The installation of solar panels on the flat roofs in Madrid will lead to important energy savings. It is estimated that energy savings could amount to more than 50%. For instance, during 2016 the exact amount was 51,4%. This calculus was carried out by the Observatorio de la Sostenibilidad (The Observatory of Sustainability). The study came to the conclusion that if photovoltaic panels were installed on the rooftops of the city, they could supply electric power to 1,2 million Madrileños. Solar panels would result in a savings on electricity and they would also help to reduce CO2 emissions and this would give Madrid a real breathing space. We must remember that restrictive measures have been adopted with regard to motor vehicles so as to prevent further pollution in the city. In this blog, we have already written about the importance of having energy-efficiency housing. We also stated that we must create a sustainable real estate system. Because of this, we believe that we must take very much into account these facts and figures. However, would it be possible to place solar panels on the rooftops of Madrid?

50.000 ENERGY- PRODUCING ROOFTOPS

The Observatory of Sustainability estimates that, at present, there are around 1.000 rooftops with solar panels. According to this Observatory, which is a national point of reference in the fields of sustainability and energy efficiency, the number should be multiplied by 50 in the next twelve years, if our aim is to make Madrid a European capital committed to energy efficiency. The Observatory of Sustainability states that in Madrid in 2030, there should be 50.000 rooftops with photovoltaic installations which would produce electric power. Is this a feasible proposal?  The Observatory carried out a study that analysed inch by inch the rooftops in Madrid. It came to the conclusion that solar panels could be installed in more than 6.700 hectares of the city and it also took into account the specific buildings where the intallation could be set up. These facts and figures lead us to think that the calculus of 50.000 solar energy producer rooftops in Madrid, between now and 2030, could be feasible. In order to carry this out, it is essential that governmental authorities intervene and become involved allocating funds to this project.

A HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Concerning the report on solar panels on the rooftops in Madrid, the Observatory of Sustainability stated that the most adequate buildings to set up solar panels were Torre Garena and Telefónica (in Alcalá de Henares and in Las Tablas, respectively). Regarding this type of energy, the leading countries are Germany, Australia and the United States (especially in some parts of California). These countries should serve as examples for us and so make us bet heavily on this type of energy. The Observatory estimated that the investment could amount to a figure around 6.000 million euros. The exact figure would be 5.800 million euros. It  also stressed that the recovery of this investment would only take 5 years. If we take into account these facts and figures and we analyse the trend in other countries, it is only logical to think that Spanish policies should be aimed at promoting the installation of solar panels in Madrid. This would be a hope for the future and thus would make Madrid a more sustainable city.

Pictures: Som energía Cooperativa