New Roll-A-Rack System Enables Solar Panels On Ballasted Roofs Without Additional Weight

New system uses existing roof ballast to secure solar panels on nearly all ballasted roofs

Roll-A-Rack, a Cleveland company that develops alternative racking systems for solar panels, has developed an innovative new product that allows solar panels to be installed on ballasted membrane roofs without compromising the structural design of the roof.


Ballasted membrane roofs relay on evenly distributed weight for their structural support, but the design often leaves little room for additional load, such as solar panels. The added weight of solar can easily surpass a roof's physical limit.

Roll-A-Rack, however, has developed an ingenious 12-inch metal channel rack that evenly distributes existing roof ballast, while also securing solar panels. The roof ballast, along with the weight of the solar panels, properly secure the roof without adding weight and compromising its integrity.

"Roll-A-Rack makes solar feasible for nearly all ballasted membrane roofs without adding any additional deadload," said Don Scipione, company founder. "Our system enables the weight of the solar panels and the racking system to become part of the ballast that secures the roof.

The Roll-A-Rack membrane roof solution is described in a technical poster: "Solar Racking for Ballasted Membrane Roofs" at Solar Power International Smart Energy Week Digital Poster Program, September 28-29, 2021.

Roll-A-Rack is seeking developers and solar installers to help commercialize the installation processes. For more information about Roll-A-Rack or becoming a beta tester, visit roll-a-rack.com., email beta@roll-a-rack.com., or download the informational flyer.

Roll-A-Rack and its product development research is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office.

About Acme Express: dba as Roll-A-Rack
Acme Express, Inc. is a technology company that develops technologies for the transportation, finance, education healthcare and renewable energy industries. The company has been awarded multiple innovation grants from Ohio Third Frontier, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Research Resources, National Library of Medicine, and U.S. Department of Energy.

About the Solar Energy Technologies Office
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office supports early-stage research and development to improve the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid.

About Solar Power International 2021
SPI 2021 is powered by the Solar Energy Industries Association, the national trade organization for the U.S. solar industry, and the Smart Electric Power Alliance, a provider of education, research, standards, and collaboration to utilities, electric customers, and other industry players.

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