Rooftop solar panels could power L.A.
When it comes to solar power, many believe that distributed generation installations (that is, solar electricity generated right at the source that will use it) makes more sense and is more efficient than utility scale solar power. In sunny Los Angeles, a new study confirms that rooftop solar panels could power 100% of Los Angeles.
The study was released by the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)’s Luskin Center for Innovation. Its major conclusions show that residential solar panels could completely offset the need for grid-based electricity, particularly during hot days when energy demands are high.
Considering ample roof space on L.A. homes, rooftop solar panels could generate 19,000 megawatts (MW) of energy. That is more than enough to run A/C, refrigerators, televisions and much more! On an average day, the City uses about 5,500 megawatts of power. When the mercury rises, energy needs do too. Hot days increase power consumption by about 1/3, up to 6,177 MW throughout the city.
With rooftop solar panels potentially powering 100% of the city of Los Angeles, hope rises that it will be able to meet its ambitious goal of weaning itself off of fossil fuel sources by 2020. Experts believe that such a plan is far more eco-friendly than utility scale solar power plants in the Mojave Desert.
Tags: distributed generation, los angeles solar, rooftop solar, rooftop solar array, rooftop solar panels, solar energy, solar los angeles, solar panels, solar power
March 25th, 2011 at 8:26 am
Not only is it more eco-friendly to have solar distributed to the local roofs of the buildings where it will be used, but it is much easier to move forward. Getting permits for local solar – while at times frustrating and unduly expensive – is nevertheless vastly easier and cost-effective than the EIRs and lengthy review required for a utility-scale project.
As we begin to finally emerge from this recession, we are going to see an explosion of these “building-scale” facilities on commercial buildings throughout SoCal as building owners learn that they can get a great return on their investment from adding solar!
March 27th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Los Angeles is definitely one of the leader among cities that tried to develop the use of solar energy. I’ve read some articles that show this trend, and California state grants rebates and incentives more easily than other cities.
As we’re aware about the solar opportunity, now, we have to do the maximum to confirm this trend.
July 6th, 2012 at 5:04 am
But you still need Coal/Natural Gas/Nuclear plant/Dilithum crystals/ZPMS fired up and ready to supply 5-100% of the demand/load
1) Its cloudy.
2) Sun is down.
3) Its raining.
4) MT Saint Helen’s wakes up and spews ash on those shiny goverment funded panel?
Battery storage (toxic Lead Acid,NICAD,NIMH,Lithium ) makes environ-nazis quake in their boots; but what are you going to do when a cloud bank covers large portion of city and TVs showing Football game, or grandma’s Oxygen machine looses power?