World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant Taking Shape On Hydropower Plant (cleantechnica.com)

submitted 11 months ago by otter@lemmy.ca to c/climate@slrpnk.net

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[-] FarraigePlaisteach@kbin.social 7 points 11 months ago

“shade from the solar panels helps reduce evaporation and conserve water”
I wonder if floating enough of these panels could have a cooling on the oceans, by reflecting away sunlight.

But for all I know they could trap heat, or have no effect either way. Just curious.

[-] OminousOrange@lemmy.ca 6 points 11 months ago

Would there not be marine life under these panels that needs sunlight to survive?

[-] sonori@beehaw.org 3 points 11 months ago

Outside of reefs and some shallow waters most of the ocean doesn’t actually have all that much light. Now thouse two exceptions are where most ocean life actually lives for obvious reasons, but most of the ocean wouldn’t be affected all that much.

[-] OminousOrange@lemmy.ca 2 points 11 months ago

Right, the concept drawing of the system looked to show the panels relatively close to land, so I'd assume that the water is reasonably shallow there.

[-] sonori@beehaw.org 2 points 11 months ago

The commenter was talking about the hypothetical effects of covering large parts of the oceans. This project is only covering a smallish part of an already artificial lake in Java. Neglecting the already artificial part, given the space between the blocks as well as the space between the blocks and shore I’d imagine the effects would be minimal on the lake ecosystem as a whole.

[-] riodoro1@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

I thought we already gave up on marine life?

[-] general_kitten@sopuli.xyz 4 points 11 months ago

solar panels by design absorb all the light they can (usually <1%) while oceans reflect about 5-10% back into space so solar panels on top of oceans technically would heat the planet. furthermore the prevented evaporation of water is water that is not forming clouds that would reflect a lot more light back into space.

if we somehow managed to cover the oceans with solar panels it would just from the extra heat absorbed be catastrophic for the climate, even ignoring how the shade would kill most oceanic ecosystems

[-] vivadanang@lemm.ee 3 points 11 months ago

if we somehow managed to cover the oceans with solar panels

lol well yeah, considering this proposition would require the mobilization of every economy for centuries. the engineering alone would be mind boggling.

[-] general_kitten@sopuli.xyz 1 points 11 months ago

i think we would run into problems of there not being enough rare elements needed to build the panels in the first place so technology would need to improve first a ton

[-] vivadanang@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago

it's a silly premise entirely.

this post was submitted on 04 Dec 2023

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