Photovoltaics: What is Happening this Year?

Renewable energy was a big buzzword a couple of years ago, but where are we really at today? It seems as though there are still obstacles for alternative power sources and those who you would think would be trying to lead the way are actually stumbling along.

Rooftop photovoltaics

On the surface, this sounds like a great idea that could easily be implemented yet there are some who question whether or not the roofs on commercial buildings could handle the extra weight of the grid and solar collectors if they were to be put on top of the roof of commercial buildings and warehouses. This is a valid observation as to understanding a standard installation.

It is not just a matter of fastening the solar collectors down on the existing roof, you also have to assess the impact of winds and other environmental considerations that are pertinent to various geographic areas. Weather conditions in Dubai are much different than weather conditions in New York or Chicago. Can a standard installation withstand the following weather conditions?

- Winds up to 50-70 miles an hour?

- Snow?

- Sub-zero freezing?

- Other climatic conditions, like tornados, that vary from region to region?

Is there even such a thing as a “standard installation”?

If a property management company has properties worldwide, which are the ones that make the most sense for some type of rooftop retrofitting program? It could be 20 per cent of the properties and not 80-90 per cent as some optimists have suggested.

To all the executives of commercial building property management companies: Can your roof handle an extra five to ten pounds per square foot? Maybe it can, but most buildings have to be carefully checked before making that across-the-board assumption. Do property management companies want to get involved in this or are the percentage of the profit margins too slim for the effort? (One idea was that an alternative energy company would lease all the rooftops and then pay back a percentage of profits back to the property owner.)

It doesn’t seem that a lot of effort has been put into the detailed analysis of all these great project initiatives. Very simply put, what is the Return on Investment (ROI) to do this? What cost does it take to implement a full program compared to the benefits derived?

Nothing is a universal solution

It seems like anytime someone comes up with a technology-based solution, proponents are quick to point out that it’s a miracle cure for everything and it becomes the “magic silver bullet” that everyone is always looking for.

Photovoltaic technology is no different. There has been a lot of hype, but as the market gets better-defined we see that there is nothing close to a “one-size-fits-all” solution. There needs to be an ongoing list of successes that can be assessed to further define what are practical applications.

CARLINI-ISM: Alternative power is a great concept. Now let’s see some pragmatic implementations.

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