Villa Meets Vela: GoodWe’s Solar Carport Solution

Thinking of adding a carport and installing solar panels on it? Enter GoodWe’s Vela solar carport solution, which also features components provided by an Australian company.

Back in 2023, Chinese solar manufacturer GoodWe announced a strategic alliance partnership with Australia’s Umax Energy to introduce and support GoodWe’s Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) products here. The partnership has continued to evolve with the Vela solar carport that was formally launched by GoodWe in Australia in April this year, although it has been around for longer than that.

Geared primarily towards the residential market, the Vela combines solar panels for the roof and a lightweight but resilient aluminium alloy structure that can be used in Wind Region C (cyclonic) areas, capable of withstanding wind speeds of up to 220 km/h.

There are two versions available, a single and a double carport model. Both use 535-Watt GoodWe Polaris modules that are bifacial, meaning they can harvest light from the back as well as the front face. The single Vela carport offers 4.815 kW (front-face) solar capacity, while the double offers 8.025 kW capacity.

The carports have a length of 6.5 metres and the width of the single is 3 metres; while the double is 5.2 metres wide. Both have adjustable peak heights of 3 – 3.5 metres, and clearance heights of 2 – 2.5 metres.

The modular design makes it simple for just a couple of people to complete the Vela structure setup says Umax, and it can be self-installed (where permitted). But I’m assuming if this is to be grid-connected, it would require a qualified solar installer — it would certainly need an appropriately qualified sparkie to make the electrical connections. GoodWe says the structure can be installed in as little as 3 hours, but doesn’t mention how many people that involves.

GoodWe Solaris Bifacial Panel Specifications

The single Vela carport has nine solar panels, while the double comes with fifteen. The following are some basic specs:

• Model: BMT-P2/132A
• Power: 535 W
• Size: 2142 x 1160 x 29.6mm
• Weight: 30±0.5kg
• Cell type: N-Type TOPCon Half Cells
• Efficiency: 21.5%
• Structural waterproofing, integrated drainage.

Oddly enough, GoodWe doesn’t have any information on the Vela carport on its Australian website, but there’s there’s some more detail on Umax’s. Their inclusion of a video on night-time in Antarctica on the “effortless installation” tab is a bit of a head-scratcher, but anyway.

If you don’t already have a solar inverter capable of taking the extra capacity, GoodWe manufactures inverters and offers one of the better budget ranges available in Australia.

What’s The Vela Cost?

I don’t have any pricing from GoodWe/Umax, but I saw an ad from a few months ago on another website offering the single carport for just over $12,000 and the double for just under $17,000. But as the Solaris solar panels are approved by the Clean Energy Council (CEC), they *may* also be eligible for Australia’s solar rebate.

You can claim additional Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs — on which the rebate is based) when adding solar panels to a previously installed system using an existing inverter within its oversize limits, or if you install an additional solar system with new CEC-approved panels and inverter at the same property. An appropriately accredited installer will need to do this work. If rebate availability is a deal breaker, perhaps first check with the Clean Energy Regulator about your plans.

Vela Solar Carport Warranty

There’s a 15-year product warranty covering both the structure and solar panels, supported by GoodWe and Umax Energy. There’s also a 30-year performance warranty on the Solaris solar panels allowing for 1% degradation in the first year and then 0.4% annually in subsequent years.

If you’re looking to transform an unprotected parking space into one that can help shield your vehicle and the bonus of turning it into a clean power station to help supply energy to your home and/or charge an electric vehicle appeals, the Vela might be worth a closer look.