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South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

reutersconnect.com

31–40 of 229 posts

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#31
post #3

It seems inefficient to put solar panels over parking areas as it requires significant amount of structure which costs a lot more than shade it creates is worth. Especially compared to how much less structure is needed on more remote solar farms. Maybe I'm just using American mindset where there is lots of open land that is good for solar generation? Perhaps not true in Korea?

Yes, build far away and wait 30 years for transmission lines to be built or to be connected to the grid.

Building where people live means (near) zero transmission infrastructure.

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#32
post #6

The solar covered parking lots near me are great because they also serve as cover for your car when it’s hot and sunny. It’s not the most cost effective way to install solar, though. A tall structure designed to put the panels high up in the air and leave a lot of space for cars is a lot more expensive than normal rooftop solar or even field setups. This is basically a way to force some of the cost of clean energy as…

A better version for shade and city beautification is to force trees around/within the parking lot.

Tree shade means bird poop danger.

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#33
post #6

The solar covered parking lots near me are great because they also serve as cover for your car when it’s hot and sunny. It’s not the most cost effective way to install solar, though. A tall structure designed to put the panels high up in the air and leave a lot of space for cars is a lot more expensive than normal rooftop solar or even field setups. This is basically a way to force some of the cost of clean energy as…

A better version for shade and city beautification is to force trees around/within the parking lot.

I love seeing trees in more places, but for parking lots in particular they do have some downsides compared to solar panels. They often require more space; they attract birds that that poo on vehicles; and there’s a higher risk of collateral damage during windstorms. Not to mention that solar panels directly produce electricity, of course.

We absolutely should see more trees in many cities, but they introduce their own challenges in parking lots, especially if they’re placed retroactively.

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#35
post #6

The solar covered parking lots near me are great because they also serve as cover for your car when it’s hot and sunny. It’s not the most cost effective way to install solar, though. A tall structure designed to put the panels high up in the air and leave a lot of space for cars is a lot more expensive than normal rooftop solar or even field setups. This is basically a way to force some of the cost of clean energy as…

I wonder if this will make it preferable to build parking structures rather than parking lots.

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#37
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a city the best place to put them first is roof tops. Rooftop solar has minimal structural requirements relative to parking lot canopies. I think this might be partially an indirect tax on parking lots inside a dense city. It raises the cost of using land for parking, but does so in a way that provides shade and clean energy at the same time.

Ground level solar in a big city doesn't make much sense, they'll be getting a lot of shade- which significantly reduces the power generated. They've made new panels that are better with partial shade, but it's still crazy.

Most parking lots in big cities are not surrounded by high-rises.

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A better version for shade and city beautification is to force trees around/within the parking lot.

Tree shade means bird poop danger.

I recently built a 400sqft porch on my semi-urban duplex.

Two birdnests have set up shop, both in my rafters (one on CCTV). My ceilinghooked bicycle will be decommissioned for this summer's nesters.

Unfortunately, being the only porch/shade: the cats are also prowling... figuring out the rooftop connections.

#PoopPorch2026

Re: South Korea Mandates Solar Panels for Public Parking Lots

#40

Authoritarian Asian countries being authoritarian as usual. Wouldn't mind putting up panels if I could sell and use the power. But fuck governments telling property "owners" what they can or can't do.

Every government tells property owners what they can and cant't do. Find one that doesn't, and you'll have found a failed state.
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