Carports: The Latest Innovation in Solar

Carports provide protection for vehicles parked underneath, undoubtedly a value-add for property owners and drivers alike. But simply calling carports a better way to park suggests their benefits are limited to just protecting cars – there’s a missed opportunity that’s being overlooked. There’s a new, clean way to generate energy and maximize the benefits of an otherwise one-dimensional structure. Solar carports are the industry’s latest and greatest innovation.

Solar carports are a canopied structure, often made of steel, that are outfitted with solar panels on top. Installers like us angle the solar panels in order to soak up sun at an optimal angle, effortlessly generating clean energy while shading cars from the elements. Solar carports don’t require additional land the way ground mount solar does, and are an efficient use of space that otherwise wouldn’t provide much but shelter.

The Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, is outfitted with over 11,000 solar panels atop carports, generating more than 3 megawatts of energy just by soaking up the sunshine. The majority of the solar panels are located right in the main parking lot, as a wide array of solar panel carports sweep Lot K to keep spectators and tailgaters cool from the sun and dry from the rain. Lincoln Financial Field is one of many NFL stadiums embracing the benefits of solar, but are the first to adopt the idea of carports.

Here at Sunrise, we’re pioneering the adoption of solar carports in our neighborhoods. We’ve installed hundreds of thousands of solar panels in our K-12 education facilities. We outfitted every school of the Brentwood School District with solar so the district can reduce energy costs and reinvest saved money back into education. Our solar carport installation on the Smithtown High School West campus was even featured in SMA’s Solar Technology Blog and prided for its innovation and utility.

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‍Similar to commercial solar energy, solar carports can be scaled back to fit as small of a space as a one car driveway. Residential solar carports are gaining popularity as more people make the switch to solar energy. Some even come equipped with hybrid or electric vehicle charging capabilities, making it clean, green, accessible, and easy.

Solar power is a clean way to reduce power grid costs and reliance. You may also be eligible for state and federal tax credits, rebates, and incentives with solar power usage. Sunrise Power Solutions is proud to be part of the positive change solar power has been making on the world. That’s why we’ve provided the most solar installations in K-12 educational facilities across New York and the tri-state area, including rooftop, ground, carports, and canopy.