The Downfall of Solyndra

The downfall of Solyndra is a sad event for its employees, its investors, and the town of Fremont.  For the industry, though, it represents another, albeit painful, step in the evolution of the solar industry. Because it is a young industry, there is a multitude of variables which are shaping its development: PV material costs, natural disasters (Fukushima), man-made disasters (mercurial government trade and energy policy), the cost of traditional energy, and so on. It would do well to follow the lead of a number of industrial models when charting its course for the long term.  The two obvious ones are the construction industry and the energy industry. 

As a long time member of the roofing industry, I expected Solyndra’s demise to derive from the same source I see impacting the entire ballasted solar panel industry: ballasted systems are simply not a good idea from the perspective of anyone in the construction trades.  Roofs are not intended to have things left on them as an afterthought.  They can be heavy with inappropriate point loads, they impede adequate flow of water, they can cause depressions in the roof membrane resulting in ponding and eventual membrane deterioration – I could go on, but you get the picture. Roofs are not built to accommodate this stuff. If a ballasted system can result in problems down the road due to roof leaks, or becomes a major pain when re-roofing is called for (don’t forget that one – all roofs get repaired and replaced) the short term savings of the ballast purchase pale compared to remediation costs. So, at the end of the day, I believe that, apart from the other influences resulting in the early demise of Solyndra, the company was going to go the way I fully expect almost all ballasted systems to go. Remember the Hummer? Cool look and technology, but it had no place on America’s roads or in America’s economy.

With regards to the energy industry, consumers and businesses have only fleeting interest in the “wow” factor of new and cool energy sources. Ultimately, they want reliability, to minimize their energy costs, not think about where it is coming from, or about maintenance.  If solar costs too much or is too much hassle it simply can’t fly. But the “cost” problem is more nuanced than many in our industry acknowledge.  When a power plant is built anywhere, it is designed to generate power literally for generations, and can be expensive.  A focus on using cheap equipment or materials might save money in the short-term, but may end up costing the plant and its customers in the long run.  So when solar installers sell systems, they should think like builders; design and build it to last for generations.

Finally, it is absurd to think that the solar industry will or should ever be disassociated from government intervention, support and direction. Unfortunately Solyndra is going to be used as an example of government’s inability to choose winners and losers. The venture capital industry understands this kind of investment strategy very well. They know that some or most of the investments they make will fail, but they remain in business (and many make boatloads of money) because of the winners they choose.  And remember, there was a lot of venture capital invested with Solyndra.  Were the venture capital guys wrong, or was it part of the landscape?  With something as nationally important as energy production, the government cannot sit on the sidelines. They will make investment mistakes, but they will also choose winners. Consider the aerospace industry: without government support and cooperation (choosing winners) we would not have a Boeing—our biggest exporter and a massive employer.  There is not a single significant energy source used today which has not been subject to government involvement.  The idea that solar should be able to stand on its own absent any incentives, directives or regulation is sheer free-market naiveté. You have heard of the special treatment that the oil, coal, nuclear and hydro industries receive. To expect solar to be different is to place it at a completely unreasonable disadvantage.  Although it was the beneficiary of substantial government assistance, Solyndra failed. That failure is already being used as a political tool to discredit the current administration.  Our industry’s efforts in this area are fundamentally non-political in nature, and we need to make sure our politicians, while making political points, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Proper Mounting Methods for Rooftop Solar Key Topic of Conversation at Recent International Roofing Expo

At the recent International Roofing Expo, sponsored by National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), over 8,000 professionals filled the hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center to learn about new innovations and discuss issues important to the roofing industry. In the 200 square foot Silverback Solar booth with its back-lit purple gorilla logo, a crowd gathered. What caught their attention was the scale model of a commercial building in the center of the floor. On the roof of the model was a mock solar array showing how the Silverback Racking System can be effectively used to mount PV modules.

