Solar FlexRack

Solar FlexRack Closes Over a Half Gigawatt of Business in 2019

Maureen McHale — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 13:00:05 +0000

Solar FlexRack Heads into the Fourth Quarter Poised for a Banner Year

Youngstown, OH, Sept. 17^th, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, announced today that the company will close over a half a gigawatt of business in 2019 with sales for the firm spanning North America. Solar FlexRack’s contracts cover the utility-scale and commercial & industrial market segments, and also include projects in landfill solar, agriculture, municipalities and community solar.

“Solar FlexRack has made some significant changes to our worldwide supply chain and to internal operations that have increased our efficiencies and allowed us to cut costs. We’ve been able to pass on those savings, benefitting our customers,” said Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Solar FlexRack. “Those savings, along with the high quality of our products and unprecedented customer service, have led both new and repeat customers to choose Solar FlexRack for projects of increasingly larger size and scope.”

The company’s solar tracker orders have soared in 2019, amounting to approximately half of the company’s annual sales. Solar FlexRack’s TDP 2.0 Solar Tracker, an economical and structurally stable tracking technology, led the field followed closely by the FlexRack Series G3-X, one of the best field-assembled fixed tilt, ground-mount racking systems available. The company also closed several milestone solar projects in 2019 that included a 105 MW project in North Carolina, a 50 MW project in Connecticut, a 28 MW project in New Jersey and 26 projects in Georgia Power’s REDI (Renewable Energy Development Initiative) Program.

About Solar FlexRack
Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, is an integrated solar company that offers custom-designed, fixed tilt ground mount and single-axis solar tracking systems in the commercial and utility-scale solar mounting industries. Solar FlexRack also offers full turnkey packages, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, layout, and installation services to address the actual site conditions of an installation and provide full scope of services from design to delivery and installation. Solar FlexRack has completed over 2 GW of solar racking installations in 40 states across America and five countries globally. For more information, go to www.solarflexrack.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack to Exhibit at Solar Power International 2019

Maureen McHale — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 16:43:16 +0000

Youngstown, OH, September 4, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, announced it would be exhibiting at Solar Power International (SPI) in booth #425. The show is the largest solar show in North American and is being held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 23-26^th, 2019.

Attendees at SPI can see the TDP Solar Tracker Series and meet with the Solar FlexRack team. The company delivers the most reliable solar trackers, racking products and project services in the industry. With a scalable business model, low error rate, excellent solar racking products and world-class engineering team – Solar FlexRack continues to be a trusted partner for developers, EPCs and solar installers. Schedule some time to meet with Solar FlexRack at SPI .

“Solar FlexRack has made some strategic moves to improve their supply chain and internal operations,” said Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Solar FlexRack. “This has enabled the company to improve their pricing model and that has elevated us to a very competitive position.”

Find out how Solar FlexRack is maximizing customer experience while reducing costs. Download Competitive in All the Right Ways to learn more.

As the anchor of North America Smart Energy Week, SPI will connect attendees to the largest gathering of North American solar industry professionals and vendors. The conference will present the latest insights impacting business and showcase the newest products and services in the industry. SPI provides access to an attendee-base that represents over 24 segments of the industry, including installers, contractors, major utility companies, and professionals from the energy storage, smart energy, and hydrogen markets.

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack Signs Supply Contract with Swinerton for 26.4 MWAC Solar Project

Maureen McHale — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 12:29:18 +0000

Youngstown, OH, July 23, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, has completed a contract to supply a 26.4 MWAC solar power generation plant for Swinerton Renewable Energy (SRE). SRE will serve as the project’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm. The Tobacco Valley solar project, located in Simsbury, Connecticut, will be installed with Solar FlexRack’s industry-leading Series G3-X fixed tilt solution, known for its ease of installation and reliable performance in challenging climates.

George Hershman, General Manager, Swinerton Renewable Energy commented, “Swinerton Renewable Energy is dedicated to building solar projects that provide maximum value for our clients, our partners and the community, and our suppliers are instrumental in meeting this goal. We’re pleased to have a proven partner like Solar FlexRack on this project.”

“Swinerton Renewable Energy is an employee-owned organization which maintains a high standard for the work they complete, their employees and commitment to the communities in which they work. They build responsibly and that philosophy is driven throughout their organization,” said Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Solar FlexRack.

