swansont Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200803-the-solar-canals-revolutionising-indias-renewable-energy Quote But one of the main challenges in building solar farms is finding the right place to do it. Land is relatively expensive in India and often has multiple owners, so the purchase of land involves many formalities. India’s high population density also puts pressure on the land, with an average of 464 people per square kilometre. Rooftop solar panels are one solution, but sunny space atop buildings is limited too. In Gujarat, the answer has been to cover its canals with solar panels, as a solution that saves land, water and carbon emissions in one. Clever solution 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiot Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 4 minutes ago, swansont said: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200803-the-solar-canals-revolutionising-indias-renewable-energy Clever solution Thank you, I like it. Quote Like conventional solar panels, those above canals also require frequent washing to ensure their capacity isn't reduced by dust There is a twist in that it is instructive to compare the economics of such a scheme in India and say, Arizona. How much would you have to pay an American to clean the panels compared to an Indian ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 1 hour ago, studiot said: There is a twist in that it is instructive to compare the economics of such a scheme in India and say, Arizona. How much would you have to pay an American to clean the panels compared to an Indian ? As it’s over water, I would imagine this could be automated - pump water up and spray it. Powered by the solar cells. (the semi-snarky response is you wouldn’t pay an American, you’d pay an immigrant, just like with other menial labor) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C.MacSwell Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Looking at the first photo my first thought was how dark and foreboding it must be underneath those panels, but looking at the second it looks nicely shaded but still has a good bit of light. They do look like they might need a fair bit of water to maintain in dusty areas though, looking at a further photo. Blowing them off first might reduce the amount of water required, though they'd no doubt know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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