There are many options for solar panels today, including alternatives to the standard rooftop solar panels that most people are used to. One viable option is solar carports. Solar carports have become more prominent today with the increasing adoption of solar technology. They’re flexible, cost effective, and provide a better parking experience for your customers and employees. Sandbox Solar will help make your parking area work for you and generate electricity for your business.
What is a solar carport?
For many businesses and buildings, rooftop solar is out of the question due to roof positioning, space, or building constraints. That’s where solar carports come in! If your business has an existing carport, or a large, open parking lot where a carport could easily be built, a solar carport might just be what you’re looking for. Solar carports are just a standard carport – a parking structure that provides a roof over the parked cars – with a solar array placed on top. Carports offer optimal angles for your solar panels to receive maximum sunlight. By adding solar panels, you’ll get the benefit of solar power without having to worry about your building’s roof.
Benefits of Solar Carports for Businesses:
- Save on Your Electricity Bills – As with any solar project, one of the biggest benefits of solar is the ability to not only reduce your organization’s footprint, but also to offset your electricity costs with free solar power from the sun. Depending on the size of your carport and your electricity use, you might be surprised just how much your business can save over time by installing solar carports.
- Tax Write-Offs – Until the end of 2019, businesses can deduct 30% of the cost of solar installation from their tax bill. If your company is looking for ways to reduce your liability, solar is a great place to look. Learn more about tax rebates here.
- Flexibility for Your Solar Project – Using solar carports allows you to fully customize your solar project for your business. It can be difficult to optimize solar panels on a rooftop alone. The readily available real estate in parking lots is perfect for adding solar panels. You can easily position the solar panels on a carport for maximum sunlight.
- Efficient Use of Space – Since solar carports go over your existing parking lot, you won’t be losing any land or taking away from other parts of your business. Exposed parking lots make up a large portion of the surface area in a city and are some of the biggest open areas most businesses own. We might as well put them to good use!
- Cost Effective – Solar carports are becoming a more cost-effective option compared to ground mounts or rooftop solar panels because they’re easy to install and they can be designed specifically to maximize your power generation.
- Improved Parking Experience – If your business is located in a place that experiences hail or snow, your solar carports will protect cars and will protect your parking lot over time. Furthermore, solar carports can be equipped with lights to brighten up your parking lot and make it safer for all guests.
If you’ve been looking for the most cost-effective, flexible solar energy, you’ve come to the right place! At Sandbox Solar, we pride ourselves on being local and giving you the best solar system for your business. If you want to learn more about solar carports, contact us. We would love to hear from you and provide a free commercial solar installation quote for your Northern Colorado business.