What is a Solar Carport?

Solar carports for residential and commercial use are an excellent way of cutting down electricity bills, gaining energy independence, and reducing your carbon footprint while sheltering your car from harsh weather elements. Although the solar panel carport is beneficial, there are several factors you must weigh before installing it.

For instance, you need to consider the size of the carport, the number of solar panels required, the intended use, the availability of materials, the availability of skilled labor, and the costs involved.

Studies show that the demand for solar carports is on an upward trajectory in both residential and commercial areas. Renogy has a wide range of cost-effective solar panels, suitable for building small-sized to larger solar panel carports. Solar panels are capable of generating electricity to power nearly your entire household. Also, you can use Renogy solar panels to charge your EVs.

In this article, we are going to explore solar panel carports, what they entail, and their advantages and disadvantages. Stay tuned!

What is a Solar Panel Carport?

A solar carport is an overhead outdoor canopy, usually made of steel or wood. It is constructed over a car parking area and fitted with solar panels for harnessing sun rays. The solar panel carport utilizes photovoltaic technology to generate electricity.

Solar carports are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners due to their versatile nature. They provide shade for your car while generating electricity for the household, which greatly reduces electricity bills and reduces your carbon footprint.

Solar carports are designed to produce a certain amount of electricity. The amount of electricity it generates depends on its size, location, and design. Therefore, a large carport installed in an open space is capable of generating a higher amount of electricity than a smaller carport installed in a smaller area that is prone to shading.

Most standard carports feature two to three solar panels. However, some larger carports can have up to eight solar panels. The size of the carport depends on the available space and the amount of electricity needed. Other important factors to consider include the installation costs and the amount of energy you want to achieve. When installing the carport, you must consider the height and the shading conditions.

Residential Vs. Commercial Solar Carports

In the US, commercial solar panel carports are more prevalent than in residential setups. As companies and businesses invent ways of cutting down operating costs, one of the notable areas that are instrumental in minimizing costs is the energy sector. As such, commercial sectors are installing massive solar panel roofed parking spaces to generate electricity for lighting and other uses.

Although the commercial solar carports are more prevalent than residential ones, more homeowners are slowly buying into the idea.

The commercial and residential solar carports differ in aspects such as the layout and size. Commercial or industrial carports are designed to provide shade to dozens of cars.

On the other hand, residential solar carports are much smaller and designed for up to five cars. Although the residential solar panel carports are smaller, they can still provide adequate solar energy for your household.

Residential carports are more flexible in terms of design compared to commercial carports. In residential carports, the costs are relatively friendly and the users can choose the materials, and layout which suit their personal style or home aesthetics. In commercial setups, the choice of designs is limited, the installation costs are high, and a lot of metal structures are involved.

Solar Carports Vs. Rooftop Solar

Most people assume that ground or solar carports are more versatile and perhaps cost-effective than rooftop solar. Additionally, people assume that homeowners who choose to install solar carports do not qualify for rooftop solar panels.

However, whether to choose solar carport or rooftop solar depends on various factors such as the nature of the property and specific needs of the homeowner. Other factors that influence the type of solar installation a homeowner is likely to choose include the size, orientation, and angle of the roof. A solar carport is much more flexible because the solar panels take the place of the roof and there are no space or orientation limitations.

Solar carports have a greater advantage over rooftop solar due to car shading, more solar panel coverage, and its ability to easily incorporate Electric Vehicle charging system. In addition, the solar carport provides a stronger visual statement than rooftop solar, which enhances the aesthetics of the property.

However, homeowners and businesses can combine solar carports and rooftop solar systems as a strategy for maximizing solar energy production to meet their energy demands and improve sustainability.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Solar Carports?

At least 95% of the time, our cars remain parked, either at home or at work. Parked cars consume a lot of space, which is why it is important to maximize the car parking spaces by installing a solar carport. Both residential and commercial solar panel carports have a share of benefits and drawbacks which we shall examine below.

Advantages of Solar Carport

1. Reduces Energy Bills
Solar carports transform potential unused spaces to generate electricity for commercial or residential use, thus cutting down on energy costs. The electricity generated by the carport can be used for lighting and running appliances which significantly cuts down the costs of energy in the long run. Additionally, users can sell excess energy generated by their carports for utility companies and benefit from programs such as net metering.

2. It Keeps Your Car Shaded
The solar carports not only generate low-cost clean energy, but they also shelter vehicles from weather elements such as sun, wind, snow, and storms. In hotter regions such as Arizona, New Mexico, and California, solar carports are more prevalent.

3. Economical Use of Space
Set-ups such as ground-mounted solar projects are not efficient in terms of space usage. The space underneath the solar panels is usually unused which leads to wastage. The solar carports generate the same amount of electricity, while the space beneath is used for sheltering cars. If more businesses adopt the use of solar carports, it could significantly minimize the use of productive agricultural land for solar farms.

4. It Serves as Electric Vehicle Charging Spot
A solar panel carport can feature EV charging infrastructure for easy, affordable, and efficient charging of electric vehicles. In commercial setups, businesses can earn extra revenue by providing solar charging spots for electric vehicles. In addition, charging your electric vehicle with solar energy reduces reliance on fossil fuel chargers, which helps in lowering carbon footprint.

