Joos Solar has developed two cutting-edge custom solutions, one is steel and another is aluminium. Given so many of our clients have been asking about the pros and cons we thought to put together this short write-up.
Some say aluminium frames are more long-lasting and cheaper, whereas others argue steel frames are more robust. We believe both arguments are subjective and rather depend on the site composition and availability of land.
Given vast land for car parking is quite hard to come by, many car port projects are below the megawatt scale, where anything over 100 kW is considered significant. Challenges can be encountered when employing steel car port solutions for commercial and industrial projects below the megawatt scale, as steel expenses typically amount to approximately 100 tonnes per megawatt, translating to the need for around 4 to 5 containers. The production of 100 tonnes of steel comprises 50% purlin and 20% beam, resulting in the necessity for at least 5 different types of sections and lengths within this quantity.
This leads to significant material wastage; for instance, in the case of back and front posts with differing lengths (2.5m and 2.8m), two 5-meter steel pieces are required to accommodate both lengths, leaving excess lengths unused (e.g., 2.5m and 2.2m). Additionally, there may be increased costs associated with small quantities due to potential worker errors necessitating adherence to design drawings, requiring additional stock for backup. This illustrates why the total cost of a solution isn’t solely determined by its initial price; additional expenses stem from material wastage, procurement, and other factors.
Moreover, opting for steel car port solutions can impede steel production lines, diverting resources from larger utility projects with lower steel requirements per megawatt. Consequently, when tackling car port projects below the megawatt scale, a common occurrence ranging from hundreds of kilowatts, aluminium solar car ports offer numerous significant advantages.
