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If we cover the desert in solar panels, what happens to all the reflected sunlight?
Posted on 6/21/17 at 12:55 pm
Posted on 6/21/17 at 12:55 pm
Light that would notmally reflect back into space off the desert or other surfaces instead stays here in the form of heat, correct?
What will that added heat do to the Earth's environment?
What will that added heat do to the Earth's environment?
Posted on 6/21/17 at 12:55 pm to weagle99
Ding ding ding
Saw an obscure article in Popular Science or Mechanics at least a decade ago that did the math and showed increased planetary heat from the absorbed and converted energy.
I've been asking this question to the global warmists for many years, and nobody has bothered to attempt an answer.
Saw an obscure article in Popular Science or Mechanics at least a decade ago that did the math and showed increased planetary heat from the absorbed and converted energy.
I've been asking this question to the global warmists for many years, and nobody has bothered to attempt an answer.
This post was edited on 6/21/17 at 12:59 pm
Posted on 6/21/17 at 12:56 pm to weagle99
quote:
Light that would notmally reflect back into space off the desert or other surfaces instead stays here in the form of heat, correct?
What will that added heat do to the Earth's environment?
Given the flatness of the earth, eventually all the heat travels to the ice wall, so it's not a concern.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 12:57 pm to weagle99
Shhhh, don't worry about thermodynamics
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:01 pm to weagle99
quote:
other surfaces instead stays here in the form of heat, correct?
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:01 pm to weagle99
This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever read.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:02 pm to weagle99
It's going to be converted into more wind, which will be converted to electricity by the turbines. As the net energy on the planet increases we get more electricity and it will be cheaper to charge my Tesla. Dumbass.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:02 pm to CoachChappy
quote:are you retarded?
quote:
other surfaces instead stays here in the form of heat, correct?
? No
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:02 pm to weagle99
study finds that solar energy can also cause climate change


quote:
studies have shown that both solar arrays and wind farms have the potential to cause regional changes in temperature and precipitation by altering the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth or disrupting local airflow patterns.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:06 pm to CoachChappy
quote:
No
What?
Please enlighten us. This should be good.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:10 pm to TBoy
quote:
This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever read.
Do you understand the concept of Conservation of Energy?
If so, please explain what happens to the energy retained on Earth that would normally radiate back into space.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:11 pm to weagle99
The moon gets hotter than hell.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:13 pm to weagle99
It has not been studied extensively, because it's not a 1 to 1 comparison - multiple factors are involved.
However the albedo of the Sahara desert has been measured at .4, and black solar panels have been measured in the range of .16 to .30, so they do provide more heat absorption than desert sands, although not a lot more (black asphalt for instance is around .04, concrete around .55 ..higher the number the less heat is absorbed).
They do make lighter colored PV panels now, which as far as I can find have not been studied but surely it would be a higher reflectivity than black panels.
However the albedo of the Sahara desert has been measured at .4, and black solar panels have been measured in the range of .16 to .30, so they do provide more heat absorption than desert sands, although not a lot more (black asphalt for instance is around .04, concrete around .55 ..higher the number the less heat is absorbed).
They do make lighter colored PV panels now, which as far as I can find have not been studied but surely it would be a higher reflectivity than black panels.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:15 pm to philter
quote:
They do make lighter colored PV panels now, which as far as I can find have not been studied but surely it would be a higher reflectivity than black panels.
That is an interesting development. I could get on board with solar if the reflective light issue is solved.
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:18 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Your Tessa is more harmful to the environment than any internal combustion powered car
The environmental impact of mining the rare earth materials used in making your hybrids and battery powered vehicles is way more damaging
The environmental impact of mining the rare earth materials used in making your hybrids and battery powered vehicles is way more damaging
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:20 pm to weagle99
quote:
That is an interesting development. I could get on board with solar if the reflective light issue is solved.
To be fair, it is reasonable to say that electricity made this way is NOT having to be made by the burning of fossil fuels. Thus, THAT temperature (and the carbon emitted from it) has to be factored in to the total 'global' effect of the captured light / heat.
The albedo numbers have already been addressed.
I cannot imagine that Solar Power generation will have a net increase effect on global or even regional heat. If one looks ONLY at the very footprint....likely a small, but measurable increase. But, that is only in a very tight window
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:25 pm to TBoy
quote:maybe it's you who are dumb. 5/6 of all light hitting the most efficient solar panel is turned into heat, not electricity. That puts it's albedo about .16. Dessert has an albedo of .35-.4. covering a surface with solar panels is about the same as covering it with asphalt, would generate more than 2x as much hear from the same amount of light
This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever read
This post was edited on 6/21/17 at 1:26 pm
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:27 pm to TBoy
quote:
This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever read.
Liberal doesn't understand the Albedo effect. Shocker
Posted on 6/21/17 at 1:30 pm to BlackHelicopterPilot
quote:
BlackHelicopterPilot
This post was edited on 6/21/17 at 1:38 pm
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