Solar Panel Roofing Above Parking Lot Cost

A solar parking lot will cost more than a similarly sized rooftop installation because of the additional labor and equipment needed to construct the canopies to host the panels.

Solar panel roofing above parking lot cost.

In 2014 whole foods constructed 325 kw of solar power at their site in brooklyn ny covering their entire parking lot in solar panels. Covering parking lots with solar panel roofs. But there is a solution. Dependent on the number of rows of parking required a photovoltaic carport are typically one two or three rows wide.

A solar carport is a canopy over one or more parking space with solar panels on it. Solar panels have found a promising new home on canopies above the parking lots commonly adjacent to commercial and industrial buildings. The concept is really taking off in the business world. Here are just a few examples.

Such technology would reflect heat from the sun and use the sun s energy to power buildings and electric cars. Last week 11 factory assembled apartments that stand on stilts were with the help of cranes installed above an open air parking lot in the st george area of the city in southwest england. Find out what solar panels cost in your area in 2020. According to energysage a solar carport costs about 3 45 per watt in the us for 2020 the average system size needed to meet 98 9 of your energy needs is about 11kw and the leading brand of carport solar panels is lg.

As the costs of solar power drops there have been some very high profile companies taking advantage of this concept. Solar parking lots by comparison can be large. The average solar panel payback period is 7 to 12 years and solar energy saves 600 to 2 000 per year on electricity costs. Most solar panels last for 50 years have a 25 year warranty and start generating a return on investment after 8.

However as mentioned above solar canopies also offer additional environmental benefits can produce more electricity and aren t subject to the same space. Key takeaways about solar carports. And there they not only produce needed clean energy they also provide shade for parked cars and inhibit much of the nighttime burn off caused by heat retaining asphalt and thermal heat islands around.