hoergen2d ago

Solar panels are creating an unexpected effect by forming rainfall clouds and thriving oases in the middle of the desert

#Erneuerbare #Renewable #GoodNews
ecoportal.net/en/solar-panels-…

The article published in Science has detailed how massive solar arrays in the Sahara Desert have started to trigger increased rainfall and vegetation growth.

They drastically lower the temperature around the sand that they sit on, effectively “greening” the desert. As the warm air around the panels has nowhere else to go but up, they naturally form massive rainclouds in a part of the world known for its dryness.

Solar panels are creating an unexpected effect by forming rainfall clouds and thriving oases in the middle of the desert

A recent study has found an unexpected benefit from the undisputed king of the renewable energy sector as solar panels are creating rain clouds in the desert.

ecoportal.net
Show threadpiebob ✨2d ago
@hoergen @AnnaAnthro this article is clickbait about a study that used computer models to see if this would happen. solar panel farms in the desert are not currently doing this. i recommend you read the original article to get more context https://www.science.org/content/article/massive-solar-farms-could-provoke-rainclouds-desert
Show threadLea de Groot TZ+10
@piebob @hoergen @AnnaAnthro awww :( (but i want it to be true!)
Apr 12 at 9:33pmWeb
Show threadpiebob ✨2d ago
@leadegroot @hoergen @AnnaAnthro it's certainly an encouraging idea, but it sounds like it would have to be managed carefully (given the potential outcomes described in the article about the paper).
Show threadMartin Vermeer (not Jesus)2d ago
@piebob @leadegroot @hoergen @AnnaAnthro Yes, the ecoportal article is a pain to read as it doesn't actually say anything about how it works etc. I also had to find the link to the original _science_ article and read that instead.
Show threadLea de Groot TZ+102d ago
@martinvermeer @piebob @hoergen @AnnaAnthro and, of course, it isn’t making rain - it means less rainfall somewhere else. So… more interesting times! :(
Show threadMartin Vermeer (not Jesus)2d ago

@leadegroot @piebob @hoergen @AnnaAnthro Yes, but still a net improvement: more rain where it's most needed!

That said, the problem isn't just getting it to rain, but properly managing the water that does come down. Here's a video - I don't like its style much, there are better sources out there, but it makes the point. This is one of those huge things that nobody is talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbBdIG--b58

Inside Africa's Food Forest Mega-Project

Permaculture instructor Andrew Millison journeys with the UN World Food Programme to the country of Niger in the African Sahel to see an innovative land reco...

YouTube
Show threadMartin Vermeer (not Jesus)2d ago

@leadegroot @piebob @hoergen @AnnaAnthro ...and it actually looks nicer than huge photovoltaics farms. Those should be covering roofs, parking lots etc.

But what do I see here (screen shot from the video)? Both have their place...