New Research Endorses 'Rooftop Revolution' as Simple, Local Solar Solution

[eridani]

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/03/18/new-research-endorses-rooftop-revolution-simple-local-solar-solution

The future of solar energy, often envisioned as an island of reflective panels amid an ecologically sensitive desert outpost, may have a more simple, and more local solution.

A Stanford University study published earlier this week found that utility-scale solar development built alongside existing infrastructure, on rooftops or in backyards, may be more than enough to power whole communities.

The research, published in Nature Climate Change, modeled land-use efficiency in California, a global solar energy hotspot. The study examined how urban areas could be made more efficient by developing more localized sources for renewable energy.

"The quantity of accessible energy potentially produced from photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) within the built environment exceeds current statewide demand," the study found.

Common criticisms of large solar arrays are that can pose a threat to wildlife and crowd out other land uses.

"Our results show that we do not need to trade these places of environmental value for the production of renewable energy as ample land and space exists elsewhere," said Rebecca Hernandez, study lead author and an environmental earth system scientist at Stanford. "Additionally, developing renewable power generation in places close to where it is consumed reduces costs and loss of electricity associated with transmission."

[mackdaddy]

1. Individually owned Rooftop solar just works. Which scares big utilities to death.

I have a relatively large 10kw that I self installed. It covers an area 30 feet by 40 feet and make 80% of the electricity I need for an all electric home heated with a heatpump. Doing most of the work myself, it will pay for itself is less than 10 years, but could last for 30 years. If Kasich and the rest of the Ohio republicans had not cut the legs out of the SREC production credit market last year, it would have been paid for in 5 years.

They just sit there, no noise, no air pollution, no water used or polluted. In 18 months I have made enough electricity that it would have taken 20 thousand pounds of coal burned at AEP to make the same. Actually more because up to 20% of the power AEP makes 75 miles away is lost in just getting it here. Any excess I make during the summer is just used by my neighbors which AEP sells to them at full price.

I think that every building with a flat roof should be have panels installed. It offsets the energy used at the source, and by shading the roof, the roof can last longer, and it can really lower the air conditioning costs of the building by cooling the roof.

The thing that scares big power companies is that this will cut their future profit growth. Just imagine, individuals making their own power on their own property. Heresy I tell you.

[hunter]

2. Just as solar panel covered parking lots and electric automobiles scare fuel companies.

Imagine driving to work, plugging your car in once you get there, and at the end of the day driving home, NEVER buying any gasoline to do that.

As an added bonus your car doesn't sit in the baking sun all day.

[mackdaddy]

3. Yes, Parking lot canopies make huge sense.

All those acres just baking in the sun. Land that has already been consumed can save a lot of mountains from mountaintop mining, plus you won't burn your hands on your steering wheel.

[eridani]

4. We'll always need networks

Just about all solar systems produce more than is necessary sometimes, and at other times less. Networks even out the load, and one way or another we have to pay to support them.