Solar carports in Bournemouth & Poole
A solar carport puts generation over your driveway or yard when the roof is north-facing, shaded, listed, or simply too small, with an EV canopy and battery storage built in if you want them.
- MCS & NAPIT certified
- RECC registered
- £2m public liability
★★★★★5.0 rating on Google
Or call 01202 934 123
What a solar carport is
When your roof won't take panels, the driveway can
A solar carport is a freestanding, engineered structure that puts solar panels over a parking space instead of on the roof, a proper install, not a DIY kit. We look at a carport where a roof is north-facing, heavily shaded, too small, or where the building is listed or in a conservation area and a roof array isn't viable. It still generates real power, still pairs with a battery, and can double as a covered EV charging bay.
Four reasons a carport beats the roof
A carport is the right call in specific situations, here's when.
Roof not viable
North-facing, heavily shaded, too small, or a listed/conservation-area building where a roof array can't go ahead.
EV charging canopy
Charge your car directly from the sun over the space it already parks in, with a Zappi or similar charger built in.
Extra generation
Already have roof panels but want more capacity than the roof alone can hold, a carport adds a second array.
Light commercial parking
A few spaces or a yard canopy for a small business or landowner, a lighter version of the projects we run through our commercial team.
What a solar carport costs
An honest starting point, confirmed exactly at survey
Residential solar carport (structure + panels)
Confirmed at survey
A carport costs more than the equivalent roof array because it's a built structure, not a fixing job, so we'd rather see your span, panel count and finish than publish a guide figure that doesn't hold up
We don't hide behind a "contact us for pricing" wall, but we won't quote a made-up starting price for a built structure either. 0% VAT and the Smart Export Guarantee apply the same way they do to a roof array, see our grants, SEG and finance guide.
Carport or roof panels? Here's the honest answer
| Solar carport | Roof array | |
|---|---|---|
| Best when your roof is | North-facing, shaded, small, listed or in a conservation area | South/east/west-facing with clear, unshaded space |
| Extra structure cost | Yes, it's a built structure, not a fixing job | No, uses the existing roof |
| EV charging canopy | Built in as standard where wanted | Possible, but not covered parking |
| Generation & battery pairing | Same generation potential, same battery options | Same generation potential, same battery options |
| Planning | Depends on the structure and your property, we confirm at survey | Usually permitted development, we check for you |
| Our honest advice | We'll recommend it when the roof genuinely isn't viable | We'll always fit the roof first if it works, never oversell a carport |
01Residential Solar Panels
The full price guide, warranty comparison and roof-suitability detail on our residential hub.
Learn more
02Aiko Solar Panels
Our premium option: built-in shading tolerance and around 23.9% efficiency for a shaded or small roof.
Learn more
03DMEGC Solar Panels
Our default value panel: a genuine Tier-1 manufacturer, chosen on warranty, not price.
Learn more
04EV Charger Installation
Zappi charger installs across Dorset, on a carport, a wall or a post, wired in properly and certified.
Learn more
Charge your car from the roof over it
A carport is a natural home for an EV charger and a battery, fitted together as one job.
EV charger built in
A Zappi or similar charger fitted to the carport structure, so your car charges straight from the sun over it.
Battery storage
Add a battery alongside the carport array to store what you don't use immediately and cut your import from the grid further.
A proper engineered install
Never a DIY kit, the structure, wiring, DNO application and MCS certificate are all handled by us, end to end.
Planning permission, and how we build it
Free, no-pressure survey
We assess your space, usage and roof situation, and confirm honestly whether a carport is the right call.
Planning check
A carport is a different planning class to roof panels, so we don't assume either way. We check conservation-area, Article 4 and listed-building status for your specific property as part of the survey.
Deposit to install
Structure, panels, inverter and any EV charger or battery scheduled together once you're ready to go ahead.
Paperwork handled for you
We manage the DNO application and MCS certificate, the same as any New Gen install.
Rated 5 stars by Dorset homeowners
Real Google reviews from New Gen solar and battery installs.
5.0
Ted Hadley
I had a 3.5kw solar installation in February 2025, we are extremely satisfied with the system that was recommended by New Gen. The installation was completed within a day, the team were professional and courteous. My neighbour saw the work that I've had done and has gone and done it too.
Sue Windsor
I saw excellent reviews and wanted to use a local company. I was definitely not disappointed. From the start of the quote process right through to the final day of installation, I was impressed by every level of the staff at New Gen. They were not only professional but very friendly and helpful, even helping me work out Apps and the best electric company to deal with.
Neil Smith
Great service from New-Gen! Very personal and very reasonably priced. Had 24 panels installed with inverter and 2 batteries. All working perfectly.
What a solar carport looks like
How much does a solar carport cost UK?
We don't publish a guide price for a carport the way we do for a roof array, because it's a built structure and the real cost depends on your span, panel count and finish. It does cost more than the equivalent roof array for the same reason. We'll give you a genuine figure at a free survey, never a hidden one.
Do I need planning permission for a solar carport?
It depends on your property and the size of the structure, a carport sits in a different planning class to roof panels so we don't assume either way. Conservation areas, Article 4 directions and listed buildings can also change what's allowed. We check your specific situation as part of the survey, and we do have real experience getting planning granted next to Grade II listed buildings and in Article 4 areas.
Do solar carports actually work?
Yes, a solar carport generates real power in the same way a roof array does, and can charge an EV directly or pair with a battery. It's a proper engineered install, not a DIY kit.
Can I build my own solar carport?
We wouldn't recommend it. A carport is a structural build with electrical work behind it, we handle the engineering, the DNO application and the MCS certificate as one job, backed by our insurance-backed workmanship warranty.
Can I add battery storage to a solar carport?
Yes, a battery pairs with a carport array exactly as it would with a roof array, so you can store what you don't use straight away.
Is a solar carport right for me, or should I stick with roof panels?
If your roof works, south, east or west-facing with clear space, we'll always fit it first, it's the cheaper option. A carport comes in when the roof is north-facing, heavily shaded, too small, or the building is listed or in a conservation area.
Get a free, no-pressure quote, or just call and ask
Honest advice on whether a carport or a roof array is right for you. Running a small commercial or car-park project instead? We can discuss that too.