Top 5 Interesting Places Where You Can Install Solar Panels (in no particular order)
Solar energy is nothing new, even though it is currently experiencing a vast boom. There are more than 1,5 million solar panels in the United States alone, and solar is the most common type of alternative energy used in the world. If you read our previous blog on solar power, you know everything about roof-mounted and ground panels. However, solar power can still impress us. Data from all over the world shows that solar panels can be installed literally anywhere if you are creative enough for the max benefit of the environment and the community. Here are the top 5 Interesting places you can install solar panels in no particular order.
1.On the Wall of the House
Let's be honest; there is hardly anything exotic about wall-mounted solar panels, this is just one of the ways to install solar panels at home. However, we believe that wall-mounted solar panels deserve to be on this list because they are rare compared to roof-mounted and ground panels, which are a more common choice.
Vertical installations are a way to go if the roof is damaged or does not accommodate solar panels, and the place for the ground installation is lacking. Wall installations may be less effective at catching the direct sunlight, but they perform just as well as the ones installed on the roof during the winter and autumn months. With wall-mounted installations, there are also no losses from snow in the winter. In moderate climates, the difference between the performance of wall and roof solar panels is approximately 30 percent. Still, it is way less significant in the northern territories like Alaska or Scandinavian countries.
Installing wall-mounted arrays may be more expensive than the traditional ones because additional safety measures should be accommodated. With all of that said, wall-mounted solar panels are still a valid option for anyone who considers installing solar power but lacks access to traditional places where it is installed. The northern you live, the more efficient it is for you.
2. On The Windows
In terms of the building structure, windows seem like a wonderful place for solar panels. Obviously, there is no way to install traditional solar panels on windows without compromising them, so the engineers are developing technologies to make this work.
Solar glass with built-in photovoltaic cells is an experimental technology that is currently in development. If successful, transparent solar windows will be able to replace traditional windows. However, it will take years before solar windows might hit the market because it is challenging to integrate photovoltaic cells into windows without compromising the window's function to capture the incoming light. Creating efficient solar windows might require nanotechnology, which is not yet widely available itself.
Currently, many companies are in the early development of technologies that might serve as an alternative to solar glass, such as transparent solar panels installed on the windows and blinds that consist of solar panels. These alternatives will likely be available years before the solar glass.
3. On the Rail Roof
Roof-mounted solar installations are a predictable and widely popular way to use solar power. Still, they are rarely used as creatively as the Belgian authorities who installed them on a rail tunnel located on the railroad connecting Paris to Amsterdam.
A 2.1-mile long solar installation on the tunnel roof gives Antwerp Central station half of the power it needs to operate. The installation consists of 16,000 solar panels and dramatically reduces the CO2 emissions of the train station. Projects like this are a reality thanks to energy companies, sponsors, and local authorities that help to bring them to life. We hope that countries will be able to use solar power for the advantage of local communities worldwide.
4. On The Plane
According to different estimations, aviation contributes to around 2-2,5 of global CO2 emissions, which does not seem like much, but on a person's level, it is one of the most significant contributions to climate change among animal agriculture.
While electric cars and other technologies that will replace fossil fuels in land transport are already part of our everyday reality, air travel has always been trickier for alternative energy. Luckily, using solar power with planes is set to change this once and for all.
Solar Impulse is an experimental ongoing solar-powered aircraft project with two airplanes powered by photovoltaic cells that have been in testing since 2009. In 2016, Solar Impulse 2 plane completed its 17-stage trip around the world. The solar panels containing 17 thousand photovoltaic cells are installed on the wings of an aircraft to supply the vehicle's four motors.
Since the project is still in progress, and the aircraft cannot sustain itself without stopping very frequently, it will be years before solar planes can operate commercially. Still, it is exciting to follow the progress of this project and anticipate the future of aviation.
5. On the Boat
Impressed by solar planes? They are not the only transportation that can is powered by solar power. In fact, solar-powered boats operate even more effectively. Naturally, solar panels on the ship are typically installed on the roof. For yacht owners worldwide, solar panels are not anything new, as they have been established for years to provide the power for a single component of the boat, such as electricity. However, boats fully powered by solar are a recent invention.
Solar boats are readily available on the limited market, consisting of yachts and other personal ships for sale and rent. Most notably, Silent Yachts is one of the world-known companies pioneering solar-powered yachts, run by the Austrian couple Heike und Michael Köhler. The latter started the company by creating and testing one boat that belongs to them. Serenity Yachts and Soel Yachts are other prominent companies on the market.
Solar boats do not really go beyond the niche market due to luxurious prices and the fact that most boats are not built to be self-sustainable. However, with the recent innovations that make solar panels fit a wider variety of surfaces, solar vessels can become even more popular. Aside from the obvious benefits for the environment and the fact that they can operate in complete darkness for 72 hours, the most impressive thing about solar boats is that they are entirely silent.
