Solar Energy Solution to Panama Canal Fresh Water Shortage

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-06 09:46:09

For SpaceNut .... there are nearly two pages full of topics that contain the word "solar"

None appear suitable for this new topic...

This will be a topic devoted to developing a project plan for a massive deployment of solar panels on the surface of a fresh water lake, for the purpose of providing a supply of fresh water for use by the citizens of Panama, and to transport ships via the canal.

The problem of insufficient rain fall over Panama has been a recurring one over the past 100 years, but the problem appears to be increasing in severity with climate change.

This topic will attempt to address the lack of rain fall, by enlisting the abundant sunshine available in Panama, and the abundant sources of seawater from both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

Update 2024/01/06 The title has been changed to "solar energy" from "solar panel" - SpaceNut reminded us that solar thermal devices are attractive for a mass energy capture proposal like this one, because the materials required can be prepared by citizens of Panama, and exotic materials are not required.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-06 09:47:20

The workplan below was prepared by ChatGPT4 under supervision of tahanson43206:

Work Plan for Solar Panel Implementation at the Panama Canal
Technological Feasibility: Research existing technologies for solar-powered water desalination or purification.
Environmental Impact Assessment: Analyze potential environmental impacts of solar panels and desalination processes.
Cost Analysis: Provide a detailed cost breakdown including installation and maintenance.
Energy Efficiency and Output: Calculate energy output from solar panels and the expected water production.
Implementation Plan: Develop a phased plan with timelines, milestones, and scalability options.
Comparison with Other Methods: Contrast with other methods like cloud seeding or man-made lakes.
Regulatory and Legal Considerations: Address legal and regulatory hurdles, including environmental regulations.
Stakeholder Analysis: Identify and analyze stakeholders like the Panama Canal Authority and local communities.
Benefits Analysis: Outline benefits in terms of water shortage solutions, renewable energy promotion, and economic impacts.
Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks and propose mitigation strategies.

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SpaceNut · 2024-01-06 10:02:20

So, which is this just solar or is it about freshwater creation.

The situation is solar can be used in PV, thermal concentrating that can be used in different ways.
The water source is no different in that it can come from a variety of sources. Salt water in any level of saturation, it can come from waste sewer water, tainted fresh water sources, and deep well of course and even from the air or as rainwater capture.

All of these can be combined depending on level of inputs quantity.

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-06 14:22:07

For SpaceNut re #3

Thank you for your interest in and support of this new topic ...

Your question implies either/or .... the topic is set up to use solar power to deliver fresh water.

Your point about using thermal concentrating is a good one, so I will change the topic title.

I'd like the Panamanian population to be able to make most of the solar energy capture components, and as kbd512 has posted in detail, a solar concentrating solution has many advantages.

Your point about waste water is excellent as well. In the searches performed by ChatGPT4 and BARD, working together, it turns out that waste water from city water treatment facilities is often used for crops in Panama.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-06 14:40:54

At the suggestion of a friend who is using BARD extensively, I decided to see if ChatGPT4 would be able to work with BARD. It turns out the answer is most definitely yes, assuming a human handles the correspondence.

The discussion today was intended to try to estimate the amount of fresh water that the proposed desalination system should provide. The system needs to support ship traffic and the needs for fresh water of about 2 million people. The amount that came out of the collaboration between ChatGPT4 and BARD was 4 billion liters per day:

Summary: Sizing a Water Supply System for the Panama Canal and Surrounding Region
Context:
We are considering a solar-powered desalination system to address the fresh water needs of the Panama Canal and the surrounding population, especially during the dry season. The objective is to size a system capable of delivering 3.9 billion liters of water per day.
Key Findings:
Panama Canal's Water Requirement: The Canal needs approximately 3.618 billion liters of water per day to meet the shipping requirements during low rainfall periods.
Population Water Requirement: Gatun Lake, a primary water source for the Canal, also supplies water to about 2 million people. Assuming a standard daily usage of 150 liters per person, the daily requirement is 300 million liters.
Total Freshwater Deficit Estimate: Combining the Canal's and population's requirements, we estimate a maximum freshwater deficit of 3.918 billion liters per day during the dry season.
Proposal for Desalination System:
The proposed system should be sized to handle this maximum demand. This involves considering:
The consistent operational needs of the Canal, which remain fairly constant throughout the year.
Seasonal variations in water demand, with increased requirements during the dry season.
The variable availability of solar energy, necessitating a system design that ensures consistent operation year-round.
Conclusion:
The 3.9 billion liters per day capacity is a baseline for the desalination system. Additional capacity should be considered for potential increases in demand, system inefficiencies, and contingencies. This approach ensures a sustainable and reliable water supply for the Panama Canal and its surrounding communities.
Further Steps:
Detailed engineering and feasibility studies are needed to refine these estimates and to design an efficient, scalable, and sustainable desalination system.
Note: This summary is based on available data and standard benchmarks. Actual requirements may vary and should be validated with detailed studies.

