General Discussion

calimary

(81,040 posts)

121. There are several parking areas like this at the local VA, and it's GREAT to see!

Wed Jan 16, 2013, 07:40 PM

Jan 2013

Whenever my husband and I drive through there, we inevitably comment about it - what a terrific idea it is and how I like seeing my tax money spent on things like this. WORTH IT!!!!

And it makes so much sense here in SoCal! To paraphrase that spot of Rachel Maddow's where she's standing with all those windmills, here in Southern California, we are not gonna run out of sun!

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Every parking lot ought to look like this [View all] HarveyDarkey Jan 2013 OP

Hear, hear! Houses too. Damn straight. nt Mnemosyne Jan 2013 #1

I like the idea but what about the slope of the roofs brush Jan 2013 #84

wondered about that too PoliticalBiker Jan 2013 #88

The roofs probably ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2013 #89

It looks like Awknid Jan 2013 #103

Correct. In roofs I have seen like that, the gap is about 12 inches. SunSeeker Jan 2013 #106

There is also the coefficient of friction. Blanks Jan 2013 #117

Drainage. Very smart. appleannie1 Jan 2013 #127

Learn new things here all the time! Thanks for asking, good answers. Mnemosyne Jan 2013 #136

Our govt buildings did this onlyadream Jan 2013 #2

Thanks for this info DeeDeeNY Jan 2013 #82

Even looks cool. Hoyt Jan 2013 #3

Why aren't we doing this? logosoco Jan 2013 #4

You can thank the American Taliban. pangaia Jan 2013 #31

You can thank Exxon-Mobil, Duke Coal and Exelon, as well. leveymg Jan 2013 #51

exactly...teabaggies are just the hired help. BlancheSplanchnik Jan 2013 #55

American Tealicans. American Tealibans. American Teabans. Bernardo de La Paz Jan 2013 #112

Three words: Koch Brothers Coal Yavin4 Jan 2013 #86

So True.... PoliticalBiker Jan 2013 #90

If they had any damn sense they'd be investing in this technology klook Jan 2013 #97

Never happen in this country; at least not nationwide. Aristus Jan 2013 #94

A mix of NIMBY and xenophobia, mostly. (nt) Posteritatis Jan 2013 #105

Our Podunk town installed a bunch of them last summer Brother Buzz Jan 2013 #5

Las Vegas built a new City Hall and installed them. enlightenment Jan 2013 #102

That is extremely cool and a great use of space. nt Ruby the Liberal Jan 2013 #6

Any chance those things generate enough juice customerserviceguy Jan 2013 #7

Great.. Bette Jan 2013 #70

Yes - just one of the panels is enough for one car FreeState Jan 2013 #99

If so customerserviceguy Jan 2013 #119

Those also save energy in a way that's not quite as obvious Fumesucker Jan 2013 #8

And your plastic parts won't get so baked and release fumes n2doc Jan 2013 #36

So I wouldn't need oven mitts Iwillnevergiveup Jan 2013 #61

so genius and yet so simple! robinlynne Jan 2013 #9

that's perfect stuntcat Jan 2013 #10

It's not just the fossil fuel industry that's holding this technology back Art_from_Ark Jan 2013 #63

If the Germans can do it... PoliticalBiker Jan 2013 #92

I think most solar panels come from China now - they undercut out industry some time ago. patricia92243 Jan 2013 #114

We can change that... PoliticalBiker Jan 2013 #116

It's not simply a matter of "if the Germans can do it". Art_from_Ark Jan 2013 #131

Creating demand in a lucritive business... PoliticalBiker Jan 2013 #134

You make several points Art_from_Ark Jan 2013 #135

Phoenix: car ports galore ... intense sun ... no brainer. CurtEastPoint Jan 2013 #11

Before they sink into the asphalt? nt SCVDem Jan 2013 #17

The Oro Valley, AZ ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2013 #91

Government leading by example! Great news for AZ and for all, in fact. CurtEastPoint Jan 2013 #100

very clever we should cover the southwest with solar panels and help people change their roofs loli phabay Jan 2013 #12

You might be surprised. The Southwest is pretty clearly perfect for solar, but Germany is JDPriestly Jan 2013 #71

omg it looks like those Europeans are civilized! Whisp Jan 2013 #13

Civilized? What do you mean. pangaia Jan 2013 #32

It's literally a beautiful sight. They took something functional and made it attractive. gkhouston Jan 2013 #41

nice! nt Last Stand Jan 2013 #14

It's amazing how stunning something is when it simply reflects DaveJ Jan 2013 #15

Germany! You want us to imitate Germany? You nazi cow! tclambert Jan 2013 #16

Oh that's nice. pangaia Jan 2013 #33

hahaha! Great post. jillan Jan 2013 #39

That is awesome! Odin2005 Jan 2013 #18

kick kick kick kick kick KICK!!! DonRedwood Jan 2013 #19

All the parking at the Los Angeles V.A. Hospital have been remodeled to solar. denbot Jan 2013 #20

Our local independent grocery store installed several canopies of panels. rgbecker Jan 2013 #21

Only thing missing now is leadership limpyhobbler Jan 2013 #22

We have one on the way up. pangaia Jan 2013 #34

We need Democrats in both houses of Congress xtraxritical Jan 2013 #52

There are a lot of things the President could do without Congress, limpyhobbler Jan 2013 #113

President Obama is doing a good job, expecially juajen Jan 2013 #107

if you have the chance, take a look on military posts and bases pasto76 Jan 2013 #23

