Silverback Solar Deploys New Frame Design For 200KW Project

The North Carolina Custom Packaging project features two rooftop-mounted photovoltaic arrays. One is situated in a roof valley and the other at the building's ridge line. Click accompanying images to enlarge.

Silverback Solar recently designed a unique and cost-effective racking system for a problematic pre-engineered metal building where coupling maximized power generation with prudent engineering was the challenge. Pre-engineered metal buildings often have very little reserve capacity in the roof structure to support additional loads, so when racking frames for rooftop solar are being considered, they must be located over the main steel girders. In the case of the Custom Packaging project in Arden, NC, those girders were 25' apart. Despite that obstacle, Silverback Solar® was able to design, engineer and manufacture a rack system to meet that requirement while providing the client with Silverback’s typical full package of CAD, stamped shop drawings, calculation package and installation manual.

The location of the steel members created additional challenges. The roof was arranged in a manner that required two separate arrays – one built over a ridge and one built over a valley. Consequently, each array needed to work on two different roof pitches. In order to achieve maximum PV output within these constraints, the custom frame was designed to carry as many modules as possible on each. The result was a 200kW highly customized truss frame design for 8 high portrait arrays, spaced a remarkable 25 feet apart and able to handle the snow load of 15 psf and winds of 90 mph.

Steve Chiariello from Inman Solar in North Carolina looked into other racking systems before choosing Silverback Solar as the best solution for this project. The adaptability of the Silverback system to a wide range of roof conditions and the problem solving mindset of the company made it a great fit for Custom Packaging. The system is installer friendly and professionally designed. “It’s clearly very sturdy and we had a positive experience working with (Silverback) on it,” says Chiariello.

Although Silverback works to minimize roof penetrations, their clients have come to understand that when you work with Silverback, you are working with a firm that knows how to treat roofs with respect and to make penetrations that do not leak or create roofing warranty concerns. Silverback Solar, a subsidiary of RoofScreen Manufacturing, provides the solar industry with the best engineered and most robust commercial rooftop solar racking solutions on the market today. They pride themselves on the highest quality engineering and industry-leading customer support. The company has also recently launched its new ground mount product line incorporating the same level of professionalism and construction industry knowledge that has been the company’s hallmark for the past decade.

About Silverback Solar

Silverback Solar designs, manufactures and distributes engineered photovoltaic and solar thermal racking systems for commercial flat roof applications. Silverback Solar is owned by RoofScreen Mfg. Inc., leaders in the rooftop equipment screening industry. To learn more, visit www.silverbacksolar.com.