roof to solar agrivoltaics. It has to be flat, for one thing. It might require a significant retrofit to support the extra weight of the soil, plants, and panels. And you’d need to be damn sure it’s waterproofed. “Trying to sell a building owner, or certain stakeholders, on this concept probably isn't going to be the easiest thing,” says Thomas Hickey, research associate at Sandbox Solar, which develops agrivoltaic systems.
Hickey thinks it would be much easier to incorporate rooftop agrivoltaics into new building projects, and that governments—especially in countries that are rapidly urbanizing—can step in to subsidize them, as governments have subsidized solar panels in general. In the long term, such a system would generate both solar power and crops in perpetuity. “You get that energy coming in no matter what,” Hickey adds.
Growing crops locally like this would have other climate benefits. It would reduce the need to ship produce long distances on carbon-spewing trucks. And that layer of green would save building owners some green by insulating the roof. “In general, you can expect a 10 percent energy savings in a year by adding a green roof,” says Bousselot. “And then your energy budget gets evenTo be clear, Bousselot’s research is still in its early days.
Slow down there, where are these rooftop gardens you speak of?
Imagine that a solar powered green house, who would have…..oh wait they already did!!!
Not just solar
Nigeria Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: IntEngineering - 🏆 287. / 63 Read more »
Source: dallasnews - 🏆 18. / 71 Read more »