Consideration of photovoltaic systems as an alternative approach to meeting regulatory requirements for noise abatement measures

摘要

In light of continuously increasing environmental pressures, and growing adoption of life cycle assessment (LCA) to improve accountability for total environmental burden in a transportation setting, it is not only prudent but it is becoming an imperative to explore sustainable and innovative approach. The analysis presented determined that the alternative approach, integration of a photovoltaic system at-ground has a significant potential for the implementation that may be beneficial in meeting the regulatory compliance of noise abatement measures, while improving acoustical performance and reducing the overall cost. Current applicable federal regulation and consequently agency noise policies have a very broad, and at the same time, a very distinct feasibility and reasonableness requirements. A noise abatement measure at first is required to provide a 5 dBA, then as a second step, at least a 7 dBA attenuation design goal, under a State-defined, then federally-approved, financial threshold, which is practical but very restrictive. Such strict requirements provide a very narrow window for any abatement measure to be approved and successfully implemented. The entire process may not be conducive to lay-person's understanding, and ultimately lead to their acceptance of a negative decision. As a result it is proposed that an applicable, enhanced regulation, and consequently the noise policies adopted, provide a regulatory, incentivized, and programmatic avenue for alternative consideration its sustainable implementation, and conceivably lowering of an agency's overall environmental burden through appropriate LCA modeling.