6 Types of Mounting Structures for Solar Panels and Their Usages
A mounting structure is the skeleton of your solar system. It securely holds the solar panels on various terrains such as on the top of a roof, parking lot, or water body. The efficiency of solar systems depends to a large extent on how the mounting structure is installed. For the best installation, you must know about the mounting structure for solar panels.
Here are the types of mounting structures you can install for your solar system.
1. Rooftop Mounting Structure
A rooftop mounting structure is installed on the roof of a building and it is the most common solar panel structure. The rooftop solar system installation can be for a home, business establishment, school, college, university etc. If you have free space available on your roof, you can easily install a rooftop solar panel structure to harness the power of solar electricity.
You can elevate the structure to keep using the space below it. It will free up the space underneath. The space underneath will be cooler than usual as the sunlight falls on the panels.
2. Tracking System Mounting Structure
A tracking system is a technology which tracks the sun’s trajectory. The productivity of a solar system is maximum when sunlight falls perpendicular to a solar panel. To increase efficiency, tracking systems are installed in a solar system. It keeps on fixing the angle at which the sunlight falls perpendicular to the solar panels.
A tracker can have either a single-axis or a dual-axis system. A single-axis system tracks the sun’s movement only in 1 direction, ie., vertically. On the other hand, a dual-axis system can track the sun’s movement in both north-south and east-west directions, ie., both vertically and horizontally.
3. Floating Mounting Structure
A floating mounting structure is built to harness the radiation incident on a water body. It can be installed in water bodies with still waters such as lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. The structure is anchored to dead weights to keep it floating.
A floating structure can be a good choice where there is a lack of free area on land and an abundance of free area on a water body. The cooling effect of water also increases a system’s efficiency. A floating solar module mounting structure is made of high-density polyethene (HDPE).
India’s largest floating mounting structure is in Ramagundam, Telangana. It has a capacity of 100 MW and has 4.5 lakh ‘Made in India’ solar PV modules.
4. Pole Mounted Structure
You can erect a pole on a concrete slab for installing your solar system. A pole-mounted structure is a viable alternative to a rooftop solar structure. You may be unable to install a mounting structure on your roof due to insufficient space.
Such structures are usually installed in large private properties, commercial establishments, and agricultural land. A tracking system can maximise the efficiency of the solar system.
5. Carport Mounting Structure
You can install a solar system on the top of a parking lot. A carport mounting structure can be installed at sports stadiums, airports, malls, etc. In an on grid solar system built with a carport mounting structure, solar electricity is sent to a DISCOM’s grid. It can potentially reduce the electricity bills of an establishment to zero. A carport solar system offer the cooling effect in the parking lot as the sunlight doesn’t directly fall on the roof.
6. Smartflower
A Smartflower is a new form of mourning structure in which panels are arranged like a flower. Though they are costly, they are highly efficient. All important components of a solar system are self-contained, making it very simple to install a solar system.
India has set a target of achieving 40 GW of rooftop solar installations by 2026. A solar system will reduce electricity bills for many households. Are you interested in installing a solar system? You can apply at Das Energie Private Limited to receive quotations for free.
Components of Solar Panel Mounting Structure
Here are the major components of a solar panel mounting structure:
Flashings
You have to install a flashing to prevent water and moisture from damaging your roof. During solar module mounting structure installation, a vendor will drill your roof. The resulting holes can lead to seepage of water. A flashing closes gaps and joints from which water can damage a roof.
Rails
Rails hold the solar panels on a mounting structure. They must be resistant to corrosion. Rails must be strong and sturdy to safely hold panels. The length and width of rails can vary according to the size and number of solar panels used.
Mounts
A solar installer uses mounts to fasten the rails to the mourning structure. It is bolted directly over a flashing.
Clamps
Solar clamps hold solar panels on the rails securely. It ensures the safety of the solar panels even in adverse weather conditions. Clamps at the end of solar modules are called end-clamps and the ones between each panel are called mid-clamps.
Screws
Screws are used to fasten the different components of the solar systems such as clamps and mounts. Choosing the right screws is important for the solidity and stability of a solar system.
You must compare quotations for installing your solar system. Our website is India’s 1st platform for comparing the quotations vendors offer for installing your solar system.
Cost of Solar Panel Mounting Structure
The cost of a mounting structure depends on the capacity of a solar system. Here’s how much you will have to pay for solar systems of different capacities:
Rooftop Solar Capacity | Mounting Structure Cost |
1 kW | Rs. 8,000-10,000 |
2 kW | Rs. 16,000-18,000 |
3 kW | Rs. 24,000-26,000 |
4 kW | Rs. 32,000-34,000 |
5 kW | Rs. 40,000-42,000 |
6 kW | Rs. 48,000-50,000 |
8 kW | Rs. 64,000-66,000 |
10 kW | Rs. 80,000-82,000 |
To get PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana subsidy, a DISCOM-empanelled vendor must install your solar system. Under the scheme, you can get a subsidy of up to Rs. 78,000.
You must compare quotations for installing your solar system. Our website is India’s 1st platform for comparing the quotations vendors offer for installing your solar system.
Factors to Consider Before Installing Mounting Structure
The following factors have to be considered for installing a rooftop mounting structure:
Shadow Area
The mounting structure has to be installed at a place where no shadow falls. A shadow can drastically decrease the output of a solar system. The shadow may be caused due to objects, trees, and houses in the path of the sunlight.
Number of Panels
Number of panels needed for the solar system depends on how much solar electricity you want to generate. The more the capacity of the solar system, the more panels you will need. For example, if you use mono-PERC panels of 550 W, you will need 2 such panels for a 1 kW system.
Area Required For Mounting Structure
According to the size of the panels, you must calculate the area required for installing the solar system. A mono-PERC panel typically has a length and width of 2.3 m and 1.2 m respectively. So the area of 1 such panel will be 2.76 sq. metres. Multiply this by the number of panels you will install to calculate the required area.
Angle of Solar Incidence
The angle at which solar radiation falls on a panel decides how efficiently solar electricity is generated. The electricity generation is maximum when the sunlight is perpendicular to the panels. On the other hand, the efficiency is lower when the sunlight falls obliquely on the panels.
You can only trust an expert to install your solar system. Our extensive network of DISCOM-empanelled vendors will give you the best quotations for installing the solar system. We thoroughly vet our vendors before onboarding, thus ensuring a premium solar installation experience for you.
If you want to install a solar system, you must decide which mounting structure for solar panels will be best. A mounting structure directly influences the efficiency and life expectancy of a solar system. A mounting structure must be strong and resistant to corrosion to support your solar system for 25-30 years.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Some major types of solar mounting structures are rooftop mounting structure, ground-mounted structure, pole-mounted structure, carport mounting structure and floating mounting structure.
The cost of a mounting structure depends on the capacity of the solar system. To get a rough idea, you can multiply the capacity of the solar system by Rs. 8 to estimate the cost of a mounting structure.
The important components of a solar mounting structure are flashings, rails, clamps, and mounts.
Some factors which you must consider are the area required for installing a solar system, shadow falling on the roof, the angle at which sunlight falls on the panels, and a number of panels required for the solar system.
A mounting structure should be made of metal or steel galvanised with corrosion-resistant elements like zinc.
A solar system should last for 25 to 30 years at least. So a mounting structure should last for that long as well.
In such a mounting structure, a tracking system follows the sun’s movement. This is done to maximise the productivity of the solar system.
It depends on the number of solar panels you install. Using the dimensions of a panel, you can calculate a panel’s area and multiply it by the number of panels used to calculate the area required for the mounting structure.
