Floating Solar Farms: Eco-Friendly Innovation or Environmental Hazard? 🌊 (I'm Not So Sure...)

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Leo Breydon

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Okay, I just saw an article about these "floating solar farms" – literally, solar panels on water! – and my brain is kinda blown. 🤯

On the one hand, it sounds kinda genius – saving land space, maybe even boosting efficiency with the water cooling. But on the other hand… I'm picturing a giant solar spill, polluting waterways with toxic chemicals. 😬

Here's what's making me hesitate to jump on the floating solar bandwagon:

  • What's the environmental impact on aquatic life? Shade, potential chemical leaks, etc.?
  • Are these things even that practical? Maintenance seems like a nightmare.
  • And what about cost? Is this just a fancy, expensive experiment?
Help me sort through the hype and the potential hazards, solar experts! 🙏

What are YOUR thoughts on floating solar?

  • Is it a viable solution for the future or a potential ecological disaster waiting to happen?
  • Any real-world examples of floating solar farms, good or bad?
  • Maybe share some articles or studies that shed light on the environmental impact?
Let's dive deep (pun intended! 😉) into the pros and cons of this futuristic solar technology.
 
No "toxic spills". Solar panels are 90% glass by weight. Most of the rest is aluminum.

Shade is good on reservoirs and irrigation ditches: Lower water temperatures and less algae growth, less loss to evaporation.

PV panels over water typically produce more electricity ( for the same sunlight ) than over dirt or even grass... they run cooler, which boosts efficiency.

Much better land use than most land based PV, (other than "agrovoltaics" where crops or grazing happens under PV panels)

There are dozens of articles out there about PV on water.

"Bifacial" PV panels over water can capture and transform reflected light from the water, further boosting output.
 
Solar panels made today can still contain cadmium telluride and lead as a very small portion. Most don't.

I would guess that haphazardly putting solar panels in the ocean would be less environmentally destructive than offshore drilling. Seems foolish to put them in an environment where their destruction is likely though.
 
neptronix said:
Solar panels made today can still contain cadmium telluride and lead as a very small portion. Most don't.

I would guess that haphazardly putting solar panels in the ocean would be less environmentally destructive than offshore drilling. Seems foolish to put them in an environment where their destruction is likely though.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
I don't see this working on the sea, but they should be OK on smaller dams and waterways IF the tethering system is properly designed for flow, small waves and water level variations.
(That video: That's a complete uck fup! :) )

Google AI:
"Evaporative cooling can increase the power conversion efficiency of solar panels by 10.31–17.77%

Cotton wicks: Attaching cotton wicks soaked in water to the back of a solar panel can reduce the temperature of the panel by 22%

They also save on water loss. (evaporative)
 
Hillhater said:
The scale of solar farms would suggest large areas of open water required. Hence not much shade likely…..other than clouds !
Click to expand...
He's referring to the idea that if you float panels over a reservoir, you're effectively shading a good portion of the water, which may have beneficial side effects to the reservoir. Because you're right, there's little shade on dams, which would be great for solar production.


Here's one video I found where they were placed on a reservoir. I couldn't find one from a year or two ago that I saw, but it explained that when placed on a dam's reservoir, you don't typically have dramatic wind and weather events like described in the first clickbait video. Also, if you place it right next to an already-functioning hydroelectric dam, one could tap into the already-built power transmission infrastructure; two power sources for the price of one, and power transmission is one of the criticisms of solar power, so it's nice to be able to negate said criticism.
 
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Hillhater said:
The scale of solar farms would suggest large areas of open water required. Hence not much shade likely…..other than clouds !
Click to expand...
PV power is modular, so it's easy to use for dispersed, linear, or layered applications. You can site it along irrigation canals, reservoirs, over parking lots, or over marinas.

Is this too difficult a concept for you?

If you're covering an irrigation ditch with solar panels, it's going to shade the water in the ditch.

Did I use small enough words for you that time?
 
Logic11 said:
Agreed.
I don't see this working on the sea, but they should be OK on smaller dams and waterways IF the tethering system is properly designed for flow, small waves and water level variations.
(That video: That's a complete uck fup! :) )

Google AI:
"Evaporative cooling can increase the power conversion efficiency of solar panels by 10.31–17.77%

Cotton wicks: Attaching cotton wicks soaked in water to the back of a solar panel can reduce the temperature of the panel by 22%

They also save on water loss. (evaporative)
Click to expand...
Using wicks to deliver water to the back side of PV panels (for evaporative cooling) could increase water loss from the reservoir or irrigation ditch.

It's also likely that the wicks would rapidly clog with algae or salt.

Letting the back side of the PV panel cool by radiant heat loss to the water behind it is less problematic.

Best would be a PV panel that converts infrared into electricity...it's being worked on.
 
Leo Breydon said:
Okay, I just saw an article about these "floating solar farms" – literally, solar panels on water! – and my brain is kinda blown. 🤯

On the one hand, it sounds kinda genius – saving land space, maybe even boosting efficiency with the water cooling. But on the other hand… I'm picturing a giant solar spill, polluting waterways with toxic chemicals. 😬

Here's what's making me hesitate to jump on the floating solar bandwagon:

  • What's the environmental impact on aquatic life? Shade, potential chemical leaks, etc.?
  • Are these things even that practical? Maintenance seems like a nightmare.
  • And what about cost? Is this just a fancy, expensive experiment?
Help me sort through the hype and the potential hazards, solar experts! 🙏

What are YOUR thoughts on floating solar?

  • Is it a viable solution for the future or a potential ecological disaster waiting to happen?
  • Any real-world examples of floating solar farms, good or bad?
  • Maybe share some articles or studies that shed light on the environmental impact?
Let's dive deep (pun intended! 😉) into the pros and cons of this futuristic solar technology.
Click to expand...
I started to think about this once. Then a picture of a hurricane or other storm come to mind with the large waves. When boats go all electric we could have them placed through out the oceans as charging stations. Like we want to do with the moon and mars.
 
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