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1. darren buck (bikepedantic@transportation.social)'s status on Friday, 10-Feb-2023 05:28:36 JST darren buck

   Here's a webinar on encouraging more solar panels over parking lots and along highway rights-of-way, a thing I don't care about.

   But I do care about shade for people walking and biking, and have always wondered:

   *Do the undersides of PV panels give off any absorbed heat?

   *Would PV panel porticos over sidewalks/bike lanes/trails offer quality-of-trip benefits along with power generation?

   https://environmentamerica.org/events/solar-on-highways-and-parking-lots/

   • Twin Snake's Lead Animator (spookie@outerheaven.club)'s status on Friday, 10-Feb-2023 05:28:23 JST Twin Snake's Lead Animator

     in reply to

     • CelloMom On Cars
     • rail enthusiast wife Daria
     @CelloMomOnCars @bikepedantic @Shadow I prefer trees a hundred times more, let's not make our cities even more "made of glass", shall we?
     
     I don't think that solar panels would work either, given that they might be shaded from buildings nearby. This limits where they can be placed.
   • CelloMom On Cars (cellomomoncars@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 10-Feb-2023 05:28:24 JST CelloMom On Cars

     in reply to

     • rail enthusiast wife Daria

     @bikepedantic @Shadow

     I was also going to throw the same curveball:

     Trees, when planted BETWEEN the parking spots, don't generate electricity, but apart from that they:
     -- give shade in summer, not in winter;
     -- absorb large amounts of rain water
     -- give a big traffic calming effect;
     -- are beautiful and raise property values;
     -- make you happy!

     Here is an example of how it worked out in this posh street in Bonn, Germany. This same treatment is applied ALL OVER the Netherlands (less posh).

   • darren buck (bikepedantic@transportation.social)'s status on Friday, 10-Feb-2023 05:28:30 JST darren buck

     in reply to

     • rail enthusiast wife Daria

     @Shadow This is all very true (and valid). Probably makes it a southern-specific idea. I do wonder if local power generation makes it easier to run low-power pavement warming elements

   • rail enthusiast wife Daria (shadow@tech.lgbt)'s status on Friday, 10-Feb-2023 05:28:36 JST rail enthusiast wife Daria

     in reply to

     @bikepedantic I care about shade for walking and biking right up until I actively don’t want it. I want sun’s warmth when it’s cold. And especially if you don’t clear snow, covering a trail from the top won’t stop drifts but will preclude them from getting melted