• Johnnypneumoniac@lemmy.oneOP
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    1 year ago

    It’s built on a reservoir so I assume that means waves aren’t an issue. I was glad to see it was a reservoir and not a natural lake or ocean. It means there shouldn’t be any (?) environmental impact.

    I also wonder if it is beneficial for reducing evaporation.

    There’s a bit more detailed info in the press release from last year about the start of the project. It’s on the website linked in the article.

    • jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 year ago

      They do reduced the evaporation and are are being installed in lots of reservoirs in hot areas because of it. That said, the permanent shade might have a negative impact on the aquatic ecosystems which need to be managed.

      • Johnnypneumoniac@lemmy.oneOP
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        1 year ago

        But as I mentioned above I don’t think there should be much of an environmental impact. Man-made reservoirs are not usually aquatic ecosystems, so it shouldn’t be a factor. Unfortunately, I haven’t really found any info to back that statement up.

        • rstein@discuss.tchncs.de
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          1 year ago

          Any body of water is an aquatic ecosystem. You’ll have algae after some days and fish after a year or two.

            • rstein@discuss.tchncs.de
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              1 year ago

              But after what time is it an ecosystem that has to be protected? We have here the “Lüneburger Heide” with a lot of protected species and take great care to keep it a heathen. It is an artificial landscape and was woodland before all the trees were chopped off to cook salt in Lüneburg. It was kept clear by sheep. Shepherding on an open plain is now unprofitable and if we would stop now to pay the shepherds a complete ecosystem would vanish and be overgrown by bushes and trees. That would hurt biodiversity and tourism. But it would be the natural environment for northern Germany.

              • Johnnypneumoniac@lemmy.oneOP
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                1 year ago

                Is it a reservoir? If it’s a man-made reservoir you are not expecting or desiring it to become a natural ecosystem. Your primary goals are to keep the water there and keep it clean.

                • rstein@discuss.tchncs.de
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                  1 year ago

                  But a functional ecosystem keeps the water clean. You can have either a complete system with complex food chains or chlorine.

    • Tiuku@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      Good point about the evaporation! Yes any energy flowing away along the wires is away from heating the water. Though how significant this is, dunno.

      • Johnnypneumoniac@lemmy.oneOP
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        1 year ago

        They do mention that the water helps cool the solar panels. There’s a math problem here… Solar energy converted by water directly vs with solar panels, etc etc.