The Conversation has reported that responding to climate change, builders, planners and decision-makers have begun adopting strategies to promote the uptake of renewable energy. However, city planning is still lagging behind. The problem is a lack of policy guidelines for land use when it comes to renewable energy.
One common problem that many homeowners are facing is overshadowing (a new development might cast shadows over an existing property’s solar panels, reducing energy generation). The Conservation recommends “renewable-friendly planning systems” so renewable systems are not discounted during the planning stages of any city development. Because there are no rules regarding this at the current time, most of these problems are being taken to court.
City planners should take the initiative and get to know the issues in order to reduce the risk of problems like this happening in the future. In time, policies will be put in place.
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