The next phase of inquiry will be to determine how much water surface is potentially available for solar collection systems. The existing water surface is used for ship transit, but it is also used for a wide variety of non-shipping purposes.

Update 2024/01/07: The Panama Canal Authority is reported to be considering building a supplemental water store (a lake) some distance from the canal. It would make sense to continue with that idea, because a solar powered water supply will deliver water during the day, but not at night or when clouds are thick. The size of the lake might be less if the desalination system is part of the plan, because the amount of water that needs to be stored would be less.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-08 14:47:58

To my surprise, someone asked to see the transcript of the experiment with ChatGPT4 posing questions for BARD.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1llG … sp=sharing

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-09 13:22:47

In today's work session, ChatGPT4 and I again enlisted BARD to carry out a series of information collection and evaluation tasks. ChatGPT4 accepted the role of Team Leader, and indicated that it would look for any errors that might have occurred in BARD's work.

No errors were reported, but that does not mean there were none. Since the work was reviewed by ChatGPT and recast in the summary below, I'm assuming (for the moment) that the recommendations and observations are reasonable.

All work done was supervised by tahanson43206. tahanson43206 is responsible to correct any errors that may be found.

Comprehensive Project Overview: Desalination Solution for Panama's Water Crisis
Project Background:
The primary driver for this project is the significant reduction in rainfall affecting Panama, leading to water scarcity and impacting both the Panama Canal operations and the country's population.
Our focus is on developing a solar-powered desalination system to meet Panama's increasing water demands, particularly during the dry season.
Key Project Components:
Desalination Capacity: The goal is to design a system capable of desalinating 3.9 billion liters of water per day.
Solar Power Integration: Utilizing solar energy to power the desalination process, aligning with renewable energy goals and sustainability.
Indigenous Involvement: Emphasizing the use of local resources and personnel, promoting self-sufficiency and skill development within Panama.
Panama's Project Management Capabilities (Insights from BARD):
Historical Successes: Panama has successfully managed large-scale projects like the Canal Expansion and Metro Line 1.
Regulatory Framework: Progress in transparency and accountability, but with areas needing improvement, particularly in regulatory enforcement and social impact assessments.
Challenges: Issues such as corruption, inequality, and environmental impacts require robust management and mitigation strategies.
International Learnings: Drawing insights from countries like Singapore, Dubai, and Chile for effective infrastructure management.
Further Recommendations (From BARD):
Exploring alternative water sources like rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment.
Ensuring the financial sustainability of the project through innovative financing models and public-private partnerships.
Focusing on community engagement for social acceptance and equitable benefit distribution.
Conclusion:
This desalination project represents a multifaceted solution to Panama's water crisis. It requires a balanced approach, integrating technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility. Panama's track record in managing large-scale projects, combined with a strategic focus on community involvement, regulatory oversight, and financial viability, will be crucial for the project's success.
This summary reflects our collaborative discussions and additional insights from BARD, providing a comprehensive overview of the envisioned desalination project for Panama.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-10 12:18:25

In today's work session, ChatGPT4 and BARD collaborated in study of the land area of the Republic of Panama.

A transcript of the session is available upon request. Here is the output prepared by ChatGPT4.

All work is supervised by tahanson43206, who is responsible for correction of any errors that may have occurred.

Report: Evaluation of Gatun Lake's Suitability for Solar Energy Collection Systems
Introduction:
This report presents the findings of our investigation into the potential use of Gatun Lake, Panama, for hosting floating solar energy collection systems. The evaluation focuses on the lake's surface area suitability and environmental considerations.
Key Findings:
Total Surface Area of Gatun Lake: Gatun Lake covers a vast area of 425 square kilometers (164 square miles), offering a significant potential for solar energy collection.
Navigational and Ecological Constraints: Important considerations include navigational hazards, proximity to shipping lanes, and environmentally sensitive areas, which limit the usable surface area for solar barges.
Depth Requirements: The barges' draft requirement of 2 meters necessitates a minimum water depth of 4 meters for safe operation, further influencing the selection of suitable areas.
Environmental Protection Zones: The presence of protected ecological zones like Monkey Island and Barro Colorado Island restricts development activities in certain parts of the lake.
Estimated Suitable Area:
Based on these factors, we estimate that approximately 30% of Gatun Lake's total surface area could potentially accommodate floating solar barges. This leads to a calculation of:
30% of 425 km² = 127.5 km² (49 square miles)
This area represents the portion of the lake that could be feasibly and sustainably utilized for solar energy collection, considering depth, navigational safety, and environmental protections.
Conclusion:
The investigation into Gatun Lake's suitability for solar energy collection highlights both the opportunities and challenges in harnessing renewable energy resources in Panama. While a significant portion of the lake is potentially usable, careful planning, environmental considerations, and regulatory compliance will be crucial in the successful implementation of solar energy systems.
Further detailed studies, including bathymetric surveys and environmental impact assessments, are recommended to refine these estimates and ensure the ecological sustainability of the project.
This report summarizes the findings of our collaborative investigation and is intended to inform further discussions and planning for the proposed solar energy project in Panama.

