What Happened?
New research outlines the opportunities for efficient solar power investments in densely-populated urban settings.
The Study
Researchers at Stanford studied the possibilities for developing cost-effective solar energy projects in city centers, allowing for organizations to collect and use energy on-site. The study suggests focusing solar energy projects in developed areas to yield more power and higher return on investment. This would require a more concentrated construction of solar infrastructure to create dense energy collecting farms rather than disparate panel installations on homes and buildings.
According to the study, it would be more efficient for cities and energy providers to develop solar farm structures in highly-developed locations where the majority of energy would be in demand. By collecting the solar energy in the location where it is needed most, utility providers could get the most out of each solar investment by eliminating any energy or costs associated with transporting the energy from one location to another.
Not only would the collection and distribution of energy be easier if solar farms were built in city centers, but the renewable energy source could help reduce the heat island effect experienced when urban settings report hotter temperatures due to pollution, congestion and power consumption. The majority of city centers offer a wide variety of flat surfaces on exteriors of buildings – often in direct sunlight - where photovoltaics and panels can be installed. Cities could integrate solar infrastructure into city planning and development to reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance sustainability.
Solar in California
New research from UCLA and USC suggest solar initiatives being considered in Los Angeles could result in the largest solar program in the country once implementation challenges are overcome. The study revealed the LADWP utility provider could expand the amount of local solar to 1,500 megawatts annually to power 355,000 homes, while simultaneously eliminating coal-fired power consumption. Not only would the solar investment boost energy efficiency, but also create thousands of green energy jobs in the region.
The California study outlines three ways solar expansion could be achieved:
- Net metering
Feed-in Tariff program: enables local property owners to sell solar power generated from rooftops and parking lots back to LADWP
Community Solar Initiative
Increasing participation and investment in these initiatives could allow for the utility provider to be coal-free by 2025. Furthermore, the production of 1,500 megawatts of clean solar power in the next 10 years would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20 million metric tons while creating more than 36,000 new jobs in the region. Los Angeles alone stands to generate $500 million in economic activity and create 4,500 new jobs in solar installation, maintenance, sales and related fields.
The Florida Solar Farm Trend
Several cities in Florida have dedicated significant funding and resources toward the construction of solar farms to collect renewable energy for local customers. The cities are working with SunEdison utility provider, which will own and maintain the farms while selling the energy to each city it contracts with. The deals were finalized after local officials discovered the vast majority of residents were in favor of solar power projects, Tallahassee Democrat reported.
In addition, the Orlando Utilities Commission operates a community solar farm and allows customers to purchase solar power blocks for their homes and businesses. A solar farm in Jacksonville generates 22,430 megawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power 1,450 households. Tallahassee has proposed the construction of a solar farm in an effort to stabilize the cost of producing electricity through fuel diversification. Because these contracts typically span decades, communities are able to enjoy consistent pricing rather than fall victim to price fluctuations often seen in natural gas markets, Tallahassee Democrat reported.
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