Solar farms on sea? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: conducteur
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 10:17:09 am
content: https://www.tijd.be/politiek-economie/belgie/algemeen/regering-legt-zonnepanelen-op-zee/9983171.html(sorry for the dutch language)They want to install solar panels on the North Sea (between the wind turbines). They claim they have a better efficiency due to the low water temperature (I know lower temperature is good for solar energy).Do you think this is a good idea, or does it smell like "solar freakin roadways shit - the sea version"?

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 11:09:32 am
content: It stinks of rotting fish and seaweed. Sea conditions over the offshore sandbanks along the Belgium coast get extremely rough especially during winter storms, so the panels will be far far more expensive to install than on land or sheltered inland water, they'll need much more clearance between floats, maintenance costs will be much higher, and in good weather the panels will often be fouled by dried salt spray.

author: maxx4096
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 12:19:13 pm
content: I will say way less stupid than bleeping solar roads.No need to deal with loads, the panels angle can be set optimally, if the panels are mounted on a floating structure, even do east-west tracking simply by tugging on the anchor lines. Provided they can reuse the transmission lines from the windfarm, that is a less costly proposition. And I do not think they'll have to pay anything to park their farm on the sea. These things can be built on land and towed to their final position.No idea what it takes to make panels resistant to a marine environment, the North Sea is really a harsh place, and maintenance can be an issue, but training a seafaring windmill technician to work on a solar system doesn't sound like something difficult.From my perspective as a land dweller, I do not see any reason why someone would want to go through all that trouble, but I found some pros at least...

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 02:07:28 pm
content: Luckily salt will not corrode the aluminium frame or dry up on the surface and screw up the efficiency by shading any of the cells or anything.

author: TheWelly888
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 02:19:34 pm
content: Floating solar panels will block sunlight from entering the so marine life will be very adversely affected and fishing will be affected so it's a no no from an environmental point of view.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 04:20:59 pm
content: Yes, oil platforms are really hard to design with them being only the size of 2 football fields, and they need massive engineering to keep them from falling over due to storms. What could go wrong with something 50 times the size, and with all of it being flat planes that are almost perfectly angled to catch the wind. Wind farms at least have a big advantage of only needing a single point, and can generate a goodly amount of power from that single point.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 05:16:13 pm
content: Quote from: conducteur on February 18, 2018, 10:17:09 amJust like solar roadways it doesn't matter whether it is a good idea or not. The end goal is not to get energy at a low price but to acquire a certain amount of renewable energy. Many governments have committed to getting way more energy from renewable sources. In densely populated countries without resources like hydro solar and wind are about the only viable options. The problem is that both need lots of space which is scarse especially when that space needs to be a large continuous area in order to standarise the installation method and be available right now because there is no time to go through lengthy procedures.

author: maxx4096
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 05:35:54 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on February 18, 2018, 04:20:59 pmI see where you are coming from, but nothing dictates that the structure must be rigid. I was thinking about something more about standardized low cost pontoons (just hollow metal boxes with the panels on them) linked in a chain like configuration where each individual platform is allowed to move between anchor points. Sure some of them will be standing at a bad angle or even in the shade of another one sometimes, but I think it will average out over time. Wind is another can of worms...I realize that every the links between platform is a point of failure and may add enough costs to send the project in the same direction as solar roadways...I love armchair engineering... It is just so easy and cheap! And I do not even have to be qualified! I just love it

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 06:56:54 pm
content: A marine windfarm isn't a great location for floating panels - the turbines will partially shade a significant proportion of them, and if a mooring failure occurs in a storm, there is a significant risk of them damaging downwind turbine towers. OTOH they will increase biodiversity as they will provide sand-free surfaces for mussels and weed to grow on

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 08:02:36 pm
content: Salt, waves, sea vegetation, storms...Not a good idea...

author: Seekonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 10:08:07 pm
content: I used to travel the North Sea for work. I would see boats totally disappear and reappear in a wave on a good day. My ship was 650 feet long and you get a new appreciation for the for the ocean after several of those trips.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 10:21:58 pm
content: Quote from: 2N3055 on February 18, 2018, 08:02:36 pmStorms is the only problem of those. But you get storms on land too.Birds can be another problem.Plenty of solar panels have been out at sea for years. On sea cages for instance.Its definitely doable but I guess it comes down to a cost/ benefit analysis.