I note that BARD in particular reported concerns about the impact of floating barges on the environment.

In addition, I note that large sections of Gatun Lake are used by the Panama Canal Authority to park vessels waiting for transit through the locks, so those areas would not be available for collection of solar energy.

On the other hand, BARD added two meters to the estimated depth of solar barges, and therefore excluded sections of the water way with depth less than 4 meters. This restriction might be waived by the Panama Canal Authority, so the available surface area for barges might increase on that account.

For purpose of estimation, I'll go with the 128 square kilometer estimate, which is 30% of the total available water surface.

In tomorrow's session, we'll begin to attempt to determine whether solar power can deliver 4 billion liters of fresh water per day, given 128 square kilometers of surface area. I seriously doubt that the area available is sufficient, considering that it is useful only 8 hours per day.

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Calliban · 2024-01-10 16:46:04

Assuming you are starting with sea water, it takes about 3kWh to produce 1000 litres of fresh water by reverse osmosis.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_osmosis

So 4 billion litres would be 12 million kWh per day. That is equivelent to a continuous power of 500MW. So yes, solar power could certainly be up to the job.

The energy is consumed in pressurising the water and driving it across the membrane. Essentially, osmosis creates a positive pressure gradient between salt water and fresh water. That is the diffusion coefficient at work. To reverse the process, we must reverse the pressure differential. This drives salt out of the fresh water and into the brine.

According to wiki, you need a 40 - 82bar positive pressure difference to actually drive salt out of fresh water and into brine. The energy requirement comes from pumping that water through the required pressure head. If solar power can pump salt water into an elevated reservoir during the day, then the desalination plant can run 24/7 on the stored water.

Last edited by Calliban (2024-01-10 16:51:45)

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-10 17:57:59

For Calliban re #9

Thank you for your contribution to, and support of this topic!

I'll feed your post into the deliberations tomorrow.

Thanks for the link to the Wikipedia article!

The idea of pumping the sea water to a higher elevation seems (at first reading) to fit into the mind set of the canal operations, because they are currently lifting vessels up hill using water from the reservoir above. The new locks are built with holding tanks into which water is uphill pumped. The surprise (to me for sure) is that these holding tanks are not being used because the Canal Authority is so concerned about salt water intrusion into the canal water way.

RobertDyck (correctly) identified this concern long before we discovered that it is actually the primary motivation for decisions on canal operations.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-10 18:38:26

For Calliban re #9...

I found an online article about a proposed solar farm in the US.

Of great interest to me is this quote:
902-acre, 80-megawatt solar farm
In the Panama Canal topic we have "found" 128 square kilometers to work with.
If we extrapolate 80 MW for 902 acres, we'd have a ball-park figure for what that 128 square kilometers could generate.
Google came up with 3.65 square kilometers covered by 902 acres.
128/3.65 >> 35 and change.
35*80 >> 2800 MW from the 128 square kilometer patch.

I assume that figure of 80 MW is valid when the Sun is shining.

If the 2800 MW figure is correct for the Panama Canal installation, then it would be flowing 8 hours out of 24, so the effective power would be 2800/3 or 900+ MW (2700 and change). If your estimate of 500 MW is close to the mark, then there is 400 MW left over for all the supporting activities, such as pumping seawater up from the ocean in the first place.

Update: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/compani … 3df6&ei=33

The site above describes a way of connecting offshore wind devices that uses star links rather than daisy chain.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-11 13:41:46

This is primarily for Calliban as a follow up to the suggestion of desalination plants powered by solar rafts at Panama.

Our Phoenix contact found a movie/video that shows a Saudi design for a floating desalination plant.

Saudi Arabia.mp4

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XuBzy3 … _jb1B/view

This video shows what appear to be fully configured floating desalination plants.

Since the location is Saudi Arabia, I expect the power source is fossil fuel.

At Panama, the same plant could (presumably) be powered by solar power, supplemented by a buffering system of some kind.

Panama itself may have enough elevation to work with, to support Calliban's suggestion of hydraulic energy storage.

