to increase return on investment in MENA region solar projects.
Key challenges Market insights Proven deployment methods👉 Watch the Webinar by subscribing
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Discover Our CapabilitiesExplore how Polar Racking supports developers, EPCs, and asset owners across the Middle East.
Utility & C&I Solar Projects Foundations, Trackers, Ground Mounts Carport & Agrivoltaic Systems📄 [Download Our Company Overview Below (PDF)]
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Company Overview
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Local Expertise, Global Strength
Let’s Build Solar That Lasts
[Book a Consultation] or reach out to our MENA team today.
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We offer a full suite of foundation types to match the unique geotechnical and logistical demands of your project. Whether you’re building on a brownfield, in a remote location, or dealing with complex soil conditions, our foundation systems are engineered for strength, speed, and adaptability — across commercial, industrial, and renewable sectors.
Common Types of Foundations
1. Helical Piles
Ideal for challenging soil profiles such as expansive clay, high water tables, or engineered fill.
2. Driven Piles
One of the most efficient and widely used foundation types for large-scale commercial construction.
3. Grouted Posts
Enhanced stability for variable or loose soils where standard driven piles may not be sufficient.
4. Ground Screws
An efficient, immediately loadable alternative to concrete foundations, especially where access is constrained.
[heading]Cast-In-Place[/heading][image_with_animation image_url=”5683″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][heading]Pre-Cast[/heading][image_with_animation image_url=”5684″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][heading]Geo-Ballast[/heading][image_with_animation image_url=”5685″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”]
5. Pre-Cast and Geo Ballasts
Non-penetrating options for environmentally sensitive or restricted zones.
6. Pour-On-Site Ballasts
Customizable cast-in-place systems for sites requiring non-standard layouts or additional flexibility.
Trusted Experience. Lower Risk. Smarter Execution.
With over 16 years of industry expertise and hundreds of successful deployments across North America, Polar Racking is more than a supplier — we’re a partner in your project’s success. Our team supports you from the earliest planning phases through to construction providing:
When you work with Polar, you gain the confidence of a proven team that understands the technical, regulatory, and operational pressures of commercial construction. We help you de-risk foundation selection, avoid costly delays, and build with confidence.
As we commemorate Earth Day, it’s inspiring to reflect on the remarkable advancements in solar energy worldwide. At Polar Racking, we’re honored to contribute to this clean energy revolution by providing robust solar mounting solutions that withstand diverse environmental challenges, from the harsh Canadian winters to the intense Caribbean hurricanes.
Canada’s commitment to renewable energy has led to significant growth in the solar sector. In 2023, the country’s wind, solar, and energy-storage sectors expanded by 11.2%, bringing the total installed capacity to 21.9 GW — with 6.4 GW of total installed solar capacity. This upward trend is projected to continue, with the solar energy market anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.06% from 2025 to 2029. (Source: National Resources Canada)
The U.S. solar industry experienced unprecedented growth in 2024, installing nearly 50 GW of capacity — a 21% increase from the previous year. Solar accounted for 66% of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. grid during this period. Notably, wind and solar combined generated more electricity than coal for the first time, marking a significant shift in the nation’s energy landscape. (Source: Canadian Renewable Energy Association, SEIA, Axios, WSJ)
The Caribbean region has seen a remarkable increase in solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, surpassing 64.5 GW in 2023 — a more than 110-fold increase over the past decade. In 2022 alone, solar energy capacity grew by 46%, highlighting the region’s commitment to harnessing its abundant solar resources. (Source: Statista)
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is rapidly advancing in solar energy adoption. In 2022, the region added 6.9 GW of utility-scale solar and wind capacity, a 57% increase — for an installed total of 32 GW of solar. Projections indicate that MENA will add 62 GW of renewable energy capacity over the next five years, with solar accounting for over 85% of this expansion. That’s a total of 180 GW of solar by 2030! (Sources: Zero Carbon Analytics, Axios, World Economic Forum, EconomyMiddleEast.com)
At Polar Racking, we are proud to support this global shift towards renewable energy by delivering reliable, high-performance racking solutions tailored to diverse environments. Our collaborations with developers, EPCs, and partners across these regions are instrumental in driving the clean energy movement forward. This Earth Day, let’s celebrate these achievements and continue working towards a sustainable, brighter future powered by solar energy.
Alberta, particularly Calgary, is no stranger to severe hailstorms. In August 2024, a catastrophic hailstorm struck the region, causing nearly $2.8 billion in insured losses, making it the second-costliest insured event in Canada’s history. Some hailstones were as large as chicken eggs, wreaking havoc on homes, vehicles, and businesses.
[image_with_animation image_url=”5625″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”]Though hail can form anywhere that experiences thunderstorms, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) hail climatology maps of the continental US reveal a distinct “hail alley” that extends from West Texas in the south up through the Dakotas in the north. Viewed from this regional perspective, severe hail risk exists for most US project locations east of the Rockies.
One solution gaining popularity is solar carports—a dual-purpose structure that not only shelters vehicles from damaging hail but also generates clean, renewable energy.
Yes, a solar carport can provide protection against hail damage, but the level of protection depends on several factors:
Panel Durability
Carport Design
Panel Coverings
Hail Severity
Insurance Considerations
If hail protection is a priority for your solar carport, here are some key recommendations:
Hail-Resistant Solar Panels
Solar Carport Design Enhancements
Other Smart Solar Racking Solutions
Hail Sensors & Early Warning Systems: Other solar racking systems, like single axis trackers, can include systems that can monitor weather conditions and send alerts before a hailstorm, allowing panels to reposition to minimize impact.
Multiple Configuration Options – Single and double-row carports to fit various parking layouts. Waterproof Solutions – Gutters and downspouts for effective water management. Hail & Snow Guarding – Added features like snow guards and extra reinforcement. EV Charging Compatibility – Future-proof your parking lot with integrated EV charging stations.[image_with_animation image_url=”5526″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”]
As solar energy continues to gain traction in diverse environments, the demand for reliable solutions in northern climates has surged. In a recent webinar, Polar Racking and PRI Engineering shed light on the critical considerations for building solar projects in cold and harsh conditions. From foundation design to environmental challenges, this session provided a wealth of insights for developers, engineers, and stakeholders.
One of the key takeaways from the webinar was the role of customized racking solutions in ensuring longevity and efficiency in these climates. Polar Racking, a company with over 15 years of experience, has installed more than 4 GW of solar projects across North America and the Caribbean, demonstrating its ability to engineer solutions tailored for extreme conditions.
Building solar in northern climates presents unique challenges, but with the right engineering expertise and technology, it is both viable and highly profitable. By leveraging advanced racking systems, strategic foundation choices, and robust environmental analysis, developers can maximize efficiency while ensuring long-term durability.
For more information or to explore tailored solar solutions, contact Polar Racking and PRI Engineering.
Polar Racking Reaffirms Commitment to Achieving 10 GW Annual Production for Global Solar Projects
February 6, 2025 – [Toronto, ON – Polar Racking, a leader in innovative solar mounting solutions, with a total production capacity of 5 gigawatts (GW) across its global portfolio, reaffirms its commitment to expanding to 10GW of annual production. This engagement not only underscores the company’s commitment to advancing the solar energy industry but also highlights its dedication to supporting local economies by ensuring a high percentage of US domestic content in its manufacturing processes.
Since its inception, Polar Racking has been at the forefront of providing high-performance, reliable solar mounting systems that ensure both the efficiency and longevity of solar power installations. The company’s ground-mount solutions, including single-axis tracker, fixed tilt, solar carport, agrivoltaics, and a wide range foundation solutions, are designed for diverse environments, providing unparalleled flexibility for commercial and utility-scale solar projects.
With installations spanning multiple continents, Polar Racking has played an essential role in enabling clean energy projects worldwide, helping to reduce carbon footprints and drive renewable energy adoption on a massive scale.
“We are incredibly proud to have 5GW of production capacity, and we’re excited to announce that we’re working towards expanding to 10GW of production capacity – a milestone that represents both the demand for our products and the growing shift toward renewable energy,” said Vishal Lala, Founding Partner & CEO of Polar Racking.
“As we look to the future, we remain committed to helping our customers meet their renewable energy goals with reliable, cost-effective solar racking solutions, while prioritizing US domestic manufacturing and job creation,” added Lala.
Pals Saddyappan, Vice President of Supply Chain said the expansion towards 10GW of annual production represents a significant investment. “We’re investing in American jobs, including steel production, smart manufacturing, and logistics,” he said. “By localizing production, we’re reducing lead times, transportation emissions, and further advancing the environmental benefits of solar energy.”
Polar Racking’s modular design and engineering excellence have made it a preferred choice for developers worldwide. The company’s racking systems are known for their durability, ease of installation (due to pre-assembly efficiencies), and ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions. Polar Racking is constantly innovating to ensure its products not only meet but exceed the highest industry standards, ensuring a seamless experience for solar projects of all sizes.
For more information on Polar Racking’s solar racking solutions and to learn more about the company’s journey toward sustainability, please visit polarracking.com
Founded in 2009 with offices in North America and Asia, Polar Racking is a Global leader in the design and manufacturing of solar mounting solutions, available globally. Specializing in utility-scale and commercial ground-mount systems single-axis trackers, fixed tilt, solar carports, and a variety of solar foundation solutions, Polar Racking has installed over 4 GW of PV systems. Focused on innovation, quality, and sustainability, the company provides high-performance racking systems trusted by developers, installers, and operators worldwide. Polar Racking is committed to delivering reliable, efficient, and durable solar power systems that enable clients to achieve the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Marlene Milczarek
Manager, Marketing
Marlene.Milczarek@polarracking.com
647-325-8667
Solar energy continues to shine as one of the most promising solutions to the global energy crisis. In 2024, the solar industry has made significant strides, showcasing innovations and setting the stage for exciting developments in 2025. Here are the top trends driving solar energy this year and what we can anticipate in the near future.
1. Growth in the PV Solar Market. The photovoltaic (PV) solar market saw significant growth in 2024, driven by innovative racking and mounting solutions. Companies like Polar Racking have led the charge with durable and efficient designs tailored for diverse environments, including utility-scale projects. This expansion has lowered installation costs and increased the adaptability of solar systems across various sectors, including residential, commercial, and industrial applications. In the United States, over 30 GW of new PV solar capacity was installed in 20241, marking a record year for growth. Canada also saw a notable increase, adding approximately 2 GW of PV solar capacity, driven by policies supporting renewable energy and advancements in technology.
2. Solar trackers are rapidly gaining popularity in the renewable energy sector, offering a significant boost in efficiency for solar power systems by automatically adjusting the angle of solar panels to follow the sun’s movement throughout the day. This can increase energy production by up to 25%. A standout innovation in this space is true terrain-following trackers, like Single axis solar tracker those supplied by Polar Racking, which are designed to adapt to uneven landscapes and ensure optimal panel positioning, even on challenging terrains. These systems are especially beneficial for large-scale projects, where pre-assembly efficiencies further streamline installation, reducing both time and labor costs. As technology advances and prices fall, solar trackers are becoming a key solution for maximizing solar energy output and accelerating the transition to sustainable energy.
3. Agrivoltaics: Solar Meets Agriculture Agrivoltaics, the practice of combining solar panels with agricultural activities, gained traction in 2024. This dual-use approach allows farmers to generate renewable energy while optimizing land use for crops or livestock. Several factors have contributed to its growing adoption:
Agrivoltaics is rapidly evolving into a critical strategy for promoting sustainable energy and food production, with many agricultural communities recognizing its long-term benefits.
4. Solar Carports on the Rise. Solar carports gained popularity in 2024 as a practical and efficient way to integrate solar technology into urban and suburban spaces. In the United States, large-scale commercial projects and smaller residential installations have demonstrated the versatility of solar carports, providing shaded parking while generating clean energy. Canada followed suit, with provinces like Ontario and British Columbia leading the adoption due to favorable incentives and urban planning initiatives. Additionally, companies like Polar Racking have contributed to this trend by offering robust and adaptable carport solutions, further supporting sustainable infrastructure development. These structures are increasingly seen as a key component of sustainable infrastructure, supporting EV charging and reducing grid dependency.
5. Bifacial Solar Panels Become the Norm. Bifacial solar panels, which capture sunlight from both sides, have gained popularity due to their ability to generate up to 30% more energy. The demand for these panels surged in 2024, especially for utility-scale projects aiming to maximize output. In the United States, bifacial panels accounted for nearly 40% of the utility-scale solar installations in 2024, translating to approximately 12 GW of newly added capacity. This trend highlights their growing role in enhancing efficiency and reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE).
1. Solar-Powered Electric Vehicles (EVs). As EV adoption skyrockets, the integration of solar panels directly into vehicles and charging stations is expected to grow. In 2025, we’ll likely see more solar-powered EV prototypes and practical applications hitting the market.
2. Floating Solar Farms Expansion. Floating solar farms, or “floater PV,” are set to expand further in 2025. These installations on water bodies reduce land use conflicts and improve efficiency due to water cooling effects.
3. Net Zero Communities. Entire neighborhoods powered by solar energy will become a reality. By 2025, net-zero communities with shared solar arrays and energy storage systems will demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale sustainability.
4. Advanced Recycling Programs. With solar panels reaching the end of their lifecycle, 2025 will likely bring breakthroughs in recycling, enabling the recovery of valuable materials and reducing environmental impact.
5. Perovskite Solar Cells have emerged as a game-changer, offering higher efficiency and lower production costs compared to traditional silicon cells. The commercialization of perovskite technology has accelerated, with manufacturers achieving improved stability and scalability, making it a viable option for widespread adoption.
6. Energy Storage Integration. Pairing solar installations with energy storage systems. Lithium-ion and next-generation solid-state batteries have seen advancements, allowing homeowners and businesses to store excess energy for later use, enhancing energy independence.
7. AI and Smart Solar Solutions. Artificial intelligence has transformed solar energy management. In 2024, AI-driven platforms optimized energy production, monitored performance, and predicted maintenance needs, ensuring seamless and cost-effective operations.
The future of solar energy is brighter than ever, with 2024’s advancements laying a solid foundation for transformative trends in 2025. Embracing these innovations will be key to achieving a cleaner, more sustainable world.
—————————–
1 Source: SEIA
Clean energy is more than just a trend; it’s a vital step toward a sustainable future. Every year, the International Day of Clean Energy shines a spotlight on the innovations and efforts driving the transition to renewable energy sources. As we join the global celebration of clean energy today, we’re proud to reflect on the role our company plays in advancing solar power, one of the most abundant and transformative clean energy solutions.
The global energy landscape is at a turning point. Fossil fuels, while historically critical to development, have left us with environmental challenges such as air pollution and climate change. Clean energy, including solar, wind, and hydropower, offers a path forward by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing sustainable energy for generations to come. Solar power, in particular, is key to this transformation. It’s renewable, reliable, and scalable, making it a cornerstone of clean energy initiatives worldwide.
At Polar Racking, we’re committed to accelerating the adoption of solar energy. We provide the infrastructure and expertise needed to make solar installations efficient, effective, and long-lasting. Here’s how we contribute:
Every solar project we work on contributes to a cleaner, healthier planet. Solar energy not only reduces carbon footprints but also empowers communities by providing access to affordable and sustainable power. From large-scale commercial projects to small residential systems, the impact of solar is far-reaching and transformative.
The International Day of Clean Energy is a reminder that we all have a role to play in shaping a greener future. Whether you’re considering solar for your home or business or simply learning more about renewable energy, your actions contribute to a global movement toward sustainability.
At Polar Racking, we’re proud to be part of this journey. Together, we can create a world powered by clean, renewable energy. Let’s harness the power of the sun and pave the way for a brighter future.
Let’s connect! If you’re ready to explore solar solutions for your project, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us today to learn more about our solar racking, foundations, engineering, and installation services.
Agenda:
✅ About Polar Racking
✅ Design for the Ground Conditions
✅ Understand your Environmental Loads
✅ Building in the North Requires Robust Solutions
✅ Complete you Regular O&M
✅ Case Study – Fiona
✅ Q&AWhen:
Tuesday December 10
⏰ 1 PM ET
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Toronto, ON – 6 November 2024: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, is excited to announce that it will supply the 21 MW DC quA-ymn Solar Project with a utility-scale, fixed-tilt solar PV mounting system coupled to single/double helical piles. Polar Racking’s innovative CORE Utility-Scale Ground Mount is highly configurable, accommodating varying foundation types, terrains, slope conditions and NS/EW pile tolerances.
The quA-ymn Solar Project is owned by the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council and BluEarth Renewables, located near Kamloops, BC. The project is being installed on reclaimed land at the Highland Valley Copper mine site. Once operational, the facility will power over 2,000 homes annually in the region.
Vishal Lala, CEO of Polar Racking said “we are proud to work on this site with PCL, a worldwide leader in solar engineering, procurement and construction. We appreciate their trust in our quality, onsite service and ability to meet their schedules. We also recognize the value in participating in projects like these which offer many benefits to the community in the surrounding area.”
The CORE Fixed Tilt Ground Mount System offers several key advantages. Its greater assembly tolerances reduce civil costs and allow for faster installation due to a high degree of adjustability. The system is site-specific, customized to meet the unique topography and climate requirements of each location. Additionally, it can be optimized for bifacial and thin-film solar panels.
“Polar Racking is excited to supply a fixed tilt system in this western region, known for harsh weather conditions. Our fixed tilt system is an ideal solution as it can withstand heavy wind and snow loads and it requires fewer components, allowing for a quicker and easier installation,” stated Vishal Lala, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Polar Racking. “Our industry leading assembly tolerances are achieved by using heavier purlins and less bracing. Also, our fixed tilt racking is compatible with all foundation types, so you can combine multiple foundation types on the same project, making it an ideal racking solution for any job.”
As the leading North American supplier of solar mounting solutions with a future pipeline of 7 gigawatts (GW), Polar Racking’s CORE utility-scale ground mount racking exemplifies the company’s dedication to innovative solutions that address the most pressing challenges faced by solar asset owners and operators. By engineering utility-scale and commercial ground-mounts for optimal performance in all soil and weather conditions, Polar Racking continues to set the standard for reliability and protection in the solar industry.
Founded in 2009 with offices in Canada, the US and Asia, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in utility-scale ground-mount and commercial, single-axis tracker, fixed tilt, solar carport, agrivoltaics, along with a wide variety of solar foundation solutions. With over 4 GW of PV mounting systems installed globally, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Marlene Milczarek
Manager, Marketing
Marlene.Milczarek@polarracking.com
647-325-8667
Toronto, ON – 10 September 2024: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, is excited to announce the unveiling of their groundbreaking enhancement to the SOL-X single-axis tracker system –– the new Hail Protection feature. This innovative addition to the tracker control and monitoring platform, mitigates the risk of hail damage to PV panels.
The hail protection feature is designed to automatically position solar trackers to an optimal angle in anticipation of hailstorms, eliminating the need for manual intervention. This automated system is adding a crucial layer of protection to SOL-X, already robust racking solutions, which is designed for undulating terrain, heavy winds, snow and frost uploads.
The automatic hail protection function transitions trackers to a secure position, minimizing the risk of oversight during critical weather events based on hail nowcasting.
The system features a bi-directional high-tilt hail position angle (+/- 63°) to minimize the risk during hail events.
During a hail event tracker positions itself in the same direction of the wind.
Using various real-time meteorological data sources on Polar Racking’s Monitoring Platform, the feature activates based on real-time weather forecasts.
“Polar Racking is excited to offer this new Hail Protection feature as part of our True-Terrain Following SOL-X Tracker Solution, which also includes 3D Backtracking, Overcast Strategy and iStow,” stated Vishal Lala, Founding Partner & Chief Executive Officer of Polar Racking. “We view this as a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality solutions that meet the challenging needs of our customers.”
As the leading North American supplier of solar mounting solutions with a future pipeline of 7 gigawatts (GW), Polar Racking’s new bi-directional hail positioning feature exemplifies the company’s dedication to innovative solutions that address the most pressing challenges faced by solar asset owners and operators. By integrating advanced automation with real-time weather forecasting, Polar Racking continues to set the standard for reliability and protection in the solar industry.
