You-Read-It-Here-First

[brian-hansen]

With a deepening recession, economists advise that government
should increase spending to buoy the economy. Fantastically,
some say it doesn't really matter what the money is spent on -
it could be teams of people digging holes that other teams then fill.

Obviously, we can do better than this. With Obama's inauguration
just days away, I'm hoping we can produce several suggestions where
an investment now improves our society for decades to come:
"One million solar awnings" is just such an idea.

To be clear, there is already a famous initiative "One million solar roofs".
Actually, there are at least two: California is now embarking on it's own.

Solar roofs are great, but they are very expensive. By my estimate,
installation costs of solar PV technology can easily constitute a third
of the overall cost, even higher for small, or "starter", solar power
systems. There can be quite a bit of time for technicians to walk
around on roofs, or maneuver in attics. Panels need to be securely
anchored, subsequent holes in the roof need to be sealed, and panels
must be hauled up, secured and interconnected. Every job is custom,
requiring bids and contracts.

Contrast this with solar awnings.

An awning needs little more than a flat piece or frame attached
at one end to a south facing wall of a house, and some posts to
rest the other end upon. An awning that incorporated solar panels
would be easy to produce in a factory and shipped to the site for
installation. No need for roofers, or for electricians who are willing
to work on roofs.

In addition, awnings are generally useful and desirable in themselves.

Solar awnings could be easily adjustable, gaining extra efficiency.

A panel mounted to an awning will be cooler than one mounted on
top of a roof. Cooler solar panels are more efficient.

They might form a basis for a more elaborate, enclosed structure,
such as a greenhouse, or screened patio.

Alternately, an awning could be allowed to hang flat down for
ease of access and cleaning.

It it true, I think, that fewer homeowners would have the needed
lot layout to take advantage of a solar awning, but for those that
did, solar awnings could reduce the price to the point where solar
PV energy was competitive with other energy alternatives. Furthermore,
solar awnings would allow homeowners to start small, and add
additional capacity in later years.

A government subsidy would be an appropriate way to get to the goal
of 1 million solar awnings. It could be rebates on the mounting
hardware, R&D contracts on how to best manufacture modular
PV awnings, per generated watt credits (green tags, et al), or my
favorite, rebates on the converter/grid intertie units (more on this
in another post).

[jabailo]

Solar is interesting because there are two forces: development and roll out.

There are those who think we should spend to roll out the existing panels as "good enough" and gain the efficiencies, lowered costs and Green-bennies as soon as possible.

Another line of thought says that the cost of panels keeps dropping and the technology gets better almost every day (reading the science news, this seems true).

So what do you do?

This relates somewhat to an interest of mine which is the history of technical standards. AM and FM radio for example and NTSC's 525 lines. Radio and TV were technologies which had a long period of development, then success in the lab, then a steady stream of innnovations. At some point consumer demand grew so that people (and Government) had to decide, ok, this is the standard.

Typically they believed that they could easily change that standard later, only to find that industry forces and standardization made it impossible.

So, with solar, do we "pull the trigger" and go in right away...or wait...one more day...

[brian-hansen]

I agree that the "roll out" factor is critical in Solar PV.

However, I think I have, perhaps, a broader view on the
question of solar efficiency, one that leads me to value
"rolling out" over waiting for further development.

For one, if my estimate is right, a doubling of PV panel
efficiency would lead to only a 17% increase in the overall
efficiency of the system, since panels constitute only 1/3rd
of the overall cost. For several reasons I believe that
doubling of PV electrical efficiency does not follow Moore's
law. These gains you speak of do not come easily.

Secondly, the PV marketplace is characterized by several
bottlenecks, especially panel production and installation
infrastructure. The US has experienced at least one shake
out of installation capacity as the incentives introduced under
president Carter were removed by president Reagan.
The result was fewer trained technicians and higher cost of
professional installation. For this reason the solar industry
prefers slow steady increase in installation capacity.

In recent years, supply has been slow to catch up with increased
demand for panels. This has driven up costs. In the short
term, increased efficiency of manufacturing has as much
positive effect as any increase in the efficiency of the panels
themselves. In other words, increased production, by itself,
increases the overall efficiency of the installed solar PV
systems, even without any extra "electrical / conversion"
efficiency.

So, my take? Don't wait for the more efficient panels, except
as part of a plan that steadily increases production and
installation capacity. Meanwhile, put equal emphasis on the
other two thirds of the PV equation.

[jabailo]

I've always been an "Early Adopter" of new technology, so I'm with you.

There are many facets of implementation which are best worked out by doing!

And the feedback from real world trial and use -- even with failure -- is the best data a researcher could have (like, do they work in freezing weather, etc).

I definitely think that as the 20th century economy (and jobs) wind down and dry up; our money would be best spent in ventures such as this!

[NateKerra]

As the viewpoint from a consumer, I'm more inclined to buy the cheaper, awning, for many reasons. Mainly because it's cheaper but also that it acts like a normal awning instead of the latter of just having it on top of my roof. I've built many awnings around my house, I wouldn't mind switching them out with a solar panel awning. Some of the models I have, inculding my Bullnose awning is from, Awnings . What I want to ask is that can I alter some of those models and put solar panels on them, rather than buy a new awning all together.

[brian-hansen]

By adding solar panels to your awning, you are gaining advantage on the
installation and maintenance costs. You don't need to hire an electrician
who is also a roofer, and is also trained in solar PV technology. The
level of skill and specialization required is much reduced. This
partially assumes that you are able to take the awning (and frame)
down so as to mount and install the panels, working in a more
convenient manner. Additionally, the labor and expense of working
from the attic to secure the panels is reduced or eliminated.
Finally, any leaks associated with mounting problems (not enough
caulking, or improperly installed flashing, for instance) will not
tend to cause structural damage, and are immediately apparent.

There are some benefits you don't get by taking your approach,
and some extra dangers, however. There should be a manufacturing
savings from manufacturing the awning and panel setup together
as opposed to buying them separately. An existing awning might
not have the same (more optimal) solar orientation as one that is
placed and designed for that purpose. As a home installer for
yourself, it would be difficult for you to do the engineering work
to determine the structural requirements imposed by the extra
weight. A non-engineer would tend to over- or under-engineer any
extra supports or mounts. These would constitute an extra
expense, or a physical danger, respectively.

My advice? Go for it. And keep us informed!