I'll have to investigate that option.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-12 13:01:15

Today's Internet feed found a report on a floating solar raft in Florida:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/compani … 04c9&ei=38

Company launches its first floating solar farm in Florida: ‘This is a great technology’
Story by Jeremiah Budin • 12h
Some of the sun in the Sunshine State is going to be used to power people’s homes, as one energy company is piloting its first floating solar farm in Florida on an existing cooling pond in Polk County.
Duke Energy has constructed a nearly 1-megawatt floating solar array across two acres of the pond’s surface. The array features more than 1,800 solar panels, which together can produce enough clean, renewable electricity to power 100 homes.
Though this is Duke’s first floating solar farm in the state of Florida, other floating solar arrays have already been built elsewhere.
One of the world’s largest floating solar arrays in Singapore is the size of 45 football fields and generates enough power for 16,000 four-room flats. And though they accounted for only 1% of all solar panels installed in 2022, solar flotillas have been popping up all across the world. One Portuguese company even created a floating system of solar panels that move with the sun.
Floating solar panels offer several added benefits — for one, they do not take up any additional land, suiting them to places where areas for new development are scarce. “Agriculture still sees solar panels as a threat that competes for the same land,” Matthias Taft, CEO of BayWa r.e., one of Europe’s biggest renewable energy developers, told Bloomberg.
Related video: Solar-powered farm to be built in Evangeline Parish; will be completed in 2027 (KLFY Lafayette)
$50 million project is in the works to bring solar
KLFY Lafayette
Solar-powered farm to be built in Evangeline Parish; will be completed in 2027
The solar flotillas also are cooled by the water, which makes them more efficient, and they reduce water evaporation while limiting algae growth.
Floating solar farms don’t work on turbulent waters or in the ocean. However, according to analysis from Bloomberg, there are over 6,600 bodies of water suitable for “floatovoltaics.”
“Well done. This is a great technology from which you get both electricity and lower reservoir evaporation,” wrote one commenter.
“What a great set up, it helps to cool the water and provides power,” wrote another.

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-12 14:03:56

Today's work sesstion with ChatGPT4 and BARD was a deep dive into the reported test floating solar panel installation in Florida.

BARD was able to find the company, and ChatGPT4 went on to investigate further. Here is a report.

All work done by ChatGPT4 and BARD was supervisied by tahanson43206 who is responsible for correcting any errors that may exist.

Project Update: Exploring Duke Energy's Floating Solar Panel Technology for Panama Canal Initiative
Overview:
This report provides insights into Duke Energy's floating solar farm project in Florida, highlighting its potential application in our initiative to provide sustainable energy solutions for the Panama Canal.
Key Findings on Duke Energy's Floating Solar Project:
Project Location: Duke Energy Hines Energy Complex, Bartow, Polk County, Florida.
Project Capacity: The floating solar array has a capacity of 1 megawatt, with over 1,800 bifacial solar panels covering 2 acres of water. These panels absorb sunlight from both sides, enhancing efficiency.
Performance: The bifacial panels are capable of producing 10-20% more power compared to traditional single-sided panels.
Project Goals: This pilot project aims to test the feasibility of floating solar technology in Florida, with potential for larger-scale implementations.
Relevance to Panama Canal Project:
The technology used in Duke Energy's project could offer valuable insights into deploying floating solar panels on Gatun Lake.
Bifacial solar panels could significantly increase the efficiency of solar energy collection for our project.
Understanding the construction, anchoring, and maintenance of these floating systems is crucial for adapting the technology to our needs.
Potential Partnership Considerations:
While specific details on technology licensing from Duke Energy are not available, the company's progress in renewable energy projects is noteworthy.
Engaging with Duke Energy or similar companies could provide technological insights and potential collaboration opportunities.
Conclusion:
Duke Energy's floating solar farm project demonstrates the viability and efficiency of innovative solar energy solutions. As we continue to develop our Panama Canal project, such technologies offer promising avenues to explore for sustainable and efficient energy generation.
This report is intended to keep our forum audience informed about potential technological advancements and collaborations for our Panama Canal initiative.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-14 17:37:47

Pressure on shippers due to the Suez Canal blockage has compounded difficulty due to low water levels at the Panama Canal.

The article at the link below describes the problems, and some solutions being considered, such as use of the overland railroad between the oceans.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/compani … 9c682&ei=3

