Solar Concept Misses the Point

A reader submits the pic here and adds: “Roof mounted solar panels and solar water thermal mirror panels for a commercial building.” (Larger version below.)

This concept misses the central point of solar, i.e., aiming panels directly at the sun, so as to grab every available photon, and in turn, kick out as many electrons from the semiconductors as possible.  In the northern hemisphere, this means facing them to the south, and, if feasible, helping the process along with motorized devices that track the apparent motion of the sun across the sky.

Moreover, the one thing you don’t want is a device that casts shadows on itself.