Wait – every reservoir in America could also become a solar farm? This one produces $20MM worth of KwH a year. America already has 2,000 reservoirs

Apparently the future arrived, but nobody was paying attention. After decades of government begging and bribing homeowners to cut down the trees in their yards and install rooftop solar panels, the solution would have been vastly simpler, and more cost effective. Just put those dam things in a lake or reservoir. (See link below)

I’m not talking about what California tried a few years back. Floating 10,000 solar panels horizontally on the surface of a lake or aqueduct, Hope they don’t sink, and that geese don’t poop on them. Instead, install them vertically. Like rows of picket fence 10 feet apart.

Only 5% of this lake’s surface was involved. It doesn’t look like bizarre purple landing pad, rendered by a videogame. From above you can barely see vertical panels. And the oxygenating algae, fish, and migrating geese can all get along. Eagles can probably swoop in and get lunch too.

Vertical reservoir solar probably isn't suitable for beaches. Rich people with pricey ocean views would go berserk. Remember how Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy (may he rest in peace) had an epic meltdown and halted a wind turbine within sight of his Cap Code mansion?

This whole “something for next to nothing” reservoir solar panel thing seemed too good to be true, so I ran the numbers. Installing vertical solar on America’s 2,000 reservoirs gets us 4 billion KwH a day. America uses 12 billion KwH a day. We’re one third of the way home, boys and girls. For people who are worried that the sun doesn’t shine at night, let me remind you that lots of these reservoirs are also hydroelectric dams, which already generate electricity at night and on rainy days.

My mom’s hometown built a 300-million-gallon reservoir a couple of decades ago. It cost $20 million in 2006 dollars. So these things aren’t cheap. But city council approved the reservoir because the town was out of water, not for solar or hydro. My mom's reservoir could now be generating electricity too, in addition to keeping her faucets from running dry. And it would be professionally maintained, unlike whatever is going on with her neighbor's roof.

I just hope stuff reservoir solar doesn’t take 12 years of city council hearings, like every other thing that comes up in those meetings.

I’m just sayin’ . . .


Germany covers an artificial lake with solar panels without harming the ecosystem, and the experiment hints at a future where water becomes a rooftop for power

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/germany-covers-an-artificial-lake-with-solar-panels-without-harming-the-ecosystem-and-the-experiment-hints-at-a-future-where-water-becomes-a-rooftop-for-power/32912/