The solar carport
Heavy timber, room for two full-size trucks, and a solar roof that charges them and runs the house when the grid goes down.
Built like a barn
Rough-sawn Douglas fir posts on concrete piers, deep beams, curved knee braces and black steel plates. Sized for two full-size trucks side by side with room to open the doors, and strong enough for coastal wind.
How much power a solar carport makes
| Structure | Roof area | Solar (approx.) | Power per day (NC average) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio pergola, 12 x 16 ft | 192 sq ft | About 3 kW | About 11 kWh |
| Pool pergola, 16 x 20 ft | 320 sq ft | About 5 kW | About 18 kWh |
| Two-truck carport, 20 x 24 ft | 480 sq ft | About 7.5 kW | About 28 kWh |
Estimates: about 15 to 16 watts of panels per square foot of roof, and about 3.5 to 4 kWh a day per kW of panels averaged over the year in North Carolina, more in summer and less in winter. Your site, shade and panel choice change the numbers.
What it does
- Charges your electric truck from the sun on ordinary days.
- Powers the house alongside the grid.
- Keeps working in an outage when it's built with backup equipment, so the truck can run the house through a two-way charger and transfer switch.
- Protects the trucks from sun, salt and hail.
How it works → ยท Which trucks can power a house →
Carport or pergola?
Same timber, same solar roof. A carport covers the driveway and the trucks. A solar pergola covers the patio or the pool. Both make power, and they work together on one system.
Solar carport questions
What is a solar carport?
A carport with solar panels for a roof. It covers your vehicles from sun, salt and hail and makes electricity for the house and for charging an electric vehicle.
How big is a two-car solar carport?
Ours are sized for two full-size trucks side by side with room to open the doors, about 20 x 24 ft. That roof holds about 7.5 kW of panels.
How much power does a solar carport make?
A 20 x 24 ft carport makes roughly 28 kWh a day averaged over the year in North Carolina, close to what an average U.S. home uses in a day, and more on long summer days.
Does a solar carport work in a power outage?
Only if it's built for it. Most grid-tied solar shuts off in an outage. With backup equipment, a two-way charger and a transfer switch, the carport keeps charging your electric truck and the truck runs the house.
What does a solar carport cost?
It depends on size, timber, panels, the electrical work and your permit. Tell us about your place and we'll give you a straight answer for your site.
Ready when the lights go out
Tell us about your place and what you drive. We'll tell you straight what a Bugging Out carport would do for you.