Solar panels on pergola - what is everyone doing?

[vantech2022]

Hi,

Planning on adding some panels to a pergola in the garden and looking for ideas and inspiration.

Wood or aluminium frame would be ideal.

Thanks.

[Stinsy]

Pergola has to be wood IMO. Washer-head screws make fixing the panels to the wood a doddle.

[Mr Gus]

Bog standard tall pergola, raised board for the angle, make it as architectural (or not) as you want, however I would fit a few roll down sun shade sheets, (so you could also hide those between 2 fascia boards ) if you are to use it for log storage / keep stuff drier, in which case long enough to have a weighted bottom that can be pinned in place off season.

There are pics recently of an outdoor solar area from a member, you'd have to do a search..

[robl]

Anybody any experience with bifacial panels? I think they let through more light, between cells. How to fix them(they are glass edged, no metal surround), how to keep water from dripping between panels? Are there any kits or designs out there for this kind of thing?
There’s lots of space for a south facing lean to pergola at my sisters, but it should let through some light, not be totally dark under. Her house roof is very complex, so PV on it would be awkward.

[Stinsy]

Anybody any experience with bifacial panels? I think they let through more light, between cells. How to fix them(they are glass edged, no metal surround), how to keep water from dripping between panels? Are there any kits or designs out there for this kind of thing?
There’s lots of space for a south facing lean to pergola at my sisters, but it should let through some light, not be totally dark under. Her house roof is very complex, so PV on it would be awkward.

Bi-facial are the same as normal panels without a backing sheet. If you;'e doing a ground-mount array over white gravel then you can add an extra 10-20% of generation using bi-facial. I've never been convinced you get enough light underneath and therefore extra generation to justify the extra cost.

YMMV (as they say).

[vantech2022]

Anybody any experience with bifacial panels? I think they let through more light, between cells. How to fix them(they are glass edged, no metal surround), how to keep water from dripping between panels? Are there any kits or designs out there for this kind of thing?
There’s lots of space for a south facing lean to pergola at my sisters, but it should let through some light, not be totally dark under. Her house roof is very complex, so PV on it would be awkward.

This is what we are planning. Just need to work out the fixing arrangements

[Stinsy]

BTW I’ve never heard of panels that don’t have the aluminium fixing strip around the edge…

[Mr Gus]

Stinsy.
go look at somewhere like secondsol for FF, frame free (must admit not been on their site since the changes took place, but it might throw up a few brand examples to follow up on)

[openspaceman]

Is there a panel that is specifically made to be a roofing sheet?

[Mr Gus]

As for solar panel guttering between panels i'm really surprised there arent 3m tape, & / or screw attaching gutter boots yet, as we inexorably move at a sloths pace past just "roof or nuffink" solar set ups.

As you all know gus has been banging on for years for simpler car port n' pergola type canopies, frameless creates another set of problems to overcome, but for framed (prefer the added strength potential) a vehicle type shock absorber boot material would likely suffice for many a year designed to sit between panels, id hope for more airflow being planned into a build to assist panel cooling though.

Like curtaining solar vacuum tubes, not really a big thing but still it eludes us. (& why I was looking at 3m tape types last year.

An extruded flexible moulding that can be cut & joined / overlapped & sealed to a regular end of slope gutter