Fixed-tilt solar arrays constructed from screw anchors. A row of truss foundation is installed, with each foundation consisting of a pair of adjacent angled truss legs. A truss cap or adapter joins the legs and provides a support structure to support a rail that in turn supports purlins extending between adjacent, spaced apart truss foundations. Solar panels are attached directly to the purlins using clamps or other conventional mounting systems.

A method may include positioning one or more PV module mounting devices along a length of a structural component. The method may include specifying one or more parameters related to fastening the PV module mounting devices to the structural component, the one or more parameters indicating a spacing between the PV module mounting devices. The method may include fastening, by an automated attachment equipment, the PV module mounting devices to the structural component based on the specified parameters and moving the PV module mounting devices fastened to the structural component to an assembly platform.

The present disclosure describes an expandable splice configured for reinforcing a tube of a solar owner system, the splice including a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and at least one beveled corner panel, wherein the first and second side panels are connected to the top and bottom panels either directly or by the at least one beveled corner panel to form a channel therebetween.

Fixed-tilt solar arrays constructed from screw anchors. In some cases, purlins are attached directly to truss legs. In others, they are attached to truss caps joining the free end of each truss leg. In still further ones, screw anchors are driven in rows and interconnected by a pair of hinged members, one of which provides a mounting plane for solar panels. Each screw anchor may serve as a connection point for the trailing hinged member of the first foundation and the leading hinged member of the next foundation. In still further cases, a hinged truss cap may be used to accommodate different tilt angles with the same foundation.

The invention relates to a heliostat sub-assembly and to a method of forming such a sub-assembly. The method of mounting a concave mirror to a supporting structure of a heliostat includes the steps of bonding a plurality of risers at predetermined spaced intervals to a rear face of the mirror, each riser having a bonding pad and a stem extending from the bonding pad, and applying a predetermined concave curvature to the mirror by conforming the front face of the mirror with a convex forming jig or die. The supporting structure and curved mirror are then aligned, and the supporting structure is clinched to the stems of the risers when the curved mirror is conformed with the forming die. The riser stems may be coupled to the bonding pads via multi-axial joint assemblies to enable limited multi-pivotal movement of the stems relative to the bonding pads to facilitate alignment of faces of the stems with the faces of the ribs defined by webs, and relative expansion and contraction of the mirror and supporting structure, the overlap between the riser stems and the webs being sufficient to accommodate clinching with variations in curvature of the glass sheet.

A non-invasive roof attachment system for attaching structures to residential and commercial roofs without the use of penetrations to roofing shingles and sealing layers is described. The attachment system includes vertical and lateral array stays to attach roof mounted systems such as solar panels. The non-slip attachment system also allows for the quick removal of such roof mounted systems rapidly and without the need for repair of penetrations. The non-slip attachment system uses, among other things, an array-stay retainer comprising a vertical member and a horizontal member. A high friction foam polymer padding may further secure the array stays to the roof.

The present disclosure describes an expandable splice configured for reinforcing a tube of a solar owner system, the splice including a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and at least one beveled corner panel, wherein the first and second side panels are connected to the top and bottom panels either directly or by the at least one beveled corner panel to form a channel therebetween.

A method may include positioning one or more PV module mounting devices along a length of a structural component. The method may include specifying one or more parameters related to fastening the PV module mounting devices to the structural component, the one or more parameters indicating a spacing between the PV module mounting devices. The method may include fastening, by an automated attachment equipment, the PV module mounting devices to the structural component based on the specified parameters and moving the PV module mounting devices fastened to the structural component to an assembly platform.

A truss foundation for supporting single-axis solar tracker drive motors and center structures. An adapter joins a pair of adjacent truss legs and provides a mounting platform to support a drive motor and/or center structure of a solar tracker. The adapter has a pair of connecting portions that are received in the legs of the truss foundation. The adapter may be a unitary structure or consist of a pair of slidably connected members that are joined with fasteners to accommodate truss legs spaced apart at different distances.

Fixed-tilt solar arrays constructed from screw anchors. In some cases, purlins are attached directly to truss legs. In others, they are attached to truss caps joining the free end of each truss leg. In still further ones, screw anchors are driven in rows and interconnected by a pair of hinged members, one of which provides a mounting plane for solar panels. Each screw anchor may serve as a connection point for the trailing hinged member of the first foundation and the leading hinged member of the next foundation. In still further cases, a hinged truss cap may be used to accommodate different tilt angles with the same foundation.