The New York Times has an interesting piece today regarding the public backlash that has occurred as a consequence of the PSE&G installations of solar panels in residential neighborhoods.
This effort on the part of PSE&G is laudable and should continue. But such efforts would be wise to be augmented by more aesthetically considered approaches and perhaps there are ways to make the already installed panels more acceptable to the neighborhoods in which they’ve been placed. Perhaps the undersides of the panels are used in some way or are more artistically incorporated into the pole, and/or perhaps future installations can better integrate the solar panel into the light fixture itself so as to result in something that looks less like a design afterthought.
In any case, it sounds like a ripe opportunity for a design competition…
