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The Attack on Rooftop Solar Power in California Is Beyond Stupid

cleantechnica.com

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Re: The Attack on Rooftop Solar Power in California Is Beyond Stupid

#31

Post by JoeAltmaier »

petertodd wrote: post #23
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #16

It's not just a matter of 'solar is good'. A rational system generates the power it needs on the grid that needs it when its needed. Solar does none of that. And it seems obvious that a mishmash of solar panels on thousands of roofs pointed in random directions, is nowhere as efficient as a large solar farm. I've always thought of rooftop solar as 'energy theatre'.

> And it seems obvious that a mishmash of solar panels on thousands of roofs pointed in random directions, is nowhere as efficient as a large solar farm. I don't think that's obvious at all. Solar farms either use up expensive land, or have to be located so far away that transmission costs could be a significant percentage. Solar roofs get both land and structural support for free, thye're located much closer to wher…

Transmission costs are no longer a significant percentage.

Solar roofs are not getting anything 'for free'. Its a dangerous job; perhaps now the most dangerous of all (according to insurance estimates).

Roofs aren't engineered to support industrial installations at all. And indeed the coincidental accident of construction can leave them with little or no optimum roof space.

Re: The Attack on Rooftop Solar Power in California Is Beyond Stupid

#32

Post by JoeAltmaier »

belval wrote: post #22
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which isn't peak sunshine. That's at around noon? At 2PM your solar panels are producing about half of what they could.

True, but that's a bit like turning the problem on its head, the important part is that solar panels do help during California's peak, which wouldn't be true in most other places because the peak would be happening much after 5PM.

...and the solar panels would help better if placed optimally - in the open with no residential shade trees or neighboring houses; grouped for efficient maintenance and electrical conversion; on the ground where they could be adjusted as needed for time of year.

Residential roofs are about the worst place to put a solar panel imaginable.

Re: The Attack on Rooftop Solar Power in California Is Beyond Stupid

#33

Post by redis_mlc »

blitzar wrote: post #21
throwaway27727 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OP did say poor people, not poor shareholders. Those least likely to own solar panels, i.e. those with less wealth (don't own their own houses, can't afford the capital for installation) are the ones who bear the cost of higher power plant prices.

Who spoke up for those people before the shareholders stopped getting their fat dividend? Nobody. Now that the big corporations (and their shareholders) are struggling the crys from the rooftop is "wont somebobdy think of the poor people". How about putting back some of the excess profits from the monopoly that were taken every year till now?

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