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario, Alberta, and the US, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, fixed tilt, solar carport along with a wide variety of solar foundation solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Marlene Milczarek
Manager, Marketing
Marlene.Milczarek@polarracking.com
647-325-8667
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Founded in 2009, Polar Racking emerged from the Ontario Green Energy Act, aiming to provide high quality, low maintenance solar racking solutions. Now a North American leader, the company has expanded globally, innovating with agrivoltaic solutions and advanced tracking technologies. PES was keen to learn more about this impressive growth from the company’s CEO, Vishal Lala.
As we evolved over the next 15 years, we continued to follow our customers, who went from rooftop to ground mount. Once again, we offered a distinguished solution by providing geotechnical engineering services, foundation design and supply, along with a ground mount racking product that was more robust and quicker to assemble than our competitors.
In late 2021, we acquired our largest competitor in Canada, which enabled us to add a single axis tracker to our product lineup. Around the same time, we introduced our carport offering. We continue to enhance our existing products, and later this year, we will launch our range of agrivoltaic solutions. To date, our team has successfully worked on over 3 GW of projects across more than 10 countries in North America, solidifying our position as a recognized leader in the industry.
PES: I would imagine that, just with any business, you faced some initial challenges. Can you tell us about them?
VL: We had to quickly learn the ins and outs of the industry. Solar was quite new for everyone in Canada at the time and we saw a huge opportunity in learning faster than others and sharing that information with our clients. We explored installation best practices and the complexities involved in project deployment. We also gained knowledge in development, allowing us to engage in meaningful conversations with our customers.
We always wanted to set the standard for quality, and I feel very strongly that is why we are still here while others are not. There were close to 70 racking companies in Ontario alone in the early days, and now there are just a small handful of Canadian companies left.
PES: It would be great to begin by sharing the story behind the founding of Polar Racking and the inspiration for the company, if you wouldn’t mind? What was your initial vision for the business, and how has that evolved?
Vishal Lala: Polar Racking was founded in 2009 as a flat rooftop racking manufacturer. Our mission was clear; to offer the most value to our customers for the lowest installed cost per kilowatt hour. We wanted our customers to not only source and assemble their racking competitively, but we also wanted project owners to have a product with little to no maintenance, which would withstand the harsh climates they were building in. With a great focus on quality and innovation, we set out from the start to bring a differentiated level of product quality and service to our customers.
The opportunity we identified for us to enter the solar business was when the government of Ontario launched its Green Energy Act, which offered a great feed in tariff for renewable energy developers. The requirement at the time to qualify for the incentives was that developers had to use equipment, meaning modules, inverters, racking, wind turbines, etc. produced in Ontario. This set up a great industry here and as a young entrepreneur, I saw an opportunity to contribute to a sector that I felt was the future of all energy.
From the beginning Polar Racking enjoyed great success, quickly becoming the largest rooftop solar mounting system supplier in Canada, working with the largest developers, EPCs and owners in the country. What set us apart was that most of our competitors came from Europe or the US, or copied solutions from those markets, whereas we immediately focused on developing a product lineup that was made for the market. We thought about the local loads and the unique conditions of installing products in the hard Canadian climate. Moreover, we invested in state-of- the-art tooling to offer a premium quality product at competitive pricing.
Our major early challenges were around timing. The programme from the government was new, and the release date of contracts was always very uncertain. There were a lot of feast and famine time, so juggling that with retaining and growing talent was very difficult. I’m happy to say that today, we still have many employees that have been with us over 10 years and who have lived with us through the ups and downs. Those employees are now leaders in our company as we continue to grow.
PES: When did it become apparent that there was a market and a need for racking solutions in the solar industry?
VL: The local market was great until 2017, however when the newly elected government cancelled the programme, it was a very challenging time. We were already selling a little in some other parts of Canada, but we needed to pivot quickly. Over the next few years, we spent a lot of time in Alberta, the US and the Caribbean and were able to thrive despite the bust of the local market. As we had done here, we focused on our strengths in the new markets by developing products and services that met the local requirements.
We decided at the time that in each market we entered, we were going to supply a better product and service to customers than the incumbent. That resonated well with project owners and resulted in the growth that we continue to enjoy today.
PES: Polar Racking has grown significantly since its inception. What have been some of the key milestones in your growth journey?
VL: A few major milestones stand out; moving into ground mount, offering geotechnical services, and acquiring a leading single axis tracker solution. These have all contributed to our growth.
In Canada, one milestone was becoming the key racking and foundation supplier for the largest urban solar project in Western Canada. We supplied two brownfield sites in the centre of Calgary with our ballasted ground mount racking solution: 93 MW DC/ 72 MW AC.
The real key though has been staying true to our core values and assembling an extraordinary team, who are all in tune with our vision. It is great to be surrounded with a team that all want to win and be the best. We are truly blessed in that way at Polar Racking.
PES: How has your product line expanded and developed since the early days?
VL: We started as a flat rooftop racking manufacturer, and we’re now a North American leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of solar PV ground mount racking systems. We specialize in utility scale and commercial ground mount solutions; single axis tracker, fixed tilt, solar carports, agrivoltaic, along with a wide variety of solar foundation solutions.
PES: Has your company culture and internal team evolved as you’ve grown too?
VL: The culture was very natural when we were smaller, we all were and remain very passionate. We worked hard together and enjoyed fun times, often in the spur of the moment.
Now, we are a lot more intentional about bringing the team together and communicating our goals and values. The comment we get from new employees is that everyone wants to help, even if it’s not their job. I really appreciate and respect that about our people. They care about the company, their colleagues and our clients. We all want to be the best and you will find that spirit in everyone you meet and spend time with. I never want that to change.
PES: Can you discuss some strategic partnerships or collaborations that have been pivotal in your growth?
VL: We have done well with owners who appreciate quality. As a result, we do not get many one off projects. Finding those key clients that care about quality, reliability and service has been crucial to our growth.
Anyone can sell racking that works on day one, we aim to offer products that will be just as good in year 20 and beyond.
PES: It’s fair to say, isn’t it, that you are less well known outside of Canada, but how has your presence in North America expanded over the years, and what markets are you currently serving?
VL: It’s true, we are a well known and respected name in Canada and around the several key islands in the Caribbean. We are growing our presence in the US. We have supplied hundreds of megawatts in over 20 states. In New York state alone we have close to 500 MW of both tracker and fixed solar racking.
As project owners are getting burned by other fly by night companies offering shiny products and low prices, we find that there is movement towards quality and a proven track record. This is playing well to our strengths and is enabling our growth in many new key states in the US.
We are also expanding overseas. We will have our first projects in Africa in 2024 and are currently working on proposals for projects in Australia and the Middle East. We are excited about these new markets and will be spending a lot more time over the next three years executing our growth plans in these regions.
PES: What technological advancements have you incorporated into your products to stay ahead in the solar racking industry?
VL: The innovation of our tracker sets us apart. We recognized a long time ago that the areas where trackers are being installed were moving from the middle of large deserts to sites that were not totally flat, in frost zones, which needed to accommodate different types of foundations.
We also noticed that the maintenance of trackers was difficult because to carry out repairs on a site with large heavy torque tubes, requires heavy machinery for even minor maintenance. In addition, we noticed that obtaining permits for these sites is getting harder, due to the restriction on grading the land.
Our single axis tracker product is more like a fixed ground mount solution. It’s very easy to put together, lots of pre-assembly is possible to save on labour, it works well on large slopes to eliminate the need for grading and every component is a two person lift, which means two people in a pickup truck can do all the necessary repairs and maintenance in the future.
Moreover, we can connect directly to any type of foundation, driven, helical, screws, or ballast, without the need for a third party adaptor or double the number of foundations.
Everyone who visits our sites is amazed that we can build on such steep slopes. The fact is that local building permit offices don’t like it when developers disturb the natural lay of the land, because it causes many issues aside from just angry neighbours. We designed a solution to eliminate the need for that.
This autumn, we’ll be launching the latest advancements for our SOL-X single axis tracker including 3D Backtracking, Advanced Overcast, and Severe Weather Protection. While we’re already known to build solar racking to withstand harsh climates, these next generation solutions will ensure our customers are successful under the most complex of terrains or severe weather conditions, from solar panel shading, overcast conditions, undulating terrain, rolling hills, hurricanes, and floods, we’ll now be able to ensure maximum solar capture under any conditions.
Our next innovation is one that I am very excited about. Over the next 12 months we are launching a lineup of fixed and tracker, agrivoltaics solutions. These products will allow farmers to continue to use their land for its intended use while also allowing for the production of solar energy.
This will enable farmers to gain an additional source of revenue from lease payments or energy production, while continuing their core business. Different agrivoltaic configurations, such as combining PV with croplands, pastures, or pollinator habitats, may contribute to achieving sustainable energy and food goals simultaneously, while possibly reducing local opposition to PV deployment, such as we’re seeing in Europe and other countries. We aim to be the first North American supplier of purpose use agrivoltaics fixed and tracker products. We are getting ready to build our first sites this fall.
PES: Some of the biggest trends shaping the future of the solar market in North
America are increasing efficiency, decreasing costs, energy storage advancements, government incentives, and rising corporate sustainability commitments. Would you agree with this from your perspective too?
VL: Absolutely. There are several elements that will shape the future of the solar market in North America. Resilience and adaptability will be key in solving an ever changing global energy crisis. While some pressures have eased, the future remains uncertain. Despite these challenges, we anticipate photovoltaic solar to continue to dominate.
At Polar Racking, our continued efforts to diversify and innovate in this area will have a big impact on the future of clean energy, and we’re excited to see what happens next.
PES: What are Polar Racking’s plans and goals for the next five to ten years in terms of innovation and market presence?
VL: Within the next five to 10 years, we plan to be a global supplier of high quality solar mounting solutions. Our growth at home enables us to increase our reach and there is definite demand for what we are offering.
We’re excited about the future of Polar Racking and of the solar industry in general. Contributing our part in this fight against climate change, while building a business we can be proud of continues to be a very rewarding experience, and even after 15 years, we feel that we have a long way to go.
Polar Racking awarded 26MW solar project in Alberta to supply their True-Terrain following Single Axis Solar Tracker and Helical Piles
Toronto, ON – 9 July 2024: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, is excited to announce that the company has been awarded the contract to supply its industry-leading Single Axis Tracker and helical pile foundations, for a 26MW solar project in Killarney, Alberta by the owner of the project, Akamihk Energy and general contractor on the project, Akamihk Kanataskiy Ventures (AKV) Ltd. Both companies are solely owned by Montana First Nation in central Alberta.
The solar development is located around 12 km west of Killarney Lake in central Alberta within the Municipal District of Wainwright No.61. The electricity generated from this solar farm will provide enough energy to power around 2,500 typical homes.
Polar Racking was selected as the racking and foundation supplier for this site because of its superior terrain following capabilities. Due to the undulating terrain and inconsistent geotechnical conditions, multiple foundation designs were specified for this project by PRI Engineering the foundation engineer of record for this project.
“Polar Racking is thrilled to be part of this great project in Alberta,” stated Vishal Lala, Chief Executive Officer of Polar Racking. “We view this as a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering top-quality solutions that meet the challenging needs of our customers that includes the unique terrain, wind and snow load requirements that come with that.”
Polar Racking’s solar mounting solutions are renowned for their quick assembly, robustness, and adaptability to a varying terrain of solar projects. With a focus on innovation and engineering excellence, the company continuously strives to develop industry-leading solutions that optimize energy generation, streamline installation processes, and ensure long-term system reliability.
As the leading Canadian supplier of solar mounting solutions across North America with a future pipeline of 7 gigawatts (GW), the award of this contract to Polar Racking reinforces its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction and underscores the company’s position as an industry leader.
About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario, Alberta and the US, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, fixed tilt, solar carport along with a wide variety of solar foundation solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Marlene Milczarek
Manager, Marketing
Marlene.Milczarek@polarracking.com
Mississauga, ON – Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, proudly announces the award of the prestigious 38 megawatts (MW) solar project in Tilley, Alberta, by Concord Green Energy, a leading developer of renewable energy projects in Canada. Polar Racking will supply its innovative engineering design services, coupled with the renowned all-weather CORE fixed tilt ground mount system and helical pile foundations.
As a long-term owner of renewable energy assets, Concord selected Polar Racking due to their commitment to providing high-quality solutions, on-time deliveries, and their unmatched level of on-site support throughout the build of the project. As the only Canadian supplier of solar PV mounting systems for the commercial and utility scale market, Polar Racking solutions are designed to be constructed and maintained in areas with heavy environmental loads including snow, wind and frost. It’s that unique perspective that has made Polar Racking the go to solution for projects owners across Canada, the USA and the Carribean for the past 15 years.
Mathieu Crevier, Director of Sales, Canada & Caribbean at Polar Racking, expressed excitement about the project, stating, “We are thrilled to be chosen by Concord for this remarkable project in Alberta. This award is a testament to the superior performance and reliability of our solar racking solutions. We look forward to contributing to the success of this venture and furthering the adoption of clean and sustainable energy in the region.”
The 38MW solar project in Tilley is a significant step toward achieving renewable energy goals and reducing carbon emissions in the area. Polar Racking’s innovative solutions, known for their durability and performance in various weather conditions, will play a pivotal role in the project’s success.
As Concord partners with Polar Racking, it highlights the confidence in Polar Racking’s capabilities and commitment to excellence, reinforcing its position as a leader in providing top-tier solar mounting solutions.
Polar Racking’s solar mounting solutions are known for their quick assembly, robustness, and adaptability to a varying terrain of solar projects. With a focus on innovation and engineering excellence, the company continuously strives to develop industry-leading solutions that optimize energy generation, streamline installation processes, and ensure long-term system reliability.
As the supplier of over 3 Gigawatts across North America with a future pipeline of 3.4 gigawatts (GW), Polar Racking reinforces its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. The company’s selection as the supplier for this utility scale solar project in Alberta underscores its position as an industry leader.
About Polar Racking:
Founded in 2009, Polar Racking is a North American leader in photovoltaic (PV) mounting solutions, specializing in commercial and utility-scale fixed tilt ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With a strong market presence and a track record of over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed across North America and the Caribbean, Polar Racking is dedicated to developing innovative racking solutions that empower clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Phone: 416-840-3358 x131
Email: media@polarracking.com
Toronto, March 14, 2024 – Polar Racking Inc., North American leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of solar PV mounting solutions is happy to announce that has completed their Independent Engineer Report review for their Asxus Sol-X True-Terrain following single axis by Leidos Engineering, which is now available to share with key customers.
As part of Leidos’ review, they conducted a full assessment of the company’s history, manufacturing capabilities and all aspects of the tracker development include design, control systems and Operation & Maintenance. Special consideration was given to the wind tunnel testing, structural review and sign off. The report outlines the automotive DFMEA process used to validate the design, mitigate any potential risks along with details about the testing to support their conclusions.
The review form Leidos concludes that the Polar Racking Sol-X single axis tracker solution and certifications are in line with the common industry standards. The review encompasses the significant improvements that Polar Racking has made to the system since the time it acquired the technology.
Polar Racking’s True-Terrain Following tracker unique design offers industry leading slope tolerance (up to 30%), simple assembly and superior production in high wind areas. The inherent system design works with all foundation types including ground screws, driven piles, helical and ballasted foundation types. The drive system was tested in automotive labs, and it has an expected 40-year design life with no expected maintenance requirements.
The bankability report is available upon request through Polar Racking. Please feel free to contact us at sales@polarracking.com.
About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
media@polarracking.com
416-840-3358 x131
media@polarracking.com
Polar Racking to provide their single-axis tracker, the Sol-X, to their first two Maryland tracker projects.
Toronto, ON – 1 August 2023: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, is pleased to announce today that leading solar developer, UGE, has awarded Polar Racking the supply and construction contract for their Sol-X single axis tracker for the first two community solar projects (5.5 MW DC) of their Maryland portfolio. This marks Polar Racking’s debut in supplying solar trackers to the state, and the continuance of their partnership with UGE.
Polar Racking is supplying engineering design services and its terrain-following single axis tracker to the two community solar projects located near the town of Oakland, Maryland. The geotechnical engineering is being completed by PRI Engineering. The number of community solar projects reaching construction is expected to increase over the next year following the passing of community solar legislation in April 2023, effective July 1, 2023. Polar Racking is proud to contribute to the advancement of community solar and energy equity in Maryland state.
Polar Racking’s single axis tracker solution was selected for these Maryland solar projects because of its advanced, proven design. The generous terrain-following and automotive-based driveshaft allows the Sol-X to be installed on challenging sites without the additional cost and environmental impact of grading. With solar development increasing in undulating terrain, such as found in Western Maryland, terrain-following single axis trackers are crucial to increasing the generation of solar energy.
“Polar Racking is delighted to partner with long-standing client, UGE, on their initial community solar projects in their Maryland portfolio,” says Robert Souliere, Director, Operations and Construction at Polar Racking. “Being selected as the supplier of the two community solar projects demonstrates our commitment to providing cutting-edge solar tracking technology and delivering exceptional value to our clients. With the Sol-X’s high tolerance for steep terrain, the single axis solution will continue to be the tracker of choice for projects in Maryland and across the U.S.”
“As we continue to expand our portfolio and build our first community solar projects in the state of Maryland, we’re glad to have Polar’s reliable technology and team supporting us,” says Kristin Lundquist, Director of Projects at UGE. “Polar have been great partners to us and we’re pleased to be working with them again.”
Polar Racking’s Sol-X single axis tracker has been installed across North America. Selected for its assembly efficiency, terrain-following, and driveshaft design, the Sol-X continues to deliver on its promise of innovation and value. Polar Racking has a total install base of over 3 GW of solar mounting solutions across North America and the Caribbean.
About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario and Alberta, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Janet Janzen
Senior Marketing Manager
Janet.janzen@oyaventures.com
416-840-3358 x. 131
About UGE
UGE develops, owns, and operates commercial and community solar and battery storage projects.. Our distributed energy solutions deliver cheaper, cleaner energy to businesses and consumers with no upfront cost. With over 500MW of global experience, we work daily to power a more sustainable world.
Visit us at www.ugei.com. For more information, contact UGE at: investors@ugei.com or +1 917 720 5685.[recent_posts style=”slider_multiple_visible” columns=”2″ button_color=”Accent-Color” hover_shadow_type=”default” category=”press-release” order=”DESC” orderby=”date” image_loading=”default” posts_per_page=”10″]
Polar Racking was selected to supply its CORE fixed tilt ground mount solar racking and ballasted foundations and complete a full mechanical installation of the solar projects.
Toronto, ON – 26 July 2023: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, is excited to announce that the Company has been awarded the contract to supply CORE, its fixed tilt ground mount solar mounting solution, and ballasted foundations to two New York solar projects, Manlius and Geddes, by SolarBank Corporation, an independent renewable and clean energy project developer.
The two solar projects totaling 10 megawatts (MW) are repurposing two closed landfills, addressing two critical challenges: the need for clean energy and the transformation of contaminated land into valuable assets. Polar Racking was selected as the supplier and installer for these sites because of its innovative ballasted foundation product line, designed to securely anchor fixed tilt and tracker solar racking solutions, and their experience supplying landfill sites. Most recently, Polar Racking supplied ballasted foundations and racking for the 92.5 MW solar projects, Deerfoot and Barlow, located in the city Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
“We selected Polar Racking’s ground mount solar solution because of the innovative and proven engineering design that stands behind it,” says Andrew van Doorn, Chief Operating Officer of SolarBank. “Companies like Polar Racking are extending boundaries of where we can safely build large-scale solar projects, supporting our goal to drive the energy transition forward.”
“Polar Racking is thrilled to be supplying and constructing the two landfill solar projects in New York for a customer we’ve worked on over 20 projects with. We view this as a testament to our unwavering commitment to brownfield redevelopment and delivering top-quality solutions that meet the evolving needs of the solar industry,” stated Vishal Lala, Managing Partner of Polar Racking. “This recognition affirms our expertise and validates the trust our customers and partners place in us as we work together to drive forward innovation in solar racking and mounting solutions, while offering the highest levels of customer service.”