Solar power energy delivers emissions-free electricity that helps reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHG). GHG are major contributors to global warming and climate change. As of 2018, there are over 64,000 megawatts of solar installed in the US or enough solar to power a population the size of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined. The solar industry employs over 242,000 Americans and the amount of solar installed per year has doubled almost every year since 2010. The continuous adoption of solar energy has helped to drive down its cost and, today, solar is one of the lower-cost energy solutions available.

Construction is currently underway, and the Tobacco Valley solar project is scheduled for completion in 2019. In all, the project is expected to generate enough energy to power 6,800 homes and create over 300 construction jobs.

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack is Exhibiting at Solar Power Southeast in Atlanta

Maureen McHale — Mon, 20 May 2019 12:30:13 +0000

Youngstown, OH, May 20, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, will be exhibiting at Solar Power Southeast. The region’s largest solar and storage event will be held May 29 – 30 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Solar FlexRack will be presenting information on their industry-leading solar tracker products and project services at Booth 221. More than 700 are expected to attend the two-day event.

The conference comes at a time when the region is experiencing exponential growth in solar. The state of Georgia has increased its solar footprint and moved up in ranking from 35 nationwide to the 11^th state in the country today. According to the new economic report from the NCSEA, solar can bring significant tax revenues to counties enabling infrastructure investments in parts of states that typically have not seen this kind of support and are in need of it.*

“Solar in the Southeast Report announced a forecast of 17,000 MW by 2021 indicating the next few years will bring continued growth in solar installations in this part of the country,” said Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Solar FlexRack. “With decades of experience and more than 2 GW installed worldwide, Solar FlexRack is uniquely positioned to help solar companies in these states with their racking and tracker needs. We look forward to a productive conference.”

Solar Power Southeast is presented by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), and the event’s proceeds support the organizations’ year-round research and education activities, as well as SEIA’s advocacy efforts. Solar Power Southeast will provide attendees with regional market trends, policy updates, education sessions and the ability to connect with the region’s leaders in the solar industry.

* https://www.wunc.org/post/clean-energy-generated-more-28b-statewide-2007

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack’s Install Base Exceeds a Half a Gigawatt in Canada

Maureen McHale — Tue, 14 May 2019 11:59:27 +0000

Steady Increase in Company’s Tracker Sales in Canadian Market with Sales Expected to Double in 2019

Youngstown, OH, May 14th, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, announced today that it has successfully installed over 550 MW of solar projects in Canada. The accomplishment brings Solar FlexRack’s total to more than 2 GW worldwide.

Global single-axis tracker sales increased by over 40% in 2018 according to IHS Markit*. Solar FlexRack has provided high-quality racking and tracker services in Canada for ten years. In 2018, the company saw a marked increase in their tracker sales and in 2019 are expecting that number to double. The company continues to expand its market share, having supplied solar projects in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia. Solar FlexRack’s advanced solar trackers and project services teams’ expertise far exceed their competitors and for solar project installations that need to withstand harsh climatic conditions like Canada, they are the right choice.

Grasshopper Solar, Canada’s largest, fully-integrated solar energy company, has selected Solar FlexRack for nine projects in Ontario utilizing Solar FlexRack’s TDP Turnkey Solar Trackers. “With Canada’s severe winters, Grasshopper Solar needs an experienced partner with both solar tracking products and project support services that have proven themselves in this region,” said Osman Sediqi, Grasshopper Solar, VP of Operations. “We’ve found such a partner in Solar FlexRack, whose in-depth solar project expertise with cold environments and reliable tracking technology offer us the best value.”

Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Solar FlexRack said, “We’re honored to be a tier-one supplier for such a respected global developer as Grasshopper Solar. We look forward to working with them in the future as they expand their global footprint.”

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

*https://www.pv-magazine-india.com/2019/03/26/global-solar-pv-tracker-sales-jumped-over-40-in-2018-ihs-markit/

Solar FlexRack is Exhibiting at Solar Canada 2019

Maureen McHale — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 12:21:01 +0000

Youngstown, OH, April 29, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, will be exhibiting at the Solar Canada 2019 Conference and Exposition. Canada’s largest and most important solar conference will be held May 8 – 9 at the BMO Centre in Calgary, Alberta.

Sasha Honsl, Director of Business Development for Solar FlexRack said, “2019 marks our tenth year in the Canadian market. With more than 540 MW installed in the country, we are the leader in racking and tracker solutions, especially in Northern areas where designing for snow and frost conditions are critical to a successful project.”

