• frezik@midwest.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    15
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    Further lowering panel cost isn’t going to significantly cut that price. Cost of labor is the major part of that.

    People always focus on rooftop solar, but it’s horribly expensive compared to a field of panels. The economics of scale will almost certainly keep it that way.

    What we should be looking at is community solar, where neighborhoods invest in a solar field together.

    • Cyclohexane@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      7 months ago

      Wouldn’t that be a less sustainable use of land?

      I guess maybe not if we are talking tall building, where the roof surface area may not be sufficient for the entire building. But it would be a waste not to make use of all the unused rooftops

      • ours@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        7 months ago

        Yeah, in some countries, land is at a premium. No way would it be wasted on just solar panels. Rooftop installations make the most sense.

        They are even testing putting them afloat on dam reservoirs.

    • Grass@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      7 months ago

      I’ve always thought that in the neighborhoods where everyone lives in townhomes and mini apartments a shared multi floor parkade with solar and maybe also wind on top should be a thing. Even if the solar is just covering the parkade’s power usage.