UniRac Teams with Industry Leaders for Google’s Solar Panel Installation Project
Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 10, 2007
Source: UniRac press release
http://www.unirac.com/unirac/news070918.html
UniRac is pleased to have been chosen by EI Solutions to play an integral role in the largest corporate solar installation in the U.S. to date, on Google’s solar panel installation at their Mountain View, CA campus. The milestone project was completed in May 2007, far earlier than initially projected. With 9,000 panels to rack and a variety of roof styles to contend with, UniRac performed custom engineering analysis of the structures to match the best products with each roof. A non-penetrating racking system was used for the standing-seam roofs which UniRac was readily able to accommodate.
According to Joe Benga, EVP of Projects at EI Solutions, “UniRac was chosen for this project because they have proven experience in the field and a breadth of product offering that enables them to meet the needs of any type of installation”. The South pitched roofs used the SolarMount/S-5 product line, while the North pitched roofs used a custom tilted SolarMount/S-5 solution with the panels installed at 0-degree pitch in order to maximize module density. Innovative tools to pre-space the S-5 and SolarMount rails helped speed installation, keeping labor costs to a minimum. Carport structures were fitted with the SunFrame racking product for optimal aesthetics and ease of installation.
UniRac’s unique design tools allowed Google to install even more solar panels on the roofs than anticipated. The completed installation yields 1.6 megawatts of power, or the equivalent of approximately 1,000 California homes. UniRac CEO Doug May adds “We are pleased that UniRac was chosen as the PV mounting supplier for this forward-looking project. This installation is another example of UniRac’s innovation providing industry-leading solutions for the solar market”.