truthinlies t1_j7w0ltp wrote
What are the best places to put solar panels you've found so far?
Personally I think places like stadium/airport parking lots, large building rooftops like schools or convention centers, and highways in the city would all be good spots to fit a lot in, but I doubt that will meet the need.
Additionally, solar panels have a repair / replacement problem that needs improvement. We can install an old power plant, and its most critical systems don't need service for up to 30 years, whereas solar panels need their critical hardware replaced within 10. What kinds of improvements are being researched to extend the lifetime of solar panels?
tech57 t1_j8z8ljp wrote
Solar panels are rating 20-30 years now and only need replacement when the output is less than you require. They can then go to the 2nd hand market sometimes.
Last I heard, it's not an issue.
Sammy_Roth t1_j7w1i16 wrote
Hey there, thank you for the good questions! I'd definitely say that the lowest-conflict places for solar are within the built environment -- on warehouse and residential rooftops, over school parking lots, etc. Just a couple weeks ago I visited one of the largest rooftop solar installations in the country, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. More to come on that in Part 3 of Repowering the West: https://www.latimes.com/projects/repowering-the-west/.
I don't know as much about the repair/replacement issues, unfortunately. That's a topic I should probably learn more about!
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