2014 Sunshot Grand Challenge Summit

In cooperation with Cascade Engineering of Grand Rapids, Michigan, PSG was privileged to attend the 2014 Sunshot Grand Challenge Summit in Anaheim California where both parties presented the Spider ST ballasted roof mount. The summit is an innovation driven competition that combines product developers and engineers with policy makers and solar industry professionals.  The competition boasted more than 800 members of the solar community. A major benefit of being included in the Sunshot program is the opportunity to receive funding based on the interpreted advantages and abilities of a product line to drive down costs and encourage solar projects to take place.

Product Development

From the product development standpoint, participating firms aim at driving down costs of solar mounting structures. Furthermore, installation time and ease of assembly are two major factors that are also considered at the Summit. Combined with the intrinsic features of these products such as durability, tilt angle, weight dispersion, and foreseeable future service requirements, the summit takes into account all of these factors in their consideration of the challenge winners.

Benefits from DOE

In 2013 the Department of Energy noticed the highly beneficial attributes of PSG’s Spider ST- ballasted roof mount and as a result was voted a Sunshot Initiative winner receiving funding from the Department of Energy to further develop the Spider ST. PSG is grateful for the experience and exposure that the Sunshot Grand Challenge has presented and look forward to future endeavors with the Department of Energy as well as Cascade Engineering.