The WEFE TECH uses only durable renewable resources: Renewable energy and inexhaustible abundant sea water.
Moreover, it minimises the use of energy by a factor of 10 comparing to the conventional cooling systems.
Lab-scale prototype
Arid areas (with annual rainfall that rarely exceeds 200 mm) are in need of irrigation, and the intrusion of seawater has become a limiting factor to increase agricultural development. Solar power plants that are cooled by seawater enable farms to return to commercial practices. The system in place does produce cool air saturated with fresh salt water vapour from salted water. Temperature underneath the solar greenhouses is reduced by up to 15 °C, and humidity increased by 99% and a 90% water saving is achieved. The main benefits to farmers include self-generation of electricity and reducing energy bills, increased energy efficiency through cooling of solar panels, water saving and reclaim abandoned land into agricultural production. Broader societal benefits can also be achieved including climate mitigation and making small farmers partners in development.
Layout of projected commercial-scale application
The creation of a productive agro-ecosystem underneath the Solar PV panels with its own microclimate in an open field, is the basis for our new combining solution WEFE TECH and Agro-PV which leads to the following advantages:
• Double Harvesting of electricity and biomass from the same land
• Up to 15% more energy output for sale
• Increase of PV modules life time from 30 year to 50 years
• Increase of the water storage capacity of the soil
• Greenhouse + Solar power plant (water savings > 40%)
• Future trading of CO2 certificates
• Minimising wind erosion
• Controlled humus build-up
• Protecting crops from the impacts of climate change
• Mitigate issues of land use competition
• Diversify the farmers income structure and making it more stable