Analysis of the solar potential of urban public areas for the installation of integrated photovoltaic systems

Abstract

The analysis of the solar potential carried out in a defined territorial context and considered as a case study, intends to estimate the potential production of electricity from solar sources starting from a survey on the availability of the present surfaces.The use of energy from renewable sources for public purposes, obtained through the installation of integrated photovoltaic systems in public urban areas available and appropriately identified, can represent a valid energy strategy in response to the provisions of the European Directive 2009/28 / EC.In this study we want to show how the upgrading of public areas for parking, areas of interchange, or for the shelter of pedestrians in holding areas for public transport or in parking ones for cars can become an opportunity for energy production.In fact, all these public spaces can be transformed into places designed to characterize and redevelop the built space with the use of appropriately designed urban furnishing elements that integrate, for example, the function of shelter and energy production. This research project aimed at developing a methodology of systematic approach that can represent a further element that is part of the policies that can be drawn up in the next 30 years towards a decarbonisation in the territorial area taken into consideration.The methodology developed concerned the following points:1) Identification of the areas and spaces present in the territory taken as a case study, suitable for an upgrading project and/or for the insertion of urban furnishing elements made with integrated photovoltaic panels;2) Calculation of usable areas and consequent calculation of installable photovoltaic surfaces;3) Identification of the elements of urban furniture made with integrated photovoltaic panels and present in the market.The work identifies and computes, through the use of specific softwares, the areas and spaces suitable for the insertion of integrated photovoltaic systems. Subsequently, after identifying the areas, the quantities of hypothetically installable photovoltaic surfaces and the quantities of energy that can be produced are calculated. The latter are then compared with the quantities needed to cover the energy requirements for public lighting.