Assessing the Thermal Interactions Between Solar Farms and the Environment

In a study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, Professor Carlos Coimbra of the University of California San Diego examines the thermal balances between solar farm panels and their surrounding environment. These findings can help explore the thermal interactions between solar plants and desert habitats.

Rooftop solar panels are popular in many parts of the world, but utility-scale solar farms provide power at far lower costs and with greater efficiency. However, these large-scale farms are often located in desert ecosystems, where local flora and wildlife are highly sensitive to temperature and humidity changes.

The research is part of the growing field of "energy meteorology," which examines the impact of weather on electricity generation, transmission, and distribution networks.

Professor Coimbra’s study focuses on energy meteorology as it applies to solar power generation but also extends its scope to consider the reverse: the effects of solar power plants on the local environment.

By calculating the thermal balances of solar panels, classified by their main material components, the study establishes relationships between flow-dependent variables such as mean convective heat transfer coefficients and radiative fluxes. These correlations, combined with observations or model predictions, provide a clearer and more consistent understanding of solar farm thermal effects on the surrounding environment.

The study also introduces a method for classifying regional microclimates based on the effective optical depth of the environment. This classification supplements cloudiness or clearness indices commonly used for shortwave radiation and informs the design, placement, and management of solar power plants.

It behooves us in the solar energy research community to answer concerns and criticisms that the solar power industry encounters with the best possible science. It could very well be that the net thermal impact of large-scale power plants is minimal, or even benign, but the conflicting results reported in the research literature point toward the need to study the problem from the standpoint of fundamental thermal balances.

Carlos Coimbra, Professor, University of California San Diego

The study aims to encourage solar engineers and energy meteorologists to explore and monitor the environmental impacts of large-scale solar farms. It serves as an introduction for researchers interested in investigating new opportunities in energy meteorology related to solar farms.

Journal Reference:

Coimbra, C. F. M., et. al. (2024) Energy Meteorology for the Evaluation of Solar Farm Thermal Impacts on Desert Habitats. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. doi.org/10.1007/s00376-024-4242-3