The development of renewable energies (EnR) is one of the central pillars in the strategy to decarbonize our economy. Renewable energy production sites located across France must overcome significant constraints and are constantly seeking to establish themselves in areas that are not valued.

The thousands of car parks in France represent a great opportunity for our companies to produce their own energy while valorizing under-exploited areas. Photovoltaic shades meet this need, here's how.

What is a photovoltaic shade?

How does a photovoltaic shade work?

A shade house is an elevated solar power plant which allows the passage of vehicles and people under photovoltaic panels supported by a metal structure.

Its operation is in every way identical to a solar power plant on the ground or on the roof. Photovoltaic cells first transform solar energy into direct electrical current which is then transformed into 50 Hz alternating current using an inverter.

Depending on the customer's strategy, the electricity produced is consumed directly on site (self-consumption) or sold on the distribution network via the auction mechanism of CRE (Energy Regulatory Commission). Finally, a transformer raises the electrical voltage to the same level as that of the network.

Source: Sun'R Power

Photovoltaic shades and other solar installations

If you're considering investing in solar, it's important to understand the basic components that make up a solar power plant. There are several essential elements, common to each installation:

• Photovoltaic panels;
• A support structure (roof, land, pylons);
• Electrical protection boxes (alternating or direct current);
• One or more photovoltaic inverters depending on the installed capacity of the solar power plant;
• One or more ENEDIS meters to measure production (also used to maintain balance on the network).

Unlike the others solar power plants (on the roof, on the ground, agrivoltaics), solar shading placed in company car parks is subject to various regulations. They are similar to the urban constraints of rooftop power plants. The advantages: there is no public inquiry or fauna/flora study, no water law study. A classic building permit with a soil study and existing networks is sufficient.

The type of shade houses varies according to several criteria. First of all, The layout of the car park is taken into account to define the orientation of the shades. The installation is adapted to the design of existing car parks to speed up the installation of the same. However, orientation (east-west and full south being the most optimal) and shading can exert a real influence on the yielding of the power plant, even if it means making the project nonsense.

It is also essential to determine What types of vehicles park in the car park to pay the height shade houses. Whether it is a parking lot reserved for heavy vehicles, private cars or other machines, these elements are taken into account.

Finally, the support structure of the solar panels can be made of wood, metal or wood covered with metal plates.

What are the advantages of a photovoltaic shade?

The EnR acceleration law

The law passed at the beginning of the year, called Renewable energy acceleration law, encourages companies to decarbonize their activities even more. Rather than being considered as constraints for businesses, the new regulations are proving to be great investment opportunities. First of all, here are the news concerning solar shades.

Businesses with outdoor parking lots with an area of more than 1,500 m² are required to solarize 50% of this area. Are subject to this regulation, car parks existing on the date of 1^Er July 2023 and those whose application for urban planning permission was filed as of the promulgation of the law (i.e. on March 10, 2023).

Completion times vary depending on the area:

• 3 years from 1^Er July 2023 for parks whose area is equal to or greater than 10,000 m², so a deadline of 1^Er July 2026.
• 5 years from 1^Er July 2023 for those whose area is less than 10,000 m² and greater than 1,500 m², i.e. July 2028.

These obligations do not apply to:

• To parks whose manager sets up, on the land unit that is already artificialized, processes for the production of renewable energy that do not require the installation of a shade, as long as these processes allow equivalent energy production.
• In the event of technical, safety, architectural, heritage and environmental constraints or constraints relating to sites and landscapes that do not allow the installation of the devices.
• When these obligations cannot be met under economically acceptable conditions.
• When the park is shaded by trees on at least half of its area.
• To car parks whose total or partial suppression or transformation is planned as part of an action or a development operation or urban planning authorization if a first authorization is issued before 1^Er July 2026 or 2028.

Environmental benefits

Many car parks still use energy-intensive sodium lamps. Installing shades therefore allows a reduction in electricity consumption of the car park, thanks to LED underside lighting directly integrated into the structure.

This asset makes it possible to anticipate the electrification of vehicle fleets individuals and businesses. In fact, the installation of shading also makes it possible to develop the car park to accommodate charging stations.

Finally, the energy produced is green, which makes it possible to improve the carbon footprint of businesses.

The economic advantages

In case of self-consumption, the power plant makes it possible to consume energy at a fixed price and therefore to be protected from market variations over the long term. The electricity it produces covers a significant part of a site's consumption. In terms of prices, it should be borne in mind that ground and rooftop power plants are still cheaper than parking canopies.

The alternative to self-consumption is to reinject electricity directly into the distribution network and sell it under the CRE (100 to 500 kWp window). This makes it possible to generate revenue that the company can use to balance its energy budget or repay its investment.

Comfort for your visitors and employees

Charging stations can be made available to users to recharge their electric vehicle. Beyond the technical advantages, awnings protect cars/charging stations from the weather and the sun, in addition to lighting car parks at night.

Finally, by investing in parking canopies, companies demonstrate their desire to act and affirm their CSR policy with their partners, employees and customers. Proof through actions and not words prevents organizations from being labeled among those who do greenwashing, building customer trust.

Photovoltaic shades: What are the aids?

The self-consumption premium

As part of CRE tenders, you benefit from a self-consumption premium of at least €10/MWh. In addition, the energy produced by power plants is exempt from TURPE (Rates for the Use of Public Electricity Networks).

The repurchase rate

The bigger your power plant, the lower the rates (economies of scale). Power plants with a power of between 100 and 500 kWp give access to an open window whose prices are around €128/MWh in 2023. Above 500 kWp, the price gradually approaches €100/MWh via an auction system supervised by the CRE.

Here is a concrete example to visualize the size of a shade house:

• A car park with 90 spaces with a surface area of 1,500 m² can accommodate a 250 kWp power plant, which represents a production of between 280 and 300 MWh per year.
• The budget for a power plant of this size is around €380,000 excluding VAT, i.e. around €120/MWh excluding VAT.

Exemption from taxes

By deciding to self-consume, businesses that consume 100% of the volume produced on site are exempt from the CSPE.

Local help

The CRE, through its calls for tenders (at the national and regional level), supports companies in their transition. It is important to note that you cannot add up several government funding grants for the same photovoltaic project.

Many companies are required to transform their car parks by installing awnings with a potential of 25 GWp of installed capacity, i.e. between 22 and 27 TWh of annual production. The reasons for making such an investment are multiple: legislative constraints, energy strategy, CSR policy, etc.

To have such an installation is above all to plan for the long term. First, a more or less significant percentage of your consumption is insured and “priced” for twenty years.

Then, you anticipate the electrification of uses, especially in the automotive sector, since shading makes it easy to set up charging stations. Finally, you can use this project to discover the world of renewable energies and plan your next green investments thanks to the experience acquired.

By encouraging businesses to invest in intermittent energies, our electrical system is becoming more complex. Network managers will have to adapt to the fluctuating production of renewable energies and develop new strategies to maintain the balance of the network. Numerous solutions are being considered, such as energy storage in batteries And Smart Grids more efficient.