Balance of System

OPEL Solar International was designated the exclusive worldwide supplier of solar trackers for Grape Solar. This marks OPEL’s first exclusive supply agreement with a PV panel manufacturer and supplier. Leon Pierhal, OPEL Solar’s CEO, indicated, "Grape has an impressive product line of high efficiency PV panels from both China and US manufacturing locations, with plans for additional expansion to Ontario, Canada. We expect that Grape's close alliances with leading solar integrators and engineering firms will greatly enhance OPEL's sales channels and, that Grape Solar will become a key supplier of PV panels to OPEL's tracker customers."

Bentek Solar has received ETL listing to UL 1741 and CSA 22.2 certification for its circuit breaker recombiners for commercial and utilty-scale PV solar power systems. The San Jose-based balance of systems design and manufacturing firm said it has shipped more than 100MW recombiner products to several North American customers.

Unirac and Canadian Solar Solutions have come together to offer its residential and commercial customers 30MW of Canadian Solar’s PV systems coupled with Unirac’s mounting solutions for rooftop installations in Canada. Canadian Solar will provide the engineering, procurement and construction services for the projects, while Unirac will supply its racking technology. Both companies look to their partnership as a way for their customers to further take advantage of Ontario’s FIT program.

First Solar has acquired Idealab operating company RayTracker, a photovoltaic panel tracking technology and balance-of-systems firm based in Pasadena, CA. RayTracker's team will join First Solar's engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) group, and the acquired company’s customers will be transitioned to its new parent.