Solar canopy system with roll-formed structural components

A solar canopy comprising:

• a solar panel assembly comprising:
• a first solar panel having a total wind-exposed first-solar-panel surface area;
• and
• a second solar panel having a total wind-exposed second-solar-panel surface area,
• wherein the second solar panel is coupled to the first solar panel,
• wherein the total wind-exposed second-solar-panel surface area has a non-parallel orientation with respect to the total wind-exposed first-solar-panel surface area,
• wherein the solar panel assembly has a third solar panel with a total wind-exposed third-solar-panel surface area, and the third solar panel is coupled to the second solar panel and parallel to the first solar panel such that the solar panel assembly having the first, second, and third solar panels is formed with a repeating pattern shape along a length direction of a horizontal cross beam coupled to the solar panel assembly, and
• a solar panel assembly support structure coupled to the solar panel assembly, the solar-panel-assembly support structure comprising one or more components manufactured by cold-rolling, wherein the one or more components manufactured by cold-rolling includes a flange return tab, such that the flange return tab is formed of a cold-rolled material;
• wherein the solar panel assembly support structure is designed to support an actual load applied to the solar-panel-assembly support structure by the solar panel assembly when the solar panel assembly is subject to a wind loading, wherein the actual load is less than a design load for the solar panel assembly subject to the wind loading based on a sum of a first-solar-panel net pressure for the first solar panel and a second-solar-panel net pressure for the second solar panel, the first-solar-panel net pressure and the second-solar-panel net pressure determined independently,
• wherein the actual load is obtained by simultaneously measuring a pressure at a plurality of taps embedded in the surface of the first and second solar panels.