Solar Panels
Solar panels absorb photons from the sun and convert them into usable electricity in DC voltage. An inverter is normally used to convert the DC into AC voltage to power most appliances requiring AC. Solar panels can be used for supplying power to street lights and lighting for roads or display signs. An inventive way of using solar panels is to install them on canopies for car parks and generate solar electricity for car park lights and adjoining buildings. A market has now been created that has seen the development of a specialized solar parking canopy that is becoming popular in major business car parks.
Solar Parking Canopies
Solar parking canopies utilize the same structure that will be used to protect vehicles from sunlight and harsh weather, to generate solar electricity in business car parks that can be used to power the business premises and the car park lighting. Maximizing the space on top of a structure which was typically boring and of limited use has led to the creation of a solar parking canopy that can also provide a charging point for electric cars.
Space Saving
Installing business parking canopies is the perfect solar solution for Companies with limited roof space that may be mostly occupied by air conditioning units and require access at all times for repair and maintenance. Utilizing roof spaces that would typically be ignored in a business car park can offer the ideal solar solution that can generate electricity for the Companies building as well as generating excess power that can be sold to the National Grid at a premium rate.
Make Money from Solar Canopies
Business car parks could be fitted with solar canopies and earn cash from the UK governments Feed in Tariffs that pay for all electricity generated by solar panels provided the solar installation is less than 5MW in size. Considering that Glastonbury Festival site, Worthy Farm, has 1,100 solar panels spread over 1,500 square meters and is only 200kW in power output, a large number of business car parks will be eligible to receive cash for solar electricity. Up to 43.3p p/kWh will be paid for all electricity generated using solar canopies in business car parks and an extra 3.1p p/kWh is paid for excess energy that is sold back to the national grid. This is especially lucrative for businesses that are only open during the week so the weekends will be able to generate a substantial amount of free electricity that can earn businesses cash.
