Rooftop Solar Panels

Cluster focuses on debates about the pros, cons, efficiency, costs, and practicality of installing solar panels on building roofs versus ground-mounted or other alternatives.

📉 Falling 0.4x Hardware
3,187
Comments
19
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#6670
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Keywords

e.g NEC PV ycombinator.com ROI panels solar roof solar panels pv heat tiles wiring parking lots parking

Sample Comments

adrianN Jan 13, 2022 View on HN

Let's build a building over them and put the solar panels on the building's roof.

endisneigh Feb 16, 2022 View on HN

Solar panels can be on top of things tho

jotm Mar 8, 2015 View on HN

Land can be used for many other things, while roofs are quite limited in what they can house. It is, in fact, much more efficient to install solar panels on all the roofs instead of (literally) the ground...

Spooky23 Jun 22, 2019 View on HN

The good news is that nobody was putting solar panels in the roof. So expect no problems! /s

jfrankamp Aug 9, 2019 View on HN

Why is it not feasible? I run 32 panels on my roof, in the pacific northwest which is known for its rain, it covers 100% of my residential and electric car usage when considered on an annual basis. If roofs required solar panels we would have a large part of power generation done at a much lower intallation cost and could focus on large scale energy storage projects instead. My payoff period is 11-12 years, system is warranted to 20. No breakthrough required.

_whiteCaps_ Jan 3, 2023 View on HN

Wouldn't the panels be the same pitch as the roof, so you'd reduce the footprint there as well?

gameswithgo May 15, 2019 View on HN

solar rooftop is much more expensive than normal solar panels, and not more efficient. just nicer looking. a hard sell!

darkarmani Jul 23, 2013 View on HN

Doesn't this argue for just mounting some kind of cheap shade on your roof?

sn9 Jul 29, 2017 View on HN

This thing is screaming for solar panels on the roof.

ummonk Jul 6, 2019 View on HN

Yes, and solar roof would prevent that...