Maersk to Bypass Panama Canal Via ‘Land Bridge'
Story by Glenn Taylor •
2d
IN THIS ARTICLE
A.P. Moller-Maersk is rethinking how it is approaching the backlogged, drought-stricken Panama Canal with one of its service lines-opting to transport vessels by land instead.
In a customer advisory, Maersk said cargo being transported via the Oceania-to-the Americas "OC1" service, which normally traverses the Panama Canal on its voyage, will now bypass the waterway and use a "land bridge" to transport cargo across the roughly 50-mile country via rail.
The Denmark-based shipping and logistics titan said in the advisory that the decision was made to ensure cargo "continues to move with as few delays as possible."
Sourcing Journal reached out to Maersk. The company has not indicated whether it will extend the land bridge concept to other service lines.
The land bridge would maintain Maersk's schedule reliability and improve transit times, according to Jonathan Roach, a container market analyst at London-based shipping advisory firm Braemar.
"This is one of many strategies that liner companies have been implementing during this temporary canal restriction," Roach told Sourcing Journal. "Liner companies are normally very swift and customer-focused to find solutions during times of operational challenges. This is just part of container shipping."
The modified route creates two separate "loops" on each side of the canal-one in the Atlantic Ocean and another in the Pacific Ocean.
Related video: US Shipping & Container Freight Rates Have Risen 70%: Container Shipping Lines Association (CNBCTV18)
As I mentioned the last time that if if things
US Shipping & Container Freight Rates Have Risen 70%: Container Shipping Lines Association
0
Pacific vessels will turn at Balboa, Panama, to drop off cargo heading for Latin America and North America and pick up shipments on course for Australia and New Zealand. Atlantic ships will turn at Manzanillo, Panama, to offload the freight destined for Australia and New Zealand and collect goods on track for the Americas.
"For a shipper's perspective, it's nice to have a clear view of your options," Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, told Sourcing Journal. "Currently most options differ from ‘normal' market conditions by being much more expensive, adding days to the sensitive transit time, and making every shipment more demanding from a execution perspective too."
Northbound vessels, which make stops at the Ports of Philadelphia and Charleston, S.C., are seeing no delays, Maersk said. However, ships going southbound may experience some delays.
As part of the adjustments, the OC1 route will also avoid its stop in Cartagena, Colombia. Shippers with cargo to route through Cartagena will be served through alternate vessels, according to the ocean freight giant.
The company says it will continue to operate the "PANZ" service that connects the U.S. West Coast to Oceania to provide coverage from both coasts. Additionally, Maersk will connect Gulf Coast ports to the OC1 service in similar ways, but did not elaborate which ports will be added to the route.
Although the land bridge in Panama is one such solution to bypass the congestion, Roach noted that container shipping firms also have the option to discharge cargo at West Coast ports, and move the product from there via rail to the U.S. Midwest and East Coast is another.
"We can expect more outside-the-box thinking in terms of the Panama situation as well as the longer transit times impacting other routings caused by the Suez Canal avoidance, which is ongoing," Roach said.
Throughout the second half of 2023, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) imposed multiple rounds of restrictions for shipping firms passing the canal amid the second-driest year on record. The waterway typically accepts 34 to 36 vessels that could be booked ahead of time under normal conditions, but that number dipped to just 22 by December.
Although the daily reservations were expected to be further limited to 18 vessels by February, the canal reversed course, indicating it would accept 24 starting in January.
The restrictions appear to have worked in limiting non-booked vessels.
Overall, 57 vessels are in cue for transit in the Panama Canal as of Thursday morning, with 39 ships having already booked a reservation and 18 having not booked yet. This is down significantly from the 110 total vessels waiting to pass through as of Nov. 30.
But the average time for non-booked vessels in the queue has remained elevated, with northbound ships waiting 9.6 days as of Thursday, nearly doubling the 4.9-day wait time on Dec. 17. Southbound ships are waiting 15.7 days, compared to 6.3 days as of Dec. 17.
The ACP's restrictions are based on the current and projected levels of the rainfall-fed, artificial Lake Gatun, which provides the water to move ships through the Panama Canal's lock system. Water levels at the lake were 81.6 feet Thursday, still down more than five feet from the five-year January average of 86.9 feet.
"Without significant rainfall to replenish the Panama Canal and lakes, we can only assume this will go on for a while as liner companies prepare to keep boxes moving by various methods," said Roach.

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tahanson43206 · 2024-01-14 21:15:39

In a brief work session this evening, after this week's Google Meeting, ChatGPT4 and I considered a new line of inquiry.

After discussion, ChatGPT4 prepared this list of benefits that might flow from a floating solar panel system, when it is the wet season and fresh water is not needed to fill the canal waterway.

Utilization of Excess Solar Power from Gatun Lake: Enhancing Panama's Sustainability
Introduction:
This report outlines potential strategies for utilizing excess solar energy generated by solar panels on Gatun Lake during periods of sufficient rainfall, adding value to our project of supplying fresh water to Panama.
Strategies for Excess Solar Power Utilization:
Grid Integration: Excess electricity can be fed into the national grid, reducing reliance on non-renewable sources and potentially lowering costs.
Energy Storage Systems: Large-scale battery storage can store surplus energy for use during low production periods, ensuring a stable power supply.
Supporting Local Infrastructure: Directing power to local projects like street lighting and community facilities can improve public services.
Industrial and Commercial Use: Local industries and businesses can benefit from green energy, fostering economic growth.
Hydrogen Production: Utilize excess electricity for green hydrogen production, positioning Panama as a renewable energy innovator.
Water Treatment and Management: Power advanced water treatment facilities, enhancing water quality and distribution.
Conclusion:
Leveraging excess solar energy in these ways can significantly enhance the sustainability and economic viability of the Panama Canal project. These strategies ensure that the solar infrastructure remains productive and beneficial, aligning with Panama's renewable energy goals.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the potential applications of excess solar power, contributing to a more sustainable future for Panama.

