4 ms·

Given the poorer efficiency, wouldn't it be better use of limited money and resources to put regular tiles on houses and normal solar panels somewhere else? (H

Given the poorer efficiency, wouldn't it be better use of limited money and resources to put regular tiles on houses and normal solar panels somewhere else? (Honest question. I've always wondered why residential rooftop solar, especially since it's usually government subsidized, makes sense anywhere in the world.)

ilyt 4y ago
I mean if you own multiple properties, sure... But if it is your house and you don't want to compromise on look, it's a way.
killingtime74 4y ago
Money is being optimized if the land is not free. Solar panels are relatively inexpensive even if inefficient if the land is sufficiently expensive. Electricity cost can vary a lot. If you have a lot of expensive panels and don't have to hook up to the grid that can save a lot of money
gamblor956 4y ago
It's an historical site. The whole point of these tiles is that they visually fit in with the ruins. These are not tiles you would use for general solar production.
kristopolous 4y ago
"I've always wondered why residential rooftop solar, especially since it's usually government subsidized, makes sense anywhere in the world." Transmission isn't free and the surface is already there. Both places are fine.
cmarschner 4y ago
It makes sense to put nicer looking tiles on rooftops if you value the looks of them. You would then find normal looking tiles a tax. That‘s why it could make sense to put solar panels on roofs that don‘t impose this tax on you even if their efficiency is lower.
- stavros 4y ago
  This answer is to "given that you want solar panels, why put tiles". I think the question is "given that you want tiles, why put solar panels".
TheCapeGreek 4y ago
It's useful for the NIMBYs and historical conservation areas.
- gameman144 4y ago
  I mean, not wanting commercial solar farms in your back yard seems like one of the more reasonable things to not want in your back yard. Especially when aesthetically pleasing (if less efficient) rooftop solar fits the bill nicely.
hgomersall 4y ago
A properly designed house with solar can be energy neutral over the year in the UK (not notable for its sunny climate).
- graphe 4y ago
  What does energy neutral mean? What does properly designed mean? And at what cost to comfort or the property? You could turn off all your electricity and heat yourself with kerosene and have used no electricity for the year.
  - pjc50 4y ago
    Usually means "passivehaus", and "energy neutral" would mean "generates an equal quantity of electricity to that consumed, when summed over the year". > heat yourself with kerosene That's not energy neutral, is it now, unless you have a kerosene well on the property.
    - graphe 4y ago
      Geothermal energy would be amazing! But it's hard to balance with carbon emissions.
    - hgomersall 4y ago
      Precisely - for a smallish 120sqm house the passivhaus heat demand is 1800kWh. 3000kWh is not unreasonable for additional electricity consumption. With a heat pump that heat demand should pessimistically translate into <1000kWh electricity, giving us a total energy usage of ~4000kWh. That's about what a medium size (~20sqm) south-facing roof-mounted PV installation would achieve in the south of the UK.
graphe 4y ago
It's an active volcano, you need to run power lines, the ground shifts, and it can blow any time. It makes sense to make your own power for yourself and you can sell it back to the grid.
pjc50 4y ago
Land tends to be expensive; it would be a real challenge in Europe to find somewhere that isn't being used already for some economic purpose, and also isn't a conservation area and/or physically inacessible or difficult to build on.
Cthulhu_ 4y ago
Why not both? SolarCity (now Tesla) had solar panels that looks like roof tiles. There's a lot of roof space in any town, it makes sense to use that instead of use up land (that could be used for housing or agriculture) for solar power generation. But it can be all of the above, too. More energy produced is not going to go to waste, and there's plenty of unusable areas like deserts where solar electricity can be generated in various ways.
emiliobumachar 4y ago
Adding to the great points already here, decentralized production makes the system more robust to accidents, terrorism, and war. Not immune by any stretch, but more robust.

ilyt 4y ago

I mean if you own multiple properties, sure... But if it is your house and you don't want to compromise on look, it's a way.

killingtime74 4y ago

Money is being optimized if the land is not free. Solar panels are relatively inexpensive even if inefficient if the land is sufficiently expensive. Electricity cost can vary a lot. If you have a lot of expensive panels and don't have to hook up to the grid that can save a lot of money

gamblor956 4y ago

It's an historical site. The whole point of these tiles is that they visually fit in with the ruins. These are not tiles you would use for general solar production.

kristopolous 4y ago

"I've always wondered why residential rooftop solar, especially since it's usually government subsidized, makes sense anywhere in the world." Transmission isn't free and the surface is already there. Both places are fine.

cmarschner 4y ago

It makes sense to put nicer looking tiles on rooftops if you value the looks of them. You would then find normal looking tiles a tax. That‘s why it could make sense to put solar panels on roofs that don‘t impose this tax on you even if their efficiency is lower.

stavros 4y ago
This answer is to "given that you want solar panels, why put tiles". I think the question is "given that you want tiles, why put solar panels".

TheCapeGreek 4y ago

It's useful for the NIMBYs and historical conservation areas.

gameman144 4y ago
I mean, not wanting commercial solar farms in your back yard seems like one of the more reasonable things to not want in your back yard. Especially when aesthetically pleasing (if less efficient) rooftop solar fits the bill nicely.

hgomersall 4y ago

A properly designed house with solar can be energy neutral over the year in the UK (not notable for its sunny climate).

graphe 4y ago
What does energy neutral mean? What does properly designed mean? And at what cost to comfort or the property? You could turn off all your electricity and heat yourself with kerosene and have used no electricity for the year.
- pjc50 4y ago
  Usually means "passivehaus", and "energy neutral" would mean "generates an equal quantity of electricity to that consumed, when summed over the year". > heat yourself with kerosene That's not energy neutral, is it now, unless you have a kerosene well on the property.
  - graphe 4y ago
    Geothermal energy would be amazing! But it's hard to balance with carbon emissions.
  - hgomersall 4y ago
    Precisely - for a smallish 120sqm house the passivhaus heat demand is 1800kWh. 3000kWh is not unreasonable for additional electricity consumption. With a heat pump that heat demand should pessimistically translate into <1000kWh electricity, giving us a total energy usage of ~4000kWh. That's about what a medium size (~20sqm) south-facing roof-mounted PV installation would achieve in the south of the UK.

graphe 4y ago

It's an active volcano, you need to run power lines, the ground shifts, and it can blow any time. It makes sense to make your own power for yourself and you can sell it back to the grid.

pjc50 4y ago

Land tends to be expensive; it would be a real challenge in Europe to find somewhere that isn't being used already for some economic purpose, and also isn't a conservation area and/or physically inacessible or difficult to build on.

Cthulhu_ 4y ago

Why not both? SolarCity (now Tesla) had solar panels that looks like roof tiles. There's a lot of roof space in any town, it makes sense to use that instead of use up land (that could be used for housing or agriculture) for solar power generation. But it can be all of the above, too. More energy produced is not going to go to waste, and there's plenty of unusable areas like deserts where solar electricity can be generated in various ways.

emiliobumachar 4y ago

Adding to the great points already here, decentralized production makes the system more robust to accidents, terrorism, and war. Not immune by any stretch, but more robust.