Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, recently announced the results of an independent time study performed by Industrial Timestudy Institute, showing that Solar FlexRack has achieved the highest labor cost savings to date in the industry for ground mount racking systems for utility-scale PV solar installations.
“Installation efficiencies and cost savings are fueling growth in the PV solar market for mounting systems, and we can now confirm that the FlexRack Series G3L breaks the ‘penny per watt’ barrier for installation labor costs,” says Tom Meola, Solar FlexRack CEO . “When we apply Industrial Timestudy Institute’s study results to a typical 1 MW site installation, with average labor costs, the cost per watt for post, tilt bracket and rack installation with modules actually comes down to less than one cent per watt.”
Solar FlexRack reduces on-site labor costs through a high level of preassembly in its factories, moving labor from the “field” into the factory where quality and costs can be controlled more effectively. The G3L is manufactured following proprietary manufacturing processes that are certified to the latest ISO 9001 standards. The vertical and horizontal rails of the all steel FlexRack Series G3L ground mount systems ship to the job site as one completely pre-assembled unit, reducing the amount of loose hardware and components, and can be unfolded and set up in a matter of minutes.
This New Jersey solar installation uses 104 Solar FlexRacks, holding almost 3,000 PV panels.
The FlexRack Series G3L offers flexible module mounting solutions, which also adds to labor efficiency. Depending on customer preference, modules can be secured with either a direct bolt attachment, with patented bonding clips, or with a combination of both methods on the same rack. The FlexRack Series G3L is compatible with any string size and provides an integrated wire management system.
“The Industrial Timestudy Institute time study results represent a significant opportunity for our EPC and installer partners,” says Steve Daniel, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Solar FlexRack. “Now they can be even more competitive and incorporate these important labor savings into their project cost analysis and not just compete on components alone. These labor savings will become even more critical for the entire industry with the anticipated increase in the cost of solar when the ITC tariffs step down to 10% in 2017. There will be a positive impact for all stakeholders across the board — from increased shareholder value to higher margins for EPCs and installers.”
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