[Photo Credit: BajaConstruction.Com]

Solar carports and solar EV charging canopies are going up at an increasingly rapid rate in the United States and in many other countries in the world.

SolarChargedDriving.Com has been trying to keep up with this growth by mapping all of the solar EV charging canopies we know of on our unique solar-powered plug-in stations page.

We’ve mapped more than 70 solar EV charging stations so far in the U.S. , which is easier for us to keep track of given that we’re in the U.S., as well as a handful outside of the U.S.

Solar EV charging station map
We’ve surely missed at least another several dozen in the U.S., and more outside of the U.S. [You’re welcome to submit the address of a solar-powered EV charging station we should have on our map if it’s not there! Just e-mail us at editor AT solarchargeddriving.com.]

We’re not officially mapping solar carports not equipped with EV charging stations, although it’s clear these are going up even faster than solar EV charging canopies here in the U.S. Of course, we had no idea just how fast – until recently.

While attending the World Renewable Energy Forum held last week in Denver, Colo., we happened by a booth for Baja Solar Support Systems, a company devoted to constructing the framing for large, utility scale solar projects, including solar carports (Baja also builds carports and other structures not equipped with solar panels).

Parking lots great for solar
I asked one of the Baja representatives I spoke with how many solar carports they’re now building frames for in the U.S. and Canada. She said 30 to 40 per month. That’s pretty incredible, especially considering Baja is not the only company in the solar carport framing business.

It’s also good news, as America’s vast parking lot spaces represent a solar power gold mine.

Baja isn’t just building solar carports at traditional shopping mall type places and spaces either. For instance, it recently helped construct an integrated solar RV and boat storage space at Santee Lakes Campground in Santee, Calif.

The vast canopy boasts 804 kW of solar and will generate about 1.3 million kWh of solar electricity per year. In addition, it will provide protection from the sun and other elements for the RVs and boats being stored underneath it.

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