Gadzanku is an energy technology and policy researcher in the Integrated Applications Center. Her work involves providing technical assistance to international partners on grid integration of renewable energy.
Floating solar panels are a simple concept but they could provide the answer to these problems and prevent water loss from evaporation at the same time.
Photovoltaic cells are attached to rafts on bodies of water instead of taking up land that could be used for agriculture or buildings. They act as a sort of lid too, reducing evaporation to almost zero, a bonus in areas frequently hit by drought.
And, because the water keeps the solar panels cool, they can produce more energy than they would on land where they become less efficient as they heat up.
