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Eco-Friendly trees vs Eco-Friendly Solar Panels
By Clifford, Section Solar Posted on Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 08:47:13 PM MST
Eco-Friendly trees vs Eco-Friendly Solar Panels

I've got 2 houses...
One in St. Louis, MO reasonably flat lot, but big trees on the South side of the lot. I do ok with solar panels squeezed up to the peak of the house, but... I'd do better without the trees. Thankfully by mid-fall, most of the leaves fall off the trees to allow a bit more light exposure as the sun dips lower.
The other is in Portland, OR. Situated on the North side of the hill, but still reasonable southern exposure... Except that I have 2 large trees on the south side of my lot. I.E. No good place to put a garden. At least this time of year, my whole house is shaded as well as most of the lot, although I remember getting cooked on the roof when I replaced the roof in July.
While I believe in the concept of a "carbon balance" in the eco-system on the surface of the earth... there are certainly advantages of trees (cooling, pleasant, etc).
So... what are the thoughts...
Eco-friendly trees... vs Eco-friendly solar panels.
Of course talking about a variety of solar...
Solar-Electric
Solar-Hot Water
Passive Solar
Active Solar
etc.
none of them would do well in 100% shade.

Eco-Friendly trees vs Eco-Friendly Solar Panels | 8 comments (8 topical)

Trees vs Solar Panels (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by richhagen on Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 03:42:24 PM MST

Plant new trees on the north side of the lot? Can you elevate the panels and trim the trees? Rich
'A Joule saved is a Joule made'

Re: Trees vs Solar Panels (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Clifford on Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 04:27:01 PM MST

Can you elevate the panels and trim the trees?
---------------------------------------------

Well... I could erect a 100' windmill tower and add solar panels...
Of course, if one installed too many panels on the tower, it would be difficult to keep it standing in the wind. Perhaps one could put on spring loaded self furling panels :)

I think this is one of the issues that hits alternative power in the urban/suburban settings.

Not enough wind at ground level.
Can't safely put up a windmill
Trees & Shade
Power Lines (certainly would affect safety factors for windmills).

Perhaps part of the answer is to move from the big trees to dwarf trees.

[ Parent ]

Re: Eco-Friendly trees (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by wpowokal on Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 04:24:47 PM MST

I will not have trees within falling distance of a building, I like the sun so make sure as much winter sun as shines reaches my dwelling.

On the other side I plant hundreds of trees so I have no problem knocking a few over, then again i don't live on a quater acre either.

Allan down under
"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." James Dean

Re: Eco-Friendly trees ...... (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by gizmo on Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 12:47:03 AM MST

The way I see it, its what you do with the felled tree that matters. If you burn the timber, you send the captured carbon back into the atmosphere. Bad. If you turn the timber into something like a chair, a fence, or part of a building, you are storing that carbon. Good.

If I cut down a tree for what ever reason, I make sure I plant another tree, either at my place or somewhere else. Cutting down tree's is something we need to do from time to time, to make room, let the wind or sun in, for safety, etc. If you store the timber, and plant another tree, then you have done good for the environment.

Glenn
http://www.thebackshed.com

Re: Eco-Friendly trees ...... (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Clifford on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 01:12:44 AM MST

Well...
If I only had a fireplace, some of the smaller branches would certainly go into the fireplace.

I assume letting wood rot or chipping for mulch would release the CO2 into the atmosphere.

But, that is a good point, that if it gets utilized in furniture, or even as structural wood, the carbon will be removed from the carbon cycle for an extended period of time.

I have a birch and a gumwood. There are companies that "recycle" exotic hardwoods from urban areas. But, I have an uncle who may saw them up.

[ Parent ]

Re: Eco-Friendly trees ...... (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by spinningmagnets on Fri Oct 24, 2008 at 09:21:42 AM MST

I had a fireplace as a child, and I always thought the black ash that was left over was high in carbon?

Sequestered by burying, or sending in trash to landfill?

[ Parent ]

Re: Eco-Friendly trees ...... (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by Clifford on Mon Oct 27, 2008 at 02:21:38 PM MST

Most of the ash is white colored...

The black would be unburnt carbon... but that is only a minute amount of it. The rest of the carbon goes up the chimney, primarily in CO2, but visible smoke often contains unburnt hydrocarbons.

I'm not sure of the exact makeup of ash. I think it contains calcium, potassium, phosphorous, and a number of other elements.

As far as landfills... "Organic" compounds sent to the landfills will change over time. Many being chewed up by bacteria, and released as methane (a "greenhouse gas") or other gasses. Some may remain in the landfill for an extended amount of time, but I wouldn't count on that as a long-term sequestration. Although, perhaps it depends on the landfill... The Southwest USA is likely very different than more northern areas.

[ Parent ]

Eco-Friendly trees vs Solar Panels (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by birdhouse on Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 09:01:37 PM MST

i like this post... interesting.
i also live in portland. yay.

gizmo- when you refer to burning are you talking about brush pile type burning or say wood stove burning? brush pile type would be really bad! but newer wood stoves are exceptionally efficient and ash burns very hot! ive got a newer morso wood stove and my neighbor keeps asking me where i find my smokeless fire wood as he rarely sees smoke come out of my stack. i burn all the time too, seeing how i don't have a furnace. this eliminates my use of natural gas and or oil heat.

i guess what i'm saying is if clifford needs some help cutting down some ash trees, i know a guy who would love to stay warm from them!
"let it blow, let it blow"

Eco-Friendly trees vs Eco-Friendly Solar Panels | 8 comments (8 topical)

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