We’ve mentioned a few times on here the benefits of using a carport in the setup of solar panels. As solar power is gradually replacing that from the traditional electric grid, carports are at the forefront for supporting photovoltaic panels and, essentially, being a versatile and effective device in bring solar panel to many commercial and government buildings. The most common setup we’ve seen so far has been large carports installed over a parking lot with the photovoltaic panels added on top. In most cases, the energy from the panels powers nearby buildings, replacing the traditional grid energy used otherwise. In more sophisticated instances, the energy is used for powering both buildings nearby and electric cars underneath.
A similar development in the use of solar carports was in the news recently. The San Ramon Valley Unified School District decided to start using solar power in its middle and high schools. According to the linked article, photovoltaic panels were added to six schools in the district through a $23.2 million contract with SunPower Corp. The setup is designed to be up and running some time during the 2011-12 school year. These solar panels will replace two-thirds of the electricity the schools use currently.
Carports, of course, will be the setup of choice for the solar panels, and these will be added to school parking lots. However, as mentioned in the article, the district had to decide whether adding solar carports would be beneficial in the long term, particularly for savings with electricity. The photovoltaic panels have a 17-year warranty and, within this time, the energy replacement will go up from two-thirds to 95 percent of the power. If not, SunPower will need to reimburse the school district for a portion of its contract.