Polar Racking’s solar mounting solutions and ballasted foundations are renowned for their quick assembly, robustness, and adaptability to a varying terrain of solar projects. With a focus on innovation and engineering excellence, the company continuously strives to develop industry-leading solutions that optimize energy generation, streamline installation processes, and ensure long-term system reliability.
As the supplier of over 3 Gigawatts across North America with a future pipeline of 3.4 gigawatts (GW), Polar Racking reinforces its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. The company’s selection as the supplier and installer for the two New York solar projects underscores its position as an industry leader.
About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario, Alberta and the US, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and solar carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Janet Janzen
Senior Marketing Manager
Janet.janzen@oyaventures.com
416-840-3358 x. 131
1 PM ET on Wednesday, August 9th, 2023
Ballasted foundations are the ideal solution for sites with brownfields, or challenging subsurface conditions. In the past year alone, Polar Racking has supplied a wide range in sites from 1 MW to 92 MW with a ballasted ground mount solution.
In the webinar, we will provide an in-depth discussion of the design and construction considerations for solar projects using a ballasted foundation.
Watch the video below.
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Rob Souliere
Director, Operations and Construction
[image_with_animation image_url=”4537″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”]
Sam Alradhi
Director, Sales Operations
Earlier this year Polar Racking became an official Advocate member of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA). As a long-time Canadian Solar Industry Association member, this strategic partnership further underscores our unwavering commitment to driving sustainable energy development in Canada.
Polar Racking is the only Canadian company that is supplying the commercial and utility-scale solar market at home and abroad through our suite of world class products which include single axis tracker, fixed-tilt ground mount and carport solutions. Polar Racking holds multiple Canadian and US patents for our innovative home-grown technologies.
CanREA is the preeminent national voice for the wind energy, solar energy, and energy storage sectors in Canada. As a leading industry association, CanREA plays a pivotal role in advocating for favorable policies and initiatives that foster the growth and longevity of the renewable energy sector both globally and internationally.
By becoming an Advocate member of CanREA, Polar Racking gains access to an extensive network of industry professionals, esteemed researchers, influential policymakers, and other key stakeholders actively shaping the renewable energy landscape in Canada.
Joining CanREA reaffirms our dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions and services to our valued clients. By leveraging the collective expertise and resources within CanREA, we will continue to deliver innovative and sustainable racking solutions that enable developers and contractors to maximize the efficiency and performance of their solar energy systems.
As we continue to work with CanREA and the other leaders in their membership community, we are excited about the immense possibilities that lie ahead. Together, we will tirelessly work towards accelerating the transition to renewable energy, nurturing a greener and more resilient Canada, and fostering a sustainable future for all.
About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario and Alberta, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Janet Janzen
Senior Marketing Manager
Janet.janzen@oyaventures.com
416-840-3358 x. 131[recent_posts style=”slider_multiple_visible” columns=”2″ button_color=”Accent-Color” hover_shadow_type=”default” category=”press-release” order=”DESC” orderby=”date” image_loading=”default” posts_per_page=”10″]
Polar Racking formed partnerships with U.S. manufacturing facilities to support the growth of the domestic renewable energy market.
Mississauga, ON – 19 May 2023: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, announced today that they have added two U.S. manufacturing facilities to produce solar mounting solutions.
Strategically located in Michigan and Florida, the facilities will help Polar Racking meet the growing demand for U.S. manufactured solar mounting solutions, reduce lead times, and help build the domestic solar industry market.
“Expanding our manufacturing capacity to the U.S. demonstrates Polar Racking’s steadfast commitment to operational agility and excellence”, says Pals Saddyappan, Director of Supply Chain and Global Manufacturing at Polar Racking. “Our new U.S. facilities mitigate shipping lead time risks for our customers and gives us additional control over the entire supply chain.”
“The expansion of Polar Racking’s manufacturing operations is in response to our customers’ needs to meet the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) domestic content requirements.” says Vishal Lala, Managing Director of Polar Racking. “Polar Racking supports the government’s initiative to re-shore the PV supply chain to create local jobs and bolster the local economy.”
Polar Racking is excited about the opportunities these new facilities will bring and looks forward to continuing to provide excellent service and products to its clients in the U.S.
Polar Racking has a pipeline of 3.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar mounting and racking across North America and the Caribbean. Polar Racking is committed to supporting the accelerating growth of solar development across North America.
About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario and Alberta, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Leading solar racking company Polar Racking announced today that a leading engineering procurement company (EPC) has awarded three community solar projects totaling 19 Megawatts (MWDC). Polar Racking will supply engineering design services and the terrain-following Axsus single-axis tracker to Camillus A (6.61 MW), Camillus B (6.64 MW) and State Route 5 (5.93 MW), located in New York state and began construction in Q4 2022.
Mississauga, ON – 3 May 2023: Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, announced today that leading solar developer, UGE, has awarded Polar Racking with three fixed tilt ground mount solar projects totaling 6.6 megawatts (MWDC) in Maine.
Polar Racking is supplying engineering design services, its all-weather CORE fixed tilt ground mount, and foundations to the Norway (1.1MW), Qualey (2.7MW), and Broadway (2.8MW) solar projects located in Maine. The Norway solar project is nearing construction completion, and the remaining two projects are slated to start construction in summer 2023. The portfolio’s varied site conditions required a range of foundation types, including ground screw foundations and at the landfill site, Polar Racking’s pour-on-site ballast tubs. The foundation testing and design was completed by a geotechnical engineering consulting company that specializes in solar foundation design, PRI Engineering.
Polar Racking’s solar racking solutions were selected because of their superior performance in high winds, and heavy snow common to the Northeast U.S and their industry best-in-class, on-site customer support. The portfolio is sited on locations in Maine with unusually high snow loads, between 80-90 psf. The CORE fixed tilt ground mount solar racking has a proven track record on installations as far as the Canadian Arctic and in hurricane-prone areas such as the Caribbean and the East Coast of North America.
“Polar Racking is proud to be selected for the Maine projects with a long-standing client, UGE,” says Vishal Lala. “We’re happy to continue to meet the high standards of leading solar developers with our robust products and high levels of customer service. Polar Racking continues to innovate our products to improve the speed and ease of assembly in winter conditions. We believe the CORE will continue to stand apart from other fixed tilt ground mounted solar racking products.”
“The quality of materials we use for our community solar projects is paramount,” said Kristin Lundquist, UGE’s Director of Projects. “We trust Polar Racking to deliver the durable, dependable products we require to build projects that will last for decades.”
Polar Racking’s CORE fixed tilt ground mount has been installed across North America and the Caribbean. Selected for its easy assembly, high tolerances, and robust design, the CORE continues to exceed expectations in durability and client-centric design. Polar Racking has a total install base of over 3 GW of solar mounting solutions across North America and the Caribbean.About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario and Alberta, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.Media Contact
Janet Janzen
Senior Marketing Manager
416-840-3358 x131
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Polar Racking is pleased to introduce Praneeth Yarlagadda, Mechanical Design Engineer Manager, who works out of the India office. Praneeth is a veteran in the design engineering field with over 12 years of industry experience, designing heavy structures and mobile enclosures for data centers, power utilities, generators and telecom centers.
Join us to learn how to hurricane-proof your solar projects. Extreme weather events are becoming the norm, and you want to avoid costly remediation of damaged sites plus the lost revenue. We will share engineering and design best practices to prevent damage to your solar project.
Polar Racking is now better position to serve our clients in Western Canada and the U.S. better. Our new office in Calgary, Alberta is there to support the growing solar industry in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Polar Racking is hosting a webinar on Tuesday October 4 at 11 am EST with EECOL, our distributor of CORE FLEX. We cover every aspect of our ground mount solar solution for small to medium-sized projects.
Polar Racking announced today that they will be supplying PRU ballasted fixed tilt racking and some structural engineering services for two large solar installations in Calgary, Alberta, Deerfoot Solar and Barlow Solar, 55 MWDC and 37 MWDC respectively. Construction is projected to start in 2022 and will be the largest solar installation in a major urban center in Canada.
Axsus’ differentiated products, including Sol-X, widen Polar’s footprint in the solar industryMississauga, ON, July 19, 2022: Today, Polar Racking, a North American leader in PV mounting systems, announced the acquisition of Axsus Solar, the solar division at Magna Closures Inc.
With the acquisition of Axsus Solar, Polar has added the Axsus Sol-X, a single-axis tracker, to their product line. Single-axis trackers are increasingly being used in solar power projects to maximize energy production. With its unique tracking capabilities, the Sol-X offers a best-in-class solution with a simple design that includes fewer components, a quick installation process, and less ground preparation on site.
“The addition of Axsus Solar to Polar Racking advances our strategy to bring differentiated solutions to our customers, supports our mission to provide clients with cost-effective, high-quality solar racking solutions, and supports the exponential growth of our business,” says Vishal Lala, Managing Partner at Polar Racking. “We welcome the Axsus Solar team and suite of products to Polar, and we are confident that together, we will deliver innovative solutions for clients across North America and the Caribbean.”In addition to the Sol-X, Axsus brings a seasoned management team and workforce to complement Polar’s team, with a strong proficiency in engineering, quality control, and project management, as well as additional product offerings.
A key leader on the management team is Robert Souliere, formerly a member of the Axsus team. “I’m delighted to be joining Polar and am looking forward to working collaboratively with the team in driving Polar’s strategy forward,” says Robert Souliere, newly appointed Director of Operations and Construction at Polar Racking. “The Sol-X is a great addition to the Polar product line and will expand our potential by giving us access to a market that’s increasingly choosing trackers over fixed-tilt systems as a result of their higher revenue generation.”[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3916″ image_2_url=”3915″]Polar has seen business activity growing exponentially in 2022, and this is only expected to expand with the addition of the Sol-X single-axis tracker. The combined teams have a total install base of over 3 GW, making them a leader in the world of solar mounting solutions. With this acquisition, the company strengthens its position in the solar industry, and Polar will continue to support its clients across North America and the Caribbean with leading racking solutions.About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario, New York, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in commercial and utility-scale ground-mount, single-axis tracker, and carport solutions. With over 3 GW of PV mounting systems installed in North America and a pipeline of ~10 GW, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
Media Contact
Janet Janzen
Senior Marketing Manager
416-840-3358 x131
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Today, Polar Racking, a North American leader in PV mounting systems, announced the that it is establishing a new office location in Calgary, Alberta Canada dedicated to serving Western North America.
Solar in Western Canada and the U.S. has seen record growth in the past few years. Alberta accounted for the majority of new solar capacity in 2021 at 250 Megawatts (MW), and in 2022 is continuing to experience tremendous growth.
Solar trackers are solar mounting systems for photovoltaic (PV) panels that track the path of the sun across the sky. The PV solar trackers maximize energy production by adjusting their panels to face the sun’s position as it moves across the sky and exposing more of the solar panel face to direct sunlight. Typically, solar trackers are found on large, ground-mounted system projects, such as utility-scale or community solar projects, because of their high installation and hardware costs.
There are two types of solar trackers available on the market, single-axis vs dual-axis. The single-axis tracker follows the sun’s movements from east to west and rotates on only one axis point. Dual-axis trackers can rotate in two directions, moving up and down, left to right, allowing for more accurate tracking of the sun.
Without getting too much into the nitty-gritty, we can take a high-level look at how solar trackers work and still cover the essentials. An optimized solar tracker is able to continuously follow the sun’s movement throughout the day and may increase the solar energy output by up to 40% as compared to fixed-tilt solar racking systems.1 The trackers’ ability to rotate on an axis allows for maximum absorption at all points of the day compared to fixed-tilt systems which will only see maximum production when the sun is shining directly on the solar panel face.
Single-axis and dual-axis tracking systems each have their advantages and traits that determine the panels’ optimal performance setting.
Single-axis solar trackers | Dual-axis solar trackers |
| Rotates on a single axis, turning from east to west throughout the day | Rotates on two axes, turning vertically and horizontally |
| Tracks the sun across a horizontal plane. | Tracks the sun with a circular movement. |
| Typically has lower costs | Typically has higher costs |
| Longer lifespan | Shorter lifespan |
| Energy efficient | Extremely energy efficient |
| Typically seen in commercial and industrial/utility applications | Typically seen in smaller sized, remote projects |
(Marsh, 2022)
Solar trackers generally come in ahead of fixed-tilt solar mounting systems when comparing their respective electricity generation. Yet with any solar panel system, there are also some disadvantages to a solar tracking system. For a detailed comparison of single-axis trackers vs fixed-tilt solar mounting systems, we recommend reading our previous blog post Pros and Cons of Ground-Mount Fixed-Tilt Solar Racking and Single-Axis Trackers. If you’re looking for a quick summary, keep reading.
Efficiency: Increased electricity production is probably the largest benefit of solar tracking systems. Single-axis trackers typically will generate between 25% – 40% more than fixed-tilt solar racking and mounting systems. In contrast, the dual-axis trackers will generate only 5%-10% more electricity than fixed-tilt systems. (Marsh, 2022).
Increase in Revenue: Trackers produce more energy than fixed-tilt trackers and typically will have a higher financial rate of return even when factoring in higher costs.
System, Construction, and Maintenance: Both types of solar systems, fixed-tilt and solar trackers, require regular maintenance such as vegetation management, snow removal, and other cleaning services. However, advancements in technology have reduced long-term maintenance needs for tracking systems.3
Cost: Installation and maintenance costs can drive up the total cost of a solar tracker. The cost for a fixed-tilt solar mounting system will tend to run lower as fewer moving parts and electronics are required, whereas the cost for a solar tracker tends to run higher due to the more complex technology needed for their operation.
Environment: Climates that are less challenging, for example with little to no snow, are ideal for solar trackers. Fixed-tilt mounting systems can generally accommodate harsher environmental conditions as well higher slope inclinations from east to west. Solar trackers, on the other hand, can accommodate around 10% gradient in the north to south direction, allowing for maximum sun absorption.[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”3659″ image_2_url=”3657″]If you’re thinking of building a solar project, by now you know there are a lot of elements to consider, from budget to terrain, to climate conditions and project lifespan. Whether you are planning to select a single-axis tracker or a dual-axis tracker, it’s important to find the right solar setup for your property that is both economic and maximizes energy absorption. If you are interested in learning more, leave us a message by filling out the form below and someone from our team will connect with you.[divider line_type=”No Line”]
1 Chakrabarti, Sumit. (2021). Types of Solar Trackers and Their Advantages & Disadvantages. Solar Feeds. Retrieved from https://www.solarfeeds.com/mag/solar-trackers-types-and-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/#Application_of_Dual-Axis_Solar_Tracking_System
2 Marsh, Jacob. (2022). Solar Trackers: Everything You Need to Know. Buyer’s Guide. Retrieved from https://news.energysage.com/solar-trackers-everything-need-know/
3 SPW. (2016). Advantages and disadvantages of a solar tracker system. Solar Power World. Retrieved from https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2016/05/advantages-disadvantages-solar-tracker-system/
4 S.P.W. (2018). Fixed-tilt vs. tracker: Why a one-size-fits-all approach can limit solar production. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/02/fixed-tilt-vs-tracker-one-size-fits-approach-can-limit-solar-production/[divider line_type=”No Line”][recent_posts style=”default” columns=”4″ title_labels=”true” category=”single-axis-tracker” order=”DESC” orderby=”date”]
Polar Racking has announced that, alongside Ecogy Energy, solar developer, financier, and owner-operator of distributed generation resources, they have successfully completed a 248 kW solar carport project in Cotuit, Massachusetts. The Gateway Christian Center has installed a solar carport system over their parking lot that is expected to provide renewable energy to over 20 community members.
Polar Racking is pleased to announce they are supplying the foundations and racking to Aspin Kemp & Associates Inc. (AKA) for the Sunbank Project in Summerside, PEI. The project consists of a community microgrid with a capacity of 26.26 MWDC as well as a 10 MW battery energy storage system for which AKA has been selected as the EPC. The Polar team is responsible for supplying and engineering the structural racking for this large ground-mount solar project.
We held a webinar on the best practices for building large-scale solar projects, 5 MW and above, in challenging climates and terrain. We walked you through the new realities of supply chain management during COVID-19, selecting your foundations and designing in order to maximize cost efficiencies and performance. Watch and share the recording below.
Vishal Lala, Managing Director, Polar Racking
Jonathan Mizrachi, Sales Director – US, Polar Racking
Arash Yazdani, Director of Engineering Services, PRI Engineering
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Interested in one of our solar mounting systems? Contact us today to get a FREE quote and an initial layout. Fill out the form with a short description of your project and we will be in touch shortly.
For any questions, call us at 1-833-801-5233
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Former Supply Chain Director to Lead Global Manufacturing [/split_line_heading]Mississauga, ON: 15 February 2022: Polar Racking is pleased to announce that Pals Saddyappan will be leading the company’s supply chain operations as the new Director of Supply Chain and Global Manufacturing. A veteran engineer with over 22 years in the design and manufacturing disciplines, Pals brings with him a level of experience that is unparalleled. In his new role, Pals will direct the team in pricing negotiations, overseeing all aspects of quality control, and establishing new supply partners.
“I am confident that Pals will provide the leadership and direction needed to ensure Polar is operating at the highest level of performance while minimizing supply chain risk,” says Vishal Lala, Managing Partner at Polar Racking. “Pals has a solid understanding of the market and has a remarkable ability to drive a competitive edge with planning and negotiations with our global suppliers.
Pals is taking on the role of Director of Supply Chain and Global Manufacturing after nine years as Supply Chain Director. In his previous role, he spearheaded the company’s product operations across Ontario, introducing various new products to the solar market such as the PRR and the PRB.
“I’m thrilled to take on this opportunity,” says Pals. “Polar has had a remarkable year with the launch of several successful products as well as the acquisition of new clients. We have a very exciting growth plans for 2022, and I look forward to working with the team, partners and all our clients going forward.”
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Janet Janzen at (416) 860-6722 x. 131 or email media@polarracking.com.[divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default”]About Polar Racking
Founded in 2009 with offices in Ontario, New York, Polar Racking is a North American leader in PV mounting with a strong market share, specializing in harsh climatic conditions, such as Canada, the Midwest & Northeast, United States and the Caribbean islands. With over 450 MW of PV mounting systems installed in North America and a pipeline of ~1,000 MW, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh. 
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Have you ever wanted a detailed summary of the pros and cons of fixed-tilt solar racking and solar trackers?In this article, we will highlight differences between fixed-tilt racking systems and solar trackers from all aspects including design, cost, and feasibility. How to determine which racking system works best for your site? Is there enough space to install the system? What are the ongoing maintenance requirements for each? Let’s dive right into the details beginning with the cost.Simply put, a single-axis tracker allows for more direct sunlight, producing more energy than a fixed-tilt rack. This makes the single-axis tracker more effective at absorbing energy as the system can track the sun’s movements throughout the day. Trackers increase the production of a site by roughly 15% to 25%, compared to fixed-tilt systems1. Multiple variables influence this measurement such as the amount of sun exposure, climate conditions, land costs, installation and maintenance fees, number of panels, etc. However, when comparing the two systems, the single-axis tracker is optimized to produce more energy, leading to a higher financial rate of return.While production increases with single-axis tracker systems can be significant, all the additional costs of installing and maintaining a tracker should also be considered. For example, we know that capital costs for fixed-tilt systems are generally lower than that of a solar tracker, but so is their overall performance. As a result, when combining both the fixed costs and variable costs into a single measurement, the LCOE for a single-axis tracking system, in many cases, will be lower than the fixed-tilt system.
As mentioned, the absolute cost for fixed-tilt racking systems tends to run lower than single-axis trackers. A 2020 price benchmark from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) listed the average price in U.S. dollars for the fixed-tilt utility-scale system at $0.94/WDC and the single-axis tracker at $1.01/WDC[1]. For a 7.5 MWDC sized system, that could mean a difference of $525,000 for the installed costs.
You might notice that there are fewer long-term operational costs for fixed-tilt racking systems because they have no moving parts of the tracker system and don’t require the associated electronics and drivetrain. Both types of systems require regular maintenance. This includes vegetation management, snow removal, and cleaning requirements[2]. Single-axis tracking systems, however, require additional specialized professional maintenance, which tends to drive the cost up.
