The gap between solar panel rows should be around five to six inches, but it is also recommended that you leave one to three feet of space between every second or third row. This is because maintenance workers need enough room to get on the roof and make repairs whenever necessary. Solar Tools USA How Much Gap Should Be Between the Solar Panels and the Roof? The gap between the last row of solar. In photovoltaic system design, the spacing between solar panels is a key factor that directly affects system performance, including light reception, heat dissipation, and maintenance convenience. The. Specifications and standards for gap filling of photovoltaic panels to operate the smallest grid-tied solar PV inverters o VPs) is necessary for modeling and analysis of solar power systems. Since the 2016 edition of NFPA 1, access pathways have been required on roofs to facilitate fire service access as well as egress.