SunPower Corp. has announced its Helix Roof ST product, a fully integrated rooftop solar solution, can be installed at more than 33 panels per installer hour. The company claims that is two-and-a-half times faster than publicly reported maximum install speeds of 12 to 13 panels per installer hour for competing commercial rooftop systems currently available.
DNV GL, a global independent energy expert and certification body, verified the installation speed during a Mounting System Installation Efficiency Test in December 2015 on a 21.6 kW rooftop system consisting of 66 SunPower solar panels. The three-person team of solar installers had no previous experience installing a Helix system.
According to SunPower, one key feature of the SunPower Helix platform that reduces installation time is a plug-and-play power station that eliminates the need to strip and land wires on-site. The company also claims the Helix Roof system requires 67% fewer field connections compared to conventional commercial rooftop systems.
“With standardized Helix components, we have eliminated the inefficiencies and added costs of complex system design,” says Howard Wenger, president of SunPower. “Helix makes the complex simple, allowing our commercial and public agency customers to easily and intelligently manage their energy use and costs and maximize solar power production over the long term.”