The solar array was attention grabbing because roofers are tuned in to the subject of roof mounted PV and the problems they present to the roofing industry. We learned many are alarmed at the vast number of installations taking place across the US, where proper roofing and future roof maintenance were not adequately considered. A common theme in the hundreds of conversations we had with people flowing through our booth was that the importance of access to the roof is being underestimated by the solar industry, and often ignored completely. Roofers are trying to get the message out to their customers that covering an entire roof with solar panels sitting right on the roof deck is asking for trouble and very expensive repairs and maintenance in the future.

Roofing companies are quickly coming up to speed in regards to rooftop photovoltaic installations. We met quite a few that already have solar installation divisions, and many more who are considering it. As the solar industry matures and the professional roofing community raises its collective voice, we are bound to see a much bigger role played by roofing companies and roofing consultants in setting standards and best practices for rooftop PV installations.

What the Three Little Pigs taught us about roof top PV

Since the early 1800's people have been telling the tale of the Three Little Pigs to illustrate the importance of building something right, with inherent strength, for ultimate safety and protection. The house of straw and the house of sticks couldn't stand up to the attack of the big bad wolf, but the strong house of bricks stood.

Another classic is the biblical parable of the two builders. The first man built his house carefully on a solid foundation of rock. When the floods and rain came, and the wind blew, the house stood. The second man built his house quickly without digging the foundation deep to solid rock. When the storms came, the house fell.

So what do we learn from these stories as it relates to rooftop PV systems? Build it strong, and understand the foundation. In the case of rooftop mounting systems, the foundation is the existing roof framing. And this is the first place people seem to blow it. In order to build a proper rooftop photovoltaic mounting system analogous to the brick house on a foundation of rock, the racking needs to be strong and firmly mounted to the structural members in the roof. But what we're seeing in the industry is a widespread lack of understanding in terms of roofing and building structures, leading to many rooftops getting the straw and stick house built on sand variety of PV systems. An example of this "straw house" method of putting solar on commercial rooftops is the very common ballasted systems. Ballasted PV systems are the most prevalent in the industry. Ironically, most people don't know that they are potentially harmful to the roof. In fact, the NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association) recently published "Guidelines for Roof-mounted Photovoltaic System Installations", in which they specifically state they do not recommend using ballasted PV systems. For more of my views about ballasted systems, please see The Roof Penetration Myth blog post.

"The NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association)....specifically state they do NOT recommend using ballasted PV systems"

As the commercial rooftop solar industry matures over the next few years, we will see the engineering community become a very big part of it. I know it is a challenge when there are no engineering dollars allocated on the front end (believe me, I know), but that is where we will also see certain companies mature and others fade away. Good companies will learn to work with the engineering community, develop internal tools for estimating, and learn to sell the customer on the benefits of paying for engineering up front when possible. Other companies (and there are a lot of them out there right now) will gloss over some very critical aspects of projects and get burned badly. Many will disappear like the house built on sand.

6 things ballasted PV racking vendors don't want you to know

Racking (mounting) systems for photovoltaic and solar thermal systems fall into two basic categories: ballasted and penetrating. Here is a brief explanation of each:

• Ballasted - The word ballast simply means "weight added for stability". The concept is that a mounting rack, usually some type of metal frame, is arranged on the rooftop and instead of fastening it to the roof structure, it is held down by weights. The ballast (commonly concrete blocks) need to be heavy enough to resist wind, snow and seismic forces.
• Penetrating - This term applies to any type of system where the waterproofing membrane of the roof system is penetrated to make the attachment to the structure. Wind, snow and seismic forces are resisted by the mechanical attachment to the building structure.

Here's what the guys selling ballasted systems don't want you to know:

1. When they say "non penetrating", they really mean "mostly non penetrating" or "sometimes non penetrating. Ballasted systems do require mechanical attachment to the structure to comply with code if they are located in a seismic zone.
   
2. Future roof repairs and maintenance will be outrageously expensive. It would be great if roofs never needed to be worked on, but the reality is that every roof needs some maintenance and, unfortunately, occasional repair work. Roof work is expensive enough with a wide open roof. Now imagine paying someone to remove thousands of pounds of cinder blocks and disassembling solar arrays just to figure out where a roof leak is originating. Elevated racking systems can be easily worked around to keep the roof clean and well maintained.
   