Solar FlexRack continues to expand its racking and tracker services in the Canadian market, having already supplied solar projects in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia. The company’s solar trackers are well matched for the Canadian landscape and climatic conditions, as the trackers have several design features that serve cold-weather applications.

At Solar Canada 2019, Solar FlexRack will be at Booth 802. Thousands are registered to attend the annual conference and exposition which is the only showcase of its kind in the country. Keynote speakers at this premier event include The Honorable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources, Government of Canada; and Gurbuz Gonul, Director, Country Support and Partnerships, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack, Competitive in all the Right Ways

Maureen McHale — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 17:30:16 +0000

The Right Solar Racking and Project Services
With over 2 GWs of product footprint, Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, has always been recognized for providing the right solar racking solutions and project services to support EPCs and developers with their utility-scale solar projects across North America.

Competitive Products, Services and Costs for Large-Scale Projects
Now Solar FlexRack is more competitive than ever with continued focus on their best-in-class engineering and project services teams. They have been focusing on optimizing their supply chain network, both domestically and internationally, to drive down costs. Every incremental improvement adds up and results in competitive pricing while still maintaining quality products and exemplary services. Solar FlexRack is all in.

If you haven’t talked to a Solar FlexRack Representative in awhile, it’s time to take a closer look. Connect with us today so we can take the headaches out of your next solar project. Contact us…

Solar FlexRack to Attend Solar Power Northeast Conference on February 5-6th in Boston

Maureen McHale — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 13:45:56 +0000

Youngstown, OH, January 29th, 2019 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, will attend the Solar Power Northeast Conference being held at The Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts from February 5^th to the 6^th. The solar industry event is presented by SEIA and SEPA.

Solar FlexRack will join over 1,500 attendees at Solar Power Northeast, which is the largest forum in the Northeast for the solar and energy storage industries to come together and learn about sustainable energy trends. This year’s event will feature three tracks of education plus multiple networking opportunities. Solar Power Northeast will feature multiple speakers, including keynote speaker Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power.

“S&P Global Market Intelligence reports the US utility-scale solar project pipeline through 2022 is expanding to almost 34 GW. We are living in an incredibly exciting time for solar energy”, said Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Solar FlexRack. “We’re looking forward to getting updates at the Northeast Conference and sharing with participating developers and EPCs how Solar FlexRack can reduce their project risks with our solar trackers, racking and highly-experienced project services teams.”

Solar FlexRack is an industry-leading company delivering best-in-class engineered racking and solar tracker solutions that safeguard solar projects by providing custom engineering, site design and installation services tailor-made for their customer’s sites and projects. Representatives from Solar FlexRack will be available to discuss their innovative approach and their customers’ successes with individuals interested in learning more. Please schedule a meeting in advance to meet with the Solar FlexRack team onsite.

About Solar FlexRack
Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, is an integrated solar company that offers custom-designed, fixed tilt ground mount and single-axis solar tracker systems in the commercial and utility scale solar mounting industry. Solar FlexRack also offers full turnkey packages, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, layout, and installation services, to address the actual site conditions of an installation, providing a full scope of services from design to delivery and installation. Solar FlexRack has completed more than 2 GW of solar racking installations in 40 states across America and five countries globally. For more information, go to www.solarflexrack.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack Installed in the 2018 Silver Project of the Year Winner: Annapolis Solar Park

Maureen McHale — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 14:03:31 +0000

Youngstown, OH, Nov. 6, 2018 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, announced today the Annapolis Solar Project, installed with its ballasted mounting technology, has won 2018 Silver Project of the Year. Awarded by Solar Builder Magazine, the project winner is the largest landfill solar project in North America. It is located in Maryland and is owned by Building Energy.

The 18 MW (DC) solar project represents one of the most difficult solar projects to install, not only because it is a landfill project, but also from the perspective of its sheer size. Constructed on a sensitive environmental cap, the landfill site requires special expertise and deep solar technical knowledge to complete the complicated work. BQ Energy selected both EDF Renewables for the EPC work and Solar FlexRack for the ballasted foundation and fixed tilt racking. Both companies have exceptional track records in services.

“Solar FlexRack’s ballasted mounting is an ideal fit for landfill solar projects and the added support of their project services team delivers peace of mind for both the project owner and developer,” said Jaime Resor, CEO, EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions.

