New SunLink Cast-in-Place Ballasted GMS Foundation Option Reduces Foundation Costs by up to 20%

Latest enhancement for market-leading ballasted ground mount product offers increased flexibility, lowered costs for solar developers

San Rafael, Calif., February 10, 2015 – Adding to its range of industry leading roof and ground mount solar racking systems, SunLink Corporation today released a new cast-in-place foundation option for its proven ground mount PV racking system, Ballasted GMS. Unlike the current default construction method of shipping large pre-cast concrete ballast blocks to solar installation sites, the new cast-in-place option leverages off-the-shelf concrete forms and standard construction methods to pour concrete ballasts on site.


"Customers have given our Ballasted GMS product rave reviews for its ease of assembly and versatility," said Kate Trono, director of product management for SunLink. "However, the one thing that they asked us to continue to work on was the cost and shipping challenges associated with sourcing pre-cast ballast. Depending on the project location, shipping precast ballast can run from $12,000 and $32,000 per MW – that is a significant percentage of total installed costs. Though we will still offer our pre-cast foundation option, this new cast-in-place alternative solves that pain point and helps our customers achieve more competitive project pricing – which is our ultimate goal as their partner."

Cast-in-place foundations have been the preferred solution for the construction industry for decades. With its cast-in-place Ballasted GMS foundation option, SunLink has adapted those proven job site best practices for the solar industry. The cast-in-place foundations are created with concrete formwork that can be sourced from local suppliers or purchased directly from the company, allowing for flexibility in how and when the ballast is formed. In addition to optimizing foundation installation timelines, the formwork also allows foundations to be cast at varying heights on site to adapt to uneven terrain -- resulting in an aesthetically pleasing solar array.

Known for being a superior solution for sites that do not allow ground penetrations, the SunLink Ballasted GMS product has been proven in the field at more than 50 MW of landfill and community solar sites across North America.


About SunLink
Guided by an enduring commitment to R&D, SunLink is advancing universal solar power adoption by continuing to innovate highly engineered balance of system products that make solar easier, safer, more reliable and less expensive to install. Our industry-leading roof and ground mount systems, combiner boxes, and wire management tools have been proven on more than 500 MW of commercial projects at 2,000+ sites across North America. For more information, visit www.sunlink.com or follow twitter.com/sunlink.

Contact
Christine Bennett for SunLink
pr@sunlink.com
925.330.4783

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