GB2619168A

GB2619168A - Solar car port

Info

Publication number: GB2619168A
Application number: GB2309618.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Corby John; Deverell Mark; Rowley Mclelland Andrew
Original assignee: Re Power Energy Ltd
Current assignee: Re Power Energy Ltd
Priority date: 2021-02-10
Filing date: 2021-02-10
Publication date: 2023-11-29
Also published as: GB202309618D0

Abstract

Solar car port comprising one or more fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) support structures (12 fig 1,3) supporting a roof which in turn supports one or more solar panels, the support structure comprising an outer shell enclosing an interior volume. A hydrogen storage tank (41-44) is located within the interior volume for storing hydrogen fuel for dispensing to a vehicle. The support structure may comprise a lower trunk (14 fig 1,3) and an upper branch (13). The hydrogen storage tank may store hydrogen at a pressure between 2-20MPa, the hydrogen tank formed from stainless steel wrapped with carbon fibre and integrally formed by the interior volume of a support structure. A vehicle hydrogen dispensing means may be included in the support structure. The car port may further include an electrolyte storage tank (fig-6) which is located within a support structure interior volume to store a liquid analyte and catholyte, and whereby an electrochemical cell comprising a pair of electrodes is separated by a membrane (65) with at least one pump (67a) arranged to circulate the anolyte/catholyte between the one or more storage tanks and the electrochemical cell to form a flow battery. The solar panel may be a solar photovoltaic PV panel or a solar thermal panel mounted on the roof and whereby for the solar thermal panel. The solar car port may be used for the re-charging of Electric Vehicles.

Description

Solar Car Port

Field of invention

The invention relates to an enhanced solar car port for the generation of and the storage of energy for grid support, business, domestic use and/or for the re-charging of Electric Vehicles, as well as for the storage and distribution of hydrogen fuel for hydrogen powered vehicles.

Background

Car ports are known as covered structures providing a roof, or canopy, under which one or more vehicles may be parked, so as to provide a degree of shelter to the vehicle. It is also known to utilise the roof of such structures to locate solar panels and/or solar thermal modules, for example for generating electricity and/or heating water, and such structures may be designed to accommodate a small number of vehicles, or may cover large parking areas which accommodate large numbers of vehicles. Existing solar car ports are typically constructed from steel and have support structures connected to, and supporting, a roof, attached to which is a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel for generating electricity. Any additional associated components such as electrical components (e.g. cables, inverters and/or charge connectors) or water drainage equipment are either attached to the exterior of the solar car port, contained internally, or housed separately to the car port.

There is a need for car ports that can effectively support solar PV technology or solar thermal modules with associated equipment over large spans, and which can contribute to the sustainability of existing property and in particular of new property developments by meeting the needs for use of sustainable and renewable materials, and generation and storage of renewable energy.

WO 2019/064010 Al discloses a solar car port comprising hollow support structures.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a car port, in particular a solar car port, according to claim 1. In another aspect, the invention provides a car port according to claim 6. The invention provides a car port in which the support structure(s) preferably consist of a hollow FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic / fibre-reinforced polymer) structure in the form of an outer shell, which is resilient, easy to manufacture, and contains an interior space or interior volume which can be advantageously used to house a variety of different components related to the functionality of the system, as discussed below. The interior volume may be used for the storage of hydrogen fuel, and/or may be used to contain liquid electrolytes to form a flow battery, in particular for the storage of electrical energy generated by solar PV cells provided on the roof of the car port. In an embodiment, the invention provides a solar car port comprising at least one support structure, wherein the at least one support structure comprises a trunk portion situated on a surface and a branch portion coupled to, or formed integrally with, the trunk portion, the trunk portion and the branch potion each having a hollow interior that when coupled together define an interior volume or cavity within the support structure. The support structure may comprise at least one support tray and/or beam situated on the branch portion of the support structure, supporting at least one solar panel for absorbing solar energy. At least one electrical component connected with the at least one solar panel may be situated within the interior volume of the support structure. The invention advantageously integrates energy storage, e.g. in the form of a battery or the storage of fuel such as hydrogen, within the at least one support, protecting the components used for such storage from the outside environment and restricting access to the components. Embodiments of the invention also advantageously combine electricity generation, e.g. in the form of solar PV cells, with energy storage, e.g. in the form of a flow battery, and/or the provision of energy to vehicles, e.g. in the form of electric vehicle (EV) charging and/or dispensing of hydrogen fuel.

Each support structure may comprise a substantially upright central trunk portion for mounting on the ground, and a branch portion for supporting the roof, the branch portion comprising at least one laterally extending branch member shaped to provide a substantially flat upper surface for supporting the roof. Preferably, the upper surface provides a substantially planar [we do also need to cover curved roofs too bearing in mind the advancement of flexible materials and solar paints] surface on which a substantially planar roof structure may be supported, which is advantageous for supporting large spans of flat solar cells, for example. However, other shapes of roof structure may be supported, and the upper surfaces of the support structures may be shaped accordingly. The term 'ground' herein may refer to surfaces other than the ground itself, such as an above-ground level of a multi-storey car park, for example, or a rooftop or other platform on which vehicles may be parked and the car port installed. It will be appreciated that the car port may also be used in installations accommodating various different types of vehicles including, but not limited to, cars, vans lorries, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, and the like, and may provide shelter and optionally electric charging and/or hydrogen refuelling for any such vehicles. The support structures may also be arranged to support a roof structure in other applications, such as over water, for example in a reservoir, river, sea or lake, in which case the support structures may be either fixed or floating.

In an embodiment, the branch portion and the trunk portion of the support structure each comprise a single-piece moulded continuous fibre constructs. Alternatively, the entire support structure may comprise a single moulded component. This advantageously provides simplicity in assembly and avoids structural vulnerabilities where components would be connected.

These constructions may be used to advantageously provide a single continuous volume within the support structure, to maximise the interior volume for storage of components such as storage tanks for electrical components, water, gases and/or battery electrolytes, as will be described below. The branch portion may comprise one branch member or two branch members extending laterally in opposite directions. In a preferred embodiment, the branch portion and the trunk portion are each made from a continuous fibre reinforced plastic.

