Are solar cells (or pv cells) suitable for use in an urban environment?

Question

on/in homes, public buildings etc.
advantages disadvantages

Answer 1

Depends on the deed restrictions and of course available sunlight.



There have been instances where people have put up solar panels only to be forced to take them down by their homeowners associations.



These panels are exposed to the weather so they can be damaged in storms.

Answer 2

Installing solar panels are good for ecology, it is one of the best possible source if your location is not nearby any grid (power supply). The cost however is not (as of yet) friendly because it rack up to 50k USD. The supply of power may not yet be reliable because most solar panels are not able to collect usable energy when it is cloudy or overcast. The general window time of energy collection is only about four hours a day (average), hence, the 200 watts panel does not mean produces 200 watts. It only produces x number of watts within the charging window in a day. If the day is rainy that’s too bad it will likely not going to collect energy for that day or days. Using inverter also diminishes the amount of energy collected from the battery storage. Inverter has set back, if the condition is not enough to produce enough energy the inverter will even suck the power from the battery (storage used for self contained homes or not connected to the grid).

As per your curiosity, solar panels are still the best source of energy if your house is located beyond the reach of the grid.

For now the urbanized areas have best reliable source from the grid, it is not the best for the environment and may not last much longer. Inexpensive for now but surely becoming very expensive as we go along.

Answer 3

Yes!

Providing that it is in an area that gets sun.

The main determent is usually the initial installation cost.

The cost are coming down. In fact there are some cases where it may be even cheaper. An example would be a bike path or parking area that does not have commercial power. The cost of trenching and building underground utilities can be tremendous. Solar path or court lights can be quickly installed. This advantage may be turned against it if people start stealing the whole street light.



Solar arrays over parking lots are a win-win idea. Our cities have large parking lots that create heat islands that are often too hot for local flora and fauna. With a solar array over the asphalt soaking up sunshine, the parking area is cooler for people and cars. The structures are useful even in the rain as covering the transfer of merchandise.

Answer 4

Yes of course it is. However there is a substantial cost to have them installed. The cells usually come arrayed in panels. Each panel produces about 200 watts of power. A typical household needs at least eight. Ten to twelve panels is more like it, if you have the space. They need a south facing exposure to sunlight. So the installation typically requires a professional, who installs them on your roof, or other "best area". They output DC voltage, so in other to make the power useful you will in to purchase an "inverter". Inverters are tied into the electrical grid by a qualified electrician. Another substantial cost. All these costs add up, even if you are lucky enough to live in a state that will provide tax credits or other incentives to offset the cost of install.



The Solar Industry is working hard to achieve "grid parity" with conventional (coal fired electrical generator plant) supplied electricity. But for right now, watt for watt, conventional electricity remains cheaper then solar power generated electricity

Answer 5

Solar Energy Pros:

Solar panels give off no pollution, the only pollution produced as a result of solar panels is the manufacturing of these devices in factories, transportation of the goods, and installation.



The production of energy from the use of fossil and some renewable fuels (e.g. wind turbines) can be noisy, yet solar energy produces electricity very quietly.



One of the great pros of solar energy is the ability to harness electricity in remote locations that are not linked to a national grid. A prime example of this is in space, where satellites are powered by high efficiency solar cells.



The installation of solar panels in remote locations is usually much more cost effective than laying the required high voltage wires.



Solar energy can be very efficient in a large area of the globe, and new technologies allow for a more efficient energy production on overcast/dull days.



Solar panels can be installed on top of many rooftops, which eliminates the problem of finding the required space for solar panel placement.



Another great pro of solar energy is the cost. Although the initial investment of solar cells may be high, once installed, they provide a free source of electricity, which will pay off over the coming years.



The use of solar energy to produce electricity allows the user to become less dependent on the worlds fossil fuel supplies.



Solar Energy Cons:

The major con of solar energy is the initial cost of solar cells. Currently, prices of highly efficient solar cells can be above $1000, and some households may need more than one. This makes the initial installation of solar panels very costly.



Solar energy is only able to generate electricity during daylight hours. This means for around half of each day, solar panels are not producing energy for your home.



The weather can affect the efficiency of solar cells.



Pollution can be a con of solar energy, as pollution levels can affect a solar cells efficiency, this would be a major con for businesses or industry wishing to install solar panels in heavily polluted areas, such as cities.



Overview

Above is a list of many solar energy pros and cons, and although not definitive, you can see how the number of pros relating to solar energy, greatly outweighs the cons of solar energy.



The main reason we are not seeing a large amount of solar energy technology installations is due to cost, and unfortunately, as the price of fossil fuels remains lower than the initial investment towards the currently available solar panels, we will not see a mass shift towards solar electricity production.

Answer 6

yes they are fine to use almost anywhere, the more the merrier.

Answer 7

no problems at all