It’s not a matter of if you will get sunflowers but when.
It’s a matter, according to a study released Tuesday, of when.
In a series of research papers, researchers from the University of Virginia and the University at Buffalo examined the safety and effectiveness of residential metal arowings, and found that, at the very least, they’re safe.
The two universities analyzed data from over 3,500 residential solar panels installed over the past four years in 30 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, with the largest concentration in Washington, D.C. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the universities, found that the metal arial panels are “relatively inexpensive, well tested, and offer good solar energy return,” as the company noted in a press release.
They also noted that they are a “significant cost-saving measure” in comparison to the traditional solar panels.
What’s more, the researchers found that in most instances, the residential panels offered about as much energy return as a typical solar panel, and the arial designs provided “an optimal combination of savings and benefits for both solar power production and cooling costs.”
The study also noted, however, that “a large number of solar power systems are built to accommodate awners, but many do not have adequate structural support.”
To address this issue, the study recommends that solar power developers “implement and/or replace existing arial roofing systems that are designed for low-voltage solar panels.”
This “recommendation,” the study found, “has a potential for making solar PV systems more competitive with conventional photovoltaic solar PV, while making solar energy more affordable and accessible to households in low- and moderate-income areas.”
The paper also recommends that “providers should provide incentives to install new arial roofs with improved solar energy performance.”
And while the study does not specify a time frame for implementing this recommendation, it notes that “some systems could be installed before 2020.”
And that the study “found that rooftop solar power could be available in all regions in less than 20 years, although installation is costly and limited by availability and availability of funding.”
The researchers suggest that “the potential for significant savings and a significant reduction in energy use could be achieved through the use of a lower-cost, high-efficiency solar panel system.”