In a preferred embodiment, the branch portion has a variable moment of inertia. This increases the overall strength and achievable spans of the branch portion, and also reduces deflection along its length. The roof structure may also have a variable moment of inertia along its length, in order to increase strength and the achievable span of the roof. In some embodiments, the branch portion may be reinforced with carbon fiber, flax fibre or other high modulus materials to further enhance the above parameters.

The roof may comprise a plurality of roof elements each extending in a direction so as to form a span between two spaced apart support members, each roof element arranged parallel with, and connected to, an adjacent roof element. Each roof element may comprise a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from the base to form a U-shaped cross-section, the roof elements (also referred to herein as 'trays') being arranged such that side walls of adjacent roof elements abut one another and are connected together along the length of the span. This arrangement has been found to provide rigidity to the roof and enable the roof to achieve long spans (e.g. 15-18m) between adjacent support structures. At least one roof element, and preferably every other (i.e. alternate) roof element, is provided with a laterally extending flange extending from a distal edge of at least one side wall, and arranged to seat against the distal edge of the side wall of an adjacent roof element. This further increases the rigidity of the roof, and can also be used to provide a water-fight seal between adjacent roof elements. The roof elements may be formed from materials including, but not limited to, FRP, e.g. fibreglass, with a core of balsa wood, foam or PET, or other lightweight core material. This arrangement has been found to provide a lightweight but rigid roof structure that is also resilient to water.

In some embodiments, the solar panel is a solar PV panel. In a preferred embodiment, the solar PV panel is connected to the electricity grid via the cavity in the support structure. This synergistically protects the grid connection from the outside environment while shielding the environment from the electrical grid connection.

In some embodiments, the solar panel is a solar thermal panel providing hot water.

In some embodiments, a battery system may be housed within the cavity of the support structure. In a preferred embodiment, the battery system may comprise an EV charging point.

In embodiments comprising both solar PV panels and a battery system, the energy generated by the solar PV panels may be used to charge the battery system. In some embodiments, the trunk portion and/or the branch portion of the support structure may house a flow battery comprising storage tanks for storing cathodic and anodic liquid electrolytes, a pair of electrodes separated by a membrane, and one or more pumps to circulate the electrolytes past the membrane. The electrolyte storage tanks may be housed in, or integrally formed within, the same support structure, or within separate support structures. In other embodiments, the hollow support structures may be used to house cylinders and/or tanks for storing hydrogen, for dispensing to hydrogen-powered vehicles. In the embodiments described below, it will be appreciated that embodiments described as being arranged to store hydrogen may alternatively be used to store other fuels such as, but not limited to, LPG.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a solar car port arrangement; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an arrangement of trays for use as the roof structure in a solar car port; Figure 3 shows a side view of a support structure, and a plan view of the footprint of the base of the structure; Figure 4 shows schematically the interior of a support structure housing hydrogen storage tanks, and Figure 4a shows a cross section through line a-a in Fig. 4; Figure 4b shows an alternative configuration of a support structure, showing schematically the interior of the support structure housing hydrogen storage tanks, and Figure 4c shows a cross section through line a-a in Fig. 4b; Figure 5 shows schematically an alternative arrangement of support structure housing an integral hydrogen storage tank, and Figure 5a shows a cross section through line a-a in Fig. 5; Figure 6 shows schematically the interior of a support structure configured to provide a flow battery for storing generated electrical energy, Figure 6a shows a cross section through line a-a in Fig. 6, and Figure 6b shows a cross section through line b-b in Fig. 6; and Figure 7 shows schematically an alternative arrangement of support structures configured to provide a flow battery, Figure 7a shows a cross section through line a-a in Fig. 7, Figure 7b shows a cross section through line b-b in Fig. 7, and Figure 7c shows a cross section through line c-c in Fig. 7.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

Numerous modifications, adaptations and variations to the embodiments described herein will become apparent to a person skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure, and such modifications, adaptations and variations that result in additional embodiments of the present invention are also within the scope of the accompanying claims.

The solar car port described in the below embodiments allows generation of renewable energy for business, domestic use and/or for the re-charging of Electric Vehicles. Embodiments also provide, additionally or alternatively, for energy storage in the form of gas tanks, such as hydrogen tanks, and/or battery systems, either or both of which may be located within the support structures of the car port structure itself. Where the car port structure provides for storage of hydrogen, it may also provide for dispensing of stored hydrogen to hydrogen-powered vehicles. The system contains many novel and innovative design benefits as detailed further below.

Fig. 1 shows a car port 10 comprising a plurality of support structures 12, spaced at intervals along the length of the car port, and separated by a span between support structures. The support structures support a roof, which is arranged to support or house solar panels or solar thermal boxes for the production of electricity or heating of water, etc. The support structures are typically separated by intervals (i.e. spans) of 8 to 14m, and typically these spans correspond to a number of adjacent vehicle parking spaces on the ground below. Various spans can be achieved between support structures, and in some cases spans of around 18m may be used. Depending on the installation, the roof may span between a single support structure and a building, instead of between multiple support structures.

Each support structure 12 is arranged such that the roof is supported at an angle (typically of a few degrees) to the horizontal as appropriate to the location, preferably to maximize the exposure to sunlight thus enhancing the solar yield. Means may be provided to adjust the angle of the solar panels relative to the roof, or the angle at which the roof is supported by the support structures relative to the ground. The support structure 12 comprises a hollow structure, typically moulded from glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) or fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP), to form a base, or trunk, portion 14 and a roof-support, or branch, portion 13. The composite material of the hollow structure may be reinforced with carbon fibre, or other types of fibres, in particular sustainable materials such as hemp fibres, flax fibres and/or basalt fibres.

Sustainable plant-based epoxy resins may also be used in the construction. In the arrangement of Fig. 1, the trunk portion is substantially upright and broadly central to the support structure, and extends vertically around a central vertical axis of the structure (not shown), although other configurations of support structure may be provided, for example as described below in connection with Fig. 4b. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the trunk portion is attached to the ground to anchor the car port structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the branch portion 13 extends from the trunk portion 14 to form two branches 13a, 13b extending in opposite directions outwardly from the trunk portion and providing a flat upper surface 13c that provides a support for the roof 20 (shown in an exploded view in Fig. 1, separated from the support structures on which is rests in the assembled car port structure). In some embodiments, as shown, branches 13a, 13b are substantially equal in the extent of their lateral extension from the trunk, while in other embodiments (not shown), they may vary in length such that the branch portion may extend predominantly in the direction of one or other branch only. The arrangement of the branches is typically such that the roof covers the length of one or two car parking spaces arranged perpendicularly to the direction of the span, plus a small additional amount of overhang to provide added weather protection for vehicles parked in such parking spaces.

