Shoals’ Legacy of Innovation in Solar EBOS
For decades, Shoals Technologies has been at the forefront of revolutionizing Electrical Balance of Systems (EBOS) solutions in the solar industry. We brought the stringent safety standards practiced in the automotive industry to the solar space. This allowed Shoals to lead the charge in making installations faster, safer, and more cost-effective, constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation.
One of our biggest breakthroughs was the Big Lead Assembly (BLA). It is a patented wiring solution that eliminated excessive trenching and reduced material waste, streamlining large solar power installations. BLA’s simplified design, enhanced reliability, and faster installation quickly became the gold standard for utility-scale solar projects.
As the industry evolves, we are introducing mini BLA and Long Tail (LT) BLA to the BLA family to help ensure that there is an EBOS solution for every project size and layout.
Take a closer look at the key differences between the BLA, mini BLA, and LT BLA to determine the ideal applications for your project.
What is BLA? A Smarter Solar EBOS Solution
BLA is Shoals’ flagship patented aluminum trunk bus system that was developed to address the inefficiencies of traditional wire harnessing in solar projects. It replaces individual homerun wiring with a plug-and-play system that significantly reduces installation complexity. BLA seamlessly integrates the functionality of cable assemblies, combiner boxes, and fusing into a single solution. Unlike traditional methods, BLA can be installed by general labor rather than licensed electricians, cutting installation time and costs.
With Shoals’ design and engineering support, BLA serves to optimize solar projects. Its large trunk bus design reduces voltage drop, helping ensure higher energy yield and improved system performance.
Quality, Longevity, and Sustainability
Shoals BLA is a factory-made solution that delivers reliable, long-lasting performance. We use advanced sealing technology, featuring a proprietary undermold/overmold process, to create a hermetic seal that prevents oxidation, corrosion, and environmental damage. This helps ensure durability even in the most challenging conditions.
BLA systems are prefabricated and rigorously tested, streamlining installation, minimizing labor needs, and reducing errors. This makes them both efficient and cost-effective.
BLA vs. Traditional Combiner Solutions & IPCs
BLA outperforms both traditional combiner solutions and Insulation Piercing Connections (IPCs)—the DIY method of installing a trunk bus system in the field. BLA eliminates the need for on-site piercing connectors, relying instead on factory-built joints with Shoals’ patented under/overmold design for long-term reliability and external protection.
To learn more about the differences between Shoals BLA and IPCs and make the right choice for your solar power project, read our eBook The Safer Choice: BLA vs IPCs.
Highlights: BLA vs IPCs
- Factory-fabricated and tested BLA from Shoals offers a simpler, faster, and more reliable installation compared to IPCs.
- Shoals’ patented undermold/overmold design helps ensure reliability and long-term performance.
- This plug-and-play system eliminates the need for trained electricians, significantly reducing labor costs and accelerating project timelines.
- BLA is resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations, which often degrade IPC connections over time as demonstrated by wet hipot testing.
- With a design life of over 35 years, Shoals BLA outperforms IPCs by offering superior reliability and resistance to environmental stressors.
- By eliminating the risks associated with manual IPC installation, BLA enhances overall system safety while maintaining consistent quality across every project.
Key Benefits of BLA
BLA offers key advantages for solar project developers, EPCs, IPPs, and asset owners by streamlining installations, reducing unnecessary labor and materials, and enhancing cost-effectiveness and reliability.
✅ Streamlines projects with preliminary design and engineering, customization to specific needs, and long-term customer support
✅ Minimizes project risk with fewer connection points, lowering failure risk and delivering longer-lasting performance
✅ Ensures quality and longevity, with in-house crafted durable solutions are tested beyond regulatory standards for exceptional reliability and have a proven 35+ year design life
✅ Accelerates project timelines with factory-fabricated solutions that dramatically cut installation time
✅ Increases cost-effectiveness by eliminating the need for specialized labor, reducing unnecessary materials, and lowering O&M and repowering costs
✅ Enhances project efficiency by minimizing voltage drop and power losses for improved energy yield
✅ Helps meet sustainability goals by lowering carbon footprint through optimizing material use, minimizing waste, and reducing land disturbance (trenching)
✅ Strengthens local economy with plants in Tennessee creating jobs and supporting communities
Where to Use BLA?
Shoals BLA is best suited for large-scale solar projects, where installations require extensive wiring solutions to connect the panels to the inverter while maximizing efficiency.
BLA’s design optimizes efficiency for long wiring runs, making it an ideal solution for wide, open solar farms that benefit from streamlined installation and reduced trenching requirements. BLA installs along an East-West cable management system and is an excellent option for projects prioritizing minimal land and ecosystem disturbance. This EBOS solution supports a sustainable approach to operations beyond just clean energy generation.
As solar installations are now expected to last 30+ years without repowering, BLA’s proven quality and durability make it essential for high-reliability projects. By eliminating common failure points found in traditional wiring methods and field-fabricated insulation piercing connectors (IPCs), BLA helps minimize maintenance needs and enhance long-term system performance.
For project owners looking for a long-term, cost-effective solution, BLA is the top choice. Its superior reliability and reduced maintenance requirements make it a smarter investment over the lifespan of a project, outperforming other EBOS solutions on the market.
What is a mini BLA and Where to Use it?
Solar projects in many parts of the world like Europe face more challenging landscapes. Small, irregularly shaped, uneven or hilly, they may be far from the wide, open spaces common in the U.S. For these projects, EBOS solutions like mini BLA can be a game-changer.
Shoals’ mini BLA works with the fused recombiner to enhance protection and provide a disconnect point, allowing for unobstructed access between North-South rows. This approach reduces annual maintenance. Also, by using a trunk bus solution, voltage drop is reduced over the long cable runs in a stacked tracker configuration. So mini BLA helps maintain high efficiency without compromising performance.
What is a Long Tail (LT) BLA and Where to Use it?
Some sites choose to cluster load-break disconnects (LBDs) in a few locations for operations and maintenance considerations. To accommodate this need, Shoals offers the LT BLA, which provides an uninterrupted continuous cable from the string collection to the LBD. It allows projects to benefit from all the advantages that Shoals BLA has to offer, while gaining more flexibility in layout and LBD positioning.
While LT BLA may have a higher upfront cost, the long-term savings in O&M costs may make it a strategic investment for the right project.
Which EBOS Solution to Choose?
No matter your project design or layout, we have the right EBOS solution for you. Whether it’s BLA, LT BLA, or Mini BLA, our solutions make installation easier, enhance cost-effectiveness, and deliver superior quality, reliability, and longevity.
Contact our team today to learn more about optimizing your renewable energy project. Leverage Shoals’ industry-leading renewable energy expertise and cutting-edge EBOS solutions.
