Unusual Locations for Solar Energy Installations

Friday, October 26th 2012 9:04 AM

By GetSolar Staff.

Homeowners and businesses looking to reduce their monthly energy bills through photovoltaic panels will often turn to their rooftop to place the PV power system. In the event the roof is not ideal, often a ground-mounted PV project will be considered. However, those are not the only two options available, as solar energy is well suited for locations that may not be immediately obvious.

Solar Carports
A solar carport is an ideal option for a location where rooftop solar power systems or ground-mounted project would not work well. The best way to think about solar carports is as an open shed that is also capable of producing electricity. The carports feature an open-sided structure with a roof that includes photovoltaic panels.

"Solar carports are fast catching on as their dual use of protecting,shading a car as well as providing electricity to nearby offices and buildings," according to a 2011 Green World Investor article. "It makes use of real estate that would go [to] waste so it provides a lot of value add besides helping in protecting the environment as well."

Solar carports are especially well suited for businesses with a sizable parking space, but homeowners can also enjoy their benefits. The structures allow for locations currently allocated just for motor vehicles to serve multiple purposes. With solar carports in place, parking lots house and shade automobiles, and provide electricity for nearby buildings.

Solar Power Islands
For locations where there is little or no available space to install solar panels, one company thinks it has developed an ideal solution. DNV, a global consultancy and certification firm, has recently unveiled a design for a floating man-made island that consists of solar cells, The Guardian reported.

In a concept somewhat reminiscent of offshore wind farms, the floating island would consist of a series of islands the size of a soccer stadium that would contain about 4,200 solar panels. The design utilizes 560-watt thin film solar cells so the island could float on water, and in total the floating islands could generate enough electricity to meet the needs of about 30,000 people, according to the news source.