RAISING THE ROOF ON SOLAR CARPORTS

From concept to completion, lean on Terrasmart as your single-source canopy partner

The industry already knows Terrasmart for its iconic ground screws, driven piles and adaptable racking systems, but we also have deep roots in canopy systems. Solar carports are a great alternative to ground mount systems: they maximize solar potential while providing shade and protection to cars and electric charging stations. Over the past decade, Terrasmart has deployed 270 MW of solar carports across 430 systems from coast to coast.

Promising market dynamics for canopy solar

The solar carport market is expanding rapidly with the support of various compounding market drivers, such as favorable policies, growing demand, and meeting Corporate Social Responsibility targets. Solar canopies atop parking lots and garages are an excellent way for forward-thinking companies to showcase their social-centric mindset and support for clean energy in a very public way. Generating positive social impact is at the top of many companies’ lists, with over 90% of S&P 500 companies publishing a CSR report to satisfy the 77% of consumers motivated to purchase from companies actively making the world a better place.

Additional market factors accelerating the growth of solar canopy are state-level renewable energy policies and the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which deducts 30% of the solar project. By taking advantage of these renewable policies, companies can go solar for the lowest cost in history, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many states offer commercial solar incentives, including Utah, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Illinois.

Lastly, much of the canopy solar growth has been customer-driven, with high demand for garage canopies on the densely populated East Coast and surface lots being more prevalent on the West Coast. Some main benefits include energy savings, increased property value, reduced carbon footprint, and an additional revenue stream of net metering to sell excess electricity back to the grid.

Top three considerations when deciding on solar carports

1) Containing costs

Cost is usually the first question customers consider before starting a carport project. By having our resources in-house, Terrasmart can eliminate hidden costs and minimize unnecessary and expensive disruption time between project phases. Many of our competitors do not include construction, leaving that burden to the customer to find a subcontractor and project manager – adding significant risk to the project and budget.

With the added expertise of installing 60% of the solar canopies we design, we know exactly which questions to ask upfront to ensure our quotes are as accurate as possible. Because of our in-house manufacturing we can customize the design to the needs and budget of our customers; our variety of configurations allows our team the flexibility to design the layout to fit any budget.

2) Saving time

The next concern our customers have is related to lead time. With a dedicated project manager driving the schedule, we stay engaged and provide support throughout the entire process. The first stage is due diligence, including geotechnical exploration and underground utility surveys. This step can be run in parallel with our Design and Engineering (D&E) team’s 50%-drawing milestone to save extra time. However, before the 90%-drawings can be created, due diligence must be complete.

Our partners’ ability to streamline reviews, approvals, and requests for information is key to minimize uncontrollable lead time. Then comes submitting signed and sealed permit drawings to local authorities, which can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks, depending on how quickly the additional information from the site is collected. With good collaboration between project management, design teams, and the client, Terrasmart goes the extra mile to stay on schedule.

3) Limiting disruption

The third consideration our clients express is how to ensure the flow of traffic and lessen the construction’s impact on the host company’s day-to-day operations. Our exceptional coordination between the various project teams allows us to mobilize quickly and efficiently. We carefully orchestrate workflow across the four main phases of the project: foundation, steel structure, solar panels, and electrical, throughout the entire process. As the phases progress, more and more parking spots will be available to minimize disruption to our clients as much as possible.

Innovative solutions, powered by experience: Our solar carport projects speak volumes

1) Terrasmart erects carport for greenest sports stadium in the world

One of our most challenging canopy projects was for the world’s first Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) sports arena, located in Atlanta, Georgia. The 618 kW solar carport involved installing 4,000 solar panels on the superstructure of the canopy that had to be built from the ground with a crane due to engineering and load restrictions on the newly built parking garage. Coordinating construction logistics, scheduling construction activities with traffic restrictions, and managing the overall construction schedule were key challenges throughout the project from conception to final installation. This project showcased all of our expertise, and we completed the project on time and within budget, despite encountering many hurdles along the way with the complex architecture of the stadium.

2) Terrasmart carports support climate goals for one of the south’s most prestigious universities

Terrasmart and its EPC partner successfully completed three carports as part of a transformative solar portfolio at Emory University. The three canopy systems added 2 MWs of PV capacity, contributing to the total 5.5-MW portfolio, generating 10 percent of Emory’s peak energy requirements, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 4,300 metric tons.

The successful completion of this solar carport project underscores Terrasmart’s expertise in creating cutting-edge sustainable infrastructure, driving Emory University towards its vision of clean and resilient energy for campus operations. These projects were completed under tight schedules and difficult logistical hurdles.

This innovative project aligns with the university’s commitment to address climate change and build a resilient and sustainable future. By leveraging solar on rooftops and parking structures, Emory aims to become a significant site for clean energy production. The investment supports its greenhouse gas emissions goals, including a 45 percent reduction by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Why Terrasmart as your carport partner

As a full-service provider, our canopy solutions are designed, engineered, and installed in-house for the added flexibility and cost-efficiency to meet any unique or complex garage geometry. Our end-to-end solutions minimize lead time, reduce disruption, and ensure a quality final product that is structurally robust, code compliant, and within budget to eliminate risks to our customers.

With a dedicated project manager and seamless coordination between the different phases of construction, you can rest assured knowing there will be minimal stop-and-start, ensuring no hidden costs or surprises as we complete the project with limited disruption to your existing parking spaces.

See how our team has ensured success on other canopy projects and allow us to handle your next canopy project from start to finish.