If there’s a feature of solar panels that has been constantly overlooked, it is their versatility.
Over the years, solar panels have come a long way not just in terms of efficiency and aesthetics but also in terms of their compatibility with different built structures.
Nowadays, solar panels can be shoehorned into a variety of intricate structures, which is helping take on-site energy generation to a whole new level.
And the latest approach in this line entails converting parking lots into mini solar plants!
Solar carports, as they are called, are basically roofed parking spaces with solar panels as the canopy. The popularity of solar carports has been on the rise in recent times, with many opting for them, thanks to their multiple benefits.
For a solar installer though, the rise of solar carports may pose a different dilemma. You may be unsure whether it is right to add solar carports to your list of service offerings. After all, jumping on any bandwagon without doing due diligence can sometimes prove disastrous for any business.
If this is you, here’s a brief overview about solar carports to get started.
As mentioned earlier, solar carports are roofed parking facilities with a canopy made of solar panels.
Generally, solar panels are mounted either on the rooftops or the ground, and solar carports are more of the latter. However, unlike traditional ground-mounted systems, panels in a solar carport are erected on a much more elevated surface to form a canopy, under which cars can be safely parked.
Depending on the space at your disposal, the size of solar carports can range from single-car parking slots for residential driveways to lavish parking areas for commercial facilities.
Whatever the size, one thing is for sure: solar carports facilitate onsite electricity generation without much hassle. Some also come with an EV charging feature, allowing property owners to charge their EVs parked underneath.
Your clients have a lot to gain from solar carports. And below are some of them:
Investing in a solar carport can be an astute way to make use of the available space.
Generally, parking lots only serve a single purpose, which, of course, is to station vehicles. This piece of land is otherwise going unused.
By converting it into solar carports though, your clients are turning the space into pocket-sized power plants that deliver electricity to their property free of charge.
Adding solar carports to one’s property makes sense even if your clients have already invested in rooftop or ground-mounted solar PV systems.
As we saw earlier, parking spaces hardly serve any purpose apart from the one they set out to do. And stacking this otherwise unused space with solar panels will only add excess capacity to your clients’ power repository.
And who can say no to excess energy, and all the goods that come with it?
Power from the grid doesn’t come cheap. And with today’s rising demand for energy, your clients are required to shell out a fortune to satisfy their energy needs.
Unless… they invest in solar.
Investing in solar panels allows your clients to generate their own electricity, and rely less on the electricity from the power grid. And the lesser your clients’ dependence on power grid, the lower will be their electricity bills!
Now comes the best part.
With investments like solar carports facilitating excess power generation, clients can distribute the excess back to the grid and benefit from the financial incentives the federal government has introduced.
Such schemes have been put in place to speed up the adoption of clean energy within the country.
And, why is the government in such a hurry to adopt clean energy?
The answer is simple: climate change. Yes, it is real and it is high time we acknowledged the dangers it poses.
Several strategies have been proposed by the government to combat climate change, and one of them involves replacing fossil fuels with clean energy sources like solar or wind power, which has a relatively low carbon footprint.
Solar, in particular, plays a key role in our struggle against climate change, and investing in this technology is your clients’ way of telling the world that they are doing their part in this fight.
Need another good reason for your clients to opt for solar carports? How about the fact that they can also be paired with EV charging solutions?
Yes, your clients can now opt for solar carports with EV charging capabilities. This means the electric vehicles parked under the carport can be charged using the clean energy it generates.
The answer to this question differs from client to client.
But provided your clients have the space and the right conditions for installation, solar carports may stand them in good stead due to the key benefits they offer.
At Illumine Industries, we offer solar design solutions for hassle-free solar carport installations.
Our well-rounded solar permit packages prioritize the safety, efficiency, and aesthetics of PV systems, thereby helping you navigate through the rigors of permitting processes without any fuzz.
