With the intense sustainability push of President
Biden’s administration, work in the green energy
field can be expected to grow significantly over
the next few years in the U.S. New technologies are finding enthusiastic
customers in both the B2B and B2C markets.
While capturing solar energy is not a new technology, it is a
growing market. According to a report published in February this
year by Allied Market Research, the global solar energy market
is expected to grow from $52.5 billion in 2018 to more than $223
billion by 2026.
New PDCA member Black River Solar has developed a niche
in pile driving exclusively for solar energy installations, large and
small. In business for almost two years, the company has timing on
its side, for sure (except for the pandemic, of course, which did slow
down business in its second year).
PDCA CONTRACTOR MEMBER
Building a business in a niche market
Based in Black River in southeast Missouri, Black River Solar
started out doing full installations of solar panels. Co-owner Jason
Bales decided that wasn’t working for the company; after some
months, the business continued with projects to drive the piles for
installations, but left the rest of the job to other contractors.
A small company, Black River launched with a single GAYK
4000 solar pile driver and a crew of two, including Bales. (While
Bales does the hands-on construction work with one laborer, his
business partner, Mike Goforth, a project surveyor in Arizona, is,
at this point, involved with decision-making and financial management
from a distance.) A second pile driver, same as the first,
is on order. With that and the rock-drilling equipment the company
is purchasing, plans to expand are underway. Bales foresees
Black River installed almost 240 piles for a solar farm
at the Sisters of St. Benedict St. Mary Monastery in
Rock Island, Ill.
Photo courtesy of Black River Solar
www.piledrivers.org PILEDRIVER | 67
Black River Solar
Pile driving in a specialized market
By Kim Biggar
/www.piledrivers.org
