A two-car garage is a luxury rarely afforded to residents of the quaint neighborhoods in downtown Charlottesville. Tucked behind a single-story home is just that, although its mere existence is not its most remarkable trait. This carport is equipped with solar panels generating enough power to charge an electric vehicle—and more.
The first of its kind in the area, the carport was part of a larger home renovation project that began in April 2021 and took about a year to complete. It all began with homeowner Beth Bonner’s desire to reduce her carbon footprint.
“I am a scuba diver, so I have seen what our excesses have done to the ocean and ocean life,” says Bonner. “I really wanted to try to make this house as energy-efficient as I could. I drive an electric car, and I wanted to be able to charge that off the grid.”
A substantial undertaking, this project was a collaboration from start to finish. Dan and Alex Bracey of Bracey Designs completed the architectural design; Halcyon Contracting handled the construction under the charge of principal/owner Justin Pincham and project manager Gary Dettra; and Kelly Faust of Crux Solar provided the technical support and solar build-out.
Initially, the team discussed installing solar panels on the roof of the carport. Inspired by the pergola on the roof of Common House, they decided to create the roof entirely out of Lumos solar panels instead. “There’s no other structure in that roof,” explains Pincham. “There’s no framing or deck—the panels are the roof.”
The roof functions in the same way as any other solar panel array, but with a sleeker, more streamlined design. The siding incorporates design elements from the home’s exterior and lets even more natural light in for an efficient and elegant result. The double-sided solar panels are angled to maximize the amount of sunlight absorbed from above as well as to collect the reflective light from the floor’s surface. Producing an estimated 12,432 kWh annually, the system fully charges Bonner’s electric car, with any excess energy expending to the home, and then to the Dominion Energy power grid.
While the solar carport is a rarity for now, it likely won’t be the last in the area. “I started Halcyon about 10 years ago, and this is our first solar charging carport,” says Pincham. “In the future, these kinds of installations are going to become more common.” One can see why. In addition to an aesthetically pleasing carport, the home now has greater energy-efficiency, which presents cost savings both in terms of tax credits and monthly expenses. “The project turned out beautifully,” says Bonner. “I could not be happier.”