The vegetation must be regularly trimmed for both kinds of systems as they may cause shading, or with single-axis trackers specifically, may interfere with their drivetrain. Vegetation maintenance includes mowing, trimming, and tree removal, and is calculated by cost per acre of the site area. In some cases, the cost can be ameliorated with the optimized design of the equipment and planting only low-growth vegetation. This would ensure that there is enough clearance between the panels for the mowing equipment to access. For snowy regions, snow removal needs to be added to the maintenance routine. Snow removal from the panels, the alleys, and access roads are also necessary for fixed-tilt racking but extremely critical for trackers, as this prevents the mechanical drive from becoming damaged from heavy snowbanks.Cleaning at regular intervals or conditioned-based may help to maintain the energy output of the PV array and may prevent localized hot-spot failures. There may be a fixed fee and then a per-unit area cost for labor and materials. On the downside, annual losses can range from 4.3% to 7.5% from soiling. However, in areas with heavy sources of dust, pollen, and or bird droppings, you may see the costs leaning towards the higher side.
Single-axis trackers require additional maintenance for the moving parts and the associated system to remain effective. These items include electrical, controls, rack and actuator, monitoring, and battery replacement. For example, frequent checks of the UPS backup power system must be completed to ensure the system is operational in the case there is a power outage. Snow depth censors and wind censors should also be checked to make sure they are in good functioning condition. Any malfunctioning on these parts could result in the solar tracker failing.Another variable to consider is how much land is being used. Single-axis trackers tend to take up more space because the rows are typically placed further apart to avoid shading. However, being spaced apart means more land area is being used up, thereby driving up land costs for developers. On average, fixed-tilt systems will require four to five acres per MW and a single-axis tracking system will use about four to seven acres per MW3.
The good news is that even with the additional maintenance and space for single-axis solar trackers, it’s likely you will need fewer panels to meet your solar power demands. So, you can maximize your energy production but might see higher installation and maintenance costs.As cities and states begin to adopt renewable energy as a measure to combat climate change, some solar projects will be developed on sites that aren’t considered ideal for installation. For example, these include sites with rolling hills or slopes, obstructions such as trees, or other challenging geotechnical conditions. In these scenarios, fixed-tilt mounting systems perform the best in varying topographies, as they can be installed on challenging slopes and rolling terrains.
Loose soil, rocks, buried organics, and other obstructions can all add to the complexity of installing a solar system’s foundation. For fixed-tilt systems, the foundation is easily optimized and well-suited for these complex geotechnical conditions, withstanding even the harshest weather conditions.While solar tracking systems can yield a higher return on energy production, their foundation design has to account for the additional loads. Single-axis trackers tend to succeed best where soil conditions and topographies are less challenging. Generally, terrain that is relatively flat is ideal for single-axis tracker systems. These considerations should be evaluated along with production modeling to ensure the best project outcome.Finally, one last item to consider is shading. When designing the solar project, panel spacing should be taken into consideration. With the single-axis tracker system, you will need sufficient space in between the solar arrays to prevent the panels from shading one another. This can slow down energy absorption. Furthermore, you need more square footage when planning to install a single-axis tracker site to achieve the same installed DC capacity that a fixed system would provide.In short, fixed-tilt systems, although they require less installation and maintenance fees, produce less energy over time. Alternatively, single-axis trackers are able to produce more energy but require higher maintenance and installation costs, and a larger area to install. When developing larger solar sites, it’s important to evaluate these factors thoroughly to ensure the suitability of the system to the site, as well as to assess which system makes the best return on investment.
Phone: 416-860-6722
Email: sales@polarracking.com
[1] https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/77324.pdf
[2] https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy19osti/73822.pdf
1 S.P.W. (2018, February 19). Fixed-tilt vs. tracker: Why a one-size-fits-all approach can limit solar production. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/02/fixed-tilt-vs-tracker-one-size-fits-approach-can-limit-solar-production/
2 Rowley, A. (2021, August 29). Fixed Racking vs. Tracker for Commercial Solar Projects. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://www.solarfeeds.com/mag/fixed-racking-vs-tracker-for-commercial-solar-projects/#What_Are_Solar_Trackers
3 S. (2012, November 28). Solar Balance-of-System: To Track or Not to Track, Part I. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/solar-balance-of-system-to-track-or-not-to-track-part-i[divider line_type=”No Line”][recent_posts style=”default” columns=”4″ title_labels=”true” category=”case-studies,contractors” order=”DESC” orderby=”date”]
How can you reduce construction costs for your large-scale solar project and increase profitability. There will always be unexpected issues during construction but there are few ways that you can mitigate the number and severity of those issues. We’ve collected those issues together from years of first-hand experience.
In this webinar on solar carports, we go beyond the fundamentals of configurations and optimizations to discuss key engineering decisions, installation process and services, and marketing and brand opportunities that reduce the cost and increase the value of the investment.
Building a ground-mount solar racking system in cold environments requires contending with the challenges of frost and snow. The harsh conditions introduce challenges for cold weather solar racking systems, such as foundations lifting out of the ground, that need to be considered at the design phase. When designing systems for cold weather climates, it is essential to treat foundations as an interconnected system, instead of as individual components. In this post, we will discuss the key design considerations for designing solar racking in Canada under cold weather conditions.
When we design projects for solar racking in Western Canada the key cold-weather considerations are related to the subsurface condition and the presence of water.
Frost uplift or frost heave caused by expansion of water in the pores of the soil is the main concern of designing cold weather solar racking. Not all cold climates present issues with frost uplift – it will only happen when building in frost-susceptible soils with water present. Even among sites with frost susceptible soils, there is a varying degree of severity.
Permafrost is a unique subsurface condition seen in colder northern climates, including Canada. As a result, engineers with expertise in extreme cold weather design of ground-mount solar racking in Canada are not common. The main challenge with permafrost is discontinuous permafrost, which is when the permafrost has unfrozen layers within it, allowing water to move between layers and cause instability.
In addition to concerns around cold weather conditions affecting solar panel racking in Canada, wiring and cables can also be affected. There is a risk of ice hanging from wires and snow pulling out wiring without the proper DC cable management. There should not be a reliance on zip ties or cable clips, as these are not robust enough to combat ice and snow long-term.
In harsher cold seasons construction crews are limited to shorter seasonal windows to complete installation. If installation needs to be pushed into months with dropping temperatures and heavier snowfall, there will be an increase in labor costs due to needing to clear the site of snow and labor requirements under cold weather. Trenching also cannot be done in the snow.
Many developers elect to delay any remaining installation until the spring, which then delays revenue from the project and may incur additional costs. Therefore, it is essential that the cold weather conditions are taken into consideration from the start so that any risks can be factored into the construction timeline.
There are two main types of solar racking systems that will work in cold weather environments with heavy snow: fixed-tilt and single-axis trackers. When considering using single-axis trackers the added generation needs to be weighed against the higher cost compared to fixed-tilt trackers. Generally, the more north you go, a fixed-tilt tracker is the most financially feasible choice.
In extremely cold temperatures, there is a high risk of issues rising with trackers given their safe mode settings to protect the panels and racking functionality. Safe modes are triggered when wind speed hits a certain point that could cause damage. There are also sensors that use algorithms to predict whether it is going to snow and upon hitting several thresholds the tracker will put itself in the vertical position to safeguard the system from snow.
In addition, the sensors and electronics monitoring the functioning of the single-axis trackers are vulnerable to failure in extremely cold temperatures.
In some cases, there can be competing safe modes triggered. For example, in the Prairies where there is both high wind and snow, winds could prompt the sensor to flatten the panels, thus causing more snow accumulation than would happen with a fixed-tilt system.
The Fort Chipewyan solar project is an example of a successfully designed and engineered solar project in the frost-susceptible region of Western Canada.
Fort Chipewyan, a remote community of 1,000 indigenous people in Northern Alberta, Polar Racking is providing the ground-mount solar racking system for what will soon be home to the largest off-grid solar and storage farm in both Alberta and Canada. Together with a 600 kilowatt (kW) solar project completed in 2019, the 2,200 kW project will help reduce reliance on the costly, polluting diesel fuel the community was using to power its homes and facilities.
These solar projects will supply over 25 percent of the community’s power.A successful commercial or utility-scale ground-mount solar project in cold environments begins with assessing the degree of risk frost, permafrost, snow accumulation, and high winds pose to the system. A system must be designed with these factors in mind to optimize long-term performance and minimize O&M costs.
Welcome to our webinar today about selecting resilient racking for the Caribbean. Today we’re going to talk about our company, the services we offer, foundation design, and a couple of highlights from the many projects we’ve worked on in the Caribbean.
Racking for solar parking, or parking lots filled with solar carport frames, could be mistaken for ground-mount solar racking simply elevated but solar parking canopy design has its own unique complexities, configurations, and safety considerations. Providing the highest quality solar parking canopy means designing a racking solution specifically for that application and will result in a system that more efficiently uses available space; offers higher flexibility in the field; requires less on-site time to install; and maximizes power generation.
Installing a commercial solar carport system is becoming increasingly common due to the advancements in racking technology that have driven down the cost of installation. Maximizing the benefits of solar parking lots starts with choosing the most appropriate and cost-effective solar carport mounting system. This blog post will walk through how to approach solar parking racking pre-design, selection and installation to help customers build an optimized commercial solar carport system.
When approaching solar parking canopy design, there are four main aspects to consider: height, site layout, tilt, water management, spacing and foundation.
The height of the leading edge of the frame depends on what vehicles or machinery will need to pass underneath, such as ambulances, delivery trucks, or school buses. If the solar parking lot needs to allow emergency vehicles to pass, the frame should provide a minimum of 13.5 feet to 14 feet of clearance. In other situations, a lower leading-edge height is sufficient and more cost effective.
Determining the ideal orientation and location of a solar carport mounting system accounts for any potential shading from trees or adjacent structures that could negatively impact production. The system also needs to be designed to consider the standard space of 27 feet between columns and whether there are custom requests for areas such as entry ways. Spacing also depends on soil content, snow loads, wind loads and other factors.
The solar parking shed is designed with a one-degree to seven-degree tilt. When the tilt exceeds seven degrees, there is a larger wind sail effect, requiring larger columns and heavier foundation to compensate. This additional material increases the cost and decreases coverage over the parking area.
Properly designed solar parking canopies also help manage snow and rain. Designers consider these questions: Where should water be pushed to to drain? Are gutters, leaders or some roofing system needed? Structures designed for solar parking should offer roofing substrates that are installed underneath the racking and rubber gaskets that go between the panels and help keep water from dripping through the panels.
The solar parking structure is comprised of two structures. The primary structure is attached to a foundation with anchors using an I-beam base design and arrives ready to be installed without needing to weld or drill on site. The secondary structure is the box channel or purlins above that support the solar modules.
The foundation of the solar carport frame is designed with the soil composition in mind. Typically, the I-beam type of foundation meets most needs, but spread footers can be used to offer more stability or helical foundations for both in-the- ground or above-ground column connection. When designing solar parking, it is most cost effective to maximize the amount solar modules and minimize the number of foundations used.
Solar parking frames are now fully customizable with various configurations to fit a customer’s site requirements and limitations.
A fully cantilevered design that is typical for row of parking spaces up against a building or the end of a solar parking lot.
A cantilevered design with three solar panels on each side, spanning the column beams, typically used for a North to South orientation. This is often the most cost-effective solution if the site allows for it.
This design is typically used when the columns are going East to West and like the T-shape have six solar panels in total. Given the Y-shape, any water will flow toward the center and the columns.
This is a unique design that is often used at school or office building sites where there needs to be coverage over a walkway. It also allows for additional solar modules to be added onto the frame for a total of eight panels.
This solar parking canopy design allows for varied column spacing with 27 feet between the bases on the shorter side and up to 100 feet on the longer side. This design is ideal for parking decks or parking garages where a limited number of columns is ideal for maneuverability.
As we’ve detailed above, designing a solar parking structure is vastly different than a ground-mount system and installation is no different. Unlike ground-mount or roof-top solar, solar parking lots are being used by the general public and thus installation typically needs to be streamlined, flexible and fast. Solar carport racking designs with minimal components, higher tolerances and pre-punched holes allow for quicker and more flexible installation.
For more information check out our webinar on solar carports.
In a devastating hurricane that hit the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2017, a 4MW solar project that powered several local communities was destroyed and uprooted from the ground.
Polar Racking won the contract to supply the new solar foundation and racking systems for a couple of reasons. First, our knowledge and experience we’ve gained from the harsh weather in North America transfer well to designing for the extreme weather in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Second, we let the site do the talking and recommend foundations and racking that will perform well under those particular conditions.
In a nutshell, designing around extreme weather means you are taking into consideration the environmental factors that stress the ground-mount system. When planning solar ground-mount foundations for North America, we account for high wind, snow, rain loads, and uplift or heave factors that can be caused by extreme temperatures. For the Caribbean, the primary stresses on the system include hurricane-force wind, impacts from debris, and material degradation from saltwater.
To determine the ideal foundation and racking system for this site and project, Polar Racking collaborated with the leading experts in North American and the Caribbean, PRI Engineering, AltaPro, and Williams Solar, for solar ground-mount design and solutions. Since it was a reconstruction, we had the advantage of reviewing the failure points of the previous system. In brief, some high impact failure modes include racking design for high wind, foundation post overturning, and small components. For more information on extreme storm conditions and solar systems, we recommend reading the thorough report written by the Rocky Mountain Institute. All of which we can solve by ensuring that our entire system from foundations up will perform in the site-specific conditions.
After extensive research, we decided to use ground screws as the pile type and are on-site with the Field Technicians from PRI Engineering to ensure a smooth installation.
One principle of solar system design we follow here at Polar Racking is that the site and ground will tell us what type of foundation/pile that best suits the conditions. For that reason, we have standardized our solar racking to fit with all foundation types and rely on our geotechnical reports for recommendations and not what we find convenient.
At the site in the U.S. Virgin Islands, our geotechnical report recommended ground screws because of their ability to handle tension, stress, and loading from the environment. Due to its large size and the threaded portion of the ground screw, it can resist loading forces much better than other foundation types. In the original project, the contractor used driven piles, which could not handle the high wind loads.
Other common failure points come from an inadequate thickness of the steel used in the racking and the small component design. When designing the project layout, we strategically used thicker steel racking while still able to keep our costs down. In addition, we selected the clamping and wiring design to maximize performance while still keeping the installation straightforward on-site.
Only half the battle is in the design – the other half is QA and QC during installation. PRI Engineering was tasked with ensuring the contractors installed the solar mounting system according to the engineering specifications. Issues with solar project performance commonly occur when contractors improperly install the foundations and racking. Thus, it’s extremely important to have a watchful eye on all foundation installations especially in environments prone to extreme weather because small mistakes during construction can lead to major issues in the future.
Proper design of a large-scale ground-mount solar system will not only prevent future costs through heavy repair but also can increase the expected performance of the system. Because of our redesign, the overall output of the system will increase from 4.2 MW to 6.4 MWs.If you would like to learn more about the foundation and racking options we offer solar developers, contact us at info@polarracking.com or visit our home site.
BayWa r.e. Solar Systems Inc, a leading distributor of top-tier solar components, today announced it has become a distributor for Polar Racking Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of solar PV mounting systems.
Polar Racking’s PRU Ground Mounting System selected by BMR Energy as the best solution to withstand high wind loads
Polar Racking has been selected by BMR Energy as its foundation and mechanical installer to re-build the 6.4 megawatt Donoe Solar Farm in St. Thomas, USVI. Polar Racking’s scope includes the supply and installation of foundations and racking as well as foundation engineering, QA/QC, and on-site, and construction management services.
The U.S Virgin Islands utility-scale ground mount solar farm was originally built in 2014 and was one of several projects heavily damaged by Hurricane Irma and the subsequent Hurricane Maria in 2017. In the aftermath, the solar industry took the opportunity to review the impact of hurricanes and to improve the resiliency of ground-mount solar systems.
In a competitive bidding process, Polar Racking stood out because its PRU fixed-tilt racking system is engineered to handle the challenges posed by heavy loads from wind, high slopes, and a wide range of ground conditions.
David Perri, BMR’s Director of Engineering said, “As a long term owner and operator of its facilities, it was imperative for BMR to learn what contributed to the failures of the previous system and design the new facility with added resilience. Polar and BMR conducted an extensive site investigation and component testing program to support the design of the racking structures and foundations. BMR is confident that the new racking and module attachment system will withstand future weather events.”
Vishal Lala, Managing Director of Polar Racking, said, “We are very excited to work with a great company like BMR Energy and supply our product and services for the Donoe Solar Farm. As the solar industry learns from extreme weather events, it is important to design products that offer superior performance in locations with heavy environmental load conditions as seen in the Caribbean, Canada, and throughout the United States. Polar Racking is the right choice for long term project owners.”
Listen to our webinar on Ground Mount Solar for the Caribbean from March 18, 2021.
The site will start construction in Q2 2021 and is expected to be placed in service before the end of the year. Polar, accompanied by PRI Engineering, a geotechnical engineering consulting firm, visited the Island in October 2020 to conduct a detailed geotechnical investigation and foundation testing plan. Polar’s scope of work is expected to take three months to complete.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Janet Janzen at (416) 860-6722 x. 131 or email media@polarracking.com.[image_with_animation image_url=”2815″ animation=”None” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”]
Product Supply: Polar Racking PRU – Fixed Ground Mount & Driven round piles
Services: Construction Management, Foundation Design, Foundation Installation, Racking Assembly, Module Placement, Vegetation Control, Earthworks
Location: St. Thomas, USVI
Customer: BMR Energy (Virgin Group Company)
Size: 6.4 MW
Number of modules: 14,000
Polar Racking is a North American leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of PV mounting systems in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. The company has a diversified portfolio of tracker, ground mount, and carport products for the residential, commercial, and utility-scale markets. With over 360 MW of PV mounting systems installed in North America and a pipeline of ~1,000 MW, Polar Racking is focused on developing innovative racking solutions that enable our clients to build and own systems at the lowest installed cost per kWh.
The following webinar is designed to cover the fundamentals of solar carports. That includes configurations, space optimization, customizations, additional options, and engineering and installation services. Use the below table of contents to skip ahead to the section that answers your most pressing questions, or watch the video.
Nick Abdeldayem: Welcome everyone to the Carport Presentation from Polar Racking, Everything You Need to Know about Solar Carports.
Vishal Lala: My name is Vishal Lala, I’m the Managing Director at Polar Racking, and today, joining me, I have my two colleagues, Jonathan Mizrachi, who is the Sales Director for Polar Racking in the USA, and Nick Abdeldayem who is the Director of our Carport Products Division.
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Before we jump in and talk about solar carports, which is all the reason you’re here today, I did want to take a couple of minutes and tell you all a little bit about Polar Racking, and our company, we’ve been around since 2009, this is our twelfth year in business. We were founded in Ontario, Canada. However, we have customers all over the USA as well as the Caribbean. We sell rooftop, ground mount, and carport racking services along with foundations.
We have a full team of mechanical, structural, and geotechnical engineers in-house to handle any of your project needs, and we’ve supplied over 360 megawatts worth of solar mounting systems, as I said, all over North America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, with a pretty big pipeline of projects coming up for the next few years.
Just to tell you a little bit about our products, here at Polar Racking, we have a very wide variety of product offerings, starting with the PRG which is our ballasted flat roof mounting system. We were founded as a ballasted flat roof mounting manufacturer back in 2009, and it’s a space that we’re very comfortable in. Our PRG system is a fully interconnected grid system, which means that we take advantage of a lot of load sharing, which allows us to have a very low PSF on any roof.
All the components are self-spacing, and all the mounting is done in the green zones, or the module manufacturer approved zones, which makes us a very good choice for any large, or small, or large flat roof product. If there’s a type of roof, flat roof, that you have, chances are we’ve worked on it and we have a system somewhere close to you.
