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Cherry Hill Auto Dealership — 280 kW Solar Carport

The 280 kW solar carport at this Cherry Hill auto dealership represents what visible commercial solar looks like on one of South Jersey’s busiest commercial corridors. Installed in 2023 on Route 38, the carport covers 42 customer and inventory parking stalls while generating approximately 340,000 kWh per year and supporting the dealership’s daytime showroom HVAC and service-bay loads.

How We Built This Project

How LandAir Approached This Project

  • We seize opportunities to innovate and grow

  • We are one firm with a shared sense of purpose

  • We care about each other and the world around us

Auto dealership carport projects layer three values beyond pure energy economics: covered inventory protection (reduced UV fade and detailing costs), customer experience (covered test-drive arrival), and visible sustainability on a high-traffic commercial corridor. The design balanced all three while meeting the brand’s architectural requirements.

Structural design used drilled-pier foundations at NJ frost depth (36 inches), 18-foot single-row spans, 12-foot clear height for passenger vehicles, and a color palette coordinated with the dealership’s franchise corporate standards. Brand approval added 8 weeks to the project timeline — typical for franchised auto dealership carports — but was managed in parallel with engineering.

The carport has performed within 2% of PVsyst-modeled production estimate since commissioning. Annual production averages 340,000 kWh. Simple payback after federal ITC, MACRS depreciation, and first-year NJ Successor Solar Incentive credits landed at 6.0 years — slightly longer than rooftop equivalents due to structural cost premium, but offset by inventory protection value and the visible sustainability marketing benefit for the dealership.

Results & Performance
1

Feasibility

Site survey, parking lot layout analysis, structural geotech, electrical service capacity. Brand requirements consultation. 2 weeks.
2

Brand Approval

Franchise corporate review of carport design — color palette, sightlines, signage coordination. Ran in parallel with engineering. 8 weeks.
3

Engineering

PE-stamped structural calcs for NJ snow + wind loads. Drilled-pier foundation design. EV charging conduit pre-wiring. 4 weeks.
4

Permitting

Cherry Hill Township building permit, electrical permit, site plan review. Standard NJ UCC compliance. 3 weeks.
5

Construction

Foundation installation, structural erection, module installation, electrical tie-in. Sequenced around dealer operations. 8 weeks.
6

PTO + SuSI

PSE&G witness test, Permission to Operate, NJBPU Successor Solar Incentive program registration. 2 weeks.
What the Client Said

Project Information

Industry:
Auto Dealership
Location:
Cherry Hill, NJ (Route 38)
Year Completed:
2023
System Size:
280 kW DC
System Type:
Solar Carport — 42 stalls
Utility:
PSE&G
Annual Production:
~340,000 kWh/year
Simple Payback:
6.0 years
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LandAir Energy
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Project at a Glance

280 kW
Carport System
340,000 kWh
Annual Production
42
Covered Stalls
6.0 yrs
Simple Payback
Route 38
High-Visibility Corridor
PSE&G
Utility Territory
2023
Year Commissioned
EV-Ready
Conduit Pre-Wired

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    Reviewed by the LandAir Energy engineering team — NABCEP-Certified PV Installation Professionals.
    LandAir Energy · 2050 Fairfax Avenue, Cherry Hill, NJ · 856-702-3721
    Last updated: May 13, 2026