Solar Panels on Skyscrapers in Toronto?

[doug]

The best panels are only 15% efficient.
Their efficiency goes down as their temperature rises.
Panels in shade have to be electrically isolated from the rest.
This makes the current situation not very attractive.

 

[CanadianNational]

There's an enjoyable link here:

http://webecoist.com/2010/09/27/solar-powered-towers-13-super-sunny-skyscrapers/

Some of the proposals are crazed, some are ridiculous, but some look rather interesting. The CIS solar tower in Manchester is already built.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Its time Toronto gets into the game..instead of the same square look-a-like boring office buildings.

Pittsburgh Set For New Greenscraper

As well as helping the climate during construction when complete the tower will be the greenest skyscraper in the world thanks to the use of solar panels, geothermal systems and other alternative power generation sources for the tower, the towers orientation will also ensure that the interior will gain the most sunlight possible reducing the need for artificial lights during the day and as the building will not be square to the street like every other tower it also ser4ves to help it stand out on the skyline.

More....http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=2857

 

[drunkmunky]

The best panels are only 15% efficient.
Their efficiency goes down as their temperature rises.
Panels in shade have to be electrically isolated from the rest.
This makes the current situation not very attractive.

15% in germany.. Applications here have only reached a highest operational efficiency of 12% via the North House Project.

PV isn't as effective in Northern Climates as Solar Thermal.

 

[Northern Light]

I'm reviving this thread rather than starting a new one, to note an item of interest.

Looking at some lobbying on behalf of Tenblock......

They continue to do interesting things.

They either own or manage 1154 Wilson, an older hirise apartment block.

Their lobbyist is charged with giving some profile to the fact that the new balcony panels being installed are voltaic.

I think that's the first I've heard of doing retrofit of this type in Toronto, at scale; but perhaps others here know of additional/prior locations.

***

This is the building in question (from 2018 streetview)