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PRR is our flush mount racking system. It is ideal for residential as well as commercial rooftops. Polar’s really done a lot of commercial rooftops with their flat, flush mount racking systems, we’re extremely competitively priced, and we work with all types of attachments, for any type of roof that you have, any shape of scene, or any residential type of roof, such as shingle roof, we can offer you a solution.
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PRU-D is our small ground mount solution, generally sold through distributors. So, if you have a distributor near you and you have small projects, it comes with a pre-stamped package for your state or your province for foundations as well as for racking.
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PRU is our utility-scale ground mount. Generally, anything over 500kW we supply through PRU. It’s a custom-designed solution for your site, so we’re able to optimize the amount of steel, the configuration, portrait or landscape, your desired tilt angle, and most importantly your type of, foundation, what your site requires.
As opposed to some of the other guys, we let the ground tell us what type of foundation you should use, and then we design our system to match your project requirements.
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We also make our own helicals in-house, we make our own ground screws, we supply-driven piles, and we offer many ballasted racking options or ballasted foundation options. Whether it is poured in place, pre-cast, Gabion baskets for stone ballasts, we have worked on all types of projects, and again, we’re happy to work with you on your projects.
We just recently completed some projects on some landfills, so definitely come to us if you have, again, any type of foundation. We’re very open to working with you, and working with you to design the foundation, supply the foundation, supply the racking, and even install the racking if required.
And then lastly, our solar carports, which is the reason that you’re all here today, and we’ll run through the slides and we’ll tell you a lot more, a lot more about that. With that said, I’m going to turn the presentation over to Jonathan Mizrachi, who’s our Director of US Sales, to walk you through our carport offering.
Before I do that, actually, I just want to say that everyone’s mics are on mute right now. However, any questions that you have, we would like to answer them all, so please just jump into your chat, jump into your chat function here on the screen and type out all your questions, I promise you we will read them all at the end of the presentation and review them. And as you come up with questions even after this presentation, please send them over.
You can visit our website for our contact information. Our contact information will also be on the last page of this slide deck, and you will all be getting an email in the next couple of days with a link to this presentation so that you can review it at your leisure. So, feel free, again, to ask questions.
We’re very excited about solar carports, it is a newer product on the Polar line-up, but definitely, one that we’ve received the most interest in. So, with that, I will hand it over to Jonathan Mizrachi.
Jonathan Mizrachi: Thank you Vishal, thanks for the intro on Polar. I’m excited to be here today presenting our solar carports with this webinar. Like Vishal had mentioned, it’s an extremely hot product these days, we’re seeing more and more interest in carports. I think it’s really, because of that efficiency in the use of available space that we’re highlighting here today.
We get a lot of requests from customers that we may have already sold a product. Maybe it’s a ballasted rooftop or something like that, but you have still some capacity there for system size and it’s another opportunity for you to come back and sell some more solar to the customer and put their parking lot to use.
It’s also a great way to use some space in the parking lot to provide some coverage with a canopy to protect from weather conditions while people, go to and from their cars.
Some things that we’re going to highlight here today on the webinar are our products and features of these carports. Our carports are fully customizable. We offer many different types of parking solutions.
Obviously, not every parking lot is in a straight line, not all the parking spaces may be exactly aligned together, so there’s, quite a variety of different solutions that we have to offer, to make them fit your needs.
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Everything is done in-house. We have a whole team of structural, mechanical, foundation, engineering, and design services. When it comes down to your project needs, we do offer installation services, as far as the foundation and building of the racking system go as well.
We could offer as much and as little service as you want. Some folks do ask us for, a deeper dive into geotechnical investigation and engineering as well, which we could offer, but again, I think the main point is, tell us what you need, what services you’re looking for, whether you’re looking for us to help you with the installation of these carports, we’d be gladly happy to do it.
We don’t do any electrical installations, so, we’d leave you either at, with the full rack installed, ready to place modules, or we can place the modules for you as well, which would be a separate line item on your order.
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Last but not least, from ordering, our typical turnaround time is about eight to 10 weeks, so, there’s confirmation of engineering, where we do our final wrap-up on the engineering, make sure everything is to your liking, get those plans approved, and fully into production. And then, within those eight to 10 weeks, we’re out there with product and materials, starting, foundations and drilling.
We wanted to go over some key products and features, just to get us started, to give you some idea of what our systems can actually do. Again, Vishal touched on it a little bit, we do investigate the foundations, and it’s the backbone of the system.
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It’s the key feature that you need in order to set the right foundation, the right base. It’s really important to understand the soil, what’s there, is it a looser soil, rock, whatever it may be so that we could design the foundation to what is needed. Typically, we see a column I-beam type of foundation, but we have done spread footers. There are options for helicals in the ground – we would make that column connection also for the aboveground use.
Typical spacing from column-to-column, kind of like you see here in this photo, is 27 feet. So, typically we’ll design our systems beneath that 27-foot spacing from column-to-column. It does again depend on your soil content. Also depends upon size mix, snow loads, wind loads, things like that, that could add some variation.
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So again, your primary structure is attached to the foundations, with anchors, we use that I-beam base design. So, everything is ready to go when it comes to you on-site, there’s no on-site welding, no on-site drilling, nothing like that. And then, also what we call our secondary structure, so that’s going to be the box channel or purlins above.
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Everything is pre-punched, for your module spacing. We use a direct-bolt type of connection to the modules, so your purlins will fit exactly what is needed. You would take that module cut sheet that you’ll plan on using, and we actually pre-punch those holes in the factory. So, prior to coming to the site, everything is ready, everything is in place – there’s no figuring it out on-site, so to speak. Everything is where it’s supposed to be.
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Of course, our systems are corrosion resistant, typically our I-beams are hot-dip galvanized. We do have stainless steel hardware that goes along with the connections to the panels, and then we have some other variations that we could use. We’ll talk about that in a little bit, further into this presentation: where you need some higher galvanization or corrosion-resistant type of material. For example, if you’re along the coastline, where there’s a saltwater environment, we can increase that corrosion resistance. Everything also has integrated bonding, bonding wires, bonding washers, and wire management, so that everything is grounded.
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I’m going to talk to you a little bit about the different types of configurations we have in our arsenal here at Polar Racking. We wanted to show you a few different examples of configurations.
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First, we’re showing here an L-shape, a fully cantilevered design.
We see typically this where you have one row of parking spaces, maybe it’s up against the building, or up against the end of a parking lot. So that’s typically where we see this L-shaped design.
When we design our carports, we’re looking to add as many panels as possible, with fewer foundations. We’ll talk a little bit more about that later on when we discuss the key features. This fully cantilevered design does hold the modules in portrait. What you see here is a three, tall, in-portrait type of design, fully spaced out on one side. We could adjust the cantilever if needed – we do see that from time-to-time where we’ll make it almost a little bit more of a T-shaped structure.
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This is our T-shaped structure, and again you have a cantilever to both sides of the column, so you have three panels, on the Southside, three panels on the Northside, both spanning over those column beams. Typically, this is a North-South type of solution, that you would look at, where you want to tilt your modules towards the South, because we’re on the Northern Hemisphere of course, and again, you’re going to hold six panels in portrait on this type of design. This is also the most cost-effective design that we see when looking at the structures.
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Our Y-shaped design is very typical when we have the columns going from north to south and you’re facing modules obviously, east to west. So, with this type of design, we want to keep in mind that we do have six panels, three on either side of the columns. With water-retention, water runoff, you’re going to see everything flow towards the center, towards the columns.
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So, this is our P-shaped design, an interesting design. We get this in a lot of schools or office buildings, places like that, where you might want a walkway path, and some coverage over the walkway path. Then we would offer this type of design. It also allows us to have a few more modules up there. So, typically, what we’ll see is four panels on either side for a total of eight, which is the span. You’re going to have eight panels on two beams. Again, another unique design that we can offer when either you have a walkway or some sort of dirt or soil in between parking lot spaces like you see in that bottom-right hand picture.
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Long-span structures are unique in that we still keep to our bases of 27 feet from column-to-column on the shorter side, but on the longer side, we can span over 100 feet. We see these a lot on parking decks or parking garages where you want to limit the number of columns, but you want to have a max coverage type of feel. This is a really great structure where you’re limited on space and you want to get the most panels up there. A long span might be the best option for you.
You also want to note on this as well that you want to keep your tilt angle at a lower tilt angle. You only see maybe one, two, or three-degree tilts, depending on the size, because you don’t want to pitch it up on the top side – too far up.
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We get a lot of questions on design considerations, and this prompted this webinar here today. What do you look out for pre-design when offering a structure to a client?
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Typically, we design these structures with one to seven-degree tilt. And the reason for that is twofold. When you get above a seven-degree tilt, you have a larger wind sail, and you are going to need bigger columns, a heavier duty foundation, et cetera. So, it usually increases costs over a seven-degree tilt. You will also lose some coverage over the parking spot. We recommend that you keep your canopies from a one to seven-degree tilt.
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We also want to think about any water or snow management. Where are we pushing the water towards, do you want gutters, do you want leaders, do you need some roofing type system? That does come up as well.
We do offer roofing substrates that could go underneath the system. We have a rubber gasket, which would go in between the panels and help keep water from dripping through the panels.
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You also want to consider where you are placing these canopies in general. Is there a location where there are a lot of trees that may impact how we install or, obviously, sunlight to the canopies? Again, our spacing from column-to-column is typically 27 feet.
We do see variations. We had a project recently in Massachusetts where there were a few things happening. There were some handicap spots right alongside the building, and then there was an entranceway that they wanted us to skip over. We did span 27 feet in most of the column spacings, and then we came down to about 17 feet in some, and then 24 feet in some others. So, there was critical design work. We had to optimize to get the least number of columns, which reduces labor costs but also to have a very secure system.
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So, structure height is another one that comes into play. So, you want to know how tall you want the leading edge of your structure. Are you going to have a firefighter lane for ambulances, fire trucks, emergency vehicles that may pass underneath? Typically, if you have to have emergency vehicles pass underneath, you’re going to need about 13 ½ to 14 feet in the minimum clearance. If it’s a location where for whatever reasons you may not have that you may want to go with a lower leading-edge height off the surface.
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We spoke about options and customization briefly at the beginning of the presentation. We do have higher levels of galvanization if needed, depending on where you’re located. We often see this along the shoreline, where we have saltwater mist in the air. Increasing galvanization could offer an extra layer of protection.
Powder coating often comes about when you may be offering a solar system to a certain company. They have the branding colors that they might prefer. I have even heard about it from solar companies where they want to brand the system with their company colors. So, there are a lot of different options that we could offer with different powder coating colors. So just let us know what that may look like. It does, of course, add cost and another step in the manufacturing process.
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We did speak briefly about watertight structures and water management. Essentially, we could offer some roofing substrate to go underneath the panels if there is a corrugated roofing structure, and again, we could offer gutters and leaders. You want to consider as well where you want the water to flow in the parking lot. So, you don’t want to push water to a location where drainage is not in place there. So, you want to have these things in mind and consideration.]
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Snow guards do come into effect, especially more in the Northern regions. So, we can offer snow guards. It’s a typical ask in Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Maine. We are quite often asked about snow guards and how to engineer these solutions, which we could certainly help.
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Another frequently asked question is about integrated lighting underneath the canopies for places where there is going to be a lot of traffic at night. Also, EV charging stations, we could set up these parking structures to be integrated with EV charging and locations to have those places.
I think what we’re going to do is we’re going to open it up. I see there are a few questions coming in. We do have Vishal and Nick on the line here. So, let us go through some of these questions that we have here today.
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Vishal: Yes sir. So yes, thank you so much Jonathan for going through that. Appreciate that, and we tried to keep it succinct and to the point because we realize carports are very new to the industry for most people. Even though carports have been around for a long time, their popularity has really grown exponentially in the last couple of years. What we found and hopefully that information was very useful to you. As we get more and more into it, we’ll have more webinars about this topic and about other products as well.
I’ll run through the questions here and let us see. With the help of Jonathan, Nick, and Mike who is also in the room, we’ll answer as many questions as we can.
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Vishal: Just keep in mind to start. For Canadian companies, snow loads, and frost uplift is something that we have always had to consider. The system is really custom-designed to your location. So, whether you’re in Northern Alberta or in California, Texas, we take the loads for the given area, and we apply that to the design of the structures.
So absolutely, we can handle your heaviest snow loads, and that’s why if you look at our design versus some other that you might see, online, our design is much more robust. It’s much easier to assemble with fewer components because we’re oftentimes building in high snow, high frost areas, where you don’t necessarily want to be putting up extra bracing or extra components together.
Snow is something that we consider on a regular basis. We’re happy to look at your project and come up with a proposal to meet the loads of where you’re at, so.
Nick Abdeldayem: I just want to touch upon that, Vishal. Here we follow your local building codes and requirements per project. No two jobs are going to be the same. So, we’re going to work with our engineers and your engineers if you have a team, and we’re going to make sure that it accommodates all the snow loads, all the wind loads with the extra safety factors, as well. That goes along with the corrosion resistance per location as well.
So, we’re seeing a lot of questions about that, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all that you see out there. We are factory direct – everything is under one umbrella. So, you’re getting that customized carport that is installer friendly, customer-friendly, engineer-friendly, and it is literally a one-stop-shop. We’re not dealing with variously timed from different suppliers. It is a one-stop-shop when it comes to us.
Jonathan: Just one other thing I wanted to mention there, as well, is that we use an I-beam-based solution. So, a lot of folks ask us how we are getting those longer spans from column-to-column, where we’re advertising 27 feet as a typical span. It’s because of our I-beams.
Some other competitors use a truss-based solution. Our structure is stronger than a truss-based solution, which allows us to span and would allow us, as well, to hold some of the heavier snow loads.
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Vishal: Back to our previous point, each one of these structures is custom. When you’re giving us your information, we’ll send you the carport intake form. What is the requirement that you need? And based on that, we’ll design the solutions to fit your project requirements. Typically, we see anywhere from 10 to 14 feet, but you need to tell us what your given requirement is.
Nick: To go along with that, this is your job, this is your project, so tell us what you want to see. For example, is it 10 feet or is it 12 feet? We’ll work with the local building requirements to make sure what you’re asking and what your wish lists are, does follow your local codes.
So, it starts just like Vishal mentioned, and it’s all on the intake form. Fill out what you would typically like to see, give us your wish list, and we’ll make sure that it is to code and aesthetically fits your project.
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Vishal: Yes. So generally, that’s the Y-structure, as we presented. I’ll let Nick talk more about that.
Nick: Sure. The structure is either going to be the Y-structure or the T-structure. Either one depends on the orientation of your project, or again, aesthetically, what you would like to see. This Y-structure typically runs on a center of any dividers that you may have, or just right along the centerline, bumper-to-bumper. We typically want a gutter right down the middle here, where it’ll funnel all the water that’s coming off both leading edges. We’ll also calculate the downspouts – how big the downspouts need to be, how big the gutters need to be, per code, and help with the runoff. This is a good bang for your buck, so to speak, when you’re designing your carport, the center-lying columns, like Jonathan mentioned earlier. Just like ground-mounts, we typically like to put on more modules with the least number of foundations.
The same goes for the T-structure. It also has the same concept. With that centerline, one column supports both leading edges – they’re well balanced, cantilever, the same, so we’re able to reduce some of the weight of the material on that. Again, the I-beams, they’re very structurally sound. Typically, as Jonathan mentioned, we span 27 feet.
In the picture, that’s three parking spots from column-to-column. We’re currently doing another project right now, where we’re actually spanning 33 feet. Every job is different. If there are any obstructions on the site, that will dictate how far we need to spend or would like to spend with you.
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Vishal: Again, it’s an entirely different solution. With rooftops, you have an existing structure, and you’re building on top of it. With this one, we’re building the structure, and then mounting purlins and then mounting modules.
There is a big difference between a traditional, going-to-an-existing-building-and-putting-solar-on-the-roof to a carport. On the flip side, there are other advantages, especially when the roof doesn’t have the capacity. It’s also much more visual. You could do, again, different types of marketing on a carport that you wouldn’t necessarily be able to do with a rooftop system.
There are lots of advantages of carport versus rooftop, but the pricing is very different. I hesitate to talk about pricing because again, every job is different, and every location is different. If you have a project in mind, reach out to Polar, reach out to Jonathan, get him the project information, and we will definitely get back to you with your proposal. You can see where we’re at, and how we go about engineering our project.
Nick: There’s something I want to mention to that. You mentioned a marketing tool; this is a huge marketing tool for all solar customers or solar-related companies. If you’re an EPC, if you’re, any type of installer, having this system on your parking lot is huge. People are going to drive by and people are going to see. If you can put your logo on it, any banners, any signage, and keep in mind to go past customers as well, that this is real estate they already own.
We’re not going out to secure any real estate, farmland, so on, so forth when it’s already there. So, might as well utilize the space that you have. It’s not like at extra cost to the client.
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Vishal: So, in summary, yes, absolutely. We are working on several projects right now where EV charging is being considered. The type of structure will vary based on your different project requirements, and we’ll work with you to incorporate your needs to allow the space to put the chargers and to put your battery. The short answer is yes, and then the long answer is let’s talk about some projects and we’ll come up with a proposal for you.
Again, with lower than seven-degree tilts, how are the snow loads? Again, that’s very project-specific and location-specific. Depending on where you are, at a certain temperature, whether you’re at 20 degrees, 30 degrees, or at seven degrees, the snow is not shedding, and in certain places, it is shedding. So again, let’s talk about your project, and then, we can definitely look at something together. The obvious answer is with less tilt the less shedding you have, but again, it depends on location.
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Frank asks, are their designs intended for 60 or 72 cell modules? Again, the short answer is yes.
Jonathan: I’m just going to jump in and say yes, typically we’re designing these projects with 72-cell panels. It brings up a great point. Now, we have a lot of different types of modules on the market with the half-cell cuts and, more boxy frames, and different things like that. Again, we’re, we’re going to speak to a more custom solution if needed, but yes, typically it’s 72-cell. We have seen some projects that go with 60-cell. I think 72-cell offers the most cost-effective option from a price per watt standpoint because we could span that length of the panel and portrait.
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Jonathan: I would say consult your tax advisor. Yes, it could be included within the system. We’re building the foundation and structure, which is the carport. If you’re considering the whole cost of these carports and everything’s coming from us, it depends on how you present this to your client. Or if you’re owning the project yourself or you’re taking our invoice from Polar Racking. Definitely consult your tax advisor.
But we’ve seen people that have and have not included water management systems with carports, and it really comes down to safety as well. So, if you look at it from that standpoint, I think it’s in your favor.
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Vishal: We can provide some renderings, we have in the past, and depending on the amount of detail you want to see we can discuss.
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Are you able to explain how this integrates and what the potential capabilities are?
Nick: Yes, we did a project not too long ago in Florida where they did have lighting like Jonathan touched on there and they wanted the whole nine yards.
They wanted water treatment, as far as a waterproof roof; they wanted gutters; they wanted downspouts. We did the lighting and then at the eleventh hour they wanted to do electric charging stations. We were able to talk to our structural engineers, that we have in-house, and accommodate mounting the brackets to the I-beam structure, the post. We did all the connections, and that project was a full turnkey, electrical and everything, mechanical install, and all the materials.
We ended up attaching everything, connecting everything in with the lighting, and the EV charging station. So, if there’s a certain brand you like to use if you’re doing the install, or we’re doing the install, that’s something we can work with.
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Nick: A lot of wire management is done naturally through those purlins, the channels, and box channels. They also have weed holes for water drainage, and a lot of people use just a standard zip tie, they attach there and kind of tuck the wires underneath.
We also have some clips that you could attach to the purlins to help with the wire management, but, everything’s uniform, clean-cut, and you can run your wires down. We’re also working on another project right now, where they’re trenching all the way up to the foundations, and they’re running the conduit into the foundation. That way everything’s clean, tucked away, running uniform with the columns as well. We’re more than happy to work with your electricians on site.
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Vishal: Actually, our carport product is manufactured in the US, so hopefully, that answers that question.
Is 8 to 10 weeks delivery valid for Ontario?
We’ve done smaller units, 20 to 50 kW. We like to have the minimum project size. First of all, our business is based in Toronto. Although we do a lot of business in the US, the Caribbean, and Mexico, we’ve done a lot of business all over Canada as well. The 8 to 10 weeks, yes, it does include delivery to Ontario.