Work done by ChatGPT4 is supervised by tahanson43206, who is responsible for correction of any errors that may occur.

Update: I have reminded ChatGPT4 that alternatives to batteries are under development, and I expect those will be included in future analysis.

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SpaceNut · 2024-01-15 10:10:17

Nice touch of color to the post.

The real problem is we stop at if it does not make money, we do not want to do it, we do not want to lower costs for any energy system, and we do poorly with water management for when it rains.

As noted The Panama Canal Is Running Dry; Climate extremes are wreaking havoc on global shipping.

GettyImages-1696164864.jpg?resize=1000,667&quality=90

Panama’s rainy season usually runs from late April to November, but last year, October saw 41 percent less precipitation than average, and low precipitation is expected to continue until this year’s rainy season. In December, the water in Lake Gatun, the canal’s main reservoir, declined to unprecedented levels for this time of year, and water levels are expected to shrink further in the coming months.
The drought is driven by a strong El Niño, a climate pattern recurring every two to seven years marked by warm ocean temperatures. El Niño disrupts atmospheric circulation, weakening or displacing winds that would otherwise have brought greater rainfall to Panama and other tropical countries.

Impact is profits and goods getting through the canal.

Seems the weather is going to be sunny all week and above 75' F in the area.

Panama Canal lowest rainfall since 2000, facing an extended drought

Sounds like the period of the US draughts as well.

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-15 11:13:01

For SpaceNut re Post #17

Thank you for these timely links and the image of the canal, and for the weather report.

As you may have noted, this topic will be looking for ways to replace fossil fuel use in Panama when the natural supply of fresh water is sufficient.

Thanks for noting the colors added to the presentation in #16.

Down the road a bit, I'm thinking of asking ChatGPT4 and BARD to prepare the entire presentation in Spanish, since that is the language spoken in Panama.

However, there is no point in doing that until the proposal is shaping up so that it would pass muster in English.

There is a ** lot ** of ground to cover (or water in this case)....

I am not satisfied with any of the energy storage proposals in play right now. Air compression might work, but I am concerned about poor efficiency due to the losses in the transformations. Those will compound when the full cycle is considered.

Perhaps it would make sense to build large energy storage facilities on shore, and just pump electricity from the rafts as fast as it comes in.

In any case, there is a ** lot ** that needs to be done before this topic is worthy of serious review.

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SpaceNut · 2024-01-15 11:34:28

The need is for fresh water managment to which that is coming from stored areas. The stored areas are not refilling from mother nature as the rain is not being directed as it means bring it from where it occurs.

Same issue for the US for road ways

2018
Powerful rainstorm brings floods, landslide

Here is the climate of panama map

Elevation & Rainfall map of Panama for Botanical Exploration

Weather History in Panamá
History covers 2016 to current

So direct to manmade lagoons and you have other sources of fresh water.

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-15 13:33:46

In today's work session with ChatGPT4, I suggested we take a look at compressed air energy storage.

Compressed Air Energy Storage has been advocated on this forum by knowledgeable members. My only experience with this form of energy storage is from a limited experience with pneumatic tools. In this instance, we are considering storing 1 Megawatt delivered for 8 hours. The result appears to be on the larger side.

Report: Evaluating Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) for Solar Power Storage
Introduction:
This report assesses the feasibility of using Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) as an energy storage solution for the solar power generated from our proposed 2-acre solar panel system on Gatun Lake.
Key Findings:
Energy Storage Requirement
ChatGPT4 ran out of resources at this point ...
This report is tailored to help the audience understand the practical limitations of using CAES for our specific project, highlighting the scale of the infrastructure required and suggesting the exploration of more suitable alternatives. If you need any modifications or additional details, please let me know!

Subsequently, I asked ChatGPT4 to work with BARD to consider this question ... BARD came back with an estimate of 27 cubic meters at 76 bar.

That would be about the volume of a standard shipping container, and that would seem to me workable for a 2 acre floating solar raft system.

However, the estimate of 40-60 percent round trip efficiency for the storage system is a concern.

At this point, I have more questions than answers, so will let the matter rest.

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SpaceNut · 2024-01-15 15:04:40

The first is the motor operation heat loss for compression, the compression tank heat follows, then there is the moisture that forms in the tank with the final loss coming from the length of power line due to the load provided by the compressor motor.