The use of materials such as GRP/FRP to form a hollow structure enables the support structures to be repaired in response to damage, for example caused by collisions with vehicles using the car port, by cutting out and replacing damaged portions of the shell of the structure. Portions of the structure can also be replaced in the same way for other reasons, e.g. to replace or update EV charging ports as required, thereby enabling a flexibility in the functionality of the car port.

The support structure may be formed from a single component or, as shown in Fig. 3, the trunk portion 14 and branch portion 13 may be separate components that are connected, for example bolted, together. At least some portions of the support structure may be provided with a composite core to enhance structural rigidity, which may be formed from, for example, PVC or PET foam As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the roof itself may be formed from one or more roof elements extending between adjacent support structures in the direction of the span, and preferably from a plurality of such roof elements extending in parallel between adjacent support structures.

Each roof element may be configured in the form of a tray 22, 24 comprising a flat base 25 and side walls 26a,b extending substantially perpendicularly from the base, as shown in cross-section in Fig. 2. Figs. 1 and 2 show a portion 20 of a roof, the illustrated portion comprising three parallel trays of a length arranged to extend between two adjacent support structures 12. In some embodiments, a complete roof may comprise nine parallel trays, for example, each typically the length of the span between adjacent support structures, although it will be appreciated that other arrangements are possible (e.g. roof elements having the length of two or more spans, or roof elements being joined together along the span between support elements).

As shown in Fig. 2, in a preferred embodiment, trays forming the roof are arranged side by side and connected together along their side walls 26a to form the roof. The trays 22, 24 may be bolted together, or joined by other means, to form a rigid roof structure. Typically, the trays are connected together to form a complete roof span, and then connected (e.g. bolted) through their ends to the vertical support structures to form the car port. The trays may be made of FRP/fiberglass and may have a foam core, or a core of PET plastic (e.g. made from recycled plastic bottles) or another lightweight foam core material.

As shown in Fig. 2, every other tray 22, 25 may be formed with a capping flange 27, typically 50 mm wide, along the distal edges of its extending side walls 26a,b. Alternate trays 24 can then be seated against the flanges of adjacent trays. This provides increased rigidity, and can also be used to form a water-tight seal between adjacent trays. In some embodiments, this water-fight seal can also provide a run-off route to direct rain water to a storage tank within the support structure 12 on which the roof is supported. This arrangement of trays has been found to provide a strong roof structure able to support a greater weight of solar panels than conventional car port roof structures. Alternatively, each tray can be identical, and the capping flange can be formed on one side wall of each tray, such that the side wall of each tray that is provided with a capping flange abuts against the side wall of an adjacent tray that is not provided with a flange and seats against the flange of the adjacent tray.

When the roof elements are formed as trays (as shown in Fig. 2), such trays can be fitted in either of two orientations, i.e. (i) in an 'upright' configuration with the base 25 lowermost and the side walls extending upwards; or (ii) in an 'inverted' configuration (shown in Fig. 2), in which the base 25 is uppermost and the side walls 25 extend downwards. The choice of orientation may depend on the type of solar panel technology being supported by the roof, e.g. solar PV, solar thermal, or other. For solar PV panels, an inverted configuration may be preferred, to provide a flat surface allowing air flow underneath the solar PV panels to provide cooling. In that case, the solar PV panels may be bolted or clamped to the trays. In an installation including solar thermal panels, it may be preferred to locate such panels using the trays in an upright configuration, such that the panels sit within the trays, and the walls 26a,b help to locate the panels, although the panels may still be bolted or clamped to the trays.

It will be appreciated that other forms of roof structure may be provided instead of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2. For example, the roof structure may comprise one or more beams of an appropriate cross-section, for example "T"-beams or "I"-beams.

Referring to Fig. 3, a support structure 12 is shown in more detail. As mentioned above, the support element 12 extends between the distal tips of the two branches 13a, 13b over a distance typically slightly more than the length of one or two car parking spaces, depending on the configuration of the car port relative to the parking spaces beneath it. The width of the support structure 12 in a perpendicular direction (i.e. in the direction of the span) may typically be in the region of 400 mm.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the trunk portion 14 and the branch portion 13 are formed as separate components, and are bolted together, or joined my other means. The bottom of the trunk portion 14 is anchored to the ground, in this case by bolts 16. Fig. 3 also shows a plan view of the footprint 30 of the trunk portion 14 of the support structure 12, showing that the trunk portion comprises a hollow structure having a substantially elliptical cross section. In one embodiment, the trunk portion is anchored to the ground by providing a flange (not shown) extending inwardly from the perimeter of the bottom of the trunk portion where it meets the ground, so as to provide a substantially horizontal surface abutting the ground within the hollow trunk portion. The flange can then be fastened to the ground surface, e.g. using a plurality of bolts, before the branch portion is connected to the trunk portion (so as to provide access to the interior of the trunk portion before the branch portion is attached), or alternatively the interior flange can be accessed via an access panel or inspection hatch provided in the trunk portion. This arrangement provides a mechanism for securing the support structure to the ground, while being hidden from view from the outside of the structure.

In end view (not shown), the bottoms of the branches 13a, 13b are elliptical becoming concave as the branch fairs into the trunk portion. The top 13c of the branch portion 13 is flat but is typically inclined at a few degrees to the horizontal as shown in Fig. 3.

Inspection hatches in the side or top of the support structure may be provided, to enable access to bolts, cables and other equipment housed inside the support structure, which may include aerials, inverters, data recorders, cellular transmitter receivers, W-Fi boosters and other electronic equipment. More generally, the support structure may be used to accommodate, internally or externally, aerials for all types of telecommunications including Long-Term Evolution (LTE) for wireless broadband communication for mobile devices and data terminals, currently based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA technologies. The described support structures provide an advantage in not being formed from metal, thereby avoiding interference with wireless signals, which is the greatest barrier to all wireless technologies, particularly the latest developments in 5G As shown in Fig. 3, the branches 13a, 13b of the branch portion 13 form a variable inertia beam, in which each branch tapers towards its distal tip such that the weight of each branch (and its moment of inertia) reduces towards its tip, reducing the load towards the extremities of the cantilever branches. In particular, this is achieved in the arrangement of Fig. 3 by the tapered curve on the underside of the branch portion, opposite the flat upper surface 13c.

