Floating solar is more than panels on a platform
-
Floating solar is more than panels on a platform—it’s hydroelectric’s symbiont
Floating solar offers a wide range of benefits to hydroelectric dams.
...That's because floating solar is not simply "solar panels on water." Solar panels prevent algae growth in dammed areas, and they inhibit evaporation from occurring in hotter climates. (According to Yale's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, major lakes in the southwestern US like Lake Mead and Lake Powell can lose more than 800,000 acre-feet of water to evaporation per year, and the adorably-described "floatovoltaics" could prevent up to 90 percent of that evaporation.") Additionally, floating solar avoids taking up space on land that is priced at a premium. In Northern California, for example, a floating solar installation was added to a nearby reservoir because the land around it was better used for growing grapes.
Another benefit of floating solar is that ground doesn't have to be leveled before the plant is installed. Usually, fixed-tilt panels are attached to a floating platform that's moored to the bottom of the reservoir. Most systems send electricity through floating inverters, although in some smaller installations the inverters are situated on land....
-
@mlnews said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
Floating solar is more than panels on a platform—it’s hydroelectric’s symbiont
Floating solar offers a wide range of benefits to hydroelectric dams.
...That's because floating solar is not simply "solar panels on water." Solar panels prevent algae growth in dammed areas, and they inhibit evaporation from occurring in hotter climates. (According to Yale's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, major lakes in the southwestern US like Lake Mead and Lake Powell can lose more than 800,000 acre-feet of water to evaporation per year, and the adorably-described "floatovoltaics" could prevent up to 90 percent of that evaporation.") Additionally, floating solar avoids taking up space on land that is priced at a premium. In Northern California, for example, a floating solar installation was added to a nearby reservoir because the land around it was better used for growing grapes.
Another benefit of floating solar is that ground doesn't have to be leveled before the plant is installed. Usually, fixed-tilt panels are attached to a floating platform that's moored to the bottom of the reservoir. Most systems send electricity through floating inverters, although in some smaller installations the inverters are situated on land....
It's very logical that the coverage would slow the evaporation, They did similar experiments on glaciers some time back. Solar exposed snow/ice melted/evaporated about 4x faster than the area that was covered.
-
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
-
@scottalanmiller said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
The issue with glaciers is that they can be treacherous, difficult to work on and vastly unstable.
Man made reservoirs on the other hand would be level and easily accessed.
Just putting solar production on every reservoir in the US would offset a lot of coal power.
-
@DustinB3403 said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@scottalanmiller said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
The issue with glaciers is that they can be treacherous, difficult to work on and vastly unstable.
Man made reservoirs on the other hand would be level and easily accessed.
Just putting solar production on every reservoir in the US would offset a lot of coal power.
But coal is clean.. That's what they told me!
-
@JaredBusch said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@DustinB3403 said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@scottalanmiller said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
The issue with glaciers is that they can be treacherous, difficult to work on and vastly unstable.
Man made reservoirs on the other hand would be level and easily accessed.
Just putting solar production on every reservoir in the US would offset a lot of coal power.
But coal is clean.. That's what they told me!
Oh right, and black lung is what's supposed to happen to everyone before 18 years of age
-
-
@DustinB3403 said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@scottalanmiller said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
The issue with glaciers is that they can be treacherous, difficult to work on and vastly unstable.
Man made reservoirs on the other hand would be level and easily accessed.
Just putting solar production on every reservoir in the US would offset a lot of coal power.
Sadly you can't just put solar on every reservoir in the US.... There is the entire pleasure craft industry... as well as fishing both for food and sport...
-
@gjacobse said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@DustinB3403 said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@scottalanmiller said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
The issue with glaciers is that they can be treacherous, difficult to work on and vastly unstable.
Man made reservoirs on the other hand would be level and easily accessed.
Just putting solar production on every reservoir in the US would offset a lot of coal power.
Sadly you can't just put solar on every reservoir in the US.... There is the entire pleasure craft industry... as well as fishing both for food and sport...
You can still put solar on these reservoirs. You don't have to fill the entire reservoir with solar, although that might be ideal.
-
@DustinB3403 said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@gjacobse said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@DustinB3403 said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
@scottalanmiller said in Floating solar is more than panels on a platform:
They should put solar power on glaciers! Someone call Argentina, Chile, and Greenland. This is a huge opportunity!
The issue with glaciers is that they can be treacherous, difficult to work on and vastly unstable.
Man made reservoirs on the other hand would be level and easily accessed.
Just putting solar production on every reservoir in the US would offset a lot of coal power.
Sadly you can't just put solar on every reservoir in the US.... There is the entire pleasure craft industry... as well as fishing both for food and sport...
You can still put solar on these reservoirs. You don't have to fill the entire reservoir with solar, although that might be ideal.
True, even just a little coverage helps a little.
