Energy Consultants Group provides information on Photovoltaic Mounting Hardware for renewable energy systems

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About Photovoltaic Mounting Hardware

Most mounting systems now have evolved to using simple non-corrosive extruded aluminum rails with all stainless steel hardware. They go together fast, securely, and unobtrusively. A great variety of flush, tilt-up, low-profile, high-profile, ground, roof, wall, RV, and pole-top mounts are available that can be configured to meet almost any need on almost any surface.
We offer an impressive stock of the most used Uni-Rac, Ironridge, Wattsun, Terrafarm, Pro-Solar, and Direct Power & Water products, with other options and product lines readily available including custom solutions. If you don't see what you need, or need help figuring out what you need, please give us a call or drop an email.

To Track, or Not To Track?

If you can make your PV modules face directly at the sun and follow it across the sky, both logic, and real-world experience say you'll harvest more energy. In summer, particularly in latitudes closer to the equator, when the sun is making a big high arc overhead, you can gain 30% to 35% more energy. Often, this is the only way to boost solar pump output, and it happens at the time of year when more water is usually most appreciated.
However, we are not generally fans of tracking mounts beyond the occasional water pump. With moving parts, there will inevitably be maintenance, particularly with the electrically-driven models. Experience has shown that you can practically depend on having to repair something every year. The heat-driven models are more dependable, but they can get blown off course by winds over 10 mph, and the wake up-roll over-face east move happens very slowly in cold weather. Finally, all tracking mounts have a cost problem. In the past ten years, PV modules have halved in cost, tracking mounts have not. They just don't make good economic sense anymore. You want more power and no maintenance? Just buy an extra module or two, put them on fixed mounts, and you'll never need to mess with them again.

Below are images of the various types of Mounts and what they commonly look like installed. Simply mouse over the image to find out more information about the mount.