If one harnesses the ocean wave power to move the water, then you have come up with a natural source of that power to power the compressor for storing energy.

kbd512 · 2024-01-15 17:13:12

If the Panama Canal requires large volumes of fresh water, then a passive system that requires no electricity, no toxic heavy metals, no energy-intensive materials, and very little maintenance, to directly produce that badly needed fresh water, is probably a better long-term investment. Directly produce fresh water using solar thermal power and pump the water through the canal system. The materials used in the invention described below cost $4 per square meter. It's hard to imagine a substantially cheaper system. Even if Lake Gatun runs completely dry, the city will still have fresh water.

Blaming climate change on human economic endeavors consuming 730 billion gallons / 2.76km^3 of fresh water per year to allow ships to transit is a poor attempt at obfuscating the real problem. Lake Gatun is sufficient to supply the people living there with fresh water. It may not be sufficient to also allow some arbitrary number of ships per day to transit through the canal system. By directing producing sufficient fresh water, both human consumption and economic problems can be addressed.

Passive solar evaporation system could be used to clean wastewater, provide potable water, or sterilize medical tools in off-grid areas.
An estimated two-thirds of humanity is affected by shortages of water, and many such areas in the developing world also face a lack of dependable electricity. Widespread research efforts have thus focused on ways to desalinate seawater or brackish water using just solar heat. Many such efforts have run into problems with fouling of equipment caused by salt buildup, however, which often adds complexity and expense.
Now, a team of researchers at MIT and in China has come up with a solution to the problem of salt accumulation — and in the process developed a desalination system that is both more efficient and less expensive than previous solar desalination methods. The process could also be used to treat contaminated wastewater or to generate steam for sterilizing medical instruments, all without requiring any power source other than sunlight itself.
The findings are described today in the journal Nature Communications, in a paper by MIT graduate student Lenan Zhang, postdoc Xiangyu Li, professor of mechanical engineering Evelyn Wang, and four others.
“There have been a lot of demonstrations of really high-performing, salt-rejecting, solar-based evaporation designs of various devices,” Wang says. “The challenge has been the salt fouling issue, that people haven’t really addressed. So, we see these very attractive performance numbers, but they’re often limited because of longevity. Over time, things will foul.”
Many attempts at solar desalination systems rely on some kind of wick to draw the saline water through the device, but these wicks are vulnerable to salt accumulation and relatively difficult to clean. The team focused on developing a wick-free system instead. The result is a layered system, with dark material at the top to absorb the sun’s heat, then a thin layer of water above a perforated layer of material, sitting atop a deep reservoir of the salty water such as a tank or a pond. After careful calculations and experiments, the researchers determined the optimal size for the holes drilled through the perforated material, which in their tests was made of polyurethane. At 2.5 millimeters across, these holes can be easily made using commonly available waterjets.
The holes are large enough to allow for a natural convective circulation between the warmer upper layer of water and the colder reservoir below. That circulation naturally draws the salt from the thin layer above down into the much larger body of water below, where it becomes well-diluted and no longer a problem. “It allows us to achieve high performance and yet also prevent this salt accumulation,” says Wang, who is the Ford Professor of Engineering and head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Li says that the advantages of this system are “both the high performance and the reliable operation, especially under extreme conditions, where we can actually work with near-saturation saline water. And that means it’s also very useful for wastewater treatment.”
He adds that much work on such solar-powered desalination has focused on novel materials. “But in our case, we use really low-cost, almost household materials.” The key was analyzing and understanding the convective flow that drives this entirely passive system, he says. “People say you always need new materials, expensive ones, or complicated structures or wicking structures to do that. And this is, I believe, the first one that does this without wicking structures.”
This new approach “provides a promising and efficient path for desalination of high salinity solutions, and could be a game changer in solar water desalination,” says Hadi Ghasemi, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Houston, who was not associated with this work. “Further work is required for assessment of this concept in large settings and in long runs,” he adds.
Just as hot air rises and cold air falls, Zhang explains, natural convection drives the desalination process in this device. In the confined water layer near the top, “the evaporation happens at the very top interface. Because of the salt, the density of water at the very top interface is higher, and the bottom water has lower density. So, this is an original driving force for this natural convection because the higher density at the top drives the salty liquid to go down.” The water evaporated from the top of the system can then be collected on a condensing surface, providing pure fresh water.
The rejection of salt to the water below could also cause heat to be lost in the process, so preventing that required careful engineering, including making the perforated layer out of highly insulating material to keep the heat concentrated above. The solar heating at the top is accomplished through a simple layer of black paint.
So far, the team has proven the concept using small benchtop devices, so the next step will be starting to scale up to devices that could have practical applications. Based on their calculations, a system with just 1 square meter (about a square yard) of collecting area should be sufficient to provide a family’s daily needs for drinking water, they say. Zhang says they calculated that the necessary materials for a 1-square-meter device would cost only about $4.
Their test apparatus operated for a week with no signs of any salt accumulation, Li says. And the device is remarkably stable. “Even if we apply some extreme perturbation, like waves on the seawater or the lake,” where such a device could be installed as a floating platform, “it can return to its original equilibrium position very fast,” he says.
The necessary work to translate this lab-scale proof of concept into workable commercial devices, and to improve the overall water production rate, should be possible within a few years, Zhang says. The first applications are likely to be providing safe water in remote off-grid locations, or for disaster relief after hurricanes, earthquakes, or other disruptions of normal water supplies.
Zhang adds that “if we can concentrate the sunlight a little bit, we could use this passive device to generate high-temperature steam to do medical sterilization” for off-grid rural areas.
“I think a real opportunity is the developing world,” Wang says. “I think that is where there's most probable impact near-term, because of the simplicity of the design.” But, she adds, “if we really want to get it out there, we also need to work with the end users, to really be able to adopt the way we design it so that they’re willing to use it.”
“This is a new strategy toward solving the salt accumulation problem in solar evaporation,” says Peng Wang, a professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, who was not associated with this research. “This elegant design will inspire new innovations in the design of advanced solar evaporators. The strategy is very promising due to its high energy efficiency, operation durability, and low cost, which contributes to low-cost and passive water desalination to produce fresh water from various source water with high salinity, e.g., seawater, brine, or brackish groundwater.”
The team also included Yang Zhong, Arny Leroy, and Lin Zhao at MIT, and Zhenyuan Xu at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. The work was supported by the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, the U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Joint Fund, and used facilities supported by the National Science Foundation.

