Ground-Mount System
A solar array installed on a metal frame structure anchored to the ground rather than a rooftop. Allows optimal tilt and orientation, and avoids roof condition issues.
Why It Matters
If your roof is shaded, old, or poorly oriented, ground-mount may deliver 10-20% more production. It typically costs $0.10-0.30/W more than roof-mount due to trenching and racking.
Related Tools
Related Terms
Racking
The mounting hardware (rails, clamps, flashings, and brackets) that secures solar panels to a roof or ground structure. Key types: rail-mounted, rail-less, and ballasted (flat roof).
Tilt Angle
The angle of solar panels relative to horizontal. Optimal tilt often equals your latitude for year-round production.
Azimuth
The compass direction a solar panel faces, expressed in degrees (0° = north, 90° = east, 180° = south, 270° = west). Due south (180°) is optimal for maximum annual production in the Northern Hemisphere.
Trenching
Digging a narrow channel to bury electrical conduit, typically for ground-mount solar arrays, detached garage EV charger wiring, or battery storage systems installed away from the main panel.