Big modules, bigger ballast? – New safety considerations for the rooftop sector

If it wouldn’t be for ballasting, a mild storm could blow away rooftop PV installations easily. The exact amount of ballast has always been a point of contention between various wind tunnel experts and the mounting structure suppliers. To make matters more contentious, modules hit a growth spurt last year, and there is no clear regulatory guidance as to how this additional surface area should affect ballasting calculations.

In this pv magazine Webinar, together with our initiative partner Premium Mounting Technologies, PMT, we want to take a deep dive into the aerodynamics of rooftop installations. Joining us from the company is their founding CTO, Peter Grass.

We will look at the aerodynamics of bigger modules and discuss wind tunnel studies to determine the right ballast. We will show what installers and project developers can do to rest assured wind will not blow their installation off the roof with the next storm that is brewing. Also, we will talk about the implications of a lack of clear regulations in the form of codes and standards.

Finally, we will also look at PMT’s latest roof top mounting system designed for large form factor modules. According to its makers, they didn’t just tinker with the system’s girth but also had it wind tunnel tested for use with large modules, which had them overhaul the ballasting advice.

Join this webinar and learn more about wind effects on big modules, aerodynamic testing, structure codes, and how to ensure your next project is safe. The session will comprise a presentation part and an interactive Q&A session – providing attendees with the opportunity to put their questions to the speakers and become a part of the discussion.

pv magazine Webinar content: 

• New, bigger modules with different wind behavior
• Aerodynamic testing for rooftop solar installations
• Lack of standardized regulation
• Ensuring safety, even without codes
• Q&A

Questions can be submitted beforehand or during the webinar through a chat window. Marian Willuhn, editor at pv magazine, will be the host of this webinar.

Registration for this pv magazine Webinar is free of charge.