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Spanish startup releases plastic ballast mounting structure for rooftop PV

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Landatu Solar unveiled a new mounting structure for rooftops and flat surfaces this week at the Genera trade show in Madrid, Spain. The floating solar specialist is applying its technology to land-based solar with a two-piece high-density polyethylene ballast system that weighs less than 3 kg. The system features a fillable base and a cover.

“The base can be filled with water, gravel, or sand,” Landatu CEO Alfredo Solano told pv magazine.

The system has 56 liters of capacity and can reach a weight of up to 100 kg when filled with gravel or sand, he added. The Spanish startup claims the mounting system can withstand wind speeds of up to 162 km per hour.

The Landblock measures 465 mm x 1,235 mm x 480 mm and comes with plugs, metal fixing parts, and stainless-steel screws. The PV modules are fixed directly to the mounting structure using these extra parts, bypassing the need to perforate the rooftop. The modules can be placed on the mounting structure at a 15-degree angle.

Landatu claims that the plastic ballast system is up to 10 times lighter than concrete ballast mounting systems, facilitating installation and protecting the health of the installers. The purported benefit is that the installer can place the mounting system at the desired location, and only after filling it with water or another material. A single installer can purportedly complete a small installation alone, with a structure for six PV modules weighing in at around 21 kg.

The units can be stacked on top of each other, allowing for an ultra-compact compact system for transportation. More than 40 units fit in 1 square meter, according to Landatu. The new product comes with a 10-year warranty and costs from €0.05 ($0.053)/W. Landatu is selling the product in Spain and is looking for distributors in other countries.

Source : PV Magazine

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