“We are proud to be a part of this landmark project. Both BQ Energy and EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions demonstrated meticulous care in the development and construction of the landfill solar project,” said Steve Daniel, EVP, Solar FlexRack.

Recon Corporation executed the installation and worked closely with teams onsite to stay on schedule. “Recon has installed many ballasted systems with Solar FlexRack and is honored to be a part of this monumental project. Recon overcame many challenges with the site’s terrain and the weather. The Solar FlexRack ballasted solution has one of the greatest tolerances in the industry and was able to overcome the terrain challenges,” said Scott Walker, President, Recon Corporation.

Solar FlexRack’s B3P-X ballasted foundation was selected for its unique technology that reduces foundation weight, product components and offers flexibility in array design and profile. The B3P-X is rapidly becoming the most sought after mounting solution for landfill solar projects. To learn more about this award-winning project, watch the Annapolis video at http://solarflexrack.com/videos/.

About Solar FlexRack
Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, is an integrated solar company that offers custom-designed, fixed tilt ground mount and single-axis solar tracker systems in the commercial and utility scale solar mounting industry. Solar FlexRack also offers full turnkey packages, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, layout, and installation services, to address the actual site conditions of an installation, providing a full scope of services from design to delivery and installation. Solar FlexRack has completed 1.8 GW of solar racking installations in 40 states across America and five countries globally. For more information, go to www.solarflexrack.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855

Solar FlexRack Completes Shipments of New TDP 2.0 Solar Trackers to 17 MW of Solar Projects in Georgia

Maureen McHale — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 12:30:27 +0000

Youngstown, OH, Oct. 30th, 2018 – Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and solar tracker solutions, announced today it has completed shipments of its new TDP 2.0 Solar Trackers to SolAmerica Energy to be installed in eight solar projects located across the state of Georgia. The new Solar FlexRack 2.0 Tracker with BalanceTrac introduces a technology that increases overall system efficiency, array design options and enables increased energy yield. The TDP 2.0 Tracker design expands the number of modules per row (up to 90) and is compatible with 1,000 or 1,500V thin film or crystalline modules. It also enables the installation of shorter piles and a lower per-unit fixed costs for balance of system, significantly reducing project installation costs.

“We require high-quality solar mounting and tracking products and support services in our solar projects. Solar FlexRack has consistently met our standards for performance, reliability and durability,” said Peter Corbett, Senior Vice President of SolAmerica Energy.

SolAmerica, a leading solar development, engineering, procurement and construction contractor based in Atlanta, developed and managed the construction of the solar project portfolio with the local utility. The projects are part of a distributed generation plan that enables commercial businesses to purchase sustainable, carbon-free solar energy.

“SolAmerica is playing an important role in working with the local utility to help companies throughout the state have the choice of clean energy through well-constructed, distributed generation solar plants,” said Steve Daniel, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Solar FlexRack.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, in 2017, Georgia’s national solar ranking was 22^nd. Georgia has aggressively stepped up their solar program and today, the state ranks #10 with over 1.5 GW of solar installed and almost 4,500 employed in the industry.

Find out more about the benefits of Solar FlexRack’s new TDP 2.0 Solar Tracker visit: http://solarflexrack.com/solar-products/solar-trackers/tdp-2-0-with-balancetrac/.

About Solar FlexRack
Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, is an integrated solar company that offers custom-designed, fixed tilt ground mount and single-axis solar tracker systems in the commercial and utility scale solar mounting industry. Solar FlexRack also offers full turnkey packages, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, layout, and installation services, to address the actual site conditions of an installation, providing a full scope of services from design to delivery and installation. Solar FlexRack has completed 1.8 GW of solar racking installations in 40 states across America and five countries globally. For more information, go to www.solarflexrack.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About SolAmerica Energy
Founded in 2009, SolAmerica Energy is a leading developer; engineering, procurement and construction; and operations & maintenance provider of solar photovoltaic projects for commercial, industrial, and government clients. SolAmerica’s core competencies include site assessment, solar finance, system design and engineering, procurement, turnkey installation, testing, system monitoring, and operations and maintenance. Learn more at: http://www.solamericaenergy.com/

Solar FlexRack media inquiries, please contact:
Staci Lombardo
slombardo@solarflexrack.com
330-799-1855