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HiTekRedNek
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Flat Roof Solar Panels

04/02/2018 9:04 AM

There are many abandoned malls in the USA ,with many acres of unused roof top space.Seems like a good place to install solar panels.

The unused parking lots also look like a tempting location.

Plenty of flat surface,3phase electrical service always nearby seems like a win-win situation.

Even fully functioning malls could benefit from roof top solar.

I am sure this has been considered before and there must be reasons why it is not more fully utilized,but I cannot personally understand why it is not being utilized more frequently.

Thanks in advance for all constructive feedback on this.

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Pathfinder Tags: Rooftop solar at malls
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SolarEagle
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#1

Re: Flat roof solar panels

04/02/2018 10:39 AM

A lot of investment and very little return...would be my guess....

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frankd20
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#2

Re: Flat roof solar panels

04/02/2018 10:43 AM

We had an abandoned mall near us, it got torn down to make way for other stores. If it had solar panels on it that would have made re use more difficult. Solar on a functioning mall would be fine I think, but on an abandoned building would be a maintenance issue. It would make more sense to knock down the mall and install the solar on the ground but even that doesn't make sense. The mall even abandoned is likely on prime real estate with re use potential. From a business standpoint I would imagine it would be more feasible to install solar in a open field off the beaten path.
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Rixter
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#3

Re: Flat roof solar panels

04/02/2018 8:34 PM

There are some malls around the world that are solar powered, but probably most commercial property developers stick to the business of building buildings and acquiring tenants and don't care to get in the business of generating and selling electricity.

http://revolution-green.com/worlds-biggest-solar-powered-shopping-mall/
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PWSlack
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#4

Re: Flat roof solar panels

04/03/2018 2:55 AM

Economics, perhaps? Who would invest in a structure on an abandoned building if there were a risk of it being torn down (rhetorical question - NNTR)?

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RAMConsult
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#5

Re: Flat Roof Solar Panels

04/03/2018 4:58 PM

Already being done in NJ and elsewhere, here's a nearly 1MW mall rooftop installation, and an 8MW parking lot canopy. Both in operational facilities.

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Rixter
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#7
In reply to #5

Re: Flat Roof Solar Panels

04/04/2018 11:28 AM

The canopy is a win-win, electricity for the shopping center and shade for your car!

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RAMConsult
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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Flat Roof Solar Panels

04/04/2018 1:02 PM

Yep! And it even saves gas since the car's interior requires less cooldown time by the AC...

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lyn
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#6

Re: Flat Roof Solar Panels

04/03/2018 5:54 PM

Forward looking US government officials are pushing these as an alternative:

DOE Wants to Fund 'Small Modular Coal Plants.' What Does That ...
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MR. Guest
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#9

Re: Flat Roof Solar Panels

04/05/2018 1:01 PM

It could also be part of a solution to the shortage of housing for the (recently down-sized) homeless...

That is, once water supply, plumbing, electricity, etc., capacities were greatly expanded...

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frankd20 (1); lyn (1); MR. Guest (1); PWSlack (1); RAMConsult (2); Rixter (2); SolarEagle (1)

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