Yes—but the solar carport by itself usually will not keep an apartment complex powered during a utility blackout.

A standard grid-tied solar system is required to shut down when the utility grid goes down. This protects utility workers who may be repairing the lines.

To provide backup power during a blackout

The apartment complex would need a solar + battery energy storage system, along with the appropriate controls and equipment to safely disconnect from the utility grid.

The system could work like this:

Normal operation
☀️ Solar carport → 🏢 Apartment complex → 🔋 Battery
Excess solar can charge the batteries.

During a blackout
☀️ Solar + 🔋 Battery → 🏢 Critical building loads
The system disconnects from the utility grid and provides power to selected circuits.

What could stay powered?

Depending on the system's size and design, the owner could prioritize critical loads such as:

• Emergency lighting
• Security cameras and access control
• Gates and entry systems
• Fire/life-safety systems
• Leasing office
• Internet/network equipment
• Common-area lighting
• Refrigeration or other selected loads
• Elevators or other equipment if specifically designed and sized for them
• EV charging, if the system has sufficient capacity

The important point for your commercial customers is that the battery determines how much backup power is available and for how long. A system designed for a few critical loads is very different from one designed to operate an entire apartment complex.

This makes your solar-carport proposition much stronger

For apartment owners, you can position it as:

Solar Carport + Battery Storage = Energy Savings + Covered Parking + Backup Power

That gives the property owner three major benefits from one infrastructure investment: lower energy costs, improved parking amenities, and greater energy resilience during grid outages.