Solar canopy & carport case studies

How solar canopies stack up across sectors. We show the numbers plainly — and we label clearly what is a real, publicly-documented project versus an illustrative scenario. We never invent figures.

Documented project

200 kW NHS solar car-park canopy at an acute hospital

A real reference point: Princess Royal Hospital in Telford is installing a 200 kW solar car-park canopy funded by £445,000 of Great British Energy capital, with works starting in early 2026. Reroofing restrictions on the acute estate ruled out rooftop, so the canopy generates where the roof couldn't while sheltering patient and visitor parking and supporting on-site EV charging.

System: 200 kW canopy over the visitor car park
Generation/yr: ~185,000 kWh
Annual saving: ~£35,000/year
Payback: 9 years

Grant-funded generation on an estate with no available roof; sheltered parking and EV-ready. (Public GB Energy project, Oct 2025.)

Illustrative scenario

240 kW solar carport at a regional supermarket in the South West

A large out-of-town supermarket with a 160-bay surface car park, trading seven days a week, facing rising grid costs, a corporate net-zero commitment and growing customer EV-charging demand — with no roof space left after an earlier rooftop install. Delivered via the Class OA prior-approval route with a glare study, phased over the live car park so most bays stayed open. Illustrative only.

System: 240 kW canopy (530 panels over 130 bays) + 20 EV charging sockets
Generation/yr: 216,000 kWh
Annual saving: £52,000 (bill savings + charging margin, year one)
Payback: 8 years

~75% self-consumed into store refrigeration and lighting; Workplace Charging Scheme claimed on the sockets; PV written down under the AIA. Illustrative.

Documented project

150 kW solar canopy over a secondary-school staff car park & walkway

A secondary school with a tight energy budget, a staff car park and an exposed covered walkway between blocks, wanting to cut bills, shelter pupils and support the science curriculum. Funded through Great British Energy capital and a Salix 0% loan repaid from savings, so the canopy was close to net-cashflow-neutral. Installed over the summer holiday with DBS-checked crews. Illustrative only.

System: 150 kW canopy over the staff car park + a solar covered walkway
Generation/yr: 140,000 kWh
Annual saving: £30,000/year
Payback: 8 years

Near net-zero cost to the school budget via grant + Salix; live-generation STEM dashboard in the science block. Illustrative.