Flat PV

louis · 2021-06-15 04:37:24

Interesting article on a new approach to utility scale PV on Earth - laying the panels flat on the ground - which certainly has implications for Mars:

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/ut … round/amp/

It would mean you could have Roomba style robot vaccuum cleaners traversing the panels and keeping them pristine nearly all the time.

But I was particularly interested in the claim that cabling could be cut substantially - this would be very important for a Mars mission.

A lot of the negative downsides like vegetation management would most likely not apply on Mars.

kbd512 · 2021-06-15 18:49:04

Louis,

As long as they can keep the array clean, it doesn't become a bio hazard from the growth of mold or fungus or short-circuited by rats and other varmints, and they don't fry the panels from lack of airflow around the panels, then I like this solution a lot more than what we're currently doing (using enormous quantities of metals and concrete and land). However, we can no longer make the claim that the land is usable for anything else. If Mars didn't have so much static electricity and abrasive dust, then surface mount would be more feasible there, provided that the materials used were suited for use in extreme cold. Those panels are undoubtedly every bit as heavy as the ones on my house. Unfortunately, that's not reality.

Speaking of solar power, maybe a week back the power company finally approved the grid-tie of our installation, so now we're getting power from our panels, several months after they were originally installed.

SpaceNut · 2021-06-15 19:01:38

Notice everything is sand in, under and around the panels site....trees are kept well back but spring to summer would see pollen covering them. Winter ice would stay as its in a berm to reduce wind blown dust....safety fence to keep people off from them as well as animals....

Moisture cycle under the panels will cause salts and corrosion to occur not to mention the layers will thermal cycle damage. Framing would push appart from ice cycles....

These are the heavy framed panels which are made robust to withstand the force along the frame which twist the glass to breaking point when mass is on them...hence you must connect them securely together...

Very time consuming link them together and to keep them clean while wiring them up in rolls or columns along the full distance before starting the next laying on the section for grid power. Since these would need to be covered while doing so to reduce electrical shocks….

louis · 2021-06-15 19:33:51

Well, it will be interesting to see if this becomes the new standard...

The sand is probably mixed with weed killer I suspect. Not a "cuddly green" solution!

The fence might be needed if you're in deer or bear country. Eventually you might be able to replace expensive fences with robot patrols that sense animal or human disturbance.

On balance I think this looks like the way forward for both Earth and Mars. For Mars, I don't think we would be using this robust panel system for the early missions but once PV is being produced on Mars, this might be how PV systems are laid out....probably make use of natural inclines as and wehn to help even out PV power across the sol as much as possible.

SpaceNut · 2021-06-15 20:01:35

Not sure how often a meteorite lands on mars thou the rovers have found a few that if it hit would destroy the array for sure....

As noted for mars moisture under the panels and salt in the form of perchlorates will cause incidental bonding of metals to places causing shorting to occur as well as the corrosion....

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#1 2021-06-15 04:37:24

Flat PV

#2 2021-06-15 18:49:04

Re: Flat PV

#3 2021-06-15 19:01:38

Re: Flat PV

#4 2021-06-15 19:33:51

Re: Flat PV

#5 2021-06-15 20:01:35

Re: Flat PV

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