For many people who go solar at their home or business, the most common option is a standard rooftop solar array. Most types of roofs, as long as they’re in good condition, can support solar panels covering almost the entire space, which gives solar engineers a large canvas on which to design an array of panels to meet a customer’s energy needs. Other customers opt instead for ground-mounted solar arrays. In this case, a solar company first installs a metal frame that is placed in a sunny spot, usually in a yard or field, and then solar panels are attached to the frame at an optimal angle to maximize energy production.
Because ground arrays are independent structures, there is no need to worry about the size, shape, or condition of the customer’s roof. Additionally, some customers don’t like how a solar array looks on a rooftop and would rather it be located elsewhere. On the other hand, an advantage of putting solar panels on a rooftop is that they’re up out of the way, whereas ground-mounted solar panels could be occupying valuable lawn space. So what if a customer wants the advantages of both?
Solar Canopy — the best of both worlds
Enter: The SunCommon Solar Canopy, a beautiful, functional, and powerful testament to clean energy innovation. SunCommon designed the Solar Canopy for customers who, for various reasons, didn’t want solar on their roof, but also wanted to retain usable space on their property. In the words of a happy canopy customer: “Our roof wasn’t a great fit for solar, both in size and aesthetics, so a ground-mounted option was best. But we didn’t want to use precious yard space, so the dual-purpose Solar Canopy was a perfect fit.”
While metal-framed parking lot canopies are fairly common to see at larger businesses (such as this massive 400-panel array we built at The Alchemist Brewery), the beautiful timber-framed Solar Canopy provides a more subtle and elegant solution for homeowners or smaller businesses. The Solar Canopy is built with sustainably harvested, hand-hewn timber beams that raise the panels high off the ground, allowing the space beneath it to serve as a carport, patio pergola, or cover for your firewood. With a Solar Canopy, you not only get a powerful solar array, but you also gain a whole new, functional outdoor space.
Speaking of powerful, the Solar Canopy is unique among SunCommon’s offerings in that it features bi-facial panels – meaning the solar modules can soak up the sun from both the top and bottom. This is especially noteworthy for folks who experience northeast winters, when the snow-covered ground allows sunlight to reflect back up to the panels’ underside, generating even more energy, and making the Solar Canopy our most powerful solar system per square foot.
Innovating on innovation
After a few years of selling the Solar Canopy and hearing what customers wanted out of a free-standing solar array, we decided to expand to two canopy sizes: 21 panels or 24 panels. Both sizes generated about enough energy to satisfy the average homeowner’s electricity needs while allowing for some variance. A few years after that, we expanded the canopy family again to four sizes to accommodate even more customers.
With 18 panels and room to park one vehicle underneath, Canopy Compact generates just enough power for homes with lower electricity needs. The next size up, Canopy Single, comes with 24 panels and can fit two cars. Canopy Double comes with 42 panels and can park four. The largest Canopy is the Triple, which includes a whopping 60 panels — enough to power a small business or two average households — and can fit six vehicles underneath. We also offer custom canopies in even larger sizes for commercial sites or multi-unit residential buildings.
The way of the future
Today, regulators in many states are encouraging more solar to be installed in the “built environment” — meaning on top of roofs and other existing infrastructure. Since there aren’t actually enough rooftops to cover our energy needs, installing solar canopies over parking lots can play a key role in providing that additional built-environment surface area.
The Solar Canopy may not be right for every customer, but it’s an important piece of the puzzle in getting as many homes and businesses as possible off fossil fuels. The more innovative solar companies can be, the more options they can offer, and the more customers can join the clean energy movement.
Learn more about solar for your home. suncommon.com, solar@suncommon.com, 845-516-7014
SunCommon believes that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and brighter future, and renewable energy is where it starts. With over 10,000 happy customers across New York and Vermont, SunCommon has the experience to transform your home, farm, or business using the latest and greatest in solar tech, and products that are clean, efficient, and built to last. suncommon.com, solar@suncommon.com.