The hollow volume of the support structures described above can advantageously be used to provide a battery storage compartment for storing one or more batteries, used to store electricity generated from the solar PV panels of the car port, and/or for use in EV charging, and/or used as backup batteries for maintaining the electrical functionality of the car port in the absence or failure of another power supply. In particular, the hollow structure may be used to store lithium-ion (Li-ion) or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) batteries within spaces provided in the hollow internal volume of the structure. The battery system may have connection means on the exterior of the support structure (e.g. in the form of an EV charging point or another type of power terminal for any of a variety of known uses), or the battery may be used to power other functionality of the car port, such as mobile device charging points or electronic displays for use as information displays, advertising spaces, user interfaces, payment points for EV charging or parking, etc. The battery may be charged by one or more solar PV panels situated on the roof of the car port above the support structure. Variations of these arrangements are described below with reference to Figs. 6 and 7, in which a flow battery is integrally formed within the hollow structure of the support structure itself, rather than a conventional pre-formed Li-ion or LiFePO battery being housed within the hollow structure.

Alternatively, an EV charging point may be provided in the support structure with power supplied by a connection to the power grid, in which case any required components can be housed within a storage compartment inside the support structure, as required. In this arrangement, power may also be supplied to the grid from solar PV panels housed by the car port. In some instances power may also be supplied to the grid by batteries stored within the support structure and/or by vehicles connected to an EV charging point, for example to provide support to the grid if the grid is under heavy load.

Figs. 4 to 7 show various additional arrangements of support structures, and other features, which can be used in the car port of Fig. 1.

Referring first to Figs. 4 and 5, these figures illustrate arrangements in which the hollow structure of a support structure is utilized to store hydrogen, in particular for dispensing to hydrogen powered vehicles, such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles or hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the hollow support structure 40 is substantially as described above, and in which the internal cavity within the structure is used to accommodate one or more hydrogen storage tanks 41, 42, 43, 44 for storing hydrogen that is used to supply hydrogen-powered vehicles. Such vehicles may be conveniently parked close to or under the car port structure. Fig. 4 shows two tanks 42, 43 located within the central portion of the structure 40, and additional tanks 41, 44 located within the branches of the structure. It will be appreciated that any of the illustrated tanks may be provided in combination, or individually as alternatives. Although two tanks 41, 44 are provided within respective branches, which may provide a more even load distribution on the structure, in some examples a tank or tanks may be provided in only one of the branches of the support structure,. The tank or tanks provided within the support structure 40 may be configured to have any shape, and in particular a shape which provides the structural integrity required and/or makes efficient use of the space available within the hollow support structure. In one example, as illustrated, the tank or tanks may be substantially cylindrical, in particular where the tanks store hydrogen at high pressures.

Fig. 4a shows a cross section of the support structure 40 through line a-a in Fig. 4, and shows that the tank 42 is positioned within the structure such that it is fully surrounded by the material of the support structure 40. This enables the outer material of the support structure to be configured so as to provide the tank with appropriate impact protection, thermal protection, fireproofing, chemical protection, etc, as may be required in order to allow the hydrogen storage tanks to meet required safety standards, and as discussed in more detail below.

In the illustrated arrangement of Figs. 4 and 4a, tanks 42 and 43 extend from substantially ground level to the top of the support structure 40. However, in other examples, these tanks may be raised above ground level, and in particular above a level at which they would be susceptible to direct impact damage from a vehicle colliding with the support structure 40. This protects the tanks from risk of damage and potential rupture in the event of a vehicle colliding with the structure. Similarly, any tanks located in the branches of the structure, such as illustrated tanks 41 and 44, are protected from damage since they are located above the height of vehicles which the car port structure is intended to accommodate. Locating one or more tanks in these branches therefore makes convenient use of available space within the hollow structure, while locating the tanks away from the risk of direct impact from a vehicle.

Where the structure is made from an FRP material, it will be appreciated that it can be advantageously repaired in the event of collision damage, for example by cutting out and replacing damaged sections of the structure with new FRP panels.

The structure 40 may also be provided with appropriate means (not shown) for filling the tank(s) with hydrogen, and for dispensing stored hydrogen to vehicles. Such means may comprise compression and cooling means for dispensing hydrogen to vehicles at pressures of up to, but not limited to, around 700 bar, and will be known to a person skilled in the art. The tanks provided in the support structure may be arranged to store hydrogen at pressures of between 20 and 200 bar (2 to 20 MPa). During a refueling operation, hydrogen may be supplied from the storage tanks via a compressor to a smaller high pressure storage tank immediately prior to refueling, to enable transfer of the hydrogen fuel to a vehicle tank at up to around 700 to 1000 bar (70 to 100 MPa). Alternatively, a compression system may be used to transfer the hydrogen fuel directly from the storage tanks in the support structure to the vehicle fuel tank, without intermediate high pressure storage. It will be appreciated that one or more high pressure storage tanks may be provided within one or more of the support structures, for use as high pressure tanks during a refueling operation.

Although the support structures of Figs. 1, 3 and 4 are shown each comprising an upper branch portion having two branch members extending laterally in opposite directions, the branch portions may be arranged in different configurations. In particular, the support structure may comprise only a single laterally extending branch member. Where only a single branch member is provided, the single branch member may be either of the branch members illustrated in these figures, e.g. either the upper branch member 13a or the lower branch member 13b as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4b shows an alternative example of a hollow support structure 46, arranged to accommodate hydrogen storage tanks in a similar manner to Fig. 4a, but in which the support structure comprises a trunk portion and only a single laterally extending branch member 46a, corresponding broadly to the upper branch 13a of the structure shown in Fig. 3. The arrangement of Fig. 4b is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 4, and like reference numerals are used to indicate like components. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4b, hydrogen storage tanks 41, 42 and 43 are shown located within the hollow support structure 46, with storage tank 41 located in the branch member 46a and storage tanks 42 and 43 located within the trunk portion of the structure 46. Fig. 4c shows a cross section of the support structure 46 through line a-a in Fig. 4b, and shows the tank 42 positioned within the trunk of the structure 46 and the tank 41 located with branch member 46a, with both tanks being fully surrounded by the material of the support structure 46, so as to enable the outer material of the support structure to be configured to provide the tank with appropriate impact protection, thermal protection, fireproofing, chemical protection, etc, as discussed further below.

