Solar Parking Canopy Case Study

  • Rutgers University, NJ

Project Highlights: Solar Carport

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, built a seven-acre solar canopy and another 30-acres of solar canopies

The solar canopies powered 342 energy-efficient Kenall TekDek™ 50-watt LED parking lights

The university expects to net US$28 million from the solar project over a 20-year period

The system generates US$1.2 million worth of electricity

Rutgers University, Institutional Planning and Operations

Carport Project Overview

In 2009, Rutgers University in New Jersey first built a seven-acre solar parking canopy on its Livingston campus. The solar farm quickly proved financially beneficial and sparked interest among students, faculty, and staff eager to learn about photovoltaic systems and renewable energy.

By 2011, the University Board approved the construction of a second facility, nearly 30 acres in size, featuring solar canopies. Beneath these solar panels, 342 Kenall 50-watt TekDek™ LED lights were installed. These lights consume only a small portion of the energy generated by the panels and, along with security cameras, help keep staff, students, and visitors safe. The solar parking lot includes 31,032 high-efficiency solar panel structures of 260W each.

Impact of Clean Energy for the Red Lake Nation

  • The system generates 8 MW of electricity worth US$1.2 million
  • Both solar canopies supply 63% of the university’s electrical needs
  • The university anticipates a net gain of US$28 million over the next 20 years from this solar initiative
  • The long life of the LEDs (up to 150,000 hours) reduced maintenance costs
  • The LED lights consume up to 52% less power compared to traditional metal halide lights
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Solar Parking Canopy Financing

Reductions in the construction costs for solar canopies, along with incentives from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), have made Rutgers’ solar project a highly profitable investment. Financial incentives and rebates from state, federal, and local sources lower the initial investment costs and offer favorable payback scenarios.  

“Because of the subsides that are in the state of New Jersey and the federal credits that are available, it became a no-brainer to do it. We’ll be pretty much cash-positive right from the get-go.”

Michael Kornitas, Energy Conservation Manager, Rutgers University