5. Enables the Users to Gain Energy Independence
One of the key benefits of installing any type of solar system, including solar panel carport is to gain energy independence. It eliminates or significantly reduces your reliance on the grid systems. Gaining energy independence allows you power access even when grid systems are out of service, saves you money, and reduces your carbon footprint.

Disadvantages of Solar Carports

1. High Installation Costs
On average, the rooftop racking system costs around $4,000 to $10,000 and up to $25,000 with solar panels depending on the size of the solar system. Solar panel carport also requires high installation costs depending on the layout and size, ranging from thousands to ten thousand dollars. However, in most cases, you can recoup the installation expenses within 2 or 3 years.

2. It is Labor-intensive
Solar panel carport installation is extremely demanding and labor-intensive compared to rooftop installations. Assembling the carport and mounting solar panels is quite challenging. A slight misalignment of the solar panels can potentially disrupt the entire system. Therefore, the installation must be conducted by an extremely skilled crew.

3. Installation Space Requirements
Not all spaces are suitable for solar panel installation. Additionally, you must factor in the amount of space required for carport installation. A typical carport measures approximately 400 to 700 square feet to generate a substantial amount of energy. The size of the space and costs increases subject to the size of the property. Also, the size and layout of the backyard matter when it comes to installing a carport.

How to DIY a Solar Carport?

You don’t need to hire a professional to build a small-sized solar panel carport for your home. In this DIY guide, learn how to build a solar carport from scratch. Follow these steps.

Step 1. Assemble All the Materials and Tools Required

Start by listing all the materials and tools you will need. Assemble every item as you tick them out on the checklist. Important materials and tools you need include a power drill, screwdriver, spade, a wood sander, bolts, screws, spade, timber beams, fixtures, solar panels, concrete footings, wheelbarrow, paint, and paint brushes. Ensure you have complete safety gear with safety goggles, gloves, etc.

Step 2. Start by Casting Concrete Footing

Cast the concrete footing to firmly hold down the timber post on the ground. Identify and mark places where you will foot each post. Ensure all of them are accurately aligned. Also, ensure the footing for every post is deep to offer support to the structure.

The depth of the footings should be one-third the post length and twice its width. Then, mix sand and cement with water on your wheelbarrow in the ratio of 1:2:0.5. Pour the mixture into each hole and wait for about a week to allow the casting to dry. Irrigate the casting throughout the week to facilitate uniform drying and prevent cracking.

Step 3. Fasten the Timber Posts

Once the concrete is dried up, insert the posts and use bolts to fasten it on the concrete. While fastening the posts to the concrete, hold the timber posts straight. Add more braces if needed.

Step 4. Install Beams and Rafters

First, draw a datum line to ensure the beam is on level then connect beams to posts. If you are constructing a 10-foot carport, the posts should also be 10-foot. Proceed to install the beams on the posts with the metal or timber housing.

Remember to create a slight slope to let water overflow easily. To create a slope, measure a reasonable distance and place a string to indicate the top of the slope. Use the rafter anchors to attach the rafter and align them using a string. If you are using wood, make holes to allow water to drain quickly through it.

Step 5: Install Solar Panels

Once you have installed the rafters, carefully place the solar panels and connect them to the power system. Remember to angle them correctly facing the sun. Read the guide to ensure accurate placement of the solar panels for maximized solar energy production.

Solar systems are a huge investment and you should carefully consider the costs involved. Consider purchasing solar panels and other solar equipment at cost-effective rates from Renogy.

Final Thoughts

Is a solar panel carport worth the investment? Absolutely! Transform your parking space into a solar energy generation center for your household. You can use the solar energy generated by the carport to charge your appliances, for lighting, and charge your EV.

Although the installation costs are higher than the regular rooftop solar, carport generate higher electricity output which leads to faster recouping of the investment costs.

If you are looking for high-performance cutting-edge solar panels for your carport, explore our wide range of solar panels and other solar equipment such as solar kits, batteries, inverters, and much more. We will guide you through picking the right solar panels, depending on whether you want a residential or commercial carport, your location, and your energy needs.

FAQs: Solar Panel Carports

1.Can you use solar panels only to construct a carport?

Yes, you can use solar panels to construct a carport. The solar panels play a dual role of generating electricity and sheltering your car from weather elements.

2. Do solar carports charge electric cars?

Yes. Solar carports can be used to charge electric cars. You can connect the solar panels to the EV charging infrastructure in the carport allowing EVs to charge while parked.

3. Are there any drawbacks to solar panel carports?

Some of the drawbacks of solar panel carports are high installation costs, demanding labor needs, and space challenges.

4. How long does it usually take to install a solar carport?

It takes approximately 6 to 12 weeks to install a commercial carport and two weeks for a residential carport. However, the actual time depends on other factors such as the complexity and the size of the project. The availability of skilled labor and materials also plays a role in the duration it takes to complete the project.