Westinghouse Solar Inc., a designer and manufacturer of solar power systems, today announced the availability of very affordable mounting components for all solar panels with side grooves, including those from Trina, Yingli, Canadian Solar, ET Solar, Upsolar and Sharp.
Four years ago at Solar Power 2007, Westinghouse Solar introduced the first solar panel with a side mounting groove thereby substantially reducing installation costs. These "Andalay" panels, with integrated racking, wiring and grounding, quickly won industry acclaim. Since then, over $100 million worth of Andalay systems have been sold throughout the U.S. To improve reliability and provide these same low installation cost benefits to other "grooved" solar panels, Westinghouse Solar has released a line of Andalay Groove mounting components.
"Since 2001 we've been working to reduce costs for rooftop solar systems," said Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Westinghouse Solar. "Andalay Groove mounting components make all "grooved" solar panels easier and cheaper to install. Now, installers using Canadian Solar, Trina and Yingli panels with side mounting grooves can choose the mounting components that best meet their budget and reliability requirements. This new product will expand the market for our Andalay technology."
Andalay Groove mounting components have been designed with a positive locking mechanism that prevents twist out failures. Tested to over 5400 Pascals in both positive and negative load conditions, these components are engineered for rooftops in which high winds and snow loads are expected.
With fewer parts and no expensive tools required for installation, the low cost and simplicity of Andalay Groove components make them the ideal solution for residential rooftops. Andalay Groove mounting components are protected by several U.S. patents, as well as patents issued in Australia, Mexico, Korea and India.
