A Temple University, US, academic has found an eco-friendly solution to maintain productivity of solar power plants in deserts.
The researcher, Sujith Ravi, has found that growing aloe or agave under solar panels was effective in controlling dust, which is otherwise a constant hindrance to power production from modules.
While deserts are ideal locations for installing solar power plants, one problem they constantly face is dust.
The installation of solar panels or mirrors for power or heat production disturbs the surface of the desert. This, in turn, kicks up dust.
When dust coats photovoltaic panels they reduce their efficiency by 10 to 40 percent.
Operators wash mirrors and panels regularly to keep them dust-free.
A lot of water — in many cases the equivalent of 100 mm rainfall a year — is utilized to clean the panels.
Although deserts are consistently short of water, the water is left to percolate into the sand.
Ravi deviced a method to utilize this water to grow naturally short plants such as agave and aloe which are shade loving and do not grow tall enough to shade the panels, if at all.
He discussed details of the method at an energy and policy session during the European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna. The meeting is on till April 17.
Ravi said agave could be turned into a biofuel, which means a solar power project would co-locate another type of renewable energy.
Agave is a low-maintenance, high-yield crop which also works to reduce the amount of dust formed in the region.
Ajith Kumar S
editor@greentechlead.com