this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2024
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[–] [email protected] 31 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Every installation has benefits and drawbacks:

  • If you have humans walking below PV, you must prevent parts falling down
  • The support must be quite wide, requiring more expensive carrying members
  • Constrains traffic
  • Cars are protected from hail and heat (good for car factories!)
  • Makes electricity where it's needed
  • Very visible progress toward renewables

France made it mandatory for large malls to install these btw.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (2 children)

The first two "cons" seem like non issues, and could be used for any structure ever.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Yeah, if we lived by that rule, industrial HVAC wouldn't exist because everyone would be afraid of things falling from the ceiling.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Sounds like a bare minimum for an installation. Sure, it costs. And that is why it should be mandated.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

you must prevent parts falling down

So like any ceiling with HVAC, etc? I was thinking that the coverings were a boon to pedestrians due to the shade they provide on hot days (depends on location, of course)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

So like any ceiling with HVAC, etc?

Yes, but HVAC systems rarely have to cover an entire parking lot. There's a lot of attendant infrastructure that comes with it. Compare that to dedicated rural solar fields, where you don't have to worry about people wandering in and around the panels. Its not a deal-breaker, but it does raise the unit price.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

You have to engineer the supports to prevent collapse even if a car drives into them

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Cars are protected from hail and heat (good for car factories!)

What? Car companies would love for your car to get damaged. That way, they can sell you replacement parts.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Once you buy them sure. But not while they are sitting on a lot outside the car factory waiting to get sold

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You know most parking lots aren't at car dealerships right?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Yes, I'm just speaking to the point the comment was making, that solar panels over parking lots that are at car factories particularly benefit from the hail defense aspect because the parking lot owner (the factory) has a vested interest in maintaining the condition of the parked cars. This isn't an argument for any point of view, it's an explanation of what was clearly ambiguous language by the original commenter, based on your misinterpretation. The sass is unnecessary