Blackrock Camp Supplements its Power Generation by Adding Solar with PVKIT®

How PVKIT delivered a cyclone-rated solar mounting solution built for extreme conditions.

Location Nadi, Fiji

Industry Australian Defense

Customer Blackrock Camp

Product Certifications Florida Product Approval | IAPMO | UL2703 | ULc | UL3741| Sunnova AVL, ICC-ES, LA County

The Challenge

Fiji experiences extreme weather conditions, including high winds and severe tropical cyclones. One of the major challenges for the general contractor, CC Pines, was to find the right product for the installation of the PV mounting systems. The project required an assembly capable of withstanding a high-powered windstorm so the camp can be used as shelter in the event of a national disaster. Furthermore, shipping logistics presented a challenge to this remote island. Transporting traditional rail would be extremely costly and suffer long delivery times.

Project Stats

The PVKIT rail-less solar mount in combination with the S-5-K Grip™ Mini clamp was used to support a 400 kW solar PV installation across seven new buildings at the Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp. The system was installed on Lysaght Klip-Lok 406 conceal-fixed metal roofs, chosen for their durability and suitability for extreme conditions.

The PVKIT solution provided a penetration-free, rail-less mounting system capable of withstanding wind speeds exceeding 250 kilometres per hour.

400 kW

Solar project size

3,100

PVKIT EdgeGrabs used

5406

S-5-K Grip Mini clamps with GMX10 Inserts

1,424

Solar panels installed

The Solution

The solution was engineered and designed specifically for this unique roof profile and to withstand area hurricane winds. With the help of the S-5! team and their extensive testing protocols, No 1 Roofing & Building Supplies and Gamcorp Structural Engineers, the general contractor was able to easily overcome any challenges and obtain certification of the PVKIT for use in meeting these exceptional wind design requirements.

Using this approach to solar mounting also provided a significant decrease in the amount of material required to ship. Rail components for a 400kW job would require a lorry or two to transport, while the same rail-less solution fits in a short-bed pickup truck. This results in up to 70% savings in shipping costs.

70%

Savings in shippings costs

85%

Lighter than rails

50%

Faster installation

“The goal was to minimize logistics by substituting a traditional rail system for mounting PV modules, and the S-5! PVKIT is one of the best-suited products for fulfilling these requirements."

Aman Jain

| Contract Administrator, CC Pines