ARKA Energy’s Solar Awning Makes It Easy To Add Standalone Solar Anywhere – CleanTechnica

---

Support CleanTechnica’s work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe.

---

---

We sat down with Arka Energy at RE+ in Las Vegas and were eager to see their solar awnings and carports. They have been hard at work scaling their core solution to new applications and were eager to show off their new standalone Power Gazebo alongside a new suite of digital tools.

The Power Gazebo

As the name implies, Arka’s Power Gazebo is a fully detached gazebo using solar panels up top. The result is a gazebo that provides shade underneath, with the solar panels cranking out solar power at the same time.

They built up this offering for people living in areas with homeowner associations (HOAs) where modifications to the residence like a rooftop solar system may not be possible. In many areas with an HOA, it is still possible to install a standalone gazebo or shade structure, so Arka’s team stepped up and got to work on a solution.

The Power Gazebo brings together a functional gazebo structure with solar and delivers tons of shaded space beneath. Their solution provides a waterproof roof structure that protects what’s underneath from the elements. On top of that, it produces clean power from the sun.

A Sweet Software Suite

Arka Energy has also built out a full set of software solutions called Arka 360 to complement their products on both the customer and installer sides of the equation.

The first and biggest part of the software suite is a true end-to-end installer software solution. It was designed to help installers quickly put together quotes for customers for any of Arka Energy’s products they’re interested in. Having options is always better than not having options, especially when you’re pitching to customers.

On the customer facing side, the Arka app utilizes augmented reality and allows them to place a shade structure in their yard with just their smartphone. They can adjust the size and position of the structure and get an idea of what it would look like on their actual home or property.

They gave us a look behind the curtain at what their team is working on for the future, which is a full software suite that includes designs for their upcoming solar roof tile product.

They’re still building out this product, but we saw a demo of the installer software that takes a satellite image of the roof and, using AI, places the individual roof tiles on the roof taking into account roof angle, pitch, obstructions, etc.

Installers will stilll need to perform an actual onsite survey before finalizing any deals or ordering any components, but the automated solution is a great way to get a head start on understanding what the customer’s roof is capable of and what it will cost.

What’s Next?

The excitement and drive to scale at Arka Energy is almost tangible. Everyone I talked with was bursting with knowledge and passion for what they’re doing. When we talked with them, they had already built up a global network of 1,500 installers, with 120 of those in the US. People are using their software in 25 countries and Arka’s new product offerings are sure to push those numbers even higher.

They are also working on a “Power Garage” that’s like a carport with solar integrated into the roof structure that they’re expecting to launch soon.

Head to Arka’s official website for more information about the company and their solar awnings, or check out their videos on their YouTube channel.

Featured image courtesy Arka Energy