It will be appreciated that an arrangement of the support structure having only a single laterally extending branch member, for example, as shown in Fig. 4b, may be used in any of the other described embodiments of a car port structure, and may be substituted in place of the arrangement of the support structure illustrated in any of the figures.

Fig. 5 shows an arrangement similar to that of Fig. 4, but in which the hollow support structure 50 is used to provide an integral storage tank for the storage of a volume of hydrogen 52. In order to meet appropriate safety requirements, the hollow structure may be an FRP structure as described above, and the inner surface of the hollow structure may be provided with additional protective material in order to provide a robust integral storage tank for safe and effective containment of hydrogen. Such protective material may be selected to provide impact protection, thermal protection, fireproofing, chemical protection, etc, as discussed in more detail below.

Fig. 5a shows a cross section of the support structure 50 through line a-a in Fig. 5, and shows that in this arrangement, substantially all of the interior volume of the hollow structure 50 may be used as an integral storage tank, although it will be appreciated that any portion of the hollow structure may be used to form such an integral storage tank. For example, in an alternative arrangement, only the upper branch portions of the structure may be used, in order that the hydrogen is stored in the volume of the hollow structure above a height at which the structure would be susceptible to direct impact damage from a vehicle colliding with the support structure, as described in connection with Fig. 4.

As with the arrangement of Figs. 4 to 4c, the structure 50 may also be provided with appropriate means (not shown) for filling the tank(s) with hydrogen, and for dispensing stored hydrogen to vehicles.

Referring now to Fig. 6, an arrangement is shown in which a battery is provided within the hollow support structure 60, and in particular in which the battery is provided as a flow battery. In the illustrated arrangement, the flow battery is provided as an integral flow battery, in which the hollow volume of the support structure is used to provide integral electrolyte storage tanks as described below, which are formed from the support structure itself, but the flow battery may also be implemented using separate storage tanks which are housed and mounted within the hollow volume of the support structure.

As shown in Fig. 6, the hollow support structure 60 is provided with a positive electrolyte (anolyte) tank 61, a negative electrolyte (catholyte) tank 62 and an electrochemical cell 63. The electrochemical cell comprises two electrodes 64, 66, separated by a semi-porous membrane 65. Fig. 6a shows a cross-section along the line a-a in Fig. 6, and illustrates the membrane 65 positioned between the two electrodes 64, 66. Fig. 6b shows a cross-section along the line b-b in Fig. 6, and illustrates the surface of the membrane 65, and its shape in this particular example. It can be seen that the membrane in this case runs the full height of the support structure 60, and has a narrower width corresponding to the depth of the support structure.

Pumps 67a, 67b are provided for pumping the respective electrolytes from the electrolyte tanks through the electrochemical cell and past the membrane where ion exchange takes place in order to convert chemical energy to electricity. The electrolyte circulated through the electrochemical cell 63 by the pumps returns to the respective electrolyte tanks via respective return lines 68a, 68b.

The battery may be used to store electrical energy generated from solar cells mounted on the roof of the support structure, as described above, and/or to store electricity provided from the electricity grid or generated by other means, in particular by other forms of renewable energy generated on or around the site where the car port structure is located. The battery may also be used to supply electricity to electric vehicles located under or around the car port structure, for example from a charging point (not shown) provided in the trunk of the support structure and therefore easily accessible for a vehicle parked under the car port. The battery may, alternatively or additionally, be used to supply electricity to the grid. An inverter 69 may be provided for converting direct current (DC) from the battery to alternating current (AC), for use in charging electric vehicles or supplying other loads or electricity transmission requirements.

In one example, the flow battery may be a vanadium flow battery, or vanadium redox battery, which may use vanadium-based electrolytes and carbon-based electrodes. Alternatively, the flow battery may be a zinc-bromine battery. However, other battery chemistries and flow battery operations may be provided, which make use of the ability to conveniently store the relevant components within the hollow volume of the support structure 60.

The electrolyte tanks may conveniently be provided in respective opposite branches of the support structure, and the substantially vertical trunk portion of the support structure may be used to accommodate the electrochemical cell 63. In this manner, the hollow volumes of the branches, which form a significant portion of the internal volume of the support structure, advantageously provide volumes for the electrolyte storage tanks, the volume of which determines the storage capacity of the battery, and the substantially vertical trunk portion conveniently provides a large linear contact area in between the electrolyte storage tanks for facilitating the electrochemical reaction along the electrodes as the electrolytes are circulated.

By using electrolyte storage tanks which are integrally formed within the hollow structure of the support structure, and in particular in the branches, it is possible to maximize effective use of the hollow space within the structure, and increase the energy density of the battery.

Furthermore, due to the configuration of the support structure, it may be possible in some arrangements of flow battery to make use of gravity to assist with circulating electrolyte from the storage tanks through the electrochemical cell, particularly where the electrolyte storage tanks are located in the branches of the support structure. The pumps may then be used to assist with circulating the electrolyte back through the storage tanks.

Fig. 7 shows a further arrangement of a flow battery system, in which multiple individual support structures of the car port structure are used as different elements of the flow battery. In particular, Fig. 7 shows an arrangement in which three adjacent support structures 70, 72, 74 are used respectively to provide a negative electrolyte tank, an electrochemical cell, and a positive electrolyte tank. The flow battery functions in substantially the same way as in the arrangement of Fig. 6, but the elements of the flow battery are housed in different parts of a car port structure which comprises multiple hollow support structures. For example, the three support structures 70, 72 and 74 may support a roof structure (not shown) across at least all three support structures, which may in turn support an array of solar cells (not shown) as described above, and may provide space to accommodate parked vehicles beneath the roof and in between the support structures. By implementing the battery across the multiple support structures which are used to support the roof of the car port spanning between them, the car port structure is provided with a battery having a greater overall volume which can accommodate the electrolytes and electrochemical cell, and in this manner the battery can be provided with a larger storage capacity. This arrangement also advantageously combines the structural elements of the car port with elements forming the flow battery, in order to make efficient use of space on the site of the car port.

