California will place solar panels over canals. This will both provide solar energy as well as reduce evaporation of water in the canals. The canals take the water from the north of the state where it originates to the south of the state where it is heavily used.
https://electrek.co/2022/08/26/in-a-us-first-california-will-pilot-solar-panel-canopies-over-canals/
Hi
What a great idea.
Renewable energy means energy security and no more being held to ransome by others.
Should work okay in California butterscotch, plenty of sunshine.
Problem is that solar panels don’t last too long and I believe they are difficult to recycle.
Most articles I’ve seen say that solar panels last 25-30 years. The government says the panels are recyclable.
Thanks Butterscotch.
It seems the panels themselves have a good lifespan. However, the PV inverters don’t.
Solar PV Inverter Replacement Cost in UK (2022) | GreenMatch.
Quote:
The average solar PV inverter replacement cost of a string inverter typically ranges from £500 to £1500 . Your installer can offer you more information on which inverter would best suit your needs and which ones they use most often.
A Summary of String Inverters
The average solar PV inverter replacement cost of a micro inverter typically ranges from £20 per unit to £100 per unit . Considering the average solar PV system in the UK comprises 14 panels, this means that a total revamp can run investment costs upwards of £2,500 — which includes the cost for installation elements, such as wiring.
10 years lifespan is still not too bad. The State would have to maintain these every 10 years. I’m sure they have to do more maintenance on those canals before that time anyway…
Hi
I think that we have to remember that everything has issues.
Gas boilers need costly annual service.
I am not entirely sure that covering canals with solar panels makes much economic sense. They sound awfully like solar roadways, The theory sounds good but in practice next to useless.
The cost of copper connecting these panels alone would make the scheme expensive in reality, then there are the losses over such a long distance. Solar farms work better if the panels are located close together. It is all to do with marginal loss factor (MLF), an MLF of 1 means that you get paid for 100% of the energy produced whereas an MLF of 0.8 means that 20% of the energy is lost in transmission and you only get paid for 80% of the energy produced.
Probably better to run a pipeline if evaporation losses are what you want to solve.
The panels look close together.
That’s a side benefit, not the main issue. The main issue is the renewable energy.
This already works in India.
That tiny section is hardly 4000 km long though is it?
The Indian project just covers short sections of canal. You article is talks about :
Hi
American engineers are not idiots and will have already grasped the bleeding obvious and done the sums.
Start near the towns and use sub stations to connect to a grid
It’s best never to underestimate the Americans.
If California was a country on it’s own it would have the 5th largest economy in the world.
Undoubtedly true and if you read the article what is actually happening is a far cry from the pieces quoted, they are talking about very small sections of canal. Far more realistic than BS about covering 4000miles
What will happen to all the narrow boaters?
I assume these canals are aquaducts.
Anyway, I’ve often thought that canals ought to be used for their original cargo going purposes. No doubt modern hybrid or even solar sources of energy may be possible to power the engines, and there really isn’t a rush for everything to be transported from A to B, which may help road traffic reduction a little.
Mind you, I’m sure we’ve all seen the old waterwheel powered mills. Mystery to me why some companies don’t try to get this olde worldy tech up and running to generate a bit of electricity to at least partly offset the power needed from the grid.
Surely anything is better than nothing?
I totally agree with you Dex. Sometimes progress is counter productive. We all want things in a rush these days and by adding an extra day or two for manufacture or transport it could make things a lot more environmentally friendly and cheaper.
As for manning these canal boats, well personally I’d happy look after one every so often for free or a food allowance, and treat it as a bit of a holiday. Am.sure thered be a fair few folk whod do the same.The cost of hiring a canal boat is bonkers nowadays, and this would be a cost effective alternative for all parties concerned, surely?
Failing that, heck, we’re close to having automatic self controlled cars…Surely it’s not beyond our wit to put similar tech to run slow moving boats?
If you are looking for crew, I’m your man Dex…
I just think every little helps. And it’s not as though we’re entirely short of members of the species to chip in a bit.
@Dextrous63 ,Surely you need WATER to turn a water wheel ??
Regarding the solar panel over canal issue, round here the kids would
be skateboarding and scooting up and down it !!
Causing wear and tear on the plastic panels ?? 
The article is about a pilot project to test if covering the entire canal is feasible. The quote is about the OP which is about the advances in renewable energy and the possibilities. IF the pilot is successful, and the entire canal is covered, the quote shows the scale of the possibilities with renewable energy.
