Parking Management/Operations : Sustainability :

What types of solar panels can be installed on parking and mixed-use facilities?*

Solar panels have been successfully installed throughout the country on many new buildings and parking structures as well as existing structures as a retrofit upgrade.

There are multiple types of installations such as single crystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon. Each type varies in efficiency and cost depending on what is recommended for each parking structure.

Single Crystalline has an approximate 15% or greater efficiency, and higher initial cost for approximately 11 to 17.4 watts per square foot generated.

Polycrystalline has an approximate 12% efficiency and is simply manufactured, generating approximately 10 to 13.6 watts per square foot. This technology is generally recommended for installations on parking garages, but each project is different. Multiple technologies should be evaluated, especially given the rapid pace of change.

Amorphous Silicon, or “Thin Film”, has an approximate 6% efficiency and is relatively low cost, generating approximately 5.8 to 5.9 watts per square foot.