Rooftop PV: Potential and Impacts in a Complex Territory

When developing a sustainability plan in complex and heavily urbanized territory, one of the most relevant options available is installing rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels. Thus, it essential to determine amount surface potential impact such installations on energy emission budget area. Instead processing remotely sensed imagery, which long process does not allow considering buildings’ ownership, this study develops an approach based cluster analysis urban/morphological characteristics municipalities. Once clear group diversification obtained, roof center gravity each extrapolated all similar settlements. This, together with information local solar irradiation, allowed us compute cluster’s production its capability respond demand, key parameter decide about possibility smart electricity network. Finally, emissions avoided thanks PV development are computed terms carbon dioxide other pollutants. This applied residential Lombardy, Northern Italy region wide variety urban morphologies landscapes. The exceeds estimated consumption buildings would sparing almost 4 M ton CO2 equivalent or 5% overall regional emissions.