At the Dutch solar PV density per capita, the world would have a little over 10 TW of capacity now, vs 1.5 TW in reality.
At the Dutch solar density per km² (land only), the world would already have 100 TW. A bit over the top perhaps ;)
Via Julien Jomaux on the birdsite. #solarenergy#solarpower#SolarPV#renewables
Me: Solar panel day! How many are going on?
Solar tech: Thirty-five.
Me: Wow! What is all that going to weigh?
Solar tech: About 1,000 pounds.
Me : And after they fill with sunshine?
Solar tech: That will make them lighter, m’am.
A Danish greentech company has applied to Mauritania’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines to develop a green energy park. The Megaton Moon project is envisaged to encompass green industry, green farming and urban development....
A home #solarpower x bungalow living failure mode I probably should have expected but somehow did not: woke up at 7am today to the sound of chunks of snow sliding off the solar panels and landing with a thud next to our bedroom 😅🌞🤣
Notoriously hot city rediscovers ancient technique to help its residents stay cool
Story by Rick Kazmer
November 13, 2023
“Thousand-year-old #Persian technology could help officials in #SevilleSpain, to tackle extreme #overheating, if only modern-day politics can stay out of the way.
“City leaders are bracing for temperatures that are expected to pass 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the coming years. In response, they are working on a project in the city’s Isla de la Cartuja that uses a '#bioclimatic'effort to cool down, according to #UrbanInnovativeActions.
“This is not an air-conditioning system like the one you may have in your home,'Juan Luis López, an engineer and the project’s supervisor, told Bloomberg Green. 'We use natural techniques and materials to reduce temperatures.”
“The project, called #CartujaQanat, could cost around $5 million or more, funded in part by the European Union. Some of the work is already complete, with the goal of cooling the air down for the busy city.
“A Bloomberg report describes architecture that fosters breezes, fresh #GreenSpaces, and underground #aqueducts that borrow from ancient civilizations. The water flow can cool the nearby environment using air, water, and #SolarPower.
“The latter tech is fascinating, yet simple. Water is brought into underground tanks at night, where it cools. During the day, solar-powered pumps send the water through pipes, which travel by fans, creating cooler air. 'Small openings in the floor and steps allow the refreshing current to seep into the square,'all per a Bloomberg description.
“And while progress has been made, Bloomberg reports that a change in Spanish political leadership has placed the work in 'limbo.'When Bloomberg visited the site in July, the news agency reported that it was not open to the public. There was overgrown vegetation 'and piles of dried leaves.'Delayed contract bids, inflation, and other roadblocks are slowing progress as well.
“However, #Seville’s new mayor, José Luis Sanz, told Bloomberg that he supports the project, noting '[that the] impacts of #ClimateChange are more than obvious.'
“As planet overheating continues to set records, clean ways to cool populated places without adding to #AirPollution are vital. This project in Seville, which borrows from the work of ancient Persians, could be a model for other cities.
'The goal is to test the technology, to learn from it, and fine-tune it so we can replicate what works elsewhere,'López told Bloomberg.”
Interesting change in solar power generated by my two panels: Panel 1 usually has more time in the sun, at least during the summer months, as it receives less shadow by our garden's wall. This shows in the total yield so far. However now in autumn/winter it seems the numbers reverse a bit. As the sun is getting lower, panel 1 receives more shadow in the afternoon, while panel 2 is still in the sun, leading to about 3% more energy yield! #solarpower#opendtu
Are we too pessimistic in our fears about being too slow to reach a #greentransition; taking #solarpower as an example, at each stage of its development forecasts have under-estimated its development.
Chris Giles (FT) suggests this should modify gloom about dealing with the #climatecrisis... but the Q. is whether #solar is an outlier or typical of #greentechnology' trajectories.
The bigger Q, is whether the 'technological fix' without big behaviour change can work - see earlier post on IPCC
At last night's #CBquiz, one of the picture rounds was about #SolarPower per capita through time in different countries. @kristianpagh did a spectacular job in getting it almost right. The one that confused us was, perhaps strangely, mixing up China and the Netherlands..
Finally got around to switching to Octopus Flux, which gets us cheap electricity to charge the batteries during the night. Of course, the day it goes active we get glorious sunshine and now I have a full battery but nowhere to store the solar. shakes fist at sun#solar#solarpower#batterystorage#renewables
In 2008, the sadly missed David McKay published a brilliant book about the numbers behind the #GreenTransition - the analysis is now updated to 2023 and the wonderful @_hannahritchie
has done a deep dive on her substack - can #WindEnergy + #solarPower meet Britain's #energy demands?
A new “agrivoltaics” initiative looking to prove the commercial viability of integrating solar power plants with agriculture has won the favour of Brussels. The EU is backing German renewable energy company BayWa, in a first-of-its-kind scheme that could be a win-win for farmers and the climate.
Agrivoltaics has been touted for its myriad benefits, including saving water, increasing soil health, and boosting pollinator numbers
Mauritania: Green energy park visible from space on the cards (www.esi-africa.com)
A Danish greentech company has applied to Mauritania’s Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines to develop a green energy park. The Megaton Moon project is envisaged to encompass green industry, green farming and urban development....