Solar panel racking system

A method of installing on a horizontal or near-horizontal support surface a solar panel array including multiple solar panels, the method comprising:

• converting metal coil stock to rack channels made of a single piece of sheet metal each having a length of over 53 feet and upstanding legs of different heights;
• locating the channels in parallel rows with a spacing determined by a width of the solar panels with interior spaces of the channels facing upwardly;
• weighing the channels down on the support surface by placing ballast in the channel spaces;
• and
• securing the solar panels to the channels each with an edge supported by a high leg of one channel of the channels and an opposite edge supported by a low leg of an adjacent channel of the channels.

A solar panel array deployed on a deployment site, comprising:

• multiple solar panels;
• longitudinally continuous rack channels each having a length of over 53 feet and upstanding legs of different heights, the channels located on a support surface in parallel rows with a spacing determined by a width of the solar panels with interior spaces of the channels facing upwardly;
• and
• ballasts disposed in the channel spaces to weigh the channels down on the support surface,
• the solar panels each mounted with an edge supported by a high leg of one channel of the channels and an opposite edge supported by a low leg of an adjacent channel of the channels.

A solar panel array deployed on a deployment site, comprising:

• multiple solar panels;
• longitudinally continuous rack channels each having a length of over 40 feet and upstanding legs of different heights, the channels located on a support surface in parallel rows with a spacing determined by a width of the solar panels with interior spaces of the channels facing upwardly;
• and
• ballasts disposed in the channel spaces to weigh the channels down on the support surface,
• the solar panels each positioned with an edge supported by a high leg of one channel of the channels and an opposite edge supported by a low leg of an adjacent channel of the channels,
• the deployment site corresponding to (a) an area within which the support surface resides plus (b) an adjacent area corresponding to (i) a length of the coil roll-forming machine plus the length of the rack channel times (ii) a width of the coil roll-forming machine.