Where are the wide-open spaces best suited for solar panels? Where they can be effectively installed and do the most good? Some solar developers see fields and forests adjacent to existing power transmission lines as the ideal location for utility scale “solar farms”. They have a point—from a pure business model standpoint. There are many downsides to this thinking, though. While utility scale projects can be very productive, and that is the reason for installing solar panels anywhere, there can be significant drawbacks too. The removal of forests that provide habitat for wildlife, soak up heavy rains, hold carbon, and are beautiful to look at, often angers local community members, and is met with resistance. Similarly, siting utility scale solar farms on open fields is frequently rejected by locals—often due to the desire to preserve the ability to grow crops in the space.

Clearly, a mix of sizes and types of locations is optimal for the placement of solar arrays. One type of location that is finally gaining steam is the rooftop of large structures associated with institutions and “brick and mortar” businesses. Solar arrays on the roofs of places like hospitals, schools, grocery stores, shopping malls, government buildings, warehouses, and manufacturing plants as well as parking lots (providing cover to keep cars cool in the summer, free of snow in the winter, and protect people from rainy downpours, too) can be extremely effective at supplying a significant portion of the power needed on site.

An excellent example of large-scale rooftop solar projects is the North Stafford High School array in Stafford County, Virginia. https://interestingengineering.com/energy/virginia-installs-largest-school-rooftop-solar-array . Just below the headline of an article about the project, reads,

“North Stafford High School’s new solar array will generate 54 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 41,583 tons.”

This is a significant achievement for a single high school. Further into the article, the financial benefits of the 3,300 panels on the roof of North Stafford High School are also cited,

“Within the next 25 years, it is expected that Stafford County Public Schools will cut its electricity bill by approximately $2.8 million as a result of this system.”
In addition to these exciting benefits that the school system is acknowledging, there are other significant positives that the project provides—along with the installation of the panels, the company that was contracted to build the array (Madison Energy Infrastructure) included a “Solar Empowered Schools” curriculum, giving students access to data from the solar panels, which can be integrated into their science classes. Using this data teachers help students understand the mechanics of solar power and to cultivate a deeper awareness of renewable energy sources.