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Billboard Also Power Plant  E-mail
Written by Hank Green   
Wednesday, 05 December 2007

If only every power company was (forced to be) as progressive as PG&E. The billboard really is capped with solar panels, producing 3.4 kilowatts of electricity during the day. This is more than the billboard uses on a day-to-day basis, so it actually does feed power into the grid.

Though, of course, it's negligible. But we can't help but love it anyway.

Via TreeHugger


Comments (9)add
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written by Audrey , December 05, 2007
What a perfect place to put solar panels! Negligible... but wouldn't putting something like this on a lot of billboards make a huge difference?
Forced...
written by Cheezmeister , December 05, 2007
Normally I'm against "forcing" folks to do anything, it just might work in this situation. Even assuming the worst of the advertising companies, mandating that billboards produce their own power and then some would a) make a dent in the power thirst or b) severely cut down the number of these monstrosities I have to stare at while I'm stuck in traffic. And this with minimal financial impact, coming voluntarily (technically) from the private sector.
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written by Bob Wallace , December 05, 2007
Is this real or Photoshopped?

Can you imagine how much extra structure one would have to install to keep this thing upright in a stiff wind?

Something doesn't smell right to me....

(I've been out today building a 'wind wall' to shield my ground mounted panel racks. I lost a rack of panels in a good blow a couple of years ago.)

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written by Dave , December 06, 2007
I think it's real. I don't think you'd need to add too much structure; most of California only has to worry about 90mph winds, I think. That's relatively easy to design for; it's only here on the Florida coast where it becomes hard. smilies/smiley.gif
kW or kWh
written by Bill Noto , December 06, 2007
I like it.

How many kWh / day?
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written by Papa Hotel , December 06, 2007
This picture is art, not a photo. Here's what it really looks like; http://www.sanfranciscosentine...oard-5.jpg
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written by celia , December 08, 2007
I think that all energy companies should be so innovative without being forced to. I'm always excited to see what companies come up with; utilities are not exempt. I've rarely seen anything fun and of new from the energy companies.
Space Panels for Wind Allowance?
written by Julie Rossberg , December 09, 2007
Could the panels be spaced or somehow channel the wind to avoid problems with this in areas where it would be a wise thing to hedge against?
wind power!
written by Michael , December 10, 2007
Even better, maybe the panels can double as windmills so that you get power for it as well!
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Hank Green
About the author:

Hank Green is the founder and chief geek at EcoGeek.org. Aside from being obsessed with saving the planet with technology, he loves to write and make videos. If you want to find out more about him, visit hankgreen.com

 
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