Affordable wire management (AWM), a provider of utility-scale solar cable management systems (CMS), debuts today at RE+ 2024 with Hail-Stow Hanger, a CMS specifically designed for Nextrackers NX Horizon Hail Pro.
An NX Horizon Hail Pro with Hail-Stow Hanger from Affordable Wire Management.
Nextracker’s Hail Pro-75, which can achieve a stow angle of 75° to improve the survivability of PV modules against potentially devastating hailstones. The AWM team analyzed more than twenty cable arrangements to ensure that the CMS would fit under the Hail Pro-75 when stowed.
“As extreme weather events become more catastrophic and common, industry leaders are responding with transformative offerings,” said Scott Rand, CEO and co-founder of AWM. “In lockstep, AWM designs solutions with the first movers in our market sector. We are proud to join Nextracker – a technology powerhouse that is continuously innovating to realize their vision of a world powered by renewable energy sources.”
In a co-authored memo: “Best practices for hail storage of single-axis tracker-mounted solar projects”, VDE America and Wells Fargo Renewable Energy and Environmental Finance (REEF) made recommendations on hail storage protocols, highlighting the effectiveness of the 75° tilt angle in limiting damage. Furthermore, according to the “2024 Solar Risk Assessment” from kWh Analytics, a tilt angle of 75° reduces the risk of hail module breakage from 33% at 50° to 1% at 75°.
According to GCUbe Insurance, hail damage represents less than 2% of insurance claims for solar projects, but is responsible for more than 50% of total dollar losses, averaging more than $58 million per incident.
“Adopting a 75-degree hailstow tracker position represents a proactive and effective strategy to protect solar installations from damage,” said Dan Smith, CTO of AWM. “Until now, however, no compatible wire management solution has been available. Today we are proud to announce AWM’s Hail-Stow Hanger for the industry’s leading defensive hail-stow tracker technologies.”
Features of the Hail-Stow CMS from AWM
- A unique hanger and messenger cable system specifically designed to fit into the narrow gap formed by Nextracker’s Hail Pro-75 and the Damper Bracket.
- For damper posts, AWM’s Hail-Stow Hanger aligns the bottom of the cable with the bottom of the module to minimize floodplain problems.
- For non-damping piles, the Hail-Stow Hanger mounts directly to the pile flange, allowing for high placement and eliminating any potential floodplain problems.
Like all AWM CMS offerings, the Hail-Stow Hanger is free of polymeric material and designed to withstand all weather conditions and corrosive environments, with a lifespan of more than 40 years. The company also supplies other CMS, such as the Arden Messenger Cable Hanger, the
Pinyon Messenger Cable Hanger, HELIOS Beam Rod and the PHOTON Toolkit.
“Value engineering is not just about cost-effective designs. It is also about responsiveness to industry needs, a relentless focus on innovation and rapid time to market,” said Rand.
The AWM team will be at RE+ 2024, September 10-12, on the third floor of the Anaheim Convention Center at booth L31509.
News item from Affordable Wire Management
