20130174889 | TENSIONED SHEET-METAL BASED SOLAR PANELS AND STRUCTURES FOR SUPPORTING THE SAME - Tensioned sheet-metal based solar panels and structures for supporting the same are disclosed. The sheet metal based solar panels can include a flexible photovoltaic solar module laminated onto a thin, flexible metal sheet. Such solar panels can be mounted on and tensioned within a support frame that is twisted out of plane with respect to a reference planar datum surface. The resulting surface can be a hyperbolic paraboloid, which can be aesthetically pleasing while improving structural stability and maximizing angular exposure to the sun. | 07-11-2013 |