Image: Wikimedia Commons

While attending a recent talk given by Paul Kephart, president of pioneering ecological design firm, Rana Creek, I heard an interesting assertion: Green roofs can improve the performance of solar photovoltaics by up to 30%. This would be due to the ability of the green roofs to lower the ambient temperature surrounding the panels, thereby boosting efficient operation.

Plants + solar PV may be an exciting possibility for synergistic systems on rooftops, especially in dry climates like California.

I have been looking around for studies or more information about this and came up with just a few articles that are linked below. Portland State University has a study underway on this topic.

http://www.pdx.edu/news/integrating-solar-panels-and-green-roofs

http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/going/can-you-combine-a-green-roof-with-solar-panels/

http://www.greenroofsca.com/2010/04/solar-green-roof-co-installations.html

http://www.greenroofsca.com/2010/04/solar-green-roof-co-installations.html