Our minimum size is 100kW, however, if you have many smaller systems, we can look at putting a program together with you. Please feel free to reach out, and we can discuss.
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Our minimum project size is about 100kW. However, if you have a big portfolio of small projects, we would be interested in talking to you.
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Nick: On sandy soil? That was just, solar humor there – nobody likes that. But we’ve done it all. We’ve done anywhere from Florida to Massachusetts, New York. Some of the challenging ones are on top of parking garages but, we have a fantastic system for logistics, like cranes, such, and so forth.
Every project’s different. One of the most challenging ones I’ve done is on top of a parking garage, where there was a corkscrew parking garage, so limited space and in the city, actually in New York. It had its challenges, working with the locals and with the permitting office, just making sure we have everything lined up.
We got it done, eight stories high, 200kW, and it was a real challenge. We worked with great installers and the customers were great. They really complimented us on how everything fit, precise, all lined-up, measurements spot on, and so, that was the most challenging one.
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Would you offer to install services to Polar or direct your clients to find your own solutions?
Vishal: We sell this product all over North America, and we do work with local trades, directly with the Polar construction manager, to put these projects up depending on where it is. We would be definitely interested in getting your contact information and discussing this further with you.
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For example, a project with construction debris and old brick walls under an asphalt parking lot. Sonic tubes are not suitable for this and we’re running into major issues.
It’s interesting that you’re asking this question now; we’re working on this exact situation today, again in Queens, New York, on another site. So, generally, what we’re using on that site is a spread footer solution, which goes less deep and it is obviously not our go-to solution because it’s a little bit more expensive, but depending on what you have there, it could work.
I strongly suggest is you send us whatever Geotech information you have, any pictures you have of what’s there, and definitely get it into our team to be able to provide you with some possible solutions.
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We’re hesitant to say any pricing here but happy to talk to you afterward, it just varies so much from location to location, loads, heights, design, etc. We’ll come up with a proposal for your project.
Nick: We’re definitely in line with what you’re seeing out there in the carport industry, we’re very competitive.
Vishal: Yes, exactly. We’re very competitive for a higher quality solution. A lot of the other solutions out there basically take a ground-mount rack, elevate it, put modules on it, and call it a carport.
We haven’t done that at all. You’ll see just from the pictures in this presentation and online, that we’ve come up with a proper carport solution. It is able to handle heavy loads of wind and snow, and that works all over Canada, the coast, and the Caribbean, and basically everywhere. It is a proper design that looks great, and that assembles very well. I say that because a lot of the other solutions that I see out there are just an elevated ground mount and, in my opinion, that’s not the right way to build these.
Obviously, I’m extremely biased now but take that for what it is. If it is a visible project, for you, yourself, or for your customers, this is the type of solution that you’re going to want. You’re going to want to see and they’re going to want to see it in their parking lot.
The other advantage is the install, whether we’re doing it or you’re doing it – it goes together much better and simpler. There are a lot fewer components and it is a very robust carport solution.
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Nick: Yes, this is structural steel that we’re talking about. It’s not room channels and then calling them posts and putting them in the ground. This is structural steel. If you slap on walls and put windows and doors, this is an actual building. So, you are getting the quality, and so it’s bar none.
You can’t compare to others. And it’s something we’re very proud of. This is something that we are unveiling now, but it’s proven. We have over 35 MW of this same structural design in the ground today. So, it works. We’re looking for the repeat customers, repeat business, repeat projects. We’re not, one-and-done, we’re not, you’re not going to hear about the negative, you’re going to hear about when we can come and see one, where’s the closest project we could come and kick the tires on, and we’re going to walk one of these.
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Vishal: Definitely, we can do 14 ½ foot height. Send us your project requirements, we’ll work through the design, and provide you with a proposal.
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We’re a custom solution, so you need to tell us which module you’re working with and we will design a carport that will fit your module.
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The answer is absolutely. We’re a Canadian company, and we do a lot of projects in Alberta, rooftop ground mounts, and carports. We know for a fact that we’re very competitive in the Albertan market.
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Well, we’ll provide you with all the stamps and building design documents that you need for you to work with your local HJ to get whatever permits or approvals that you need to work with.
Jonathan: I could just add on that, we sometimes get asked, who do we recommend using as far as engineering goes, above and beyond what we could provide? We can definitely make recommendations there, and the same thing for the construction side of it. Sometimes, we get developers who just want to develop the project, and they want to have a turnkey project. “Hey look, you guys, do the electrical and full installation.”
We’re going to say, “Hey look, we’re not the final construction company, here, but we could certainly make recommendations to some really great construction companies throughout the US, wherever your project may be located, in order to fulfill that full installation, and they could partner with you on that aspect as well.
So, similar to what Nick said we’re here for relationships. And through those relationships, we do have a lot of connections that could put you in touch with the right people to help you get your project completed on time and at the right price point.
Nick: Yes, I just want to add on. If you are going to take that install in your own hands, don’t be intimidated. We talked about its numerous times. It is definitely user-friendly, and there’s no additional drilling, or fabricating, or welding on-site, and we do offer service for one of our engineers, or myself, to come out to your project and help supervise it for a few days, just making sure that you’re comfortable with it. It’s your first time looking at it, even though it’s easy, to help reduce the man-hours or woman-hours on-site to do the install. We’re there to help you, hold your hand, and then guide you through it. We want you to be successful in getting this project kicked off and put together correctly.
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Nick: Jonathan touched about it a little bit a while earlier. Everything is high-strength steel. When it comes to the primaries, we do a lot of the A325 galvanized structural bolts and washers, and nuts. We make sure that everything is matching to the building code. We are using hot-dip galvanized structural bolts as well.
Now mounting the modules to the purlins-the box channels, those are the ones to be typically standard stainless steel, serrated flange nuts, and bolts, with the grounding bond washer that we provide as well. That way, their modules attached directly to the purlins, with the bonding connection, so they’re grounded and that’s pretty much it. You’re not going to see, like others, boxes, and boxes or pails of hardware. Everything’s pretty simple.
Vishal: Exactly. Yes, and that’s exactly why we’ve gone with this design.
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Yes, we ship. All over the US, Canada, Mexico. We’re quoting good portfolio jobs in the Caribbean right now. We’re currently building lots of ground mounts and-and rooftops in the Caribbean, and with some existing customers. We’re quoting carports as well. Wo yes, we’re shipping all over.
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Reach out, we will work with you on the project and get the pricing out to you.
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The short answer is yes, in terms of, we will give you the loads for the loads that the carport will put on your deck. For sure, we can come out and give a scan of your, your parking deck as well, to make sure that we’re not, hitting anything that we shouldn’t be, within the parking deck, but we will look for you to give us the velocity or the structural drawings for the existing structure.
Nick: Yes, we’ve looked for them to provide the as-built of the existing structure and the engineer, the architect who did the structure. Good, no great point, it is one of our services. If your project progresses, we will come out and do the scan of the parking garage, making sure we’re not hitting any tension rods, or any structural rebar or anything like that, that is part of the original design. We’re making sure that when we design the structure for you, it is working for you, exactly what you’re looking for. But at the same time, we’re making sure that we’re not, hitting any unforeseen, voids in the concrete.
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Vishal: We actually have some pictures. What we’ll do is we’ll add that to our carport project gallery. Some of the pictures show carports with different colors on it, so it doesn’t necessarily have the logo. It’ll have the color of the building, or the university, it’s one of the ones that we do have.
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If are you planning on putting the carport on the roof? Again, probably makes more sense for us to have a conversation about what you require, and we’ll definitely get back to you.
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We say seven degrees, because that’s where we’re very cost-efficient but we can do 15 degrees, we can do a 30-degree system, it just ends up being more expensive. Your structure is beefier, and you’re covering less ground space. If you have a requirement for your project, feel free to share it. If you’re in Quebec, share the details with Mike, his contact information’s on the page right now, and let’s have a call and discuss.
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Jonathan: Yes, so the modules are installed with some sort of man-lift, a scissor lift, and with a direct bolt system. You’re going to be underneath the panel, underneath the carport, and direct bolting to the module with the pre-punched hole in that secondary purlin system. So, it’s a direct bolt, the guys would be on, some type of scissor lift up there, and then working overhead to make those connections.
Vishal: The next question is, how are the modules attached to the purlins? How competitive is Polar Racking versus Powers Super Purlins?
Jonathan: Oh, we knock the socks off of Powers. Come on. Not even a real question.
Vishal: Well, we’ll leave it at that. Again well, let’s connect afterward and look at your projects and let’s do something.
Jonathan: Send us your projects. We’d be happy to take a look, guys. I know there’s a lot of questions about pricing and things like that. Send us your projects. We’re very competitive in the marketplace and again Nick mentioned before to us about retaining accounts while offering quality. Pricing does come into play obviously and service.
Those are the main factors that we’re really keen on and focussed on. So, we want to talk, we want to understand your needs and help you get there.
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Vishal: Generally, we look for at least a 100 kW system or about. That’s where we provide the most value. And if you have a portfolio of smaller projects, we’d be happy to look at it.
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Vishal: Yes, the answer is yes. We’re doing that right now; we’re doing several proposals for some projects in the Caribbean. And there are 175, 180 miles per hour winds. The loads play into the size of the members that we use and the size of the foundation. But if you have a project and a heavy wind zone like that, we’re happy to look at it and provide you with a proposal.
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Will snow sitting on the modules melt fast and refreeze on the ground or the cars below?
Nick: Yes, so, typically most carports are carports. They’re not buildings, they’re not garages, they’re typically there to provide some kind of shading to try to get the cars out of the elements. But for those projects that are concerned about snow thawing out, whole icicles, stalactites, so to speak, coming down and possibly injuring pedestrians or cars, that’s when we start talking about having a corrugated roof membrane as well, or just rubber gaskets, and cutting, limiting or preventing all icicles from forming.
So great question, we’ve done those in Massachusetts where the electrical company wanted to do a solar carport and they wanted to use it for their trucks and their buses and such, and they didn’t want icicles to form. So, they used the rubber gasket formula, and we ended up designing it, did some gutters and some downspouts as well, and helped minimize any of the icicle build-up. It’s an option, it’s project-by-project, and helps design and engineer the best solution for your project.
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Nick: Yes, I’ll take that one. It’s again, it’s job-specific, so it depends on what lengths to accommodate, what panels we’re going to, you’re going to be using on your job. How far are we standing. So, they could be anywhere from 30 to 45 footers, so, depends on your project.
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Nick: Not quite sure. If you put a roof decking on the structure and we do have L-brackets and clips, and rails that attach to the top of the actual roof decking. That way it will have the space gap between there for airflow.
Absolutely, we could provide some cut sheets to show you exactly how they’re attached. So, just send over your request, and we’ll show you the cut sheets, so it’d be a purlins roof decking, and we have the L-foot and L-brackets that we attach, and the rails will go on that.
Vishal: Yes, exactly so we’ve done a couple of things. When you have a roof deck, we’ve built, rail system on top of the roof deck, and we can get gutters, and downspouts, et cetera, and if you want to do it a little more cost-efficiently, we- you do a direct bolt and then you can attach roof panels underneath.
It is a solution. The only-the only downside to that is, obviously, when you have to do any ONM or maintenance, you- you would have to remove the-that roof decking to-to access the panels. But, again, we’ll work with you and show you both-both options, and-and-and take it from there.
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Not with our structure, not that we’ve seen, because we are building a very robust structure here that’s supporting the modules. Trackers are the design. Philosophy is entirely different. It’s generally designed for when the loads get high – it’s going to snow, or it’s, one direction or another. I don’t think we’re going to have that issue. We can definitely discuss with you in more detail.
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No, we don’t have a presence in Europe today. However, we would love to, so if you have ideas let’s definitely discuss.
If anyone has any more questions you can feel free to add them in the comments. Our contact information is on the screen, please reach out. We’re happy to answer your questions, we’re happy to work with you through your projects, we are very excited about this product. And the feedback so far has been very great and so I’m very excited to get working with you guys on upcoming projects.
At Polar we take pride in providing courteous, efficient and quality service to our clients. Contact our support for any customer inquiries.
We recently hosted a roundtable with a panel of experts on solar construction in Western Canada. During the discussion, we covered everything from cold weather considerations during design to keeping your costs down during construction.
Our guests were two external experts, both with significant experience in the Canadian solar industry, Arash Yazdani, the Director of Engineering Services at PRI Engineering, and David DeBruin, the CFO at AltaPro.
Either watch the video or read the transcript below the video. You can skip ahead to the section that interests you the most.
What makes Western Canada such a great market for solar right now?
Access to Sun Hours
Deregulation verses Regulated Markets
Do you have any experience from some of the other markets in Saskatchewan or BC?
What makes building in Western Canada unique?
Solar Opportunities in Manitoba
Solar Opportunities in the Prairies
Topography and Solar in Saskatchewan
Solar in British Columbia
What is the impact of frost when building in Western Canada?
Permafrost Considerations for Solar Foundation Design
Frost Considerations on Solar Foundations Design
Tolerance Considerations in Solar Racking Systems
Designing for Solar in the Prairies
The Impact of Glacial Till Deposits on Solar Design
Underground Soil Deposits and Foundation Design
How does the choice in racking impact the overall EPC cost?
DC Cable Management
Frost
Geology
Tolerances
Fixed Material Costs and Labor
Racking Types
Single-Axis Tracker versus Fixed-Tilt
Climate Considerations for Racking Types
Evaluating Racking Types from a Financial Standpoint
Misconceptions on Production
Construction Consideration on Racking Types
Racking Types and Solar in the North
Impact of Cold Weather on Single-Axis Trackers
The Added Risk of Sensors and Electronics
Design Considerations for Racking TypesVishal: Hey, good afternoon everybody. Thank you very much for attending today on a Friday afternoon. Hopefully, we have an interesting discussion here and will give you some insight into building solar.
The topic today is building solar in Western Canada. A lot of what we are going to discuss will apply to projects you build anywhere. So once again, thank you very much for joining this webinar today.
The webinar is a little different than what we’ve done in the past. Our webinars have focused on a product. Specifically, we will be talking about building ground-mount solar in Western Canada and would like to have more of an open discussion.
To help me in this discussion today, I’ve invited a couple of gentlemen I know very well. They have built a lot of solar in Western Canada alongside Polar Racking. We have Arash Yazdani from PRI engineering. He is the Director of Engineering Services, and I will let him introduce himself and the PRI engineering company. We also have David Debruin, the CFO of AltaPro but very involved in all operations of AltaPro, especially on the solar side. With that, I will let Arash introduce himself and a little bit about PRI engineering.
Arash: First and foremost, thank you, Polar Racking, for getting this conversation together and inviting me to be a part of this, especially with the momentum we are seeing in Western Canada with renewable energy.
My name is Arash Yazdani. There are a lot of you who have never met me, but hopefully, we will be able to cross paths. I’m a geotechnical engineer who has been practicing in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean for over 10 years. I take care of the design and engineering of solar mounting systems.
PRI engineering consists of over 10 professionals. We have over five professional engineers, technologists, and there are over a hundred years of combined experience in the solar industry within PRI Engineering. We have over 1.5 gigawatts of experience in foundation design and structural design work. Our team is pretty diverse. Everyone plays an integral part in the grand scheme of things, and that’s part of our multidisciplinary approach to solar design, which starts and focuses on geotechnical engineering but extends to a lot of other types of engineering as well.
Vishal: Arash, I believe you’re out in Western Canada testing some sites.
Arash: Yes, we are actively working on some projects in Western Canada. Specifically, at the moment, we are trying to get as much information to fast track designs before the real Canadian winter sets in. It’s always a fun time of year in the geotechnical world, laying piles before Christmas. We have about four or five projects we’re trying to complete by the end of the year.
Vishal: How many megawatts are kilowatts are you working on right now before the end of the year.
Arash: Somewhere in the ballpark of about 250 to about 300 megawatts.
Vishal: I knew it was big, but I didn’t realize it was that big. More evidence that a lot is going on in Western Canada. David, I will turn it on to you. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and AltaPro?
David: Thanks for the introduction, Vishal, and the opportunity to be on the webinar today. For a brief introduction about AltaPro. We are an electrical design contractor by nature, and we have been in business for about 30 years. We have deep roots, and in the last five years, we have pivoted on the renewable energy side.
Like Vishal has said, I’m the CFO of the company with a very large role on the renewable side. I think it has been very helpful for clients on the financial side. You have to understand the financial workings to get it from an EPC level and to get value for the client. A little bit about myself, I am a master electrician. When we go through and design these systems, we look through it from a constructability standpoint to make sure these designs actually make sense. It’s important to make sure that these designs can be built to make sure the whole package fits together. I’m very strong in the technical side of engineering. AltraPro has a very wide base, and the renewable side is heating up the industry. It definitely has some good vibes right now, and it’s expanding rapidly.
Vishal: Thanks for that introduction. The one thing I know about you, you’re very deep in your projects, so I don’t want that CFO title to throw anyone off. If anyone knows how the nuts-and-bolts work and the financing works, you have a very good appreciation for that. Thank you for joining the webinar today and for contributing your experience.
So, I will tell you a little bit about Polar Racking. First of all, my name is Vishal Lala, Founder and Managing Partner of Polar Racking. We have been in business since 2009. Starting in Ontario, we’ve worked in almost all of the provinces now. And finally, we will have our first projects going up in the Northwest Territories. We do a lot of racking in the U.S., and the Caribbean as well. We offer solar mounting systems, including tracker, ground mount, and carport racking systems. We have a full team of mechanical structural engineers in house. Today, we have completed about 300 megawatts worth of projects, and we have a large pipeline of projects coming up.
The tailwinds for solar, as David said, are pretty favorable South of the border, especially today. Being a Canadian company, we’re always most excited about the Canadian projects. Another reason why it’s great to hear about all of the activity in Canada.
I’m going to take a couple of minutes to talk about our new product before we jump into the discussion. It is a custom-made solution for your project.
So, what does that mean? We can customize the foundation table type. We can customize our design for the layout of your site, which ultimately ends up saving you money in steel. Our design ultimately results in significant assembly and construction savings. We do have integrated bonding, and for some of our products, you can pre-populate as your building. We are UL-certified for Canada, which is the ULC, and we are currently going through the RTL certification as well. And we have the UL-203 certification as well in the U.S.
So just to pick up on some of the previous points, our product is very robust. So, what does that mean? A lot of other products that you will see in the market tend to go with much lighter main structural beams, and then they throw a lot of bracing on that to make up for that, which ultimately results in a lot of extra time on-site to put it together. When you’re going through the site and doing ongoing O&M, you feel the effect of having those extra parts and fasteners. Our product comes with a 20-year limited warranty as well.
The product uses galvanized steel construction. We generally use G90 here in Canada. We do a lot of work in the Caribbean as well, where we offer G210 and up to G235, sale and seal fasteners, and Magni-coated fasteners depending on where you are, integrated bonding. With our current wind sail study, we can go as low as 5 degrees and as high as 60 degrees. The rack is configurable.
So, another thing that makes the Polar solution a little bit different than our competitors is that we let you or PRI engineering or your project determine what foundation type you should be using. There are a lot of guys out there, who are the pile guys, the helical guys, or ground screw guys. We’ve done ground screws, helical piles, driven piles, and ballasted solutions. Just in Alberta, we’ve done all of those different types over the last few years. So, we try to make sure we are putting forth the best solution for your site. And the other point I’d like to bring up is that we do offer two-high in-portrait or three-high in-portrait, or four in-landscape or six in-landscape. That is something new that we’re offering this year because we just got a new wind sail study done. So, depending on your site conditions, we work with you to optimize the solution that makes the most sense. We mean in terms of constructability, production, and getting it in the ground.
This is just the last slide about Polar before we start our discussion. As I said, the focus today is big solar, which tends to be in the ground, but we do offer the following: flat roof ballasted and a flush mount system, or small ground mounts, that we sell through Frankensolar and EECOL Electric, the distributors in Canada, and the PRU, which is the focus of the discussion today.
