Kyocera's "Solar Grove" Parking Lot
by Justin Thomas, Virginia 
on 07.28.05
Kyocera recently installed its first public "Solar Grove" consisting of 25 "solar trees" that converts a 186-vehicle parking lot into a 235 kW solar electric generating system. The system's 25 solar trees form a carport in a Kyocera employee parking lot, utilizing a total of 1,400 Kyocera KC-187G solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and 200 custom-manufactured, light-filtering PV modules.
The project is supported by the California Public Utilities Commission’s “Self Generation Incentive Program,” which will cover approximately 36% of the system’s purchase and installation costs; as well as federal and state tax credits, and a five-year accelerated depreciation schedule.
The standard Kyocera solar modules used in the Solar Grove are
covered by a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty, and Kyocera anticipates
that the Solar Grove will pay for itself within 12 years.
:: Via: Green Car Congress
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I like the name 'solar tree' Sounds very environmentally friendly. Unlike regular old trees which as everyone knows, run on oil.
While producing much energy from the panels themselves, its great that the solar heat gain of the asphalt parking lot is also reduced in the process.
It would be interesting to see how much CO2 these prevent from being release to the amount a similar number/size of trees would absorb from the atmosphere.
Could this also reduce vehicle AC energy use?
Could this also reduce vehicle AC energy use?
This is genius. Glad it happened and I hope that the trend spreads continues. One design issue that needs addressing (goods far outweighing the bads, mind you) is water run off. As with asphalt, solar panels don't really absorb water. Parking lots are nasty when it comes to this. Has there been any design out there that takes both solar harvesting and water run off into consideration?
Growing up in the Northern Virginia/Washington, DC area, I know this would be a great great thing. Even better with both concerns incorporated! Run off water is a major issue with the Chesapeake watershed. I could go on and on, but I won't. If anyone knows anything, please post!
It's good to see someone finally executing such a common sense project. Kudos to Kyocera.
Chris, I found this concept that is along the lines of the design you envision:
http://www.roofscapes.com/solarcanopy.html
As far as runoff goes, the solar modules at least won't make the problem worse. It just means that your impermeable surface which immediately dumps any incoming rain into the watershed is off the ground instead of being the ground. Building drainage into the mounting structures for the modules (the solar trees) might help but it could also add a lot to the already-high cost of installation.
If Kyocera makes the panels and installs them on their employee lot, then why do they really need 36% of the cost picked up by the state and tax breaks? Mind you I wish more lots had these at times, but it seems like they win in 'every' direction with these 'trees.' My $0.02 and some taxes apparently.
Ike,
They could actually harvest the rainwater off the panels and use it for something (water some nearby vegetation?) instead of dumping it directly into the sewer system.
Aaron, solar is incredibly expensive - it doesn't pay for itself in the current market.