Expand Your Influence: Partnering trees and solar panels November 16, 2011 Dan Staley

1.Basics: Solar Industry Trends 2.Detail: Solar Access 3.Cultivating Partnerships: Outlining Strategies Agenda

WHY: Making space for Green Infrastructure By ~2040: 50% of all buildings will have been built in the last 50 years (‘Next 100 million problem’) Energy will be one of humanity’s top challenges in coming decades: Solar part of ‘Silver Buckshot’ Green Infra expansion is excellent policy in cities Challenge and Opportunity

Intro and Background Solar Power Collected Two Ways: – Directly: Photovoltaic (PV) panels mounted on ground, pole, or rooftop – Indirectly: Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) – mirrors and collectors

Solar Power Collection (PV) Local Power Collection and Distribution PV panels are akin to a plant leaf – a shade intolerant leaf

Solar Industry Now Growing rapidly, costs decreasing rapidly – 2010: U.S. doubled installed capacity – World growth doubling: 2015, 2019 – Costs decreasing 7%/year

Solar Industry Innovation Solar Industry Innovating Rapidly Akin to Moore’s Law Solyndra Thin film roof tiles Solar glass

Solar Access

Solar Access Definitions Solar Access: The ability to receive unobstructed direct sunlight (“right to light”) Solar Access Zone: The 3-dimensional clear space or volumetric shape (“wedge”) needed to allow unobstructed sunlight to reach a solar collector, window, building, garden, etc. for a given time period

Solar Access Visualizations Sun path chart Sky dome path Sun path volumetric “wedge” defining the access zone 2-D3-D

Common Solar Access Depictions Plan view (landscape, land use) Computer model of sun path (architectural)

No ‘right to light’ in U.S.: in dicta U.K.: Common Law (“Leylandii Law”) U.S. Circuit Court decision in 1950s States started implementing hodgepodge of solar strategies during 1970s energy crisis No U.S. standard building code for insulation (viz. Int’l Bldg Code) Trees often used in lieu of insulation Solar Access Background

‘10-2’ Solar Access Laws – Clear access zone from 10am-2pm at time of PV installation :: compromise law – Many in solar industry want all day access, but 9am-3pm majority of insolation UFers just now catching up – The most new expertise to offer  ‘Green premium’ on homes with visible PV panels Background

Solar Access: Site Analysis Basics a-3p

Partnering Strategies

Alternative energy industry – Solar industry’s time is coming -- soon PV rental and/or leasing for collection - Companies “lease” roofs to generate power – Power Purchase Agreements (U.S.), Feed-In-Tariff (EUR) - ROI often based on unfettered access Solar Access Zone Partners

Alternative energy industry – Lots of smart, motivated people – Have been ready and waiting for widespread deployment since the 1970s – Technology catching up with their ideas – Businesses, banks catching up too – Urban Foresters last piece of puzzle for efficient cities: Green Power Partners About Your Partners

Solar access needs 1. Need new tools and visuals to help others choose and site trees 2. Need guidance to help grow trees in time periods: how tall/wide in 20 years, at maturity 3. Decsionmaking at different scales: tree, parcel, street, municipal Industry Needs

Solutions: Don’t Be Afraid of Shade Siting Species What and where Scale Scenario When and why

Siting: What and Where Solar Smart clearance pruning and projected time to next maintenance: ROI

Species: What and Where What small-statured species go here?

Scale: When and Why Bulls eye for single tree clearance over time 35 ft tree, 20 ft distance to PV array 2:00 pm

Scale: When and Why Siting: Solar Smart Zones as code/aid for solar access Sept 3:00 pm

Scale: When and Why Siting: Solar Smart Zones by structure, height, and placement on lot Sept 3:00 pm

Solutions: Scaling Up Scale: Solar Smart Streets Scenario: Height after 10, 20 years

Solutions: Projects to Add Value Solar Access Zones Solar Smart Species (and where) Solar Smart tree maintenance/pruning Solar Easements: green neighborhoods Solar Smart Streets: setbacks, street tree species by side of street & direction Solar Smart Sustainable Business Improvement Districts

Your Solar Access Partners Don’t Be Afraid of Shade! You’re both innovative Both will benefit Partners in efficiency Ready to go Motivated experts Not a tree hugger

Solar Access Recap Solar access is coming – get out in front! 9-3 access better than 10-2 and you can make it happen Right tree, right place, right reason Solar Smart trees, zones, maintenance Solar folks have the tools except for tree scenarios – need a green power partner – They are smart and motivated to get it right – the perfect partners

Thank you! Q&A

Expand Your Influence: Additional messaging and ideas for promoting change

Key References Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities pdf Smart Growth: A Toolkit for Realtors® nsf/pages/toolkit_smart_growth CITY TREES sustainability guidelines & best practices ees-bonestroopilot.pdf * ASES 2010

Trees shall have adequate rooting volume as determined by… Trees shall have sufficient distance from infrastructure as determined by… More Design Standards

PV Siting and Design As little as 5% blockage can affect panel

Solutions: Don’t Be Afraid of Shade Tree shadow lengths on ground on July 3:00 pm 50 ft ht 35 ft ht20 ft ht 55 ft lth 39 ft lth22 ft lth

Changemaking Reasons Multiple reinforcing benefits Conflict avoidance Co-location Support multiple goals and/or plans High design standards Environmental: stormwater, human health, urban heat island, air quality, energy savings, safety

Comprehensive Plans – Usually at City, County scales – Set agenda for development Set high-level goals Set Green Infrastructure as a goal Green Infrastructure supports many planning and community goals Take-home Messages

More Take-home Messages Use Green Infrastructure as a Stormwater Utility Re-think how Grey Infrastructure is sited Green Infrastructure supports many planning and community goals Many actors have different pieces of a finished puzzle