The Solar Carport is a product of the advanced technologies in the solar industry. Two types of technologies are available in the solar industry: photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power[1] (CSP).
PV technology tries to capture sunlight for the generation of electricity. CSP helps generate thermal energy used for water heaters and turbines. Many technical innovations occur with the application of these two forms of energy. Different technologies are used for the future development of solar panel carport.
Solar Carport structures are designed to replace commercial solar carports and canopy structures with experts in renewable energy and solar developers. Steel carports designed these carports, especially for solar applications. In this current generation, solar carports are in huge demand, with the advantage of requiring no additional land.
Even though the potential for solar car-port installation is enormous, the energy produced by these solar carports is similar to that produced by rooftop-mounted solar systems.
Recent studies show that the space occupied by commercial parking lots is 14-20% of the city’s total surface area. Installing solar carports in this waste space will help in the generation of solar energy and also provide shade for vehicles.
Solar carports or solar canopies are not used for charging electric vehicles, but this renewable energy source is used for household and commercial purposes. Rooftop solar systems should be installed without obstructing trees, buildings, or chimneys. Solar carports should be exposed at such an angle that they will receive full sunshine.
How Has Solar Panel Carport Evolved?
Let us see how commercial solar panel carports and residential solar panel car-ports are constructed. I hope you are aware of the Kern Solar Structures. It started with the panel’s construction by its own operating business.
Considering the huge growth of renewable energy, they struggled a lot and came up with a solution. Kern Solar Structures started using this energy to design various solar support structures. Fabrication of the solar canopy includes raw material handling, cutting, welding, and coating. For all the steps, they use only renewable energy sources.
This is the only company in the United States to start using solar energy completely to prove that the usage of this energy is an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution.
How Do Solar Carports Function?
Solar carports work under the principle of the photovoltaic effect. It generates solar energy similar to a rooftop or ground-mounted solar system. As per the photovoltaic effect, a potential difference exists between them, converting photon energy to electrical energy.
If the photon hits the solar panel carport, the energy makes the electrons enter the solar cells, generating the direct current. This DC power is used in devices that operate on battery power.
To use the same electricity for household or commercial purposes, the direct current should be converted to alternating current and used with the help of an inverter.
The Cost of Solar Carports
The cost of solar car-ports varies depending on the type of solar panel, the quantity of power you would like to generate, and the solar panel’s area. The same applies to rooftop solar carports and ground-mounted solar carports.
A commercial solar carport charges one to three vehicles per the requirement. Solar carports should be installed. Commercial carports are constructed using steel as a raw material.
Additional charges are included to install the solar car-port apart from the original price. Solar carports offer multi-million-dollar benefits, even though the installation charges are high. In the United States, solar carports cost around $3.45 per watt.
The residential solar carports worth is very small compared to commercial solar carports. Solar carports produce more energy than the rooftop system since they absorb maximum sun exposure.
We cannot provide detailed information about the value of residential solar carports. But as per the estimates, it will cost approximately $16,000 to USD 2500.
What is the Federal Solar Tax Credit?
For a consumer to be eligible for the federal tax credit, homeowners should install solar panels. Federal tax will be 26% of the solar carport installation charges. The consumer should pay the tax after installing the solar carports. Some countries give incentives to homeowners who use solar carport systems.
Installation of Solar Carport System
The solar carport installation is robust and should be done with skilled labor. If not, contact the solar companies. They will install the solar carport system.
Some homeowners will not agree to install a solar car-port, so it is advisable to contact the concerned people and get all the necessary permission before starting the installation.
Differences Between Solar Carport Systems and Rooftop Solar Systems
The rooftop solar carport system produces electricity most cheaply. Still, it is impossible to install in our surroundings due to space and exposure to the sun problems since the more the rooftop is subjected to the sun, the more it will produce energy. The use of a solar carport will nullify this problem.
A solar carport can make more sense by providing great flexibility in adequately utilizing the parking spaces and proper orientation of solar panels. The size of the equipment will be minimized with these solar panels, but the roof of the solar panel itself acts as a protective cover for the electric vehicles from wind, dust, snow, and rain. Simultaneously, we can use them for charging electric cars or electric vehicles.
Another comparison is the maintenance charges. A solar car-port requires low maintenance charges and is only meant for reinstalling the solar panels, but the entire system has to be removed and reinstalled for rooftop solar systems.
Homeowners will think about the price issues, so contact one or two solar companies and negotiate a better price from nearby solar installers when you plan to get a solar carport for your home.
Installing the EV charging point at commercial buildings will comfort the employees, parking vehicles, and your vehicles.
Related – Differences between Solar Carport and Solar Array Systems
The Advantages of Solar Carports
- Solar carports eliminate simple and expensive roof mount systems with ground-mounted panels.
- Instead of using valuable real estate, solar carports use existing rooftop solar panels to generate electricity.
- The solar carport will help in increasing the production of solar energy.
- Solar carports minimize electricity bills by charging electric cars and electric motor vehicles.
- Solar canopies are an ideal space for EV charging (electric vehicles)
- Solar canopies protect the environment from UV light and precipitation.
- Solar carports require little maintenance for servicing and repairing the solar panels.
FAQS
Do Solar Carports have such a market value?
Solar carports have great efficiency in generating renewable energy. Considering this factor, even homeowners and corporate companies have started showing interest in solar panels, increasing the value of the solar carport.
Besides this factor, solar carports give many benefits to the users in charing EV vehicles, utilizing the waste space, and providing shade to the vehicles. If the generated energy is more than the consumed energy, it can be utilized for collaborating with other businesses.
It is economically cost, with many features, and is environmentally friendly by protecting the UV light.
Can a consumer use this solar carport on an existing carport?
Of course, these solar panels can be installed over the existing car-port, but you won’t get more efficiency and advantages. Moreover, you will encounter loading issues and substantial maintenance costs like rooftop-mounted systems. So, inserting a solar panel over a solar carport is advisable. You can use your parking lots for solar carport installation.
Why do commercial buildings popularly use solar panel carports?
Commercial buildings prefer to use this solar panel system from the business point of view, as solar panels will provide the perfect shade for their electric vehicles and EV charging points.
Most importantly, it will produce a huge amount of solar energy. They will install solar panels because they have a lot of wasted space in commercial parking lots.
The excess solar energy will also be sold to some energy providers and used for maintaining corporate buildings. Solar carports are safe to use and can be maintained easily.
How many panels are mandatory to establish a single carport?
The number of solar panels required for installing a carport will entirely depend on the quantity of energy you require. For residential solar installation, 400 to 700 square feet are required for household utilities.
The generated energy can be used for all home needs after converting the generated direct current to alternating current.