Our Share to Reach Grid Parity –

Design and Optimization of PV Mounting Systems

Wolfgang Fritz, Ph.D. P.E. - Vice President
Innovative of Engineering
Competent Individual
innovative competent individual
Company History
1968 - Ludwig Schletter, Sr. lays the foundation for a family craftsman business

1998 - Ludwig Schletter, Jr. takes over the operational management of Schletter GmbH.

2001 - Distribution of mounting systems under the brand name “Schletter solar mounting systems”.

2005 - Distribution of products begins in Italy; first branch office outside Germany.

2007 - Ground-breaking ceremony for the new production location in Kirchdorf near Haag (230,000 sq.
ft. facility).

2007 - The step across the “big pond”; establishment of Schletter Inc. in Tucson, AZ.
Schletter, Inc. (US) - System Design and Manufacturing

Headquarters: Tucson, AZ
Founded: 2007 - as an independent subsidiary of Schletter GmbH
President/CEO: Martin Hausner
Employees: Over 1500 with Schletter in 8 countries
Capabilities: Engineering, design, manufacturing and distribution of solar
mounting systems for large scale PV-plants, commercial and
residential installations, and carports.
Certifications: ISO 9001-2008
Experience: Nearly 5.0 GW of installed PV mounting systems worldwide
Sales - 2009: Schletter total: 980 MW Schletter, Inc: 43 MW
Tucson production capacity: 900 MW per year
Expansion plans: East Coast (USA), South America, Australia
Other business sectors: Hardware distribution
Exclusive distributor of Gayk pole drivers

Tucson, Arizona
PV-Racking Today…
Why buy complete systems from a System-Partner?

- Warranty – 10-year warranty on all Schletter products

- Experienced design consultancy …

Design, manufacturing, and installation for more than 30,000 PV
systems (utility-scale, commercial, residential and custom
architectural applications) with more than 5.0 GW of installed power
worldwide

- Complete systems = end-to-end engineering

- Design drawings and calculations sealed and signed by

a Professional Engineer for all of North America
PV-Racking Today…

Structural Safety Cost Control Design/Sustainability

Material Parameters Material Use Material Selection

System Choice Production Methods Durability

Structural Design Logistics Recycling

Construction Details Installation Time Fasteners

Design Criteria and Goals

Logistics

• Component design to reduce material use

• High degree of pre-assembly
• Fast and easy installation
• Fast transfer to construction site

Construction

• Adjustment capabilities for uneven ground

• Cost optimization for entire system
• Cost effective integration of grounding
System Selection – Fixed Tilt vs. Tracking

Fixed Tilt

• Low maintenance (no moving parts)

• Lower upfront cost (60% less)
• Easy, fast and cost effective installation (70% less)
• Wind resistance (no down times because of storm)
• Exact prediction of power generation
• More attractive with increasing module efficiency and decreasing module price
Zentralstütze exzentrische Stütze mit Diagonalstrebe
Tracking

• Higher and hard to calculate maintenance (moving parts)

• High upfront cost
• Can only be installed in low wind regions
• No exact prediction of power generation possible
System Selection - Materials
Aluminum

- Low weight
- Easy installation
- Extrudability / unique features
- Value retention
- Variable cost

Steel

- Availability / familiar material

- Lower cost per lbs
- BUT: 3x weight of aluminum for similar shapes
- Corrosion protection needed
- Installation difficulties / high weight / unflexible
System Selection – Single- Post Systems / 2- Posts systems
Single-Post System

- Can follow the landscape / minimal grading

- Easy installation
- Easy alignment and squaring

Two-Post System

- Even surfaces necessary

- More effort to square and align the rack
- Can be the right solution on smaller systems
- Often need concrete foundations
System Selection – One Post Systems
Pile- Driven Foundation

• Extremely fast installation

• Applicable on 95% of terrains
• Minimum ground disturbance
• Easy rebuild after design life
• No preparation of ground necessary
• Cost effective pre-assembly

• Pull out tests and soil tests necessary

• Not useable in marshy or uniform soils
• Not useable on landfill sites or where ground penetration
is not possible
System Selection – Two Post Systems
• No soils report necessary?
System Selection – One Post Systems
Required geotechnical testing

• Vertical pull-out test

• Lateral load test
• Soil samples
• Soil investigation (bedrock, etc.)
• Corrosiveness of soil
System Selection – Two Post Systems
Applicable with:
Concrete foundations - All soils and terrains
Advantages:
- Easy and quick pricing possible
- Good load distribution on soils which can
only handle low loading
Not economically practical:
- With good and very cohesive soil
(clay, loess) or gravel-marl mixtures.
- Not a cost effective alternative
compared to ram-post foundations
Disadvantages:
- Site and ground must be leveled and
prepared
- Cost prohibitive in handling and
production
System, Design & Layout
Height of structure
X
Structure height < 8.5 feet
• Mounting without scaffolding
• No hoisting devices needed
• Easy maintenance
• Upper level for one-pole system
(economical)
Structure height > 8.5 feet
• Scaffolding
• Hoisting devices needed
• Installation costs increased

Ground Clearance Module

• sheep > 3.2 ft

• cutter bar mower > 2.6 ft
Optimization Potential – Profiles
Extrusion Profile Girder
Hollow Profile
t = 0.2 in
Solid Profile

3.94

3.2

2.4
2.76 2.2 1.5

A = 1.69 in2 A = 2.00 in2 A = 3.6 in2

Sy = 1.43 in3 Sy = 1.43 in3 Sy = 1.43 in3
g = 1.99 lbs/ft g = 2.34 lbs/ft g = 4.21 lbs/ft
Mass efficiency: 85 % 47 %
Conclusions: Choose large cross sections with thin walls
Limitations: Extrudability / Handling / Local Buckling
Optimization Potential – Pre-Assembly
Optimization – Clamping
Traditional bolted Click clamps

- Theft protection can be integrated easily

- Reduced mounting time by 70%
- High installation effort
- No torque requirement
- Many bolt connections
- Pre-assembled delivery / no lost parts
- Torque specifications have to be followed
Detailing
Optimization of Connection Details

•Material savings by avoiding

eccentricities
Reduction of Material Cost

•Less bolts required through

connections detailing
Installation Time

•Reduction of installation time

through innovative module
mounting
Thank you for your time and attention!

… for any PV application!