An RMIT research team led by geospatial scientist Dr Chayn Sun has found that siting large-scale solar PV arrays on the vast, flat roofs of large, open-air buildings such as airports, shopping complexes and factories enabled far greater power generation than siting solar panels on residential rooftops. Converting just 21 government-owned Australian airports to solar PV power, the researchers estimated, would:
- generate up to 10 times the energy produced by 17,000 residential solar panels;
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions by, potentially, 152 kilotons a year (equivalent to taking 71,000 cars off the road);
- avoid the burning of 63 kilotons of coal;
- enable the nation to reach zero-emissions status far faster; and
- enabling these facilities to cut their power costs substantially.
Source: Airports could power 100,000 homes if we covered them in solar panels I EuroGreen News