Covered parking, at least it makes sense. Not solar fucking roadways.
The thing is, if this made economic sense, it would have already been done. Why wouldn't parking lot owners want to make the lots earn money every day improving the parking quality in the sun?
Because it can take 5 to 10 years to recoup the cost of solar panels and installation. At least in the US. Electricity might be so expensive in France now that solar panels make economic sense.
A true cost comparison includes financing and insurance. Even if you pay cash you're still financing, and that opportunity cost can be factored in pretty easily. That takes the initial cost out of consideration. For me it's always been about $0.01 more per kWh for solar all-in. This is a cost so close that the benefits of solar may make it worth it, especially considering national energy independence. France is southerly and dry enough that perhaps it makes sense for them. But I'd be surprised if this would work in e.g. the UK.
Yeah, I've gotten quotes and run numbers every few years to get solar panels for my house, but it's never come close to making financial sense. Last time the quote was $50K to enough panels to generate power to completely offset electricity costs, averaged through the year. My monthly bill is roughly $200, so it'll take about 20 years to break even unless electricity costs skyrocket. Or it might be a good deal if I could install it myself.
Solar roofs make lots of sense. Too bad the current housing trend is a multifaceted roof with a million little peaks and crevasses so it looks like a family mansion added on to through 15 generations instead of the cheap cookie cutter house it is. You can't put solar on these. What we need are flat south facing roofs. This is a superior design anyway, allowing for a large shaded front with no rain or snow runoff and no need for gutters.
trend is a multifaceted roof with a million little peaks and crevasses so it looks like a family mansion added on to through 15 generations
I never realized this. Pretty funny.
"The new provisions are part of French president Emmanuel Macron’s large-scale plan to heavily invest force citizens to invest in renewables.."
So I guess France is just going to shut down at night or when rains, or just gets cloudy? Or are they also going to factor in the cost of the batteries? What happens in the winter? Does it never get cold in France? What happens when everybody turns on their electric space heaters on a cloudy day?
What about the environmental impact of digging up all of the minerals it's going to take to make the batteries themselves? So now you have to choose which expensive climate change boondoggle is more important to you. Powering your industries, heating your homes, or charging your cars.
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