Since the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the U.S. solar market is poised to reach
30 percent of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. Along with a 10-year extension of the solar Investment Tax Credits (ITC), there are additional tax credits for qualifying solar projects, such as projects built with domestic products or in targeted economic geographic areas. These policies are expected to accelerate growth, triggering an avalanche of solar development throughout the United States.
According to a report by The Frontier Group and the Environmental America Research & Policy Center, “Rooftop Solar on the Rise,”1 rooftop solar is just beginning to scratch the surface of available rooftops in the U.S. The report states, “America could produce the equivalent of 45 percent of the electricity we currently use from rooftop solar, yet, in 2022, rooftop solar provided only 1.5 percent of America’s electricity.” Last year, of the total rooftop space available, only 3.5 percent of the available rooftop space was utilized for solar.
Why is this important for the metal roofing industry?
The metal roofing industry, in particular, is positioned to capitalize on the growth of solar as metal roofing provides an ideal platform for mounting rooftop solar and is the only roof type with a service life (in the range of 50 to 70 years) which actually exceeds the service life of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system (an average of
32.5 years and growing year over year).
Metal roofing is also the most sustainable roofing type and is conducive to lower solar installation costs, which is important to the buyer conscious of both environmental and economic energy efficiencies. Most alternative roofing types will expire long before the life of the PV system, leading to costly disassembly of the PV array, re-roofing, and re-assembly.
Mounting solar PV on metal roofing
Conventional rails have traditionally been the choice for attaching solar modules to all roof types. However, familiar concepts do not necessarily deliver the best outcomes, and the advantages of rail-less, direct-attach solar mounting to metal roofs are moving the industry norm in a new direction.
Reduces costs
Rail-less solutions leverage a metal roof’s existing construction allowing the standing seams of the roof to be utilized as inherent (and cost-free) “rails” for mounting solar PV via reliable mechanical attachments, thereby eliminating the need for a traditional
rail system.
Metal roofing is also the most sustainable roofing type and is conducive to lower solar installation costs, which is important to the buyer conscious of both environmental and economic energy efficiencies. Metal roofing is also the most sustainable roofing type and is conducive to lower solar installation costs, which is important to the buyer conscious of both environmental and economic energy efficiencies. So, the weight of mounting components is reduced by up to 85 percent and the cost of hard goods by up to 35 percent.
As every clamping point on a PV module attaches directly to the roof, rail-less racking results in 25 percent better load distribution across the roof and zero penetrations, which preserves both the integrity of the roof and the manufacturer’s warranty.
Simplifies logistics
Rail-less makes shipping, storage, and transport simple and much less expensive. Shipping long lengths of rail to a project site, storing, and transporting them up to a rooftop is costly and frequently a logistical nightmare.
Since rail-less solar mounting systems are 15 percent the weight and 90 percent less volume than rail-based solar racking, shipping costs can be 60 percent lower than rail-based systems, with fewer logistical hassles. With rail-less, off-site storage is seldom needed, and costly cranes and forklifts to move racking hardware to the site and up to the roof are often eliminated.
Eases installation
With fewer components than traditional systems, rail-less solutions make it simple and easy to get all the components into place, which is especially beneficial when working on a steep slope. Installers can easily mount around obstacles, removing the awkward field-cutting of rails. Plus, impromptu changes in module layout are easily accommodated when needed.
Labor savings
The key to labor savings (30 to 50 percent) is twofold: the elimination of time traditionally needed to measure, locate, and install rails, and the simplicity of rail-less attachment, which requires 65 to 75 percent fewer components to manage and install. Rail-less is designed so roof clamps can be quickly aligned and installed to modules “on-the-fly” without needing to measure or snap lines, using the module as a spacing jig to locate and install attachments.
Protects the investment
The value of metal roofing lies in its durability, often lasting up to 70 years. Therefore, any roofing attachment needs to ensure that this durability and long-life cycle remain intact. The low profile offered by a rail-less system provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance with its sleek visual appeal and safeguards the array’s performance and roof integrity.
Notes
1 For more information, visit publicinterestnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Rooftop-Solar-on-the-Rise-2024.pdf
Rob Haddock is the CEO and founder of S-5! Together with his sons, they co-invented the PVKIT rail-less direct-attach solar solution, providing a simple, secure method to “lay & play” PV modules with tested, engineered, cost-saving, attachment. For more, visit S-5.com.
