Govt plans to install floating solar panels on dam

[Hamartia Antidote]

I think you are right.

Maybe the model of Elon Musk's SolarCity can be adopted or purchased by Pakistani authorities. Home-level electric generation. But @Hamartia Antidote, I wonder if flying birds will get affected by roof-top solar panels.

First off solar panels should be kept away from drinking water. They contain heavy metals and many landfills actually ban their disposal.

As for their effect on birds. I don’t have them on my roof but some of my neighbors do. I don’t think they pose any electrocution hazard but since they are smooth it would make walking on them difficult. I can’t say I have ever noticed any interactions. Birds usually hang out on roof peaks or roof edges which are away from solar panels.

 

[jamahir]

First off solar panels should be kept away from drinking water. They contain heavy metals and many landfills actually ban their disposal.

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that.

As for their effect on birds. I don’t have them on my roof but some of my neighbors do. I don’t think they pose any electrocution hazard but since they are smooth it would make walking on them difficult. I can’t say I have ever noticed any interactions. Birds usually hang out on roof peaks or roof edges which are away from solar panels.

Well, I was wondering if the shine from the roof-top panels will disorient birds that are flying.

 

[fitpOsitive]

I think you are right.

Maybe the model of Elon Musk's SolarCity can be adopted or purchased by Pakistani authorities. Home-level electric generation. But @Hamartia Antidote, I wonder if flying birds will get affected by roof-top solar panels.

Well we can adopt way simpler modals than Mr Elons ones. I mean as a simple line, each city with independent Electricity generation.

 

[jamahir]

Well we can adopt way simpler modals than Mr Elons ones. I mean as a simple line, each city with independent Electricity generation.

Yes, city-level generation or even neighborhood-level generation.

 

[jupiter2007]

Are you an engineer or scientist or an adviser in kingdom of Pakpatan?

Do you know breaking /reducing evaporation cycle may have unforeseen environmental effects? wondered what will happen if you block sun light of a still water source?

Best region in Pakistan for solar energy is south Punjab.

I should have said to limit water evaporation. I am not sure if you have heard of floating gardens. They are also created to limit water evaporation from water reservoirs and water ponds.

We must work on all forms of renewable energy (solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, tidal power, sea wave, trash to energy).

 

[Yaseen1]

reducing evaporation will reduce rainfall as evaporation is needed to keep humidity in air which is necessary for human breathing as dry air also cause diseases

I should have said to limit water evaporation. I am not sure if you have heard of floating gardens. They are also created to limit water evaporation from water reservoirs and water ponds.

We must work on all forms of renewable energy (solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, tidal power, sea wave, trash to energy).

 

[ps3linux]

In sunny Pakistani areas such as Sindh, Solar Power Towers can be installed.

@Zibago @RealNapster @fitpOsitive @ps3linux

Is this a real picture ??

Sorry was travelling abroad, came back last day. Yes Sindh, balochistan, south punjab and southern KPK are ideal for putting up solar panels, however, cleaning the panels on a regular basis will be a challenge because all the mentioned areas are to an extent deserts with large flow of sand and dust. But on a general level solar is getting traction in Pakistan, got 10 KVA solar panels installed at my place earlier this year, with zero backup, whihc in my opinion is useless for us.

We have a wonderful experience so far, temperature of the house dropped significantly due to the simple fact that panels insulated the roof, electricity cost dropped by almost 70% and now in winters we are running a central heating system with them.

Picture is real, but doubt it that this is Pakistan unless....

 

[S.Y.A]

Sorry was travelling abroad, came back last day. Yes Sindh, balochistan, south punjab and southern KPK are ideal for putting up solar panels, however, cleaning the panels on a regular basis will be a challenge because all the mentioned areas are to an extent deserts with large flow of sand and dust. But on a general level solar is getting traction in Pakistan, got 10 KVA solar panels installed at my place earlier this year, with zero backup, whihc in my opinion is useless for us.

We have a wonderful experience so far, temperature of the house dropped significantly due to the simple fact that panels insulated the roof, electricity cost dropped by almost 70% and now in winters we are running a central heating system with them.

Picture is real, but doubt it that this is Pakistan unless....

Nice. How much did it cost?

 

[ps3linux]

Nice. How much did it cost?

I imported the panels myself, did most of the work myself so it did cost me around Rs.700K, saved almost 270k of electricity bill only this year.

 

[Dubious]

Not quite, tbh. The construction and maintenance costs to have those panels float on the reservoirs would be quite a bit. Not to forget the potential for water damage to the panels/cells. Seems even more ridiculous when there are much more affordable and sensible options available. A solar power plant in any one of the vast sunlight rich regions of Pakistan would be a much better option (disregarding it being costlier than, say, pretty much any other power generation system). For water retention, Shade balls offer a much more affordable, maintenance friendly and sensible solution.

It has been done before...

Not in dams maybe but water bodies...

 

[Syed1.]

I imported the panels myself, did most of the work myself so it did cost me around Rs.700K, saved almost 270k of electricity bill only this year.

Did you make an inverter or direct DC?


Would have needed a DC-DC converter to step down the voltage, I assume.


Also just for my knowledge did the panels come with a controller for MPPT, or are you even doing maximum power point tracking?

 

[krash]

It has been done before...

Not in dams maybe but water bodies...

Yes, in China and Japan. What we learned from those projects is that these floating solar parks cost 25-30% more than if installed on land. Also, the ones in Japan and China were installed in areas where sunlight is abundant. I don't know about Ghazibarotha but Tarbela, Mangla and Khanpur aren't exactly areas known for their abundance of sunlight, especially during the winters.

This is what happens in Pakistan. Do nothing of actual effect, then when the public starts to complain just a little come up with some gimmicky garbage plan to get all the hoopla started, claim it as the next best thing after sliced bread, botch the project multiple times, finish it after millions in overrun and corruption only to repeat the cycle again in a little while. This brilliant MO was introduced here by the Sharif brothers.

 

[ps3linux]

Did you make an inverter or direct DC?
Would have needed a DC-DC converter to step down the voltage, I assume.

Absolutely no, don't have time to design and procure components for a pure sine wave inverter, but I did tune the sine wave module a bit. Instead of buying one 10KVA inverter I did buy 3KVA, 5KVA and 2KVA inverters, just don't ask why.

Also just for my knowledge did the panels come with a controller for MPPT, or are you even doing maximum power point tracking?

Short answer yes, from sunpower having efficiency of 22.8%.

 

[ghazi52]

Also, the ones in Japan and China were installed in areas where sunlight is abundant. I don't know about Ghazibarotha but Tarbela, Mangla and Khanpur aren't exactly areas known for their abundance of sunlight, especially during the winters.

True, same with Ghazibarotha, it is 30 miles downstream of Tarbela Dam.

 

[Dubious]

Yes, in China and Japan. What we learned from those projects is that these floating solar parks cost 25-30% more than if installed on land. Also, the ones in Japan and China were installed in areas where sunlight is abundant. I don't know about Ghazibarotha but Tarbela, Mangla and Khanpur aren't exactly areas known for their abundance of sunlight, especially during the winters.

There have been other places where such have been installed to minimise evaporation while generating power. Somewhere in India

This is what happens in Pakistan. Do nothing of actual effect, then when the public starts to complain just a little come up with some gimmicky garbage plan to get all the hoopla started, claim it as the next best thing after sliced bread, botch the project multiple times, finish it after millions in overrun and corruption only to repeat the cycle again in a little while. This brilliant MO was introduced here by the Sharif brothers.

I hope it isn't that bad