SpaceNut · 2024-01-15 17:37:17

Back to what is the required water amount.
https://phys.org/news/2023-09-panama-sources-canal.html

Each ship moving through the canal requires 200 million liters of freshwater to move it through an intricate system of locks, provided by two artificial lakes fed by rainfall.
The canal recorded a record queue of 163 ships on August 9. By Tuesday, the number was down to 116.
El Niño weather phenomenon, which has also forced canal administrators to restrict the waterway to ships with a maximum draft (water depth) of 13.11 meters (43 feet).

Panama-Canal-2.jpg?d=768x666

Each vessel passing through the 50-mile (80-km) trans-oceanic waterway uses some 51 million gallons (193 million litres) of water from the lake.

tahanson43206 · 2024-01-15 20:00:38

For kbd512 re Post #22 => Thank you for this very interesting tip to investigate ...

Just FYI ... the requirement is for 4 billion liters per day. That amount covers 18 ships transit and the needs of a part of the population of Panama, which currently draws fresh water from the Lake Gatun system.

The method the MIT folks and the Chinese developed may well be able to meet that requirement. I'm planning to study it.

***
For SpaceNut ... thank you for that neat image, and for your interest in and support of this topic!

***
Follow up next day: For kbd512 re #22 - Thanks again for providing this report on the join research between MIT and Chinese researchers!

The system in development does indeed sound attractive. It appears a way to emulate natural water desalination, in that the heat of the Sun drives the process, just as it does on the open ocean.

The article did not specify the exact amount of water produced, but for our purposes we might assume it is at least a liter.

Given production of a liter per day, and an area of one square meter, then the surface area on the open ocean that would be needed is 4 billion square meters. An online calculator gave this result: 4,000,000,000 sq m = 4,000 sq km

Per Google, 63.2455532034 is the side of an area of 4000 km.... If there is one of these at each end of the can, then the area would be half at each end, or 44.72135955 kilometers on a side. The canal is about 80 kilometers long, so the water collection area would slightly more than double the length of the canal. The layout of the floating water collection rafts would need to be designed to accommodate shipping.

That is probably achievable. A means of collecting the water and pumping it up 27 meters to Gatun Lake is needed.

This would be an ambitious project, but anything to produce 4 billion liters per day is going to be ambitious.

***
For SpaceNut ... Please take a look at this system to see if it might be adapted to your water, which is burdened with suspended minerals that make it unsuitable for use in a home. I can't tell if the system described in the report is good for removing suspended material other than salt, but perhaps it can be made into a universal system, and in that case it would be valuable for many folks who have underground water that cannot be used without processing.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-01-16 19:27:41

https://news.mit.edu/2022/portable-desa … water-0428

https://news.mit.edu/2023/desalination- … eaper-0927

MIT Engineers Created a Portable Device that Zaps Seawater to Make Drinking Water

https://bgr.com/science/mit-teams-new-d … ton-press/

https://scitechdaily.com/mits-new-desalination-system-
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 … tap-water/

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