Solar Trees Top (Some) California Parking Lots

"Sun shades cool parking lots, pump out solar energy"
(May 29, (probably 2008))

"Add up all the asphalt parking lots surrounding the nation's malls, offices and commuter hubs, and there’s more than enough blacktop to pave over Connecticut. Envision Solar International hopes to tranform [!}those barren expanses into green-energy oases by erecting forests of 'solar trees'. About 12 feet tall, each 'tree' is capped with a 1,000 sq-ft canopy covered in solar cells...."

There are a couple of photos that show what the 'trees' look like. If that 1,000 square foot figure is accurate, each 'tree' is a bit over 31 feet on a side - assuming that they're square.

I like this idea. It's off-the-shelf technology, essentially nothing more than solar panels set on top of outsized carports.

I also like the common-sense economics involved. The article explains how Envision plans to make money by planing these 'trees.'