Problems With Solar Panels In The Desert

A larger project covering more land poses problems.

Problems with solar panels in the desert.

Solar panels reflect less heat back into space compared to sand. Water is an issue for concentrating solar power csp plants like ivanpah the largest solar thermal plant in the world. That is equal to 11 200 000 acres or 17 500 square miles more than the 10 000 square miles of the first estimate. Desert environments pose particularly unique climatic challenges and stress to every single component of a solar pv system including the inverters mounting systems and of course solar pv modules.

A solar power plant on the edge of the sahara with the capacity to produce 160 megawatts was completed in 2016 wind and solar power plants in sahara could turn desert green. It has been said that all of the us could be powered by a solar array covering 100 x 100 square miles in the desert linked to storage batteries covering 1 x 1 square mile. A similar claim is that covering 0 6 of the nation s land with solar panels could power the entire country. Only fossil fuel plants with carbon capture and storage may have higher water intensities.

This would mean more rainfall especially in the sahel. This means the surface would warm causing air to rise and form clouds. Csp technology uses mirrors to concentrate the sun s rays to a liquid filled collector that heats up and produces steam to power a turbine creating electricity.