Support member for mounting photovoltaic modules and mounting system including the same

A photovoltaic system mounted on a support surface, the system comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of rectangular-shaped photovoltaic modules;
• a plurality of separate and spaced-apart support members supporting and orienting the photovoltaic modules in an array on the support surface without penetrating the support surface, the array including a plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules, each of the support members having a body portion, the body portion including a ballast receiving portion for accommodating one or more ballasts, the body portion further including at least one hollow support structure coupled to the ballast receiving portion, and at least one of the plurality of support members further including integrated grounding means, the integrated grounding means configured to provide integrated grounding between adjacent photovoltaic modules, the body portion of at least one of the support members further including a first support portion with a first surface and a second support portion with a second surface, the first support portion being spaced apart from the second support portion by the ballast receiving portion;
• wherein at least one of the plurality of support members bridges a first row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules and a second row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules;
• and
• wherein the first surface of the at least one of the plurality of support members supports one or more photovoltaic modules in the first row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules, and the second surface of the at least one of the plurality of support members supports one or more photovoltaic modules in the second row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules.

A photovoltaic system mounted on a support surface, the system comprising, in combination:

• a plurality of rectangular-shaped photovoltaic modules;
• a plurality of separate and spaced-apart support members supporting and orienting the photovoltaic modules in an array on the support surface without penetrating the support surface, the array including a plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules, each of the support members having a body portion, the body portion including a ballast receiving portion for accommodating one or more ballasts, at least one of the plurality of support members further including integrated grounding means, the integrated grounding means configured to provide integrated grounding between adjacent photovoltaic modules, and the body portion of at least one of the support members further including a first support portion with a first surface and a second support portion with a second surface, the first support portion being spaced apart from the second support portion by the ballast receiving portion, and the first and second support portions being integrally formed with the ballast receiving portion;
• wherein at least one of the plurality of support members bridges a first row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules and a second row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules;
• and
• wherein the first surface of the at least one of the plurality of support members supports one or more photovoltaic modules in the first row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules, and the second surface of the at least one of the plurality of support members supports one or more photovoltaic modules in the second row of the plurality of rows of photovoltaic modules.