It takes a great deal of worthwhile effort to be seen as an expert in a specific area of the market. Many mounting companies attempt to do this by capitalizing on aspects that are one or two steps adjacent to their systems. SnapNrack has become an education leader on wire management, hosting webinars and tradeshow presentations on something that can easily be integrated into the mounting system. Quick Mount PV is the go-to company for tile roof installation help, and its Tile Replacement Mount solves a common problem with time-consuming installs—grinding, cutting and replacing tiles.
Other mounting companies are getting involved with solar products and services offerings outside of the typical mounting system. Ground-mount manufacturer TerraSmart introduced an autonomous, wheeled robot to assist with surveying and drilling. The Autonomous Precision Survey Rover (APSR) can survey and drill 2-in. diameter holes to a maximum depth of 20 ft. SunLink’s push for convergence of energy and technology led to the development of its VERTEX monitoring platform. The SCADA platform enables mobile project controls, in an attempt to rein in O&M costs across project portfolios.
NEXTracker launched a full solar+storage system that brings everything together in one place. The NX Fusion Plus consists of NEXTracker’s solar tracker, a 20-kWh battery, a 30-kW storage-enabled inverter, solar panels and software. Exosun manufactured its own module-cleaning robot for use on large-scale tracking systems. The water-free, plug-and-play solution can clean up to 5 MW in eight hours.
Whether through education efforts or new products and services, many mounting companies are diversifying their offerings to stay relevant in a competitive market.