This year we’ve started selling carports in the U.S. We’re getting the first new carports going on in Canada. We’ve taken a new approach to carports. If you go on our website and see some of our pictures, you’ll see the variety of our offerings. Again, a very robust product and very simple to assemble – please check it out.
So, that leads us into our main purpose, which is a discussion of building solar in Western Canada, and we will touch on a few different topics: building solar above the ground, building solar below the ground, tracking versus fixed. I would like to start by asking David:
David: I think it comes down to a couple of main things.
We have really good access to the sun here.
Number one, you have to have that, and here in Alberta, we have a wide range of sun hours that go across the province. In Alberta specifically, and in BC, there is a lot of difference in sun hours, but the majority of western Canada has great access to the resource. At the end of the day, it also has to make sense financially. But the number one driver is that we do have that resource, which is good.
You know another thing specifically in the Alberta market where I am situated, it comes down to the mix of the deregulated and regulated markets, and the financial benefit for the developer. The result is some unique financing structures coming in. At the end of the day, it is going to come down to the energy and commodity cost.
In Alberta specifically, there is a good market for developers to come in with a good solution, low-cost energy generation, and that’s why I think it is on such an upswing. The pricing and solar and energy generation has come down to the point where it is very competitive, and perhaps more than our traditional sources of energy. So, that’s why I see it as a huge and great market for solar in Western Canada.
Vishal: That’s great. We’re seeing so much development there. We’re being contacted by lots of local developers in Alberta. But we’re also starting to see people coming from Eastern Canada, but also European developers, and U.S. developers take an interest in projects in Western Canada. Specifically, Alberta, more than some of the other provinces, but Saskatchewan is on the radar as well from some developers out East.
David: Yes, Alberta is our primary focus, and we do look at Saskatchewan as well. To me, it’s the barrier of entry that’s creating this shift to renewables in Western Canada. If you have a regulatory bond, you play by their rules, and it makes it a little bit inhibitive for a developer to bring on a generation asset. So, Saskatchewan and BC are a little more stringent and more robust. Not to say it’s not a good area, but Alberta. If you can become an Alberta system operator with a great project solution to the grid problems, it’s fair game, it’s a fair market, and that’s why it’s so great here – you have the open market advantage.
There are very good sun hours in Saskatchewan as well. I’m sure many of us have seen that map that’s yellow and blue where the sun hours are. Saskatchewan, in terms of a province, definitely has a greater resource. But it comes down to being able to get these projects going. SaskPower is on your side to allow you to get into these kinds of projects, the same thing with BC.
Vishal: Right. I appreciate that. Now, I will turn this one over to Arash.
Arash: That’s a great question. Obviously, the opportunity in Western Canada is unique. As David summarized well, there are some significant challenges, but they can be worked through. Each province in Western Canada does provide its unique characteristics that force us to think about design a little differently when it comes to foundations and racking systems.
When we start in the East, in Manitoba, looking at it from a geotechnical standpoint, first and foremost, there is the Canadian Shield at the easternmost flank of Manitoba, which means a lot of hard rock and that can be challenging terrain and typography to navigate with racking systems.
But as you work your way west from the Canadian Shield, you come to Prairies, which is flat, and as David noted, where the large sun resource lies. There are a lot of opportunities there. Flatland is easier land to develop from a racking standpoint and a construction standpoint. The Prairies here seem to be a little less variable than what I am used to here in Southern Ontario from a geology standpoint.
As we work our way further west, Saskatchewan is pretty much fully prairie, very uniform. As we work our way into the Prairies, with there being fewer trees, obstructions, buildings, hills – that type of topographic features, there are higher wind speeds. With higher wind speeds, you have fewer concerns with snow accumulation, snow sweeping. At the same time, we’re in Canada, in the North, it’s not unlikely that you could get one meter of snow at any given time. One meter may seem a little extreme. I have seen, as I’m sure other Canadians in the conversation here, a meter of snow. Because of those heavy environmental loads, you need to have a robust, well-thought-out engineered system that is going to be capable of withstanding these harsh conditions over a 20-to-25-year period.
As you work your way west, the Southeast where there is a lot of action in Alberta, that is prairie. Once again, it goes back to the sun resources that David talked about. As we work our way closer to the mountains, to the Rockies, the terrain all of a sudden becomes closer to the Canadian Shield, and it’s a much tougher terrain to build on. Once again, that is why we are seeing the majority of the projects in the prairie, in the flat low-lying areas in Western Canada where the sun shines, no obstructions, and it’s easy to build on.
When you work your way to BC – BC is very unique in its environmental conditions and climatic conditions – you don’t have that much frost and that is something we haven’t talked about. Frost is a very large concern for foundation design in a northern environment, but in BC, the frost is not that deep. When you work your way north, frost picks up, and you have an increase in frost depth. More importantly, we can get huge snow loads. With snow loads, that might affect more of Vishal’s business on the racking side and less on the foundation side. But at the end of the day, the racking system Bears on the foundations, it’s all interconnected. That’s the big thing here. You have a lot of really harsh environmental conditions that need to be considered in the design. You can’t assume that one is more important than the other. Or one takes precedence over the other. they need to all be looked at holistically and in a uniform fashion.
Vishal: absolutely. For my next question, I’m going to swap the next two questions, and let you keep going a little bit, Arash, because I think it leads in probably very well.
I’ll preface this a little. I have been in the solar industry since 2009. We started as a rooftop company, but in those early days in Ontario, there were a lot of sites built in Ontario with engineers from California and Germany coming in designing the foundations as they have always done. we have seen a lot of those projects, frankly, come out of the ground. The program in Ontario is probably one of the richest programs ever. Even though these sites cost millions and millions to fix, people probably still made a little bit of money. The situation in Western Canada doesn’t necessarily allow for that or anywhere really allows for that. For us, it had a huge impact, those early mistakes that happened here.
And let’s talk obviously about Southern Alberta and what is being built. As I mentioned at the top, we are doing a project, it’s in Whitehorse, and people are talking about permafrost. What do you look at when you look at these projects?
Arash: Good question. Maybe we will start with permafrost. it is a very unique subsurface condition that you only see in certain parts of the world, Canada and Russia predominantly, and some of the Scandinavian nations. Not a lot of countries and not a lot of engineers out there have experience on that front. One of the challenges with permafrost is that there is something called discontinuous permafrost. There are layers in the ground that are frozen, but they have unfrozen layers within them, so water can move within those frozen layers of soil.
Frost uplift or frost heave is the main concern of frost. And ultimately, what that means is the expansion of water in the pores of the soil. So, if you have just cold temperatures and water or non-frost-susceptible soils, you are not as bad. When you have cold temperatures, which we always know we have in Canada, and you mix the availability of water and frost-susceptible soils, that’s when frost becomes a big concern. So, when we analyze projects, we are looking at all of these considerations. Once again, we are in Canada, where unfortunately it’s not going to become warmer anytime soon, and we will have to deal with frost.
When analyzing a site, we look at the site-specific conditions. It’s extremely important to assess the site from a frost susceptibility standpoint. Some sites will be more frost susceptible than others. Getting a good grasp on and understanding of frost will allow you to have a successfully built project in Western Canada.
In a lot of cases, it also comes back to the racking system. Some racking systems will have a higher tolerance to movement than others. If you have a higher tolerance in your racking system to movement, you may be able to resist a little higher frost heave in the cold than others. This has to be considered when you are doing the design. We have worked with several different racking companies, and Polar is one of the ones we are more familiar with. One thing about the Polar system is that there is a lot of adjustability to account for that movement.
When I was talking earlier about the different regions in Canada and how the environmental conditions affect the design, we talked about the Prairies being a little more on the uniform side, especially when compared to what is back home for me, Southern Ontario. The soils are uniform, and therefore, it’s fair to assume the foundations will react similarly. What I mean by that is that we are okay with movement. If anyone tells you that the foundation isn’t going to move is unfortunately lying to you. Every foundation will move, even just one or two millimeters, it may be up to five or ten millimeters. But if we can assess this site properly and confirm that it is uniform, we are then able to confirm that if there is any frost heave or uplift, the system will act uniformly. When the system is acting uniformly on a racking system, you are not exposing that racking to additional stress. That means that those components are going to last longer, the modules are not going to get damaged, and ultimately, that is what we have to worry about when designing foundations for racking systems.
We need to make sure that we protect the developer’s investment in those modules. At the end of the day, those modules are what convert all that solar energy potential that David was talking about in the Prairies to energy, which is what the end return for these projects and is why they get built. So, when we look at frost, we are always considering how we can protect those modules when designing those foundations.
Vishal: I appreciate that. To pick up on some projects recently, we have been heavy into helical piles, but we are starting to see areas now where driven piles work as well.
Arash: We are seeing a lot of glacial till deposits. Anybody who has explored the Rockies in Alberta, the Columbian icefields, the most active ice field that is regularly visited by humans this whole area been affected by glaciation and if you could picture a kilometer of ice depressing soil, it makes it really dense and if we find those dense pockets of soil, we’re finding that driven piles work great.
We have to have a good understanding of the underground soil deposits at the site to understand how we can design around it. That’s why it’s important to not only do a detailed geotechnical investigation but also you need to understand what deposits can accommodate which foundation types best. That’s one of the reasons we have been successful working with Polar because, as Vishal said at the onset of this conversation, you have to let the ground do the talking.
There are a lot of designers out there. We were talking about Californians, they are used to non-glaciated soil deposits, and glaciated soil deposits are extremely unique. They do need to be looked at from a different lens as compared to soil deposits.
Vishal: absolutely. I’m going to turn the next question over to non-glaciated to David to start.
David: The big thing for me when I look at it is the labor portion. Don’t get me wrong, racking is definitely a large portion of the overall cost picture in the EPC price. Labor drives a lot of the bus here in the decisions. You can’t turn a blind eye to how the work goes together, and can it be pre-fabbed, and what the DC Cable Management looks like.
In Canada, we have a very unique climate with huge swings like Vishal and Arash were talking about. We have weather from very heavy snowfalls to frost conditions. This all adds up to potentially ice hanging from wires and how robust that racking system is. You don’t want to have a racking system that doesn’t incorporate some level of DC cable management with snow pulling out some wires or relying on zip ties or cable clips for absolutely everything. You need some beef there in the structure.
Talking about the frost and what makes it unique in Canada from a construction standpoint, we have a pretty small window of construction to get that labor portion in check. We have built projects in the dead of winter with some heavy snowfall, but obviously, it increases the labor component. If you’re moving around meters of snow to clear the site to work on it, as a developer, you are just going to wait until the spring. What makes it unique in Canada, your racking, and overall EPC costs, you have to get that right on the construction schedule. That comes into trenching as well. You are not going to be able to be trenching in the frost. You will have to wait until spring to understand the geology of the site, and the weather patterns that you are going to see there do play a role in your overall EPC costs.
Very often, developers from Europe come in and have a preconceived notion, this is the foundation that we have done here, and try and push this on this site. You can’t do that in Canada. You have to listen to the geology of the site and build off from there. Arash has spoken about that as well. It is paramount. You have to look at the site and let it and say what you are going to do for the foundation, or you will regret your decision from an EPC standpoint.
For us, it’s also the tolerances. Let’s say this thing blows together really quickly and it doesn’t have any tolerance, you are asking for problems. Because nothing is going to be perfect. You have undulations in the ground profile, and if your rack can’t accommodate some level of tolerance you are going to be dealing with a lot tighter tolerance for pile refusals. You will have to get that driven or helical pile just right to make sure that rack fits on there without having any negative effects. Tolerance is a big thing in the EPC cost that we look at.
One thing I like to focus on – it’s not always about the cost. From a financial perspective, when we look at these projects, overall, I would much rather have a fixed material cost than labor. In construction, it’s a huge risk. Labor is always the largest risk in all the projects that we look at and how we mitigate that. Whether it’s by design we optimize, or there are a lot of other methods. To me, labor is the biggest thing that racking can affect the overall EPC cost.
Vishal: Right, I appreciate that. Just to throw in a little plug for me, it’s these types of discussions that I have with guys like you, David, and Arash, that help us to develop the features or solutions that we need. This is great feedback and good for people that haven’t built a lot here.
When you talk about tolerances, I look at the picture in the background as an example. It’s a 3.3 megawatts site that you built in Calgary, and we supplied the racking and foundations for it, and Arash worked on the design. There was some fill that we weren’t made aware of beforehand and didn’t come up in our initial investigation. The tolerance came into play big time on that site.
David: Yes, like the picture shows, it looks well-presented and the racking aided with a lot of tolerance. It plays into shading long-term. Look at how much projects are going to lose on shading losses if the racking is all over the map and if you didn’t set it right. All of those things come from the fact long-term. You have to make sure you do it right the first time.
I also want to talk about how racking plays a large role in the EPC costs. It is the availability to adjust your design to two different module configurations on the table. I see a lot of times guys walk in and want this size of table. They just want to run with it, and they have a preconceived notion of it. You can’t approach optimizing a site with that mindset. It needs to be driven by the DC strings. You want to find out how many modules you are connecting and then optimize the rack to pair with that and complimented. You don’t want to do it backward. They want to make the shape of the site, then they want to cable it, and then all of a sudden, you have this labor component that I was talking about. Such as taking conductors from one end to share strings, and this might be getting into the technical portion of it, but I want to shed some light on it. As you configure your wiring to fit your racking, there are huge swings you can see in the EPC costs.
Having the right racking solution and partner to help you optimize the table sizes, foundation, and even foundation count plays a massive part in the cost.
Vishal: I appreciate that. So, the wiring, when we’re designing a system, often people will tell us the string size, or typically we will adjust the size to the string. We don’t always realize the huge impact that that has on us so, we appreciate you shedding light on that. Often, we are caught in our bubble.
One more topic that I want to talk about with you is single-axis tracker versus fixed-tilt. I’ll preface this by saying, currently, Polar doesn’t sell a single axis tracker. We only have a fixed-tilt solution. Part of that is because I haven’t been to a single axis tracker site where all the tables are facing in the same direction, so it makes me a little nervous.
We are learning a lot from what others have done wrong, and one day, it is quite possible that we will have one. But as it stands today, typically, as we are supplying products to some harsher environments, the fixed seems to work well. And for people that are considering owning these long-term assets, as you said and looking at the impasse, there is still a great market for a fixed-tilt system.
I’m interested in hearing your opinion about that and some of the different design considerations for people that would be considering single-axis tracker systems. I’ll open that up to you and I’ll let you, David, start.
David: This is an interesting topic, and a lot of opinions vary on this one. For me, I do think single-axis tracker has a place in solar in the world as we develop global energy creation. But in Canada, you need to carefully consider the options for the single-axis tracker. We have talked about the environment, the climate, and down South, we have very high winds, and we have very high snow up North. There is a lot to consider there.
A lot of these systems have been manufactured in areas, which are not accustomed to these weather conditions. I will preface this and say that it is not bad, but some of these manufacturers have not fully understood the climates in western Canada and made sure that the products match the area in which they are going to be installed.
From a financial standpoint, it comes down to the dollars and cents. As a developer or as someone providing the EPC costs to someone, it should come down to the financial feasibility. And there is a huge risk and reward to single-axis trackers. Yes, you do get some higher production numbers, and in some parts of Alberta, it works great. But in other parts, you should be cautious about it. You will probably miss out on a lot of snow load, snow days, and these systems can’t handle these large swings in weather; they end up going to safe mode. There is a lot to dive into in there.
The largest misconception that I see people think is that this large broad shoulder is going to produce 30% more energy. As you go more North in Western Canada, those gains diminish. Because if you look at the highest hours at noon, when your module is flat, way up North, the sun goes very low. If you don’t have that tilt on the single-axis tracker, you may have very broad shoulders, but there is a huge haircut on your peak generation that you otherwise wouldn’t be missing. This changes throughout Alberta from Southern Alberta to Northern Alberta. If you are up here in Northern Alberta, you probably should not be doing a single axis tracker due to the generation and the added costs.
On the construction end, we are going to build it for this cost, but you have to take everything into account every single-axis tracker and fix tilt has a set amount of O&M dollars you are going to spend on that thing for the full life cycle of the system. And with single-axis trackers, there is going to be an increase. You have moving parts, you have motors, you have added electronics and sensors.
Not to say that these things are bad, and I do think single-axis trackers are a great solution, but you need to look at the added generation that you’re going to get, and the dollar amount you’re going to see in each market and if that’s worth the risk. Because my personal standpoint is that if you are going more North than Red Deer, Alberta, I would choose fixed unless a developer wanted to do that. That’s my standpoint. I would be curious to see, Arash, what you’ve been seeing in the marketplace. We’ve been dealing with many developers of all sorts, and you see lots of different opinions. So now I will kick it over to you to hear what your opinion is on single-axis trackers.
Arash: I appreciate that, Dave. I was thinking that this might have been one of the topics that you and I had a bit of a differing opinion. And I’m happy to hear that you are singing a lot of the same tune and what I was thinking as Vishal was asking the question. I can’t agree with you more on the O&M side.
I don’t think that this has been thought out in a Northern environment. Fundamentally, I don’t like the idea of things that move in -30 or -40 degrees Celsius. That is just asking for trouble. Moving parts and cold temperatures don’t typically go hand-in-hand, so that is one concern.
Another thing I’ve seen on the single-axis tracker front that is a little bit troubling or concerning from a foundation design standpoint is that, for the most part, they are equipped with sensors and electronics. I don’t know about any of the audience, but I can tell you about my experience. I own a 2010 truck, and any of the issues that I have are typically electronic and sensor related. Electronics and sensors are prone to fail. And, when those sensors and electronics fail, you need to consider that in your design, and that’s not being considered at all.
A lot of these systems have sensors that if the wind speed goes over X kilometers or X miles per hour, the tracker puts itself in the safe zone and goes flat. And there are also sensors that use algorithms to predict whether it’s going to snow, and then, when you hit several checkboxes, the tracker will often put itself in the vertical position to safeguard it from snow.
For example, the Prairies have high wind and high snow. A lot of the time, when you have high winds, it sweeps the snow off, which doesn’t mean you are not going to get accumulation. So, what happens if your sensor goes flat from high winds and you are expecting a lot of snow. Well, a lot of members in the racking systems are going to fail.
When you are designing the foundation, and you are doing that electrical generation model, I don’t think that that double-factor is being considered. That is not to say everybody is doing this. I have seen quite a few racking companies where they have considered worst-case scenarios, and I have seen other single-axis tracker racking companies that are, to some degree, brushing it under the rug. That is something that needs to be looked at from a developer level. You need to be adamant that you are receiving the worst-case scenario. And if they’re not presented to you in a worst-case scenario, I want you to ask the series of questions that I just asked, and say what are you doing about this? What are you doing to make sure that when that sensor fails, it’s horizontal, we have a foot of snow coming, are all those beams in the racking system not going to buckle and fail?
That is something that needs to be looked at closely because, yes, there are a lot of benefits on the generation side, as David outlined. But you wipe out two to three weeks of production, and all of those benefits have gone out the window.
Vishal: I appreciate your perspective on that. To your point, I think that this market is going to evolve, and there is going to be a place for both solutions. But for now, we are standing by and watching and learning from others on what not to do. Both of you had interesting points on that end and viewed through two different lenses on that issue
We’ve provided a lot of food for thought today. If you do have questions, if you have topics from today’s discussion or projects you would like to discuss, we are available to answer your questions and work through your projects with you. Our contact information is here, and please feel free to reach out.
sales@polarracking.com
1-844-860-6722
Polar Racking installs over 250 kWdc in rooftop solar racking to a downtown New York apartment building.
Over six months have passed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and still, renewable energy is on the rise. This year alone, clean energy resources – of which a significant portion is solar – reached just over 25 percent of the United States’ electricity generation – an all-time high.
There are several things that become increasingly important as the use of solar energy becomes more widespread. First, the system’s photovoltaic cells – better known as PVs or modules – must be efficient. Second, the system mounting – better known as solar racking – must be rugged, durable, and long-lasting.
