A detailed wind tunnel study was carried out to examine the effect of various parameters on wind-induced loads on photovoltaic panels. A complex model capable to incorporate solar panels at different locations and various inclinations was constructed at a 1:200 geometric scale. Three model panels equipped with pressure taps on both surfaces (36 in total) for point and area-averaged pressure measurements were used. Pressure and force coefficients were computed for every pressure tap and for all the panels. Different configurations were tested under similar conditions in order to examine the effect of various parameters on the experimental results. The paper presents findings related to the effect of building height as well as to the area averaged pressure coefficients. It was found that the building height had a small effect on wind-induced loading on PV systems, particularly for PV panels located farther from the windward roof edge.
