• 19/06/2022
• By binternet
• 693 Views

Put the solar on the channels: because the panels on the rivers are great<

In an old interview, the well -known astronomer Neil Degrasse Tyson jokes that ours are already flying cars, because tunnels and viaducts allow them to access the third dimension.According to this reasoning, "flying solar panels" were also born in India and California.Already: "suspended" photovoltaic systems above the irrigation canals.

It is a brilliant way for me to reduce two key factors: loss of habitat due to space usually required by solar panels and the evaporation of irrigation channels.Yes, since the shadow provided by the panels protects water from the channels from the evaporative heat of the sun.

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Solar on irrigation canals: born in India, arrives in California

With the largest network of irrigation channels in the world and about 290 days of sun per year, California is ideally placed to take advantage of this emerging innovation.The University of Santa Cruz (UCSC) studies this method as a possible solar energy generator which would save up to 234 billion liters of water per year (63.5 billion gallons).A gigantic change for a state which is sometimes forced to ration water, and which regularly suffers from drought.

However, the history of photovoltaics on the channels begins in the Indian State of Gujarat in 2014. There, a 750 -meter pilot project led to the creation of a complete solar power plant on the channels of the Vadodara district, and aAnother 100 megawatts off the Narmada river.

Indian researchers were the first to discover that water under the solar panels is colder and leads to an average yield of yield between 2 and 5 %.

Projections on the "Golden State"

Brandi McKin and his colleagues from the UCSC modeled the advantages and disadvantages of solar coverage of the more than 6,000 xnumx canal miles in California.They took the mission very seriously, "testing" three distinct techniques to measure water loss in different areas by evaporation in order to determine which construction method would be the most effective on a large scale.

Their results published on nature sustainability they shape a very brilliant future.

As mentioned, if they were crossed by solar panels, California canals would save billions of liters of water each year.Savings that also reduce land costs, maintenance of aquatic plants and an electric surplus.The most effective method tested?Construction with steel cables.

That's not all: diesel engine water pumps are now used to guide the flow of channels.They would be replaced by solar generators.Finally, withdrawing land from the panels means returning them to native fauna or sustainable farms to improve local savings and food supply.

This is a very important step to encourage investments in this direction.Renewable energy and water saving, all in one.Does anyone want to understand the feasibility of a similar technology in Italy?