It’s no surprise why Polar Racking was asked by Premier Solar and SolAlliance to supply the solar racking for two new residential and commercial solar projects in the State of New York. One is located right downtown in New York City’s Manhattan borough, the other is located in Harrison, New York, a short distance from Westchester. Both will be subject to strong winds and cold winter temperatures. With decades of experience in designing solar racking and ballast design for cold climates, Polar Racking is the trusted source for developers looking to install a sturdy and long-lasting solar energy system.
We recently visited the project discussed in this article – check out the video!
New York has hot summers and cold winters, like much of the Northeast and Midwest United States. When your weather has a wide fluctuation in temperature like this, it’s important that the racking you choose for your new solar project can deal with extreme weather events and changes in climate. In doing so, you may be able to generate more electricity than in the summer months.
Despite the common myth that solar power is ideal only for summer months, PV panels actually produce the same amount of power in less typical seasons for solar, insofar as snow is removed, melted, or falls off the panels. With today’s technology and analysis, solar panels for cold climates are normally tilted to a certain degree so that even if a large snowstorm hits your property or business, it will quickly brush off from either the wind or gravity.
The solar project recently completed in Manhattan by Polar Racking lies on a residential apartment building and contributes power to the main grid. We made sure to use our 5-degree PRG product with 72 cell wind deflectors in order to ensure the project can withstand those nasty New York weather events well into the future.
In fact, when developing a new solar project, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t take the long-term future into account. Besides, these projects are meant to last more than 25 years.
The two projects mentioned in this article are located in New York State and use the PRG5 – 5 Degree 72 Cell Wind Deflector – which includes runners, recycled rubber substrates, and ballast trays. In combination, the projects are estimated to generate 280 kWdc annually.
If you or someone you know is interested in installing a solar project on a commercial or residential building and need racking, contact Polar Racking at sales@polarracking.com. Our head of sales Jonathan Mizrachi will personally contact you to schedule a free, custom-designed consultation.
Polar Racking is proud to have supplied a downtown Toronto municipal building with rooftop solar racking and mounting equipment.
At Polar Racking, we specialize in ground mount solar for unconventional areas of North America and can easily explain to you the general process of selecting and installing ground mount solar for residential use.
Read our story about building a solar energy project in Alberta to provide a remote community with solar energy and replace diesel fuel.
We are excited to announce that Canadian company, Polar Racking, has supplied PRU Ground Mount Racking for Phase 2 of the Fort Chipewyan Solar Farm, projected to be the largest solar farm in Canada once completed.
Polar Racking recently hosted a webinar with their distributor Frankensolar Americas on how to select the best, small, pre-engineered, fixed ground-mount racking system. They reviewed Polar Racking’s PRU-D, an ideal turn-key solution for anyone looking to install a solar energy system on their small residential or commercial property.
Over the last couple years, the demand for fixed ground-mount systems has increased. Part of the reason is because more people are realizing the financial benefits of installing a simple, easy-to-install solar system right in their backyard. These systems cause significantly less damage to property (as there is no rooftop penetration) and are very cost competitive. Polar Racking is able to keep their products at an affordable price because they made high-impact standardization decisions.
The more customization of your racking, the dramatically higher the prices. With that in mind, Polar Racking prioritized smart standardization when designing this ground-mount solar racking for small residential and commercial properties. As a result, the PRU-D product is both affordable and rugged. It has a 2 by 8 rack at 35 degrees – the ideal setting for over 99% of Canada, and most of the United States. Internal research by Polar Racking and Frankensolar also found that making the PRU-D seasonally adjustable had no significant effect on the production value and simply raises the costs of production, which in turn causes the price to increase.
Watch the full recording of the webinar below for free, or scroll down to read a short transcript of the Q&A at the end of the webinar. We address the most common questions from installers and distributors, so you can select the best, fixed ground-mount racking system for your needs.
Time (via YouTube video) – 48:19
All questions were asked live via the chat function in the online webinar. The transcript has been edited slightly to highlight these questions.
Danny Mueller: How would a concrete ballast work?
Vishal Lala: Okay so, that is a good question. We do have ballast hubs that we can provide to you. Now, the amount of ballast is very site specific, so it takes a bit of engineering time. You would provide us with the location and the configuration of the array or the site layout, and based on that we would specify the amount of ballast that you would need per foot and provide you with an engineered drawing to that effect. And, obviously, we have the ballast hubs in stock here that we would supply for you.
Danny Mueller: Is there a solution that we have currently for connecting the individual racks together?
Vishal Lala: Currently, no. You can build them side by side, but the beauty of the PRU-D rack is that it’s all designed for worst case scenarios so just making sure that you leave enough gap so that when it’s windy so that one rack or two panels are not going to hit each other. What do you think Keith?
Keith Roy: So normally with our PRU you have be between 8 to 2 inches. With this system, the advantage is that you can be anything more than 2 to 3 inches, to 30 feet. So especially when you’re doing your first couple systems, I suggest giving yourself a foot green tables that way if you have any transitions problems or things don’t go exactly as planned, you can have a smooth edge just with larger spacing between your tables. Again, the system can handle it, it‘s just an aesthetic issue that you’ll probably end up with better aesthetic if you give yourself a gap then if you put everything 2 inches apart.
Vishal Lala: What is the price of the 2 by 8 kit as presented today?
So, that is something you can contact Frankensolar about and they will be able to tell you their price list.
Danny Mueller: Yes absolutely, anyone that doesn’t have our price list feel free to reach out to sales@frankensolar.ca that comes to me and I will be very happy to share the price list with you and other questions of course too. My personal email is also danny.mueller@frankensolar.ca so you can also send stuff there, but sales is just a little bit easier.
Vishal Lala: Is this fixed rack fixed at 30 degrees?
It is fixed at 30 degrees, the engineering is all done at 30 degrees but you can go to 35 degrees, it is built into the system however at that point we would have to look at your loads and confirm, but ideally you’re building everything at 30 degrees.
Danny Mueller: Yeah we get that a lot, people asking for 35 to 40 degrees for the ground-mount and we’ve looked at the numbers in terms of extra production and there’s certainly some extra production there, but there’s also downsides that comes with it – there’s higher loads on the rack, then if we had to do custom everything the cost would go up drastically as well as the lead time would go up drastically. So we’ve standardized at around 30 degrees because It’s easy and very cost competitive.
Vishal Lala: Can you talk briefly about the 20-year warranty?
The PRU-D is generally for residential and small options so that’s why the warranty is for 10 years, but for the PRU – our larger system – the warranty is 20 years.
Vishal Lala: Driven pile option with five-inch pile or single post option?
The stock for the PRU-D is not set up for the single post option, it can be modified (I hate to say that out loud) but again we are customizing a product that should just be off the shelf. For PRU systems that are larger we can offer single post, dual post, ballasted screws, ground screws, helical piles – we have all of the options available to us.
Danny Mueller: What is the adjustability of the PRU-D?
I know there are some solutions out there that are seasonally adjustable and this is not, and the main reason is we’ve looked at those numbers as well as the extra production that you get from it, and it is not significant. Usually you’re looking at significant cost increases on all the seasonally adjustable racks, so we don’t offer a solution that is seasonally adjustable just because it generally doesn’t make financial sense. Also, what we’ve seen a lot in people who have seasonally adjustable racks is that they do it the first few years and then they just stop doing it.
Vishal Lala: What is the PRU-D made of?
It’s all G90 galvanized material with magni-coated fasteners.
Vishal Lala: Maximum wind speeds that the rack can handle?
That also is in your individual package per province, but 0.63 kpa is the wind pressure and it’s designed for 50 psf of snow. So, you can basically use this rack all over Ontario. In Alberta, there’s two small areas which again when you get your package you’ll see them on the map, it’s basically the Pincher creek area where the winds are exceptionally high, but again for 99% of the province, it works. So, again it’s a little bit different for each province, but it should work in 99% of Canada.
Vishal Lala: Can you provide cable trays and support for the inverters?
So generally, it really depends on the size of the inverter and the loads, but we can definitely take a look at that. Sometimes we build a little unit structure off the back of one of the legs to mount your inverter. If you’re talking about microinverter, you can attach it directly to one of the beams or a microinverter optimizer.
Vishal Lala: Can changes be made to adjust for higher wind speeds, such as 140 km an hour?
So, we would have to look at that on a site-by-site basis and let you know, but we’d be happy to do that.
We hope this short article helped you decide why a fixed, pre-engineered ground-mount solar racking system is the most cost-efficient and stress-free solar option on the market.
If you would like to learn more about Polar Racking and the products they sell, please visit polarracking.com or email info@polarracking.com.
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Deciding which type of flat roof racking product to go with can be time consuming and expensive. To help you out, we pulled out the most important sections from our webinar ‘Selecting the Best Flat Roof Racking Solution’ that we held with our distributor, Frankensolar.
‘- Selecting the best ballasted rooftop solution for your flat roof projects
– Why PRG is the most popular racking system for a flat roof
– How to get a free quote and a layout plan…
View full agenda
Polar Racking offers two types of solar ground mount systems to accommodate various sizes of projects. The perfect solar PV ground mount systems will vary depending on the need of the user and the type of project they want to install.
When considering installing solar on your property, choosing the correct solar mounting system is among the most critical decisions. After all, this is what will keep your system in place for the next 20+ years, and it must withstand the worst possible loads that Mother Nature throws its way. You’ll also want to evaluate the available space on your property to determine where your solar array should be located.
Below, we’ve answered the most frequently asked questions about solar mounting systems—plus provided insight into foundations, trackers, and agrivoltaics. This is your go-to guide for understanding what solution works best for your project.
Solar mounting systems are the structural supports that fix solar panels onto parking lots, farmland, or open ground. They keep solar modules in place and allow them to perform under heavy snow, wind, frost, or seismic loads.
Mounting systems are generally made from steel or aluminum and can take the form of foundations, ground-mounts, carports, agrivoltaics, or single-axis trackers. But not every system is right for every property.
Every installation begins with a foundation. Polar Racking provides engineered solar foundations designed to support racking and trackers in any soil conditions—whether driven piles, ground screws, helical piles, or concrete foundations. Choosing the right foundation ensures structural stability and long-term performance.
Standard Ground Mounts: Fixed-angle frames driven or screwed into the ground.
Often used on undeveloped land, ground mounts are versatile, durable, and easy to maintain.
For utility-scale projects, single-axis trackers increase energy production by rotating panels to follow the sun throughout the day. Polar Racking’s SOL-X tracker is engineered for reliability, fast installation, and compatibility with challenging terrain, maximizing ROI for large-scale developers.
Carport mounting systems are ideal for commercial or industrial parking lots, with either single- or double-row configurations that can also integrate EV charging stations.
These systems come in various shapes and layouts, offering flexibility for different site conditions. They can be constructed directly on the ground or even on top of existing buildings to maximize usable space.
Carports add the dual benefit of shading vehicles while producing power.
Agrivoltaic systems combine agriculture with solar energy production. Polar Racking designs agrivoltaic structures that allow for farming beneath and between solar modules. This dual land-use approach maximizes property value by enabling food production and renewable power generation simultaneously.
Polar offers:
Polar Racking specializes in high-quality, easy-to-assemble solutions across foundations, ground mounts, trackers, carports, and agrivoltaics. Our team helps you select the right system based on your property, goals, and budget—ensuring long-term durability and maximum energy yield.
Contact us today to learn more about our full suite of products and solutions. We can answer your questions and provide a free quote and initial layout plan.
info@polarracking.com
1-844-860-6722
Installing solar carports on parking lots can be a great alternative to solar or undeveloped land, especially when there are limitations to the latter.
A PRP solar carport mounting system is a solar canopy solution that is highly configurable, easy to assemble and cost effective. With single, double, and large span options, it is the industry’s most versatile solar carport solution. Solar carports are the latest trend in solar technology, and these benefits are what makes them so efficient.
PRP solar carport systems are the newest addition to Polar Racking’s list of products, so in this post we outline five major solar carport benefits. If you’re looking for a complete guide to solar carports, we recommend reading our webinar transcript: Everything You Need to Know about Solar Carports.
Because solar carports use a canopy system, they require little to no additional space and this is what makes them great alternatives to ground mount solar farms. They are installed on already existing parking lots, making them very efficient with the use of space. Since they are so versatile and are offered in various sizes, it is possible to install solar carport systems on retail, commercial, industrial, or residential lots.
Just like flat roof solar system and ground mount solar systems, solar carports minimize energy expenses, which result in significant savings for businesses or residential buildings. Solar carport systems lower energy bills, along with stabilizing income for businesses and residents. Depending on your local area, you can exchange the power that is generated through the solar carport system for credits on your monthly bills, or you can sell energy generated back to the grid for a higher price than what you’re paying for power.
Another great benefit is how easily customizable solar carport systems are, in terms of angle, shape, size, and color. The most important aspect of this, however, is how flexible installation can be; solar carport systems can be installed at angles that maximize the amount of exposure to sunlight. Solar carport systems are also able to adapt to fit the needs of a business; this can be through the amount of solar panels installed, how much space it takes up, the style of the system, and flexible color options to suit the company branding.
Additionally, solar carports can be integrated into home systems when installed on residential lots. There is also the option of integrating an EV (electric vehicle) charging port.
Solar carports are much easier to maintain than you would think in terms of service and any issues with weather. Maintaining a parking lot becomes easier when you install solar carports, because they can channel rain and snow away from the cars. It can also minimize the amount of ice on the lot, making it safer for navigating. If the solar panels ever need any kind of service, they are very easy to access and do not require much effort to uphold.
Solar carport system benefits businesses, along with residents, by reducing their carbon footprint. Consumers tend to favor companies that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, because not only do these systems benefit the environment, but they also benefit the community. Solar carports provide clean energy to the surrounding community, and they show consumers that businesses are responsible for the impact they make on the environment.
Polar Racking has a diversified portfolio of ground mount products for the residential, commercial and utility scale markets. Focused on continuous innovation, the company’s vision is to deliver the highest value to our clients at the lowest cost per kWh. Through our unique suite of engineering collaboration tools, technical services and installation support we deliver turnkey solutions that are modular, lighter and quicker to install.
Now that you know the benefits of installing a solar carport system, please feel free to contact us today to learn more about solar carport benefits and to receive a quote.
You can email us at info@polarracking.com OR call us at 1-844-860-6722.
Polar Racking Inc provides rooftop, ground mount and carport solar mounting solutions for residential, commercial and utility-scale markets. Our racking solutions are light, quick to assemble, and maximize available space.
We are now in our 11th year of business and have supplied racking to 400 MW of projects. Polar Racking continues to be the #1 rooftop racking supplier in Canada, in terms of MW and the number of installations. Polar Racking has also worked internationally, with many rooftop and ground-mount solar projects in the USA and the Caribbean.
Polar Racking is also thrilled to announce that we have obtained ETL certification (UL2703) for our ground mount and rooftop products!
Polar Racking has had a number of exciting accomplishments in recent years. Listed below are a few highlights:
• Supplier of over 100 MW of helical piles in Canada over the last 2 years
• Supplier of over 40 MW of ground screws in Canada and the USA in the last 2 years
• Added 3 distributors in North America (EECol, Frankensolar, Westburne)
• Over 500 MW of geotechnical investigation and foundation design for fixed-tilt and single-axis tracker sites
• New wind tunnel studies for ground mount and rooftop products by RWDI
• New solar carport product launched in Q4 2019
Polar Racking is continuously developing new solar mounting solutions, along with striving to provide the highest level of service to our customers.
We’re excited for what the upcoming year will bring us!
Polar Racking is proud to announce its sole source selection for a 10 MW school board portfolio. Racking is to be supplied across 113 schools by the end of 2016.
Offering the lightest, safest rack and easiest install Polar Racking is becoming the racking of choice for school boards.
With an average of 3 PSF at 10 degrees even for small arrays the PR2 can accommodate the lowest structural capacities. With only three components and one fastener the PR2 is the fastest install in the industry. The PR2 also provides complete enclosure preventing children from accessing wires and ballast stones.
This 10 MW portfolio combined with the 35 MW previously installed on school makes Polar Racking Inc. the North American choice for school boards, municipal buildings, universities and hospitals.
For product information: Click Here
Polar Racking has successfully completed its second installation in Nova Scotia. The Chocolate Lake Recreation Center’s bathroom facility holds the province’s first PRR Flush Mount Racking installation.
The main facility will feature a PR2 Flat Roof System coming in the first quarter of 2016. Solar Global Solutions is responsible for the design and construction of this system in partnership with Doctor Solar supplying the installation.
Halifax Regional Municipality launched the Solar City program in March of 2015, offering citizens solar energy options that can be financed through a solar collector account with the HRM. Homeowners can expect a Return on Investment (ROI) of approximately 5% on average over 25 years.
The Solar City program is committed to establishing 450 installations annually of varying solar technologies including solar hot water, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems.
Solar installations using Polar Racking help facilitate Nova Scotia’s strides in the solar industry versus traditional coal power plants and other fossil-fuel based electricity.
Polar Racking has successfully launched the PRU Utility Scale Ground Mount Racking System in partnership with OYA Renewables Inc., a global developer, integrator and financer of solar PV projects.
Polar Racking’s first PRU installation features a 408 kW ground mount site located in Windsor, Ontario. The 30-table array featured 300 PV panels, using 300 helical piles to support the double legged, clamped module mounting system.
Polar Racking facilitated all foundation and racking design, racking supply and installation for the site. The PRU system features a cost effective, highly configurable and easy to assemble design. Polar offers a pre-populated PV panel option to accelerate installation times.
The PRU’s patent pending penta-directional footbracket and semispherical hardware paves the way for the adjustability industry’s leading field assembly. The PRU offers superior strength and corrosion protection through the use of galvanized steel to accommodate environmental conditions.
Polar Racking provides a variety of foundation options ranging from driven to ballasted systems. This highly customizable system can withstand varying geologies, site conditions, slopes and module configurations.
Polar Racking is proud to announce its selection by Potentia Solar to supply PV mounting solutions for an additional 77 rooftops this year for the Toronto District School Board (“TDSB”).
All revenues from these installations will be directed to rooftop repairs and replacements across the school board. Polar Racking will install 15MW of PR2 Ballasted Flat Roof Systems across the TDSB.
Polar Racking has completed installations of PV mounting systems for a variety of school boards around the Province of Ontario including York, Waterloo and Simcoe regions.
The PR2 system’s superior point loading and load distribution (<4psf) has allowed the TDSB to install rooftop solar arrays despite weight or roof restrictions.
The three 100% Aluminum components are pre-assembled and allow for 30% faster installation times versus competing mounting solutions. Integrated bonding and wire management features ensure the safety of educators and students who will tour their roof top system as a part of their curriculum.
Polar Racking also designed safety side shields to fully enclose the photovoltaic system for additional security and safety. The PR2’s high loading capacity for both wind and snow loads allows the system to withstand the harshest winters over its 20 year operating period.
Polar Racking Inc. is proud to announce that our PRR Flush Mount Racking Solution has received UL 2703 and ULC/ORD C1703 certification. UL 2703 certification is specific to flat-plate photovoltaic modules to ensure safety-compliant installations internationally. ULC ORD C1703 certification applies to systems that are in accordance with CSA C22.1, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations as part of the Canadian Electrical Code.
Recognized as the premier set of standards for PV mounting systems, PRR’s UL 2703 certification further proves Polar Racking’s commitment to high quality engineering and manufacturing of solar mounting solutions.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an industry-recognized safe technology firm with expertise in standardizing safe work and living environments across the globe. UL 2703 certification guarantees that both racking and clamping components are listed as bonding paths to ensure that the system is securely grounded. Polar Racking is committed to excelling past the next generation of safety issues that that challenge the solar industry.
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Polar Racking has successfully launched the PRB Flat Roof Ballasted System by completing a 180 kW installation near London, ON. The foot based PRB is the most economical and functional system in its class.
This robust rack, with integrated bonding, accommodates all standard 60 and 72 cell framed modules.
The PRB features lightweight, preassembled components that require a single tool for quick installations. Polar Racking’s superior mounting solutions withstand the harshest of weather conditions.
The PRB’s use of aluminum and stainless steel components offers superior strength and corrosion protection against environmental conditions. The PV racking system is currently undergoing UL2703 testing for integrated bonding.
*Clients should consult their own tax counsel to validate timing and documentation for their specific project.