Just kills me there's a shining example of a Roosevelt democracy. pink-o Jan 2013 #24

Sierra Nevada brewery has those XemaSab Jan 2013 #25

our fairgrounds (Cal Expo) in Sacramento has one of these: tandot Jan 2013 #26

We don't have more because of the American Taliban. pangaia Jan 2013 #35

Nice examples davidpdx Jan 2013 #133

An initial investment that will save in the long run siligut Jan 2013 #27

Progress definitely IS being made, though, let's be thankful for that. n/t AverageJoe90 Jan 2013 #130

What a brilliant idea!! Politicub Jan 2013 #28

The high school just down the street from me got a whole parking lot full of kestrel91316 Jan 2013 #29

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.. pangaia Jan 2013 #30

I almost had my boss convinced of dooing this. liberal N proud Jan 2013 #37

K&R 99Forever Jan 2013 #38

Sounds and looks really good for the sunnier parts of the country. n/t amandabeech Jan 2013 #40

It can make economic sense even in the North BlueStreak Jan 2013 #57

Sigh. I knew that I shouldn't have posted. amandabeech Jan 2013 #58

Cloudy weather reduces the effectiveness but it's still possible to generate power on cloudy days. Gormy Cuss Jan 2013 #111

Only with plug-in stations RoccoR5955 Jan 2013 #42

There are charging stations in the lot at my work abelenkpe Jan 2013 #47

Solar Energy's not viable. cbrer Jan 2013 #43

Extremely cool!!! I like it!!! meti57b Jan 2013 #44

I disagree obxhead Jan 2013 #45

The windmills might shade the solar panels. SunSeeker Jan 2013 #108

CBS just did this to their lot abelenkpe Jan 2013 #46

My hometown Gainesville Fl did a feed in tariff based on the German model kmlisle Jan 2013 #48

Amen. ellisonz Jan 2013 #49

Go blue to go green. Nuclear power has no future, and we have no future with nukes. eom. leveymg Jan 2013 #50

YES !!! WillyT Jan 2013 #53

High Schools here are putting them up. alittlelark Jan 2013 #54

Check out Arizona State University rufus dog Jan 2013 #56

I see they are valleyed in the center onethatcares Jan 2013 #59

Yep! And use the water for feeding the greenery, etc. liam_laddie Jan 2013 #66

Our high schools ChazII Jan 2013 #60

K & R Scurrilous Jan 2013 #62

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has 1,600 KW parking canopy liam_laddie Jan 2013 #64

My OP from 2 years ago ~ "Put solar roofing panels on most structures. Shade all large parking lots Zorra Jan 2013 #65

K&R Inspirational! DianaForRussFeingold Jan 2013 #67

California here. kimmylavin Jan 2013 #68

in my area of SF Bay Area, local community colleges do the same NuttyFluffers Jan 2013 #69

LOL my old high school has these panels at the parking lot! alp227 Jan 2013 #72

two of the larger church parking lots in Tucson have solar panels reverend_tim Jan 2013 #73

In Huntington Beach, CA xxqqqzme Jan 2013 #74

Here's an epic example of doing this right here in Wisconsin ... Scuba Jan 2013 #75

Solar carports are cool. Here is one at Redskin's FedEx Field in Landover, MD with EV charging rightsideout Jan 2013 #76

EV's, Solor Chargers all cool stuff however the 1 thing no one is really talking about stultusporcos Jan 2013 #77

The batteries are 98 percent recyclable and some are reused for backup storage supply rightsideout Jan 2013 #78

Yes they are recyclable but dig deeper into it and extrapolate the scale stultusporcos Jan 2013 #81

Solar Panels on every garage and an EV inside Rain Mcloud Jan 2013 #79

excellent, but RILib Jan 2013 #80

Wonderful idea... GTurck Jan 2013 #83

Our community college in Joshua Tree, CA, has these LastLiberal in PalmSprings Jan 2013 #85

Imagine Dome Arenas Covered with Solar Panels Yavin4 Jan 2013 #87

Oh come on, that would be too sensible. When have you ever known Congress to be that? 4lbs Jan 2013 #93

Big Oil is NOT going to like this! AllyCat Jan 2013 #95

Fantastic!! oldandhappy Jan 2013 #96

Every parking lot should look like THIS.... Speck Tater Jan 2013 #98

Yeah, but this is America. Someone will start stealing and reselling the solar panels. n/t Ian David Jan 2013 #101

BIG KICK! benld74 Jan 2013 #104

But don't you know in AsahinaKimi Jan 2013 #109

one question I've always wondered about-- how vulnerable are solar panels to hail storms? NoMoreWarNow Jan 2013 #110

Noticed the roof of the building too.... 4_TN_TITANS Jan 2013 #115

Put those things up on the Gulf coast and watch them turn into missile hazards Eagle_Eye Jan 2013 #118

That is so cool! (nt) PotatoChip Jan 2013 #120

There are several parking areas like this at the local VA, and it's GREAT to see! calimary Jan 2013 #121

Our roof here where I work looks like that. Glassunion Jan 2013 #122

I saw these at UNLV CE5 Jan 2013 #123

that's what they look like where i work 0rganism Jan 2013 #124

and rooftop too samsingh Jan 2013 #125

GOP backlash ELI BOY 1950 Jan 2013 #126

Why are most of the comments about... Bay Boy Jan 2013 #128

Indeed, Harvey, damn straight! AverageJoe90 Jan 2013 #129

Wow not only keeps the cars cool, but collects energy davidpdx Jan 2013 #132