Traditional solar panel installations require expensive and time-consuming assembly of custom mounting systems on a roof, which can ultimately slow adoption. For the last four years, SMASH Solar Inc. (SSI) has been providing installers an easier way to install solar panels—and increase their popularity among homeowners.
The Richmond, CA-based company preassembles frameless photovoltaic modules that snap in place on a roof with the company’s patented SMASHmount system. This system adheres to the back of panels and enables them to be quickly installed with no field modifications or complications. Troy Tyler, founder and CEO of SSI, says installers fondly refer to the system as “solar LEGOs.”