VA Caribbean Medical Center, San Juan

Sollega supplied its FastRack 510-6dg ballasted mounting system for a 645 kW rooftop solar array at the VA Caribbean Medical Center in San Juan, the largest federal medical facility in Puerto Rico and the primary VA hospital serving the Caribbean Basin. The medical center includes multi-disciplinary ambulatory facilities, 348 authorized hospital beds, 12 blind-rehabilitation beds, and 120 nursing-home beds, and serves approximately 150,883 veterans across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The FR510-6dg was selected to mount 2,529 SunPower 327W modules. Its one-piece, no-assembly design simplified installation into a streamlined process, and the high array density of the FR510-6dg helped the medical center efficiently meet its energy production goals.

Given the coastal environment, the non-corrosive, injection-molded Ultramid material made the racking a natural fit for long-term ocean exposure. Sollega's flexible wire management and 8-inch roof clearance further improved installation efficiency.

In August 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico with sustained winds exceeding 180 mph. The array on the VA Hospital survived both Category 5 storms and, to this day, remains 100% operational. The hybrid system — combining ballast and mechanical anchors — is rated to withstand wind speeds of 165 mph.