Photovoltaic green roofs: what opportunities for South Tyrol?

Combining vegetation and solar energy in the same space to maximise both energy production and the social and environmental benefits of green: this is the goal of photovoltaic green roofs.

We already talked about the many opportunities of this technological solution in the form of PV Pergola. To further discuss how these solutions can be applied in cities, how can municipalities promote their adoption and which technical aspects must be addressed, we took part in the workshop held on 12 December 2023 organised by Eurac Research, the Town of Merano and the Town of Bolzano.

Susanne Formanek from GrunstattGrau participated in the workshop sharing her knowledge on the implementation of green roofs and brought also the study of the PV Pergola that was done during INFINITE.

During the workshop, several points of view emerged about the main barriers hindering the endorsement of photovoltaic green roofs. Among these, the lack of knowledge about the social, environmental and economic benefits of photovoltaic green roofs. The lack of qualified workers, able to design and create both the photovoltaic part and the green roof part in an integrated way will need to be addressed to ensure a widespread adoption.

Among representatives of the public administration, there is a widespread consensus that the surfaces of industrial buildings are the first place to act: the installation of photovoltaic green roofs can mean energy savings for companies and an improvement in the quality of life for workers.

Experts also remarked that multifunctionality will play a key role: they are not only ‘solar’ or ‘green’ but also ‘blue’, and manage water intelligently.

The workshop focused on South Tyrol, where integrated political strategies are needed in line with provincial initiatives such as KlimaPlan 2040 to make the technology of photovoltaic green roofs be accepted and implemented.

The event is part of a series of workshops organised by JUSTNature project to engage local stakeholders to adopt nature-based solutions, among which green roofs and green facades, in cities.