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If panels keep getting cheaper and cheaper I wonder if installing them vertically on south-facing walls will start to make sense. This won't ever be optimally
by curtis 9y ago
If panels keep getting cheaper and cheaper I wonder if installing them vertically on south-facing walls will start to make sense. This won't ever be optimally efficient, but installs will be much cheaper since it won't involve roof work.
If you want to take the idea to an absurd level, garage doors could be designed with integral panels and then installed anywhere somebody has a south-facing garage door. In most cases the garage door will also be unshaded since there will be a driveway in front of it rather than a tree.
- ZeroGravitas 9y agoOne serious concept that sounds a bit silly at first is to put solar panels on the back of solar panels used for grid scale arrays. Obviously not optimal since these are literally turning to continually face away from the sun yet apparently get you a 1% improvement and you're spending the rest of the money for installation, wiring anyway so at a certain price point it makes sense.
- cesarb 9y agoHere in Rio, one building retrofit added panels vertically to the whole visible part of the north-facing blind façade (the neighboring building is smaller).