The Faster, Smarter, and Cheaper Way to Install Ground-Mounted Solar

As every solar installer knows, working with ground-mounted racking systems carries a host of challenges that you don’t normally face when working on rooftop solar projects.

Below are just some of the most common hurdles that can create installation delays and cost overruns:

• Complex geotechnical reporting and lengthy inspections.
• Racking assembly – especially on uneven, rocky terrain.
• Excavations that require petrol and heavy machinery.
• The need for specialized, highly trained teams on-site.
• Costly equipment rentals and unexpected delivery delays.
• Uncertainty over soil conditions – particularly during winter.

Because of the above, many solar installers have difficulty completing ground mount projects on time and under budget. These challenges also make it harder to secure new contracts.

However, it’s possible to mitigate these risks, eliminate unnecessary costs, and save precious time with the right ground-mounted solar solution. 

Introducing the Osprey PowerPlatform^®

The Osprey PowerPlatform (utility patent-pending) is a ground-mounted racking system that is revolutionizing the solar industry by making procurement, mobilization, and installation a breeze.

The most obvious benefit of the Osprey’s unique design is speed:

• Using nothing but handheld tools, a 3-person team can fully assemble an Osprey racking unit in under an hour.
• Earth anchors provide unparalleled stability and support – removing the need for costly, slow geotechnical reports or third-party inspections from specialized engineers.

These time-savings exist with smaller installations, but they can become even more pronounced as the size, scope and difficulty of projects increase.

For example, a 2MW ground-mounted solar system may normally take a large team more than 60 days to complete. That same installation can be finished in under 16 days when using the Osprey PowerPlatform.

As a result of this superior speed, your crews can install more ground-mounted solar PV projects per unit of time, allowing you to pursue more sales opportunities and increase your revenues, without having to increase the size of your team. 

However, there are even larger benefits that await.

How the Osprey PowerPlatform Saves You Money

In addition to shorter installation times, the Osprey also grants you much greater control over costs, budgeting, and cash flow – the lifeblood of any successful contracting business.

Below are just some of the key ways in which the Osprey PowerPlatform can help you control spending.

1. Measurable Cost Reductions 

The Osprey can be fully installed using smaller teams, fewer tools, and less specialized labor. These cost savings allow you to divert resources away from staffing and rentals towards marketing and other value-added activities that actually generate new sales.

As an added bonus, you can also more easily meet project milestones – helping to keep cash flow constant.

In fact, with the Osprey, your teams can be in and out in less time than it takes for competitors to meet milestone #1 when using conventional ground-mounted solutions.

2. More Streamlined Procurement 

The Osprey PowerPlatform’s modular design can dramatically reduce labor costs by eliminating the need for a specialized team. For example, rather than have management handle procurement, design, and set up, you can use less skilled employees to perform these same tasks.

The above cost savings manifest even before there are boots on the ground.

3. Leaner Project Development 

Ever had machinery delays or unexpected sick days impede progress? What about mandatory changes to geotechnical reports because on-site crews ran into unforeseen obstacles or had to deal with corrosive soil elements?

Any oneof these can result in downtime and hidden costs – both of which create ripple effects throughout the entire supply chain and install process. The impact of these overruns can be particularly expensive whenever per diems, equipment rentals, or subcontractors are involved.

However, the Osprey PowerPlatform completely removes these logistical headaches, allowing you to deliver completed installations faster and for a fraction of the cost.

You can verify your own potential savings using our free Cost Calculator. 

4. Faster (and Cheaper) Disassembly 

The speed with which you can decommission an Osprey PowerPlatform installation is unrivaled. This is because each unit can quickly be lifted and shifted to a new location with the solar panels still intact, or even fully disassembled before being relocated elsewhere.

As such, this ground-mounted racking system is uniquely suited for both temporary and long-term solar installations, whether clients require on-site power at:

• Mines and quarries
• Disaster preparedness, first response, and triage centers
• Agriculture
• Military field camps

If and when the solar panels ever need to be relocated, the previous installation site remains pristine. In the absence of costly excavations, no one will ever know there was a mini-power station in that exact spot.

Case Studies: See the Osprey PowerPlatform in Action

Installing the Osprey PowerPlatform is the single best way to see the above benefits in action. However, you can also read real-life examples of solar installers who have successfully deployed the Osprey ground-mounted racking system in the field.

Below are some of our most recent case studies:

• A 75kW ground-mounted system for BR Samran Farms was installed by solar contractors in just 5 days.
• Installers working for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) reduced their labor costs by 85%.
• From construction until power take-off, Papagni Wines’ 386kW ground-mounted installation took under 30 days.

Visit our Solar Projects page to read even more case studies. 

Is the Osprey PowerPlatform right for you?

If you really want to grow your solar business and begin receiving measurable savings – both in terms of time and money – traditional ground-mounted solutions can only take you so far.

In fact, conventional racking systems can actually create more problems than they solve.

But with the Osprey PowerPlatform, you can:

• Settle account receivables much faster.
• Dramatically reduce unnecessary expenses.
• Eliminate delays, holdups, and downtime.
• Improve the cash flow of your business.
• Increase annuals sales across the board.

There’s one final benefit of this revolutionary racking system.

Many ground-mounted solar teams close up shop during the winter months. It’s simply not feasible to install systems in frozen ground without damaging equipment (which is usually rented).

However, the Osprey’s earth anchors don’t require excavations or drilled piles. This allows you to assemble each unit in frost line conditions – even when working in hard, frozen soil.

This flexibility allows you to redefine the very concept of “installation season.” While your competitors are forced to turn away contracts during the winter months, your team can continue servicing customers all year long. 

So what are you waiting for?

Request your Free Solar Racking Quote from Nuance Energy today.

Or, you can call us directly at 877-537-2221 to learn how we can help immediately improve your cash flow using the Osprey PowerPlatform.

To learn more about our complete range of turnkey solar solutions for your project, schedule a free consultation with the Nuance Energy team today.