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Underwater solar panels

N

Norwasian

Solar Addict
Joined
Jan 28, 2024
Messages
512
Location
Thailand
Great--the navy has discovered how to keep solar panels barnacle- and algae-free underwater. Now folk can begin polluting the sea with more unnatural chemicals in order to maintain their solar production with underwater panels.

I'm wondering why anyone would want to put the panel underwater in the first place. It seems the reflections from the sea surface in addition to the refractions and absorption of light in the water itself would make any sensible person choose to float the panels above the surface in some manner.

Is this just fake news?

www.yahoo.com

Navy-funded researchers discover solution to major efficiency problem with underwater solar panels: 'A consistent self-polishing effect'

Tests in seawater off the coast of Denmark and Florida showed that the surfaces retained almost 100 percent effectiveness over a 13-week period.
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com
 
it jsut goes to show you hwo the US throws money away on damn near any research grant...even something that will never be applied. if naything the navy will use the coatings to keep underwater lens clear...not so much solar panels per se, though given time who knows. maybe they are thinking 20,000 leagues under the sea style... rise to the surface charge the battereis and then dive down for a day or two... personally think it would never be practical but who knows.
 
Rednecktek said:
Cool solar panels are more efficient and I know from personal experience that sea water doesn't slow down a sun burn.
Click to expand...
True. But I'm reminded of a prophecy in Revelation that might be concerning to those playing with potential toxins in the water.

"And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed." (Revelation 8:8-9)

Of course, this could be just symbolic of other events, such as economic or political events, and have no direct connection to the natural world. Furthermore, some might say it will have to be fulfilled at some point. Either way, I would not wish for it to be put to my account when it happens.

Now, what happens if there's an electrical short underwater from those panels? Would there be any chance of them attracting lightning? Any other side effects that one might worry about?
 
Daddy Tanuki said:
it just goes to show you how the US throws money away on damn near any research grant
Click to expand...

Science sometimes needs infusions of public money to get results.
Another way to look at this is the space program look at all the great things in materials chemical electronics and aviation that came from space program research...

If you want to compete you kind of have to get involved.
Or the Chinese will make all the new discoveries...

China filed 25% more patents than the USA last year.
That's not a good sign for he future.
If they can turn that into products and processes then they might overtake the USA.
Look at the car industry they are scared of Chinese cars because they are as good and getting better than American cars.

Now is not the time say no to funding general science education and innovation.
 
DPC said:
Look at the car industry they are scared of Chinese cars because they are as good and getting better than American cars.
Click to expand...
Surely you jest, ever seen those things in a crash test? :oops:
 
DPC said:
They are a threat now.
Not so much national security but economic.
Like the wave of Japanese cars in the 70s we need to invest in our own research development supply chains and manufacturing or we will get bulldozed...

Click to expand...
I'm not saying national security, I'm saying personal safety. I don't think they'd pass our safety standards for one, but even if they got them in here a few accidents in these things crumpled like a tin can because they hit some roadkill and the passenger died is all it would take right now for no one to buy them.

I think we take our "safety" stuff too far sometimes (mandatory thousands of dollars of nanny sensors and automatic collision avoidance braking blah blah give me a break!) but I don't want to be in something that nearly kills me because I hit a suicidal squirrel in the road.
 
SparkyJJO said:
I'm not saying national security, I'm saying personal safety. I don't think they'd pass our safety standards for one, but even if they got them in here a few accidents in these things crumpled like a tin can because they hit some roadkill and the passenger died is all it would take right now for no one to buy them.

I think we take our "safety" stuff too far sometimes (mandatory thousands of dollars of nanny sensors and automatic collision avoidance braking blah blah give me a break!) but I don't want to be in something that nearly kills me because I hit a suicidal squirrel in the road.
Click to expand...
Well they are on par with European cars.
They tend to do well in crash tests...

carnewschina.com

Nine Chinese cars scored five stars in Euro NCAP in 2023

In 2023, Chinese automakers made their best to prove their relevance to European buyers, taking over Euro NCAP.
carnewschina.com carnewschina.com
 
The advent of safety has cost the consumer more money than any other "added value" to products in recent history.
Safety sells and accountants know it. Any time you add value there is the accountant saying and lets add 50% profit margin to the safety device.

Lived in foreign countries for part of my career, and many can't even afford the safety devices we take for granted. And they talk about how dumb americans are to fall for all this stuff. "The taking money out of your pocket in the name of safety and putting the money in thier pocket".
 
Some safety stuff I think is a good thing. Accidents happen, I get that. But some of the safety stuff does help. Some of it is stupid. Reverse cam is handy, but mandatory? Add on mandatory auto braking, then get angry when the system gets spoofed and auto brakes and causes a rear-end accident... yay....

I don't know if I want anything much newer than our 2015. It has forward collision alert where it beeps at me if it thinks something might happen, but it is wrong most of the time (seems oncoming traffic at night in the rain is a good way to confuse it). Next gen has auto braking and yeahhhh I don't want that. Would be easy enough to disable but then it causes a dashboard full of warning lights that are beyond irritating. Let's not even mention the repair costs when these radars and things fail.
 
3 pedals to drive? That's way too complicated for 'Muricans ... invents the automatic transmission.

2 pedals to drive? That's 200% more pedals than people can safely keep track of! ... invents single pedal EV's with auto braking.

🙄
 
I think the Germans invented the automatic transmission.

ZF surely seems to have perfected it. ( with a little French input... actually 2 inputs )
 
Daddy Tanuki said:
it jsut goes to show you hwo the US throws money away on damn near any research grant...even something that will never be applied. if naything the navy will use the coatings to keep underwater lens clear...not so much solar panels per se, though given time who knows. maybe they are thinking 20,000 leagues under the sea style... rise to the surface charge the battereis and then dive down for a day or two... personally think it would never be practical but who knows.
Click to expand...
Maybe to throw a couple of panels on the manta ray? Doubt it would be worth it from a cost benefit versus presumably a significant internal battery pack

 
You can have the arrays under water so the rich people don't see it on their lake view. Spend 8 times more cleaning them and corrosion but we all feel so much better now that we are green like the algae growing on them.
 
Norwasian said:
True. But I'm reminded of a prophecy in Revelation that might be concerning to those playing with potential toxins in the water.
Click to expand...
I'll just say this concerning the above thought. It's sad / a shame we can no longer discuss spiritual things such as you mention on this machine. There will inevitably be some idiot who will have to prove their point as the proper one to have and get everyone so pissed off and debating this or that, so we are not able to even share our thoughts concerning such, without everything going Helter Skelter on us.
I'll be the 1st to admit, I was once such a proud hypocritical religious PUKE. But God had mercy on me.
Now as to underwater SA, and any grants granted = the good ol boys club sending $$$ in a mutually beneficial direction. That's just how human beings have always been throughout history.

Will all these futuristic dreams be fulfilled in some form of post modern age of Aquarius? Haha You won't need to wait much longer to see where all our enlightenment has brought us to.

Did anyone figure out if the report is for real? Honestly how can any of us truly discern real from fake anymore? As for me, I choose to ignore the whole load of crap altogether. I've certainly dug my more than fair share of ultra deep rabbit hole excavations.
The conclusion in the end? I just don't care anymore about all the little details. :cool:
I'll just keep looking up, not down.
That's an added benefit to a long life.

Let her rip tator chip Full speed ahead, damn the torpedos!
JM2C worth..... Haha and Tally Ho!
Have a very Nice day to all...
 
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