Solar Canopies & Solar Carport Canopy Solutions

Solar canopies generate solar electricity while providing shade from the sun and shelter from the elements. They are particularly useful in cases where solar panels cannot be installed on the roof.

In this guide, we go through the different applications of solar canopies. We discuss their cost, advantages and disadvantages and an overview of our solar canopy manufacturers.

What are Solar Canopies?

A solar canopy is an overhanging structure with a solar panel roof. This way, solar canopies provide shade and protection from the elements while enabling generation of solar power on-site.

The term “solar canopy” is kind of  generic, as it refers to a collection of different structures:

• Solar carport
• Solar patio canopy
• Solar pergola
• Solar pavilion

What these structures have in common is their overall design and installation: Utilizing free space under solar panels. This is also the main advantage that solar canopies have other rooftop or ground-mounted solar power systems.

Applications & Types of Solar Canopies

Residential Solar Carports Canopies

A residential solar parking canopy is not only attractive for EV owners. After all, many households cannot install solar panels on their roof for several reasons. In these cases, a car port may be the only feasible way to go solar.

• Not enough roof space
  
• Too much shading
  
• Aesthetic reasons
• No permission by landlord (if rented)
  

Solar canopies are more than just solar power systems. They can serve as parking and charging stations at the same time. And, if equipped with battery storage, any surplus solar power will be exported to the grid.

One way in which a residential solar panel parking canopy differs from commercial solutions is that it requires no metal foundation. This results in a signifcant cost advantage for home applications. However, the reasons for installing a carport go beyond a great price.

Residential Solar Carport Advantages

• Sheltered parking area
  
• Reduced EV energy consumption
• EV charging with renewable energy
  
• Generate free solar power
• Great alternative if to rooftop systems
  

Carports protect vehicles from sunlight and weather. Keeping a car in the shadows while parking improves the vehicle’s fuel (or electricity) consumption as well. This is because the air conditioning doesn’t have to be cranked up as much to cool the vehicle down when entering.

Our solutions for domestic carports open up a large range of possibilities. They are fully customized and allow for maximum flexibility according to user needs.

To improve your experience, our carport can be combined with a battery storage solution. The AS1 provides a full-fledged smart energy management system and has its own integrated inverter.

In addition, our carport can also be fitted with a home EV charging system. Available are all models from AC home chargers line or the Polaris DC home charger.

• Area/Module: 18㎡
• Optional battery storage
  
• Optional EV home charging point
• PV module output: 450W
• Fully customized

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Commercial Solar Carports Canopies

Commercial solar carports are an excellent improvement for outdoor car parks of commercial buildings. Shopping centres, supermarkets and electric vehicle charging stations all over Europe are expected to deploy carports in the next years. Therefore, they are a true “Low Risk – High Reward” investment with unique advantages.

Commercial Solar Carport Advantages

• No additional space required
• Enhanced parking experience for customers and employees
• Free advertising carrier
• Boost the company’s green credentials

The main advantage of a solar carport lies in the fact that it does not require additional space. If rooftop or ground-mounted systems are not an option, a solar carport is the most efficient solution to this problem.

By providing shadows and protection from the elements, a PV carport greatly enhances the parking experience of customers and/or employees. Needless to say, combining it with an EV charging station will be the icing on the cake!

We offer a high quality solution for commercial carports that is suitable for any location, terrain exposure and row spacing.

Optional battery storage is provided by our AS1 solar battery. To expand the storage capacity of the AS1, we recommend the modular B1 ion-lithium battery as an addition.

Our commercial carport solution can be equipped with powerful fast or rapid chargers from our DC Fast Chargers line.

• Area/module: 18㎡
• Optional battery storage
  
• Expanded storage capacity with modular batteries
• Optional DC fast charging
  
• PV module output: 450W
• For large-scale projects
• Fully customized

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Other Solar Canopy Applications

While carports are he most sophisticated solar canopy installation, there are other attractive applications too. These are suitable to homeowners and public projects alike. Solar glass is the key component in most of these applications.

Solar pergolas, patio covers or a solar lights gazebo canopy are ideal for outdoor areas such as parks and backyard gardens. A common benefit of all solar canopies is that they provide shading to relax under.

This space can be used as a seating, barbecue or even a whirlpool area. In particular, solar canopies are an excellent choice in cases where the roof is not suitable for panel installation. You could even set up a system that is large enough to power a household this way.

What do Solar Canopies Cost?

Naturally, the total cost of a solar canopy will depend on the size of the canopy and the attached solar system. Obviously, the type of equipment used and the local installation cost are a factor as well. Using European and UK average prices for solar equipment, you can roughly approximatie the cost of your project.

Solar Canopy Cost

• Solar canopy + installation: €9,300 (GBP 7800) – €13,800 (GBP 11600).
• Solar panels + installation: €7,500 (GBP 6300) – €15,200 (GBP 12800)
  
• Cost per watt: €2.53 (GBP 2,13).

Note that these are rough assessments based on average prices that do not replace an accurate quotation. Clearly, adding an EV charging station and/or battery storage solution will have signifcant effects on total cost and ROI.

Advantages of Solar Canopies

A solar canopy installation brings an immediate reduction in energy costs. The amount of electricity generated depends on the size of the structure as well as several geographic factors. However, most solar canopies can significantly contribute to supply the needs of the owner.

Solar roofs effectively reduce the running costs of a building by generating energy, eventually offsetting the total cost. After that point, a solar canopy adds value by generating electricity. This free electricity can either be used or sold to the grid.

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for customers. Companies that demonstrate dedication to a green environment in their operations can establish their green credentials easily. Furthermore, solar canopy structures are a perfectly suitable platform for ad placements.

Downsides of Solar Canopies

There are two main drawbacks that need to be taken into consideration before installing such a structure.

As with any new technology, prices are expected to drop dramatically over the next few years. Currently, however, it is still cheaper to install a rooftop or ground-mounted solar power system overall. Another separate cost factor is the possibility of special building permit requirements. If not dealt with properly, these procedures can easily skyrocket the total cost of your project.

In our experience, the benefits clearly outweigh the potential disadvantages. To deal with possible high costs at their root, we work directly with the best manufacturers. This not only allows us to maintain the consistently high quality standards of our solutions. It also ensures there is no man in the middle.