The flow battery arrangement of Fig. 7 operates in substantially the same way as the arrangement of Fig. 6, except that the electrolyte tanks and the electrochemical cell are provided in separate hollow structures and connected by appropriate supply lines to enable electrolyte to be circulated between the structures in order to operate the flow battery. Support structures 70 and 74 are used to provide a negative electrolyte tank and a positive electrolyte tank, respectively, which may be integrally formed from the hollow structure of the support structure itself, in order to maximize the available tank volume within the structure, or may be formed using one or more storage tanks housed within each support structure. Fig. 7a shows a cross section of the support structure 70 through line a-a in Fig. 7, and shows that in this arrangement, substantially all of the interior volume of the hollow structure 70 may be used as an integral storage tank, although it will be appreciated that any portion of the hollow structure may be used to form such an integral storage tank. For example, in an alternative arrangement, only the upper branch portions of the structure may be used, in order that the electrolyte is stored in the volume of the hollow structure above a height at which the structure would be susceptible to direct impact damage from a vehicle colliding with the support structure. Fig. 7c similarly shows a cross section of the support structure 74 through line c-c in Fig. 7, and shows that in this arrangement, substantially all of the interior volume of the hollow structure 74 may be used as an integral storage tank for storing the negative electrolyte, although it will again be appreciated that other configurations are envisaged, as described in connection with Fig. 7a.

Support structure 72 is arranged to provide the electrochemical cell through which electrolyte is circulated by pumps 77, 78. Fig. 7b shows a cross-section along the line b-b in Fig. 7, and illustrates the membrane 75 positioned between two electrodes 81, 83. In the illustrated arrangement the membrane 75 runs vertically between the top and bottom of the interior of the support structure 72 to divide its hollow volume into two sections to separate the negative electrolyte 71 on one side from the positive electrolyte 73 on the other side. The operation of the flow battery uses the same principle as the arrangement of Fig. 6. The pump 77 circulates the negative electrolyte from the negative electrolyte tank provided by, or within, support structure 70 via a supply line 84 connected between the support structure 70 and the support structure 72, through a volume within the support structure 72 on a first side of membrane 75 and past electrode 81. The circulating negative electrolyte 71 is returned to the negative electrolyte tank via a return line 85 connected between the support structure 72 and the support structure 70. Similarly, the pump 78 circulates the positive electrolyte from the positive electrolyte tank provided by, or within, support structure 74 via a supply line 86 connected between the support structure 74 and the support structure 72, through a volume within the support structure 72 on a second side of membrane 75 and past electrode 83. The circulating positive electrolyte 73 is returned to the positive electrolyte tank via a return line 87 connected between the support structure 72 and the support structure 74. The electrodes, membrane and/or electrolytes may be the same as those used in the arrangement of Fig. 6, or may be selected from any other materials and chemical compositions suitable for operation of the flow battery. Although the positive and negative electrolyte tanks, and the electrochemical cell, are shown in Fig. 7 as occupying the entirety of the respective support structures 70, 72 and 74, it will be appreciated that the tanks and cell may be accommodated in any appropriate portion of the respective structures. Furthermore, the tanks and cell may be accommodated in more or fewer than the three illustrated support structures, for example by providing positive electrolyte tanks in two or more support structures, negative electrolyte tanks in two or more support structures, and connecting these four or more tanks to a separate support structure configured to provide the electrochemical cell.

Although supply lines 84 and 86 are shown as supplying electrolyte into the top of the electrochemical cell and the return lines 85 and 87 are shown returning electrolyte from the bottom of the electrochemical cell to the electrolyte tanks, other configurations of supply and return lines may be provided for circulating electrolyte through the electrochemical cell. For example, electrolyte may be supplied to the bottom of the electrochemical cell, and pumped upwards through the cell and returned from the top of supply structure 72 to the electrolyte tanks. Similarly, supply lines 84 and 86, as well as return lines 85 and 87, are shown as connecting to the bottom of the negative and positive electrolyte tanks of support structures 70 and 74, but alternative configurations may be used. For example, electrolyte may be supplied from the top of the tanks and returned to the bottom, or vice versa. It will also be appreciated that whilst two pumps 77, 78 are shown for circulating the electrolytes, different circulating arrangements may be provided, including different pumping arrangements a various types of pumps, and/or different numbers and positions of the pumps.

Furthermore, it may be possible in some arrangements to make use of gravity to assist with circulating electrolyte from the storage tanks through the electrochemical cell. For example, gravity may be used to assist with feeding electrolyte from the bottom of the electrolyte tanks into the electrochemical cell, by supplying electrolyte from the bottom of the tanks to the cell.

An inverter 89 may be provided as described in connection with Fig. 6.

The hollow support structures illustrated in the figures may be constructed from various materials which enable them to provide the degree of protection required in a given application. For example, hydrogen storage tanks as described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5 must meet certain safety requirements including standards relating to, for example, burst tests, impact tests, as well as pressure, leak, fatigue, temperature and bonfire tests, among others. Similar safety requirements will also apply to the electrolyte storage tanks described in connection with Figs. 6 and 7, which may need to meet standards relating to, for example, impact resistance, leak testing, chemical resistance and/or temperature testing, among others.

The installation of hydrogen or electrolyte storage tanks inside the hollow support structures enables the construction of the support structures themselves to provide some or all of the required protection. In some cases, such tanks may be provided as separate components which already meet the safety and performance requirements, and which are housed within the hollow support structures. The support structures may be made from FRP and may be reinforced with carbon fibres, aramid fibres, or various forms of flax or hemp fibres. In this case, the support structure may provide an additional degree of protection to the discrete tanks by providing additional impact, temperature, fire or chemical protection, for example. A filling of foam material may be provided in any voids between the support structure and a tank housed within it, in order to provide additional thermal insulation, impact protection or fire proofing, for example. Any material provided within the hollow support structure may also be selected and arranged to provide sound insulation, for example, to insulate the sound of the pumps 67a, 67b shown in the flow battery arrangement of Fig. 6, or any other equipment housed within the support structures. In particular, such sound insulation may be provided by including foam fillings in selected locations within the hollow support structure, as appropriate.

Where a discrete tank is mounted within the support structure, it may also be possible for the material of the support structure to provide additional protection to a tank which would not otherwise meet specified regulatory requirements, such that the combination of the tank construction and the support structure meets specified requirements for the overall installation.