3. Future re-roofing? Forget about it. You can't replace the roofing with a ballasted PV system in place. Well, actually you can, but nobody would pay the price. The labor to remove and replace the system and all the ballast blocks would be prohibitive. With a properly installed elevated racking system, re-roofing is very feasible.
   
4. Roof penetrations are a good thing. Every roof has penetrations. Every skylight, air conditioner, plumbing vent, electrical conduit, fan unit, etc. is a roof penetration. The roof penetration just has to be done right. Roofers know how to do it. The reason for the bad feeling in the industry about roof penetrations is because of all the poorly installed (and leaking) penetrations installed by people with no roofing expertise. Don't be afraid of roof penetrations, just do them right.
   
5. Ballasted PV systems block water flow. Good drainage is critical for a healthy and long lasting roof. The way ballasted racking systems sit directly on the roof with the cinder blocks spread out to hold them down, water cannot flow in the direction and velocity intended in the original design. Dirt and debris will build up around the obstructions and accelerate the deterioration of the roof membrane.
   
6. Elevated PV racking systems give you higher power output per square foot of roof. Ballasted systems need unobstructed roof areas because they can't span over pipes, vents, skylights and other rooftop equipment the way a racking system can. This can radically limit the number of modules you can fit on a given roof. Also, being so close to the roof and at a low angle, the modules will build up more heat which lowers efficiency. Elevated racks allow air flow keeping the modules cooler.
   

Welcome

Welcome to Silverback Solar blog! My name is Ryan Bruce and I am the founder of Silverback Solar and RoofScreen Mfg. Inc. This is our first blog post, so I thought it would be appropriate to answer a few questions about who we are:

Who are we and where did we come from: Lately there are lots of companies popping up and jumping on the solar and renewable energies bandwagon. We have actually been around for about 7 years under the name RoofScreen Mfg. We have been perfecting the art of modular steel framing systems for commercial rooftops with watertight roof attachments, and have become a recognized leader in that area. Most of our business has been in the design of facade walls called equipment screens, or roof screens, for concealing unsightly rooftop equipment from view.

In the past few years, as the solar and renewable energies industry has really started to gain traction, we have been designing racking systems for photovoltaic and solar thermal systems using the same technology of strong steel components and watertight attachments.

Why the name Silverback, and why the gorilla?: For a while, we marketed our solar racking products under the name RoofScreen, but found that it was confusing to customers. Even though the products are virtually the same for a roof screen or a solar rack, the industries are completely different. We decided to create a unique identity for the solar racking product line, and chose the name Silverback. One day, while trying to come up with a name and logo for the product, I stumbled across a picture of a silverback gorilla and it reminded me of the day I took my kids to the San Francisco Zoo. They have a silverback gorilla exhibit where you can stand by a glass wall, with the gorillas literally 4 inches away from you on the other side. I was struck by the shear size and power of the animal. I didn't think about it at the time, but later when I saw the picture, while thinking about solar racking, it clicked. The way a silverback gorilla stands with its powerful arms and legs, and the sloping strong back, correlated perfectly with the message we want to portray; bigger, stronger, able to span longer distances. Even the fact that the special galvanized steel tubing we use is silver in color fits with the similarities. So Silverback Solar it is. Why did we choose purple? That's just a marketing thing. The solar industry is saturated with yellow, orange and green logos. We just wanted to stand out, and we like the color.

What are our objectives?: There are literally billions of square feet of unshaded rooftops available for the application of photovoltaics and solar thermal installations across the nation. The problem is that many of them have skylights, pipes, vents, air conditioners, and other equipment preventing ballasted or those other wimpy style racks from being used. Enter Silverback Solar. We can span over and past the clutter to make use of those rooftops to provide the highest module density per square foot. So our objectives are pretty simple:

• Design and manufacture bigger, stronger racking systems for commercial rooftops
• Make the roof attachments watertight
  
• Provide project specific structural engineering and shop drawings so you don't have to
• Stock the parts for quick delivery

So that's my introduction to our company. I hope you check back periodically to see what we're up to.

Ryan Bruce