Midsummer, Solarport partner on ground-mounted solar design

Midsummer Energy and Solarport have joined forces to integrate ground-mounted solar on the distributor’s Easy PV software platform. Through the partnership, installers will be able to use Easy PV to design and optimize ground-mounted solar arrays with the same functionality available to the rooftop segment.

The integration has been months in the making, according to John Norman, head of marketing at Midsummer, who told pv magazine the ground-mounted design tool represents a first for the UK market.

“There’s no ground-mounted software currently available that we’re aware of,” he said.

The software has been engineered for use in commercial and domestic settings, according to Midsummer, allowing users to design and simulate ground-mounted solar panel installations, and provide energy yield predictions for potential customers before they invest.

“The advantage is the speed and accuracy [with which] you can put things together and the flexibility built into that, too,” Norman said. “You can specify your own panels, you can specify your own inverters, [and] at the end of the process you’ve got all of your data sheets, all of your information that you can present to a customer. That ease of ordering your kit is what’s most important.”

The partnership will take advanatage of Solarport's experience in manufacturing solar PV mounting solutions. The company claims that its products can suit virtually all terrains, including slopes up to 45 degrees. Its product portfolio includes bespoke utility-scale systems, off-the-shelf modular mounting systems, and foundations, as well as mounting systems for battery energy storage systems and transformers.

“Combining the design capabilities of Easy PV with the quality and versatility of our modular system creates a unique offering for commercial and domestic ground mounts,” said Peter Bechervaise, Solarport's head of modular PV.