Visionpark said its new solution for solar carports is self-weight and does not require a foundation. It can reportedly house all kinds of solar panels and be installed quickly.
The French startup Visionpark has developed a solar carport solution based on concrete.
“The concrete structure we use is self-weighting and does not require a foundation,” says the company’s founder, Armand Téolis. pv magazine France. “Above all, it is very quick to install. For example, a 500 kW installation can be completed in fifteen days. There is therefore no need to anchor the structure and destroy the parking lot for the civil engineering works required for the steel shade structures.”
According to Téolis, building the carport only requires digging the ground, pouring the concrete foundations and waiting for drying over the following three weeks. “With our teams we can install 300 m2 to 500 m2 in 24 hours. Installation at night is also possible,” he added.
Image: Komartis
He also explained that the concrete structures are supplied by Italian specialist Paver, which claims to have already installed 3,000 of the same type of structures on the other side of the Alps. The concrete monoblocks consist of parts that are prefabricated in a factory using various molds. They are transported to France and then assembled on site by Visionpark.
Weighing approximately ten tons, each shade structure can cover the parking spaces of eight vehicles. The structure is adaptable to all types of spaces and functions, is certified and, according to the manufacturer, suitable for all types of photovoltaic panels.
Image: Komartis
While the concrete construction is Italian, the mounting system is 100% French, manufactured by Hydro. “Everything has been integrated into our concrete modules from the start: the mounting rails of the Halfen type, the screws, both in stainless steel, and the LED light banks. The cable ducts are pre-integrated into the structures and are not visible. This technique avoids any risk of damage, chipping or theft,” says Téolis.
According to Visionpark, the carport solution is interesting for major players in mass distribution, but also for manufacturers. The company says its production capacity should increase to 50 MW this year – with the start of a first project in France in June – and could be quickly expanded to 150 MW, or even 200 MW by 2025, to meet current very high demand for photovoltaic shade systems.
Regarding the cost of the solution, Téolis said that, in addition to a financial benefit for customers compared to a solution with foundations, the self-weighted shade structures make it possible to avoid the immobilization of a parking space and for some “prevent a loss of turnover”. .”
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