Suitable tanks for hydrogen storage may include those used in hydrogen-powered vehicles, for example, and such tanks may be used or adapted for location inside the support structures.

Such tanks may be constructed from polymer-based materials and may include composite materials which may use an epoxy resin matrix. In particular, the epoxy resin may provide the required degree of fire protection in a composite material. Suitable composite materials may be reinforced using carbon fibre, glass fibre or synthetic aramid fibres such as Kevlar, in strands or weaves. Alternatively, tanks may be made from stainless steel or aluminium, reinforced with carbon fibre, glass fibre or aramid fibres, for example wrapped around a cylindrical metal tank, to provide suitable strength and impact resistance. In other examples, an aluminium or steel liner may be used with glass, aramid or carbon fibre to form a metal matrix composite. In some examples, suitable tanks comprise carbon fibre lined with a polymer material. Combinations of steel and/or composite material can provide tanks capable of storing hydrogen at pressures of up to around 700 bar (70 MPa).

When a tank is installed within the hollow support structure, the support structure may provide additional structural integrity to the tank, and thereby improve the overall performance of the tank.

Where the hollow support structure is used to provide an integral storage tank for hydrogen (as in Fig. 5) or battery electrolytes (as in Figs. 6 and 7), the support structure may comprise an FRP material and be lined with a suitable composite material which is constructed so as to provide the required pressure rating, and meet other performance criteria as discussed above.

Suitable tanks for flow battery electrolyte storage, as may be used in the arrangements of Figs. 7 and 8, may include polymer or stainless steel tanks, or may be made from other suitable materials conventionally used for electrolyte storage in flow batteries. Where the hollow support structure is used to provide an integral storage tank for flow battery electrolyte storage, the support structure may comprise an FRP material and be internally lined or coated to provide suitable chemical resistance to the structure to enable its use as a storage tank. For example, chemically resistant glues, resins, or gel coatings may be applied to the interior of the structure to provide a suitable internal surface for use as an electrolyte storage tank, and/or the interior of the support structure may be lined with any suitable material which provides the required chemical resistance.

Although the hydrogen storage embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 have been described as separate systems from the flow battery embodiments of Figs. 6 and 7, it will be appreciated that hydrogen storage and flow batteries may be combined within the multiple support structures of a single solar car port installation. In other words, a car port installation may comprise a plurality of the illustrated hollow support structures, supporting a roof which spans between them, preferably supporting solar cells for generating electricity, and providing space between and around the support structures for vehicles to park beneath the roof structure. One or more of the support structures may be used to provide one or more flow batteries, as described above, while other support structures may be used to provide hydrogen storage. In this way, the car port installation may provide electricity generation and storage, as well as EV charging and hydrogen fuel supply to vehicles. In some cases, a single support structure may include both hydrogen storage and battery storage, and a single support structure may provide both hydrogen dispensing and EV charging points.

Furthermore, by providing hollow support structures which may house either electrolyte storage tanks for use in a flow battery or hydrogen storage tanks, it is possible for these storage tanks to be interchangeable, such that electrolyte storage tanks may be replaced with hydrogen storage tanks, and vice versa. In this way, it is possible to provide a car port installation which is flexible and adaptable to the needs of a particular site changing over time, and also provides future-proofing for changing technologies. For example, the use of hydrogen storage in a solar car port structure may become more prevalent with increased use of technologies for hydrogen production from solar power, in which case a greater capacity may be required for the storage of hydrogen produced on-site from solar power generated by the car port structure itself.

In particular, by configuring the support structures to provide suitable structural protection against impact, fire, etc, as discussed above, the structures may be suitable for either hydrogen storage or electricity storage. Similarly, by selecting appropriate materials and constructions or the storage tanks, whether these are installed within the support structures or formed integrally from the support structures themselves, the storage tanks may be configured to be suitable for storing either hydrogen or flow battery electrolyte without changing the tanks. The support structures can then be reconfigured in the future, if required, to change a support structure from being deployed as a hydrogen storage tank to a flow battery, or vice versa, without having to replace the tanks.

The exterior surface of the described support structures can be used to provide space for advertising and/or other means for communication with a user, such as display screens providing information or instructions, flexible electronic or TFT panels flush fitted with the surface of the support structure, or user interfaces such as touch screens for processing payments for EV charging, parking, etc. The contoured support structures (shown in more detail in Fig. 1) can be coated with a synthetic or PVC film wrap, for displaying advertisements or other branding or information.

It will be appreciated from the above description that the car port can be formed from support structures having various different advantageous features, and the arrangements described in connection with the figures can be implemented in any combination.

The hollow nature of the structure enables, without limitation, the following to be incorporated into the design of the structures: cables, conduits, electrical components, water pipes, water storage, battery integration. The car port and hollow support structures may be also used as a Wi-Fi or cellular telephone signal boosting apparatus since the support structures are preferably not formed using conductive materials (and are preferably formed from GRP or other FRP) and so will not act as an antenna or interfere with VVi-Fi or other signal boosting apparatus situated within the cavity of the support structures. This provides a significant advantage over conventional car port structures, which are typically constructed from steel, and which also do not provide an interior space for accommodating such equipment. In some embodiments, the interior space of the support structures can be used to house cellular or VVi-Fi antennas or boosters in place of conventional antennas located elsewhere in the vicinity.

Although reference is made in this description to the use of GRP or other FRP materials to form the support structures of the car port, other suitable materials may also be used, preferably other non-electrically conductive materials, particularly where these can be used to form a hollow support structure of the type illustrated, to achieve similar advantages to those described.

In addition to the claimed embodiments in the appended claims, the following is a list of additional examples which may serve as the basis for additional claims in this application or subsequent divisional applications:

Example 1

A solar car port comprising.

at least one support structure and a roof supported by the at least one support structure, the roof being arranged to support at least one solar panel, the at least one support structure being formed from a FRP material and comprising an outer shell enclosing an interior volume; at least one electrolyte storage tank for storing a liquid anolyte and catholyte; an electrochemical cell comprising a pair of electrodes separated by a membrane; and at least one pump arranged to circulate the anolyte and catholyte between the storage tank(s) and the electrochemical cell to form a flow battery, wherein the at least one electrolyte storage tank is located within the interior volume of at least one support structure.

Example 2

The solar car port of example 1, wherein an anolyte storage tank is provided in a first support structure, a catholyte storage tank is provided in a second support structure, and the electrochemical cell is provided in a third support structure.

Example 3

The solar car port of example 1, wherein at least one support structure comprises a substantially upright central trunk portion for mounting on the ground, and a branch portion for supporting the roof, the branch portion comprising two branch members extending laterally in opposite directions, and wherein separate anolyte and catholyte storage tanks are located within respective branch members of the support structure, and the electrochemical cell is located between the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks, and in particular in the trunk portion.

Example 4

The solar car port of example 2, wherein the membrane is arranged to run substantially the full height of the support structure.

Example 5

The solar car port of any of examples 1 to 4, wherein the at least one electrolyte storage tank is integrally formed by the interior volume of the at least one support structure.

Example 6

The solar car port of any of examples 1 to 5, wherein the at least one electrolyte storage tank comprises an acid-resistant lining or coating formed on an inside surface of the FRP material.

Example 7

The solar car port of any of examples 1 to 6, wherein the at least one electrolyte storage tank is formed from a polymer or stainless steel material.

Example 8

The solar car port of any of examples 1 to 7, wherein the flow battery is arranged to store electrical energy generated by at least one solar PV panel supported on the roof.

Example 9

The solar car port of any of examples 1 to 8, wherein at least one support structure comprises an electric vehicle (EV) charging point powered by the battery.

Example 10

The solar car port of any of examples 1 to 9, wherein at least one support structure comprises a hydrogen storage tank located within the interior volume for storing hydrogen fuel for dispensing to a vehicle.

Example 11

The solar car port of any preceding example, wherein each support structure comprises a substantially upright central trunk portion for mounting on the ground, and a branch portion for supporting the roof, the branch portion comprising at least one laterally extending branch 5 member.

Example 12

The solar car port of example 11, wherein the at least one laterally extending branch member is shaped to provide a substantially planar upper surface for supporting the roof.

Example 13

The solar car port of example 12, wherein the branch portion comprises two branch members extending laterally in opposite directions, and is formed from a single piece of FRP material.

Example 14.

The solar car port of example 13, wherein the at least one storage tank is located above ground level, within at least one of the laterally extending branch members.

Example 15

The solar car port of any preceding example, wherein the roof comprises a plurality of roof elements each extending in a direction so as to form a span between two spaced apart support members, each roof element arranged parallel with, and connected to, an adjacent roof element.

Example 16

The solar car port of example 15, wherein each roof element comprises a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from the base to form a U-shaped cross-section, the roof elements arranged such that side walls of adjacent roof elements abut one another and are connected together along the length of the span.

Example 17

The solar car port of example 16, wherein at least one roof element, and preferably every alternate roof element, is provided with a laterally extending flange extending from a distal edge of at least one side wall, and arranged to seat against the distal edge of the side wall of an adjacent roof element

Example 18

The solar car port of any of examples 15 to 17, wherein the roof elements are formed from FRP, e.g. fibreglass, with a foam or PET core.

Example 19

The solar car port of any preceding example, further comprising at least one solar panel, in particular a solar PV panel or solar thermal panel, mounted on the roof.

Example 20

The solar car port of any preceding example, further comprising at least one solar thermal panel, mounted on the roof, and a storage tank situated within the cavity of the at least one support structure, the at least one solar thermal panel arranged to heat water for storage in the storage tank.

Claims

Claims 1. A solar car port comprising: at least one support structure and a roof supported by the at least one support structure, the roof being arranged to support at least one solar panel, the at least one support structure being formed from a FRP material and comprising an outer shell enclosing an interior volume, and at least one hydrogen storage tank located within the interior volume for storing hydrogen fuel for dispensing to a vehicle 2. The solar car port of claim 1, wherein the at least one hydrogen storage tank is configured for storing hydrogen at a pressure of between 2 and 20 MPa.3. The solar car port of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one hydrogen storage tank is formed from stainless steel wrapped with carbon fibre.4. The solar car port of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one hydrogen storage tank is integrally formed by the interior volume of the at least one support structure.5. The solar car port of any preceding claim, wherein at least one support structure comprises dispensing means for dispensing hydrogen stored in the storage tank to a vehicle.6. The solar car port of any preceding claim, further comprising: at least one electrolyte storage tank for storing a liquid anolyte and catholyte; an electrochemical cell comprising a pair of electrodes separated by a membrane; and at least one pump arranged to circulate the anolyte and catholyte between the storage tank(s) and the electrochemical cell to form a flow battery, wherein the at least one electrolyte storage tank is located within the interior volume of at least one support structure.7. The solar car port of any preceding claim, wherein each support structure comprises a substantially upright central trunk portion for mounting on the ground, and a branch portion for supporting the roof, the branch portion comprising at least one laterally extending branch member.8. The solar car port of claim 7, wherein the at least one laterally extending branch member is shaped to provide a substantially planar upper surface for supporting the roof.9. The solar car port of claim 8, wherein the branch portion comprises two branch members extending laterally in opposite directions, and is formed from a single piece of FRP material 10. The solar car port of claim 9, wherein the at least one storage tank is located above ground level, within at least one of the laterally extending branch members.11. The solar car port of any preceding claim, wherein the roof comprises a plurality of roof elements each extending in a direction so as to form a span between two spaced apart support members, each roof element arranged parallel with, and connected to, an adjacent roof 15 element.12. The solar car port of claim 11, wherein each roof element comprises a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from the base to form a U-shaped cross-section, the roof elements arranged such that side walls of adjacent roof elements abut one another and are connected together along the length of the span.13. The solar car port of claim 12, wherein at least one roof element, and preferably every alternate roof element, is provided with a laterally extending flange extending from a distal edge of at least one side wall, and arranged to seat against the distal edge of the side wall of an adjacent roof element.14. The solar car port of any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the roof elements are formed from FRP, e.g. fibreglass, with a foam or PET core.15. The solar car port of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one solar panel, in particular a solar PV panel or solar thermal panel, mounted on the roof.16. The solar car port of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one solar thermal panel, mounted on the roof, and a storage tank situated within the cavity of the at least one support structure, the at least one solar thermal panel arranged to heat water for storage in the storage tank.