by Shane Henson — November 1, 2013—NRG Solar, a subsidiary of NRG Energy Inc., recently brought to market its fully customizable, freestanding Solar Canopy.
The solar canopy structure provides solar power to the grid to help manage energy costs and an option to operate off the grid to provide backup power. The introduction marks a major step forward in expanding the viability of solar installations beyond large rooftop structures, says NRG Solar.
Using a modular kit produced by Sunora Energy Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Solar, the modular design reduces cost and time of installation without sacrificing customization to meet each customer’s unique requirements.
The NRG Solar Canopy can be incorporated into large-scale commercial use as part of a comprehensive rooftop, ground mount, or solar parking solution that could also be included in a power purchase agreement (PPA) from NRG Solar. The canopy is optimal for universities, hospitals, gas stations, banks, stadiums, bus stops, and remote locations such as islands, parks and farms.
Dependent on installation size, the canopy can power a variety of appliances—from laptops to ATMs. According to NRG Solar, the canopy comes in four models that will generate from 2.44 kW to 7.32 kW of power depending on the geographic location:
- Solar Canopy Mini: dimensions are 15 feet x 14 feet; 2,440 annual kWh
- Solar Canopy Model 1: dimensions are 7.5 feet x 27 feet; 2,440 annual kWh
- Solar Canopy Model 2: dimensions are 15 feet x 27 feet; 4,880 annual kWh
- Solar Canopy Model 3: dimensions are 22.5 feet x 27 feet; 7,320 annual kWh
According to NRG Solar, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, through its partnership with NRG, is already deploying solar canopies on selected hotels and resorts. These canopies will be customized to match the look and feel of each resort, and purposed in diverse ways, including luxury pool cabanas, a golf starter shack, shaded recreation areas, and covered food and beverage areas.
Canopies are also currently installed at NRG headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, and Greensgrow Farms in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
