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The world's biggest deserts could be the best places for harvesting solar energy, right?
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:28 pm
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:28 pm
Not so fast, my friend.
tl;dr version: While solar panels absorb most of the sunlight that reaches them, only around 15% of that incoming energy gets converted to electricity. The rest is returned to the environment as heat.
inverse dot com
tl;dr version: While solar panels absorb most of the sunlight that reaches them, only around 15% of that incoming energy gets converted to electricity. The rest is returned to the environment as heat.
quote:
Researchers imagine it might be possible to transform the world’s largest desert, the Sahara, into a giant solar farm, capable of meeting four times the world’s current energy demand. Blueprints have been drawn up for projects in Tunisia and Morocco that would supply electricity for millions of households in Europe.
While the black surfaces of solar panels absorb most of the sunlight that reaches them, only a fraction (around 15%) of that incoming energy gets converted to electricity. The rest is returned to the environment as heat. The panels are usually much darker than the ground they cover, so a vast expanse of solar cells will absorb a lot of additional energy and emit it as heat, affecting the climate.
If these effects were only local, they might not matter in a sparsely populated and barren desert. But the scale of the installations that would be needed to make a dent in the world’s fossil energy demand would be vast, covering thousands of square kilometers. Heat re-emitted from an area this size will be redistributed by the flow of air in the atmosphere, having regional and even global effects on the climate.
inverse dot com
21
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:28 pm to L.A.
Well well well
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:37 pm to L.A.
That is actually very interesting.
One would think that technological improvements would lead to a greater conversion rate (efficiency) over time ... certainly long before completion of enough solar farms to cover hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.
And if you double the efficiency, would that not halve the required surface area, for example?
But do you start the project just HOPING for the emergence of technology that does not now exist?
One would think that technological improvements would lead to a greater conversion rate (efficiency) over time ... certainly long before completion of enough solar farms to cover hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.
And if you double the efficiency, would that not halve the required surface area, for example?
But do you start the project just HOPING for the emergence of technology that does not now exist?
This post was edited on 2/21/21 at 12:42 pm
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:40 pm to L.A.
Since it doesn’t rain much in the desert who is going to clean off all the dust and sand that will accumulate on the solar panels further reducing their efficiency?
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:45 pm to EA6B
quote:
Since it doesn’t rain much in the desert who is going to clean off all the dust and sand that will accumulate on the solar panels further reducing their efficiency?
They have this problem in Arizona, so cal, hell even west Texas etc. they work cleaning them into the economics. It’s part of the O&M and accumulated soiling between cleaning is part of the production modeling.
This post was edited on 2/21/21 at 12:48 pm
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:48 pm to AggieHank86
quote:
And if you double the efficiency, would that not halve the required surface area, for example?
For reference, module nameplate production yield per square meter has probably increased 30%ish in 5 years. That’s a swag so anyone feel free to correct me with data.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:48 pm to L.A.
Deserts are very fragile ecosystems so, again, green energy isn't so green.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:50 pm to L.A.
Converting photons to electrons creates heat, says every camera manufacturer ever, explaining why imaging sensors require heat sinks in cameras.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:51 pm to AggieHank86
If you are tax grabbing and using scare tactics to push policy, then yes, you do.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 12:56 pm to L.A.
We are no where near ready to give up our depency on oil and gas. The technology isn't there yet.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:00 pm to Perfect Circle
Nuclear.
This is the way.
This is the way.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:10 pm to L.A.
Serious question, any idea if a large city would actually have a worse effect with pavement, glass and building?
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:13 pm to Tchefuncte Tiger
quote:
Deserts are very fragile ecosystems so, again, green energy isn't so green.
Well, this desert is in Africa, not Nantucket or The Vineyard, so the Greens dont care.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:16 pm to L.A.
1st Law of Thermodynamics at work. Energy is neither created or destroyed. Simply changes form.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:28 pm to COAUTiger
quote:
Serious question, any idea if a large city would actually have a worse effect with pavement, glass and building?
I know the raw data is there to do this analysis. The same irradiance datasets used for Solar production modeling are the same TMY thats used for building HVAC sizing, etc. you could also use the newer GOES sat data to back into something as well.
The answer is almost certainly that they have an impact but I’m just not sure how much.
This post was edited on 2/21/21 at 1:32 pm
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:35 pm to billjamin
I think I recall seeing an article many years ago that the heat generated by Atlanta creates an abnormal weather pattern for a few hundred miles to the east of Atlanta into SoCar. But I cannot find that article now to verify the info.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:37 pm to HubbaBubba
quote:
Nuclear.
This is the way.
No thanks.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 1:48 pm to billjamin
Decent home grade solar panels are about 20% efficient. As a percentage increase over 15% that is significant. Also, I assume commercial panels would be a bit more efficient. Finally, for home use, covering a black roof with black panels has zero impact on absorbed heat.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 2:00 pm to Perfect Circle
quote:
We are no where near ready to give up our depency on oil and gas. The technology isn't there yet.
true, but it is an area that we need to continue to direct resources towards developing. Not only do we need greener alternatives for environmental reasons, but there just isn't an endless supply of fossil fuels. While there are downsides to nuclear, it still seems the best alternative for now, and we could still put more effort and resources into working out its downside issues.
Posted on 2/21/21 at 2:05 pm to L.A.
The deserts being used for the burial ground for windmill props.
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