Solar support structures and methods

A method of assembling a structure to support an array of photovoltaic panels comprising:

• connecting a plurality of parallel channel rails atop a plurality of purlins forming a framework that lies in a plane angled relative to level where two adjacent parallel channel rails form a column on the structure, each channel rail having a “U” shape with opposed side walls joined at a bottom channel with adjacent centers of parallel channel rails spaced slightly wider than a width of a photovoltaic panel to be installed on the structure;
• splicing a second channel rail to an end of one of the plurality of parallel channel rails to extend the column with a splice located at a location of the splicing and the splice having spaced alignment rails interfacing with recesses on respective bottom portions of the spliced channel rails;
• sliding a first photovoltaic panel along the column, where the first photovoltaic panel includes shaped profiles attached to two opposed sides, with a first part of the shaped profiles attached along opposed bottom side edges of the photovoltaic panel and a second part of the shaped profiles extending away from the first part and disposed within respective adjacent parallel channel rails;
• and
• affixing the second part to one of the channel rail side walls such that the first photovoltaic panel lies in a non-parallel relation to the framework.