Commercial Rooftop Solar

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I’ve always wondered why I see solar farms out in open fields instead of using the tops of existing commercial and municipal buildings. Unlike residential rooftops they have a perfectly flat and safe area to work, pretty much no shading obstructions and can orient the panels in the optimal direction. This article goes into more details.

I was surprised that they estimate that fully covering a box stores roof would only offset half of their use. Crazy how much energy those stores use, but having panels seems much better than a wasteland of flat commercial roofs while cutting down trees somewhere else to make way for a solar field. We have plenty of roofs out there. Let’s use them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/01/20/superstores-can-meet-half-their-electricity-needs-with-rooftop-solar-says-new-report/

 

[peakbagger]

I got stopped by the paywall but installing commercial flat roof installs are not easy on existing buildings. Unless the building is on the equator with the sun overhead, the panels need to be angled to optimize output. Once they are angled shading between rows has to be factored in and if there is snow in the area the roof loads can be significant. Unlike residential buildings with sloped roofs, commercial buildings have to be designed for the extra load from ballasted panels and most existing buildings just do not have the extra load capacity available.

It didnt help that Tesla (Solar City) installed multiple commercial solar roofs with defective connectors that on occasion start roof fires. Insurance companies are reportedly charging a steep surcharge for building with PV installations.

I think is reasonable to require new buildings to incorporate PV but my guess is there will be lot of pushback by developers. Odds are they will just go look for a jurisdiction that does not require them.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Here’s the study the story is primarily based on with no paywall.

Solar on Superstores

A report by Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group Bryn Huxley-Reicher, Frontier Group; Wade Wilson and Ben Sonnega, Environment America Research & Policy Center DOW

environmentamerica.org

 

[peakbagger]

Thanks

 

[begreen]

I got stopped by the paywall but installing commercial flat roof installs are not easy on existing buildings. Unless the building is on the equator with the sun overhead, the panels need to be angled to optimize output. Once they are angled shading between rows has to be factored in and if there is snow in the area the roof loads can be significant. Unlike residential buildings with sloped roofs, commercial buildings have to be designed for the extra load from ballasted panels and most existing buildings just do not have the extra load capacity available.

It didnt help that Tesla (Solar City) installed multiple commercial solar roofs with defective connectors that on occasion start roof fires. Insurance companies are reportedly charging a steep surcharge for building with PV installations.

I think is reasonable to require new buildings to incorporate PV but my guess is there will be lot of pushback by developers. Odds are they will just go look for a jurisdiction that does not require them.

Yes, when researching some large roofs locally for a community solar project it was found that some of the best locations would not support a large array.

 

[peakbagger]

Easy for new construction if its the law, hard to retrofit.