Triangular Seastead • 41.3 ft sides × 7 ft walls
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Wall length (each side) | 41.3 ft |
| Wall height | 7.0 ft |
| Area per wall | 289.1 ft² |
| Total wall area (3 sides) | 867.3 ft² |
| Usable area (70% coverage) | 607 ft² |
70% coverage accounts for windows, structural elements, doors, and mounting gaps.
| Metric | Roof (baseline) | Side Panels |
|---|---|---|
| Average peak sun hours/day | 5.0 hrs | 1.8 hrs |
| Panel efficiency | 20% | 20% |
| Power density | 18.6 W/ft² | 18.6 W/ft² |
| Average daily output | — | 2.0 kWh/day |
| Item | Per Watt | Total (607 ft²) |
|---|---|---|
| Panel cost | $0.45 | $1,680 |
| Side mounting hardware | $0.55 | $2,050 |
| Total installed cost | $1.00 | $3,730 |
| Panel weight | 0.10 lb/W | 373 lbs |
| Mounting weight | 0.08 lb/W | 298 lbs |
| Total added weight | — | 671 lbs |
Marginal benefit. Side solar adds ~730 kWh/year at a cost of $3,730 and 671 lbs.
This represents roughly a 12–15% increase in total solar generation compared to roof-only.
Not recommended unless:
The added complexity, wind loading, and corrosion risk on vertical surfaces make roof-only the cleaner solution for most seastead designs.