If One Area Was Covered In Solar Panels

This article was originally published in 2012.

If one area was covered in solar panels.

New products on the market can take them a step further by turning your patio cover or gazebo into a mini power plant with the addition of solar panels. Solar panels work best when there is no shade cast upon them. Thanks to this updated technology the amount of shade eclipsing the solar panel is now directly proportional to the amount of energy production the solar panel loses. We said earlier that if every home in california was equipped with solar panels the state could generate about three quarters of its energy from solar power.

Patio covers and gazebos can make your outdoor space more comfortable and functional. Now if we cover an area of the earth 335 kilometers by 335 kilometers with solar panels even with moderate efficiencies achievable easily today it will provide more than 17 4 tw power. It converts all the solar energy into electrical energy then all you would need is a 1 m 2 solar panel to produce 1000 watts of electrical energy. What are some strategies for dealing with potential shading of solar arrays.

By another measure the unpopulated area of the sahara desert is over 9 million km which if covered with solar panels would provide 630 terawatts total power. Solar energy systems and the rooftop panels or tiles are largely considered a permanent attachment to your property similar to a patio or a security system. In fact a shadow cast on even just part of one solar panel in your solar array can potentially compromise the output of the whole system. But they also come with a couple of issues.

The saharandesert is 9 064 958 square kilometers or 18 times the total required area to fuel the world. But following the same initiative a state like wyoming for example would only be able to get about 14 of its energy from solar power. In a world exhausted of fossil fuels solar panels can provide a sustainable solution to our energy problems. For example if 20 of the panel is shaded at a certain time of day the panel products 20 less energy than when it s in full sun.

However since solar is worth thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars and can add around 10 000 to 30 000 of value to your home we might recommend raising your coverage limit to cover the cost of your home with the solar panel system.