Because we let the morons have power and now we’re all paying for it
Comment on To finally bury this one anti-renewables astroturfed Reddit comment
Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 week ago
The left part is only true if the roofing has to be built explicitly for the panels. There are already covered parking lots, I can’t see any downsides in just adding panels on top.
And I doubt that it requires longer cable runs than panels somewhere on a field.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for solar and wind. Put those panels everywhere possible, the more the better. I just don’t get why even having this discussion.
Malyca@lemmy.zip 1 week ago
someguy3@lemmy.world 1 week ago
They likely won’t be able to take the additional weight of the solar panels, according to code anyway.
paranoia@feddit.dk 1 week ago
The structure for solar panels is much heavier than for pure sunshade, as a person will have to walk on it to install and maintain the panels. You also have to deal with the associated health and safety regulations for working at height and live electricity, as well as probably pay more for insurance since there is an increased risk of fire.
prettybunnys@piefed.social 1 week ago
Why 1 purpose when 2 purpose possible?
Fuck cars, sure, but solar panels on roofing is smart.
SupraMario@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Do you think that they build roofs that can’t support people walking on them?
ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 1 week ago
They don’t build parking shade roofs to support the weight of being covered in panels, though. That has to be planned for. A typical panel that’s around five and a half foot by a bit less than 3 and a half foot weighs around forty pounds. Having like two of those on your covered spot at your house would probably hold fine. But to a large parking area will add a huge amount of weight.
SupraMario@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Shade canopies or awnings…but yea solar is heavy.
paranoia@feddit.dk 1 week ago
Yeah, I do, and I have good reason to, because I am a structural engineer and have designed them myself on occasion. A lot of these canopies over car and bike shelters are just a sheet of plexiglass.
SupraMario@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Which are a canopies or awnings not a roof.
atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
Where are you designing these that they don’t need to support hundreds of pounds of snow or rain, or stand up to hail?
grue@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Yes, when they’re called “awnings.”
SupraMario@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Which isn’t really a roof, it’s just a cover.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 1 week ago
Yes. It doesn’t need to be 1 contiguous roof, gaps big enough to fit a ladder are ideal.
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SupraMario@lemmy.world 1 week ago
That’s more of an awning than a roof though. Plus that picture shows that this was specifically designed with the panels. As those are just straight solar panels and not roofing that’s had solar installed to it.