Under new rules being considered by the Victorian state government high-rise buildings that block sunlight from hitting solar panels on other buildings in the state capital, Melbourne.
The Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure is reviewing planning and building provisions that affect solar panel placement and overshadowing, according to Melbourne’s The Age newspaper.
A department spokesman told The Age the review would decide whether there is need for reform, with any changes to be part of the new Metropolitan Planning Strategy.
The move comes as a new study shows Melbourne’s inner-city rooftops could host enough solar panels to power 10,000 houses.
Melbourne City Council examined low-rise commercial buildings and warehouses outside the CBD, including the suburbs of Carlton, Fishermans Bend and Kensington.
They found that even if panels covered only 20 per cent of roof space it would be enough to host the equivalent of 100 large solar parks.
The Age reports councillor and sustainable business expert Arron Wood said the figure would be much higher if they had also audited high-rise towers and business and apartment buildings in the central city.
However,concerns about the sun being blocked by new construction in the CBD led the council to limit its scoping study.
Cr Wood said there needed to be stronger government policy on the shadowing of solar panels.
The Clean Energy Council said it was the perfect time for new laws to be introduced so new buildings did not hamper the energy efficiency of their neighbours.
Clean Energy Council policy manager Darren Gladman said the council expected fiercer planning conflicts in future as more big businesses bought into solar technology.
In Melbourne, the city council is offering businesses low-cost finance to install solar panels as part of its 1200 Buildings program.
Cr Wood said it had also been in talks with about 30 heavy energy users, including hospitals and universities, about investing in a solar farm in regional Victoria.
As part of the council’s new Zero Net Emissions strategy, it is aiming to make the city’s energy ratio 25 per cent renewable by 2018.
