Our new analysis has revealed that UK businesses could save more than £140 million a year or a staggering £1.4 billion over a decade if they turned their carparks into solar carports.
Solspan’s Solar Savings Index collected data on the estimated number of car park spaces for 500 large businesses across the UK and calculated how much money and energy would be saved if there was a wide adoption of solar carports.
Our interactive calculator shows you how much carbon you could save by using your car parks to generate renewable energy, giving your business a massive economic and sustainability boost.
Our research also demonstrated that solar carports could generate energy to offset 570,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, a massive return on investment.
But it’s not just about reaping cheap energy rewards. Businesses who make great strides in trying to reach a Net Zero target also see other benefits affecting their profitability despite the initial cost.
Using self-generated renewable energy can give your business a real boost in loyalty from both customers and employees who are concerned about climate change.
As a ballpark, it costs around £10,000 per space for a solar carport which includes groundworks, frame, solar panels and electrical connections.
However, prices begin to rise in line with higher specs and in turn the attractiveness of a model and the ability to add branding to it. In addition, if you want lighting and a fascia then this will increase the price.
While carports can be more expensive than rooftop solar panels, the frame is a one-off investment that will last for many years and you will only replace the panels when they reach the end of their lifespan.
We’ve also found that working with a specialist carport company like Solspan rather than a renewables company can cut installation costs.
Our Valasol model is made from aluminium and is suitable for large or small car parks. It’s available in a standard or a cantilever configuration – where only one end is supported.
A great advantage of Valasol is that it can be secured to the carpark surface with concrete ballast foundations if it’s not possible to build foundations below ground.
Milasol is our modular design also made from recyclable aluminium and is especially suitable for smaller carparks and businesses who may want to expand their solar carports as and when they need to.
Our Stilosol model costs £10,000 per space and comes with extra bracing. It’s designed to cover large areas cost-effectively and is available as a single span design too.
If you have a large carpark, then our double post Stilosol Plus may be more suitable. It provides a cost-efficient large-span space and is suited to central sections of carparks.
Our most popular model Gradasol starts at £12,000 a space and is designed as a single-span or gull-wing style design made from 98 per cent recycled steel.
Companies with large carparks often choose Gradasol Max which has a larger span than our Gradasol model. This enables large areas to be covered but with less posts, reducing disruption and groundwork cost.
With both Gradasol models, cables and drainage are hidden from view creating an elegant silhouette.
Many clients choose Novasol timber solar carports because the timber finish looks stunning.
The timber used for glulam comes from European spruce grown in sustainably managed forests and therefore has a lower carbon footprint than steel or aluminium.
Glulam is known for its ability to withstand a huge amount of force and its high strength to weight ratio – around three times higher than steel. Therefore, Novasol is cheaper to install because you need smaller foundations.
However, Novasol is more expensive per carpark space than our other models.
If you would like bespoke quote, please contact our team of experts.