May 5, 2024

The Power of Solar: 35% of US Manufacturing Could Be Powered by Rooftop Solar Panels

Globally, the commercial sector represents a large factor to energy use, and associated greenhouse gas and carbon emissions. Manufacturing has actually become a crucial target for global decarbonization efforts, with many business changing to lower-carbon energy sources. The brand-new research study shows that roof photovoltaic panels could now be a possible choice for many producing units due to their large, flat rooftops together with falling prices, improved effectiveness, and flexibility in installation. Seasonally, manufacturing business throughout almost 40% of United States places could fulfill their electrical power requires in the spring and summertime with roof solar arrays.
Eckelman concludes, “Greater policy attention on the feasibility and potential benefits of roof photovoltaic panel selections will assist markets to achieve renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions objectives. Our research supplies an indicator of the locations and sectors for which roof solar ranges might significantly help production firms to reach these objectives.”
Referral: “Technical expediency of powering U.S. production with roof solar PV” by Amir T Namin, Matthew J Eckelman and Jacqueline A Isaacs, 9 May 2023, Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability.DOI: 10.1088/ 2634-4505/ acb5bf.

Rooftop solar varieties hold significant capacity to meet the yearly electrical power requirements of roughly 35% of United States manufacturing sectors, yet their present contribution to the electricity grid mix is only 2.2%.
Solar panels set up on the roofings of industrial structures have the potential to please the whole electrical energy requirements of up to 35% of American producers. A current study released in the journal Environmental Research: Sustainability and Infrastructure by IOP Publishing explores the practicality of fulfilling these power requirements through on-site solar panel installations throughout various areas and manufacturing sectors in the United States.
Carried out by researchers from Northeastern University, the research study uses data from the United States Department of Energy Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey to assess the potential electricity production of roof solar systems in comparison to the electricity demand per system of flooring area for the typical production facility. The findings reveal that, depending upon the season, roof solar installations could totally meet the electrical power requirements of 5-35% of American manufacturing markets, with the furniture, garments, and textile sectors standing to acquire one of the most.
Dr. Matthew Eckelman, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University, says: “Currently, less than 0.1% of the electrical power needed by the manufacturing sector in the United States is created through renewable, on-site sources. This should alter if we are going to satisfy decarbonization objectives, and oftentimes, roof photovoltaic panels are now a feasible choice for providing low-carbon energy.”