Every single day, hundreds of thousands of vehicles sit idle in parking lots outside companies, public offices and shopping malls – and most of them in full sunlight. The question we need to ask here is: Why are they not being charged? Solar canopies offer an obvious solution and open up new avenues for a sustainable energy supply.
The German government has recognized this potential and included parking lot PV in the Solar Package I legislation passed in May 2024, as part of the so-called “special solar installations”. To qualify for the current feed-in tariff of 7 cents/kWh, the canopy must be categorized as an installation under building law. France is already ahead of the curve in this field. Since July 2023, it is compulsory for both new and existing parking lots over 1,500 sqm to incorporate photovoltaics nationwide.
According to a recent surface analysis conducted by Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University, the technical potential of existing parking lots with over 35 spaces alone amounts to 24.6 GW. Parking lots with over 50 spaces were calculated at 22.2 GW and areas with over 100 parking spaces at 16.5 GW. This shows that parking lot PV is so much more than a niche application.
Urbanroof by Friedrich GmbH, which received The smarter E Award, is a shining example of design, functionality and sustainability successfully coming together. It maximizes PV land use, generates up to 60% more energy than standard carports and provides protection against the weather. It can be easily combined with charging solutions, even for higher vehicles such as transporters and trucks. Sustainable materials such as wood and ground screw foundations replace alternatives that are harmful to the environment.
GoodWe, a The smarter E Award finalist, presented the Vela Series Residential Solar Carport, a modular system with a watertight PV roof structure. This impressive solution can be easily assembled without specialist machinery, and benefits from reduced material costs and a high degree of scalability, making it ideal for housing developments and smaller commercial units.
Parking lot PV can help stabilize the grid when combined with bidirectional charging infrastructure (V2G-ready), buffer storage and intelligent load management. This can boost self-consumption rates, particularly on company or public authority premises, while ensuring grid-serving operation. When combined with charging points, the site can be transformed into a decentralized energy hub that significantly supports the mobility transition and enhances grid safety.