[1] https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3127663,-71.3832247,557m/dat...

Also you can see it when going to Narita with Skyliner over the old unused shinkansen corridor - Skyliner fits in just about a half of the corridor & the rest is solar panels: https://www.google.com/maps/search/narita/@35.7981082,140.10...

I do recall seeing more parking lots being fitted with a solar roof, and vehicle charging below...this probably should be the primary use of panels, shading otherwise blacktop parking lots

We seem to deal with driving near the ocean and other bodies of water just fine.

That said, at the right angle, no, its not just fine, the ocean reflects alot of sun, just like anything else.

You might say, "You have not recouped the cost." This is difficult to measure; my home has power during power outages. We have them regularly around here. What is the price on having uninterrupted power in your home when no one else can deliver it? Surely quite high, by comparison, no?

https://globalsolaratlas.info/

The red area in the map is the most productive part for Solar and Orange is partially good.

Solar is very geographically dependent, also high altitude is good, that is why Tibet/Colorado is in dark red. Precipitation is a problem for Solar, that is why Florida is OK but not great place for it.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/418078/electricity-price...

https://www.statista.com/statistics/418087/electricity-price...

If you want to find historical satellite images, one area is on Plains Road near URI. Ironically, it is across the street from URI's empty turf fields (although they do use that for research)

* Removing woodland is not great.

* On the other hand, more solar power over, say, coal, is a win for the environment. How much woodland will climate change destroy?

Or we could just build nuclear: https://www.city-journal.org/atomic-power and solve many problems at once, using technology that already exists.

For instance, gasoline is 34.2 MJ/L

A lithium-ion battery is 2.6 MJ/L

Meanwhile, Uranium is 1,539,842,000 MJ/L

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density#Table_of_energy...

For the same amount of money we’d get a lot more energy out of solar or wind. And no radioactive waste and proliferation worries as a bonus.

Goes to show you the tide is turning from environmentalism to capitalism.

If you did, I’d love to hear why this is such an inevitable consequence that it’s worth pointing out how inevitable it is as opposed to putting solar panels literally anywhere else that doesn’t have trees.

Ever consider re-prioritizing and leading by example?

I do disagree that there are other cultures with a 'better' notion. Culture matters, but nkt that much in the long run when theres status at stake

Pretend, for just a moment, that my proposition was true (as I obviously believe it to be). In that case, you've identified yourself as part of the problem. Especially so because you suggest that your prioritization is inevitable and therefore must be assumed.

> I do disagree that there are other cultures with a 'better' notion.

We can look at the development patterns of some other nations. Not all are so spread out, and not all believe that environmentalism is pointless.

> Culture matters, but nkt that much in the long run when theres status at stake

There's lots of ways to get status.

My friend I can guarantee you that despite what I do I will not change the prioritization of half a billion people. An individuals inability or past history of not doing something does not make him or her culpable of supporting the system. By your own measure you too fully support the system I am criticizing.

> We can look at the development patterns of some other nations. Not all are so spread out, and not all believe that environmentalism is pointless

Other nations that have developed in the presence and utilising the products of many other nations that do not share their beliefs.

> There's lots of ways to get status

And yet none of such import on the world stage that you can name it

You're demanding that an alternative value system have value to you BEFORE you will consider it. This is not very realistic or sensible for obvious reasons.

You're also suggesting your socialization is an inevitable product of human nature. Evolutionary Psychology has been split down the middle on this subject for some time,so I'm skeptical that you can resolve the debate that actual experts can't.

https://news.mongabay.com/2019/03/eu-sued-to-stop-burning-tr...