JLNorthGA
Active Member
Our playhouse is probably "higher" than any other building in town (except a few steeples and the clock tower of the old courthouse). A solar panel vendor has offered us $2K a year to place solar panels on our roof. Then they might sell the panels to us in five years.
Our roof is tilt slab construction - that is the panels are precast concrete panels that were hoisted up to make the roof. The panels are 6" thick or more with large "ribs" that are an additional 16" or so. The panels sit on large corbels that are attached to the outside panels. We also have large cast concrete beams holding up the slabs. The area under the stage in the basement is a rated tornado shelter. The roof panels have a membrane with large, smooth river rock covering the membrane. The roof above the stage is 25' x 50'. The roof above the rest is maybe 75' x 100'.
The downside is possible damage to the roof, which they say they will repair. The upside is $2K a year - which would give us a little cushion - not much, but enough to help out. Supposedly the solar panels would shade the roof enough to make a bit of difference in the summer. This would be a small system - maybe generating 50 KW or so. What makes it profitable for them are the tax incentives - and the fact that the utilities are mandated to buy their solar power.
I don't know what to think. I'm sort of ambivalent about the notion. We wouldn't be using the power, we'd just be paid. They would be getting maybe $50/day. We'd be getting about 1/10 of that.
Our roof is tilt slab construction - that is the panels are precast concrete panels that were hoisted up to make the roof. The panels are 6" thick or more with large "ribs" that are an additional 16" or so. The panels sit on large corbels that are attached to the outside panels. We also have large cast concrete beams holding up the slabs. The area under the stage in the basement is a rated tornado shelter. The roof panels have a membrane with large, smooth river rock covering the membrane. The roof above the stage is 25' x 50'. The roof above the rest is maybe 75' x 100'.
The downside is possible damage to the roof, which they say they will repair. The upside is $2K a year - which would give us a little cushion - not much, but enough to help out. Supposedly the solar panels would shade the roof enough to make a bit of difference in the summer. This would be a small system - maybe generating 50 KW or so. What makes it profitable for them are the tax incentives - and the fact that the utilities are mandated to buy their solar power.
I don't know what to think. I'm sort of ambivalent about the notion. We wouldn't be using the power, we'd just be paid. They would be getting maybe $50